1) Aaron's Robe: Beauty & Glory
Aaron's robes connect Psalm 133 and Exodus 28. The idea of brethren in unity is connected to the wise hearted, who are filled with the spirit of wisdom and who were asked to make the robes of service for glory and beauty.
In Psalm 133, the blessing of life eternal is likened to a blessing coming down like the oil on Aaron, to the skirts of his robe. In the text the Hebrew word translated 'garments' in the KJV is most often translated as 'measure', and extent including a height or breadth. We might see the blessing coming down like anointing oil over the full measure of Aaron's vestments.
<A Song of degrees of David.> Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron's beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments; As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the LORD commanded the blessing, even life for evermore. (Psalm 133:1-3)
The blessing of brethren & sisters unity and life for evermore, is like ointment running down Aaron's robe. The picture in our minds if of fragrant ointment of refreshing goodness and pleasantness.
And also of beauty and glory.
This thought is enriched deeply when we consider that it was the wise-hearted people who were given wisdom, who were asked to make the full measure of the garments, to the command of Yahweh Elohim.
Thou shalt make holy garments for Aaron thy brother for glory and for beauty. And thou shalt speak unto all that are wise hearted, whom I have filled with the spirit of wisdom, that they may make Aaron's garments to consecrate him, that he may minister unto me in the priest's office. (Exodus 28:2-3)
The garments were to consecrate Aaron and set him apart. When we think of the blessing that comes down, it is over the full measure of the actions of wise hearted people, (hopefully us) that have been offered in service to Yahweh Elohim.
Of all the things made from creation of life to the temples, the phrase that it be made for “glory and for beauty” only occurs three times. Two of the occurrences describe Aaron's and his sons gowns.
For Aaron's sons thou shalt make coats, and thou shalt make for them girdles, and bonnets shalt thou make for them, for glory and for beauty. (Exodus 28:40)
The third instance speaks of Yahweh Elohim
Deck thyself now with majesty and excellency; and array thyself with glory and beauty. (Job 40:10)
As Yeshua is our high priest and this is a pattern of the glory to come, the implication is that we must make the garments- that the glory and beauty must be made by us for Yahweh's service.
When we think of the blessing coming down of eternal life we remember that it comes down on the memorial of the people of God put before God. The full measure of Aaron's vestments included that Aaron bore on his shoulders the names of the people.
Thou shalt put the two stones upon the shoulders of the ephod for stones of memorial unto the children of Israel: and Aaron shall bear their names before the LORD upon his two shoulders for a memorial. (Exodus 28:12)
Our Lord asked us to take on our shoulders a light burden.
Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. (Matthew 11:29-30).
The faithful are given a memorial even if not of the tribes of Israel, if we are joined to the hope of Israel as the Centurion Cornelius was told,
Thy prayers and thine alms are come up for a memorial before God. (Acts 10:4)
There is further memorial of the people in Aaron's full measure, in judgement over Aaron's heart
Aaron shall bear the names of the children of Israel in the breastplate of judgment upon his heart, when he goes in unto the holy place, for a memorial before the LORD continually. (Exodus 28:29)
And thou shalt put in the breastplate of judgment the Urim and the Thummim; and they shall be upon Aaron's heart, when he goes in before the LORD: and Aaron shall bear the judgment of the children of Israel upon his heart before the LORD continually. (Exodus 28:30).
To have the full measure is to fully understand.
Taking the full measure of the blessing that comes down includes measuring the heart of the high priest, who is clothed in the judgement of the children of Israel. Judgement is connected with hearing as the next item is that there be bells that Aaron be heard in the manner appointed, that he does not die. In the same way we would hope our prayers are heard due to our association with our Lord and high priest. The last item mentioned of the full measure related to Aaron, is a memorial of a requirement asked of Israel (and us), “ye shall therefore be holy, for I am holy.” (Leviticus 11:45)
And thou shall make a plate of pure gold, and grave upon it, like the engravings of a signet, HOLINESS TO THE LORD. And thou shall put it on a blue lace, that it may be upon the mitre; upon the forefront of the mitre it shall be. And it shall be upon Aaron's forehead, that Aaron may bear the iniquity of the holy things, which the children of Israel shall hallow in all their holy gifts; and it shall be always upon his forehead, that they may be accepted before the LORD. (Exodus 28:36-38)
No gift is acceptable before Yahweh, unless it be offered by those who have met the requirement to be holy. Peter perhaps puts the idea best, that we may be holy by reason of, or in Yahshua Anointed.
If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious. To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious, Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. (1Peter 2:3-5)
The blessing of life for ever for brethren in unity, is like oil descending from the head bearing holiness to Yahweh, where the gifts, which is the life, of the wise hearted is an acceptable sacrifice. The wise hearted were to make the gold plate, engrave it and attach the blue ribbon so that their own future sacrifices would be acceptable, and they be found without iniquity. This shows the grace of forgiveness in the pattern.
The blessing comes down like anointing oil first on this headpiece, then on the shoulders of names of memorial, then lastly on the breastplate of judgement, to the bells of the feet where the high priest may be heard. The wise hearted people made the bells, so the High Priest may be heard,
And in that day ye shall ask me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, he will give it you. Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full. (John 16:23-24)
The High Priest
That Yeshua died and rose again is, of no value unless people benefit. There is a blessing if we are obedient in taking on the name in baptism, and then after baptism lead lives to glorify and make beautiful the name we have taken on. The garment we 'weave' is made in living life in confessing the truth of the rightness of Yahweh's plan for the earth, and in living a life of right judgements and choices, resulting in good relationships, firstly with Yahweh Elohim and then with our brethren.
In David's song of goodness and pleasantness he uses a Hebraism lost in translation. The image that we are to have is of ointment flowing down the robes of Aaron's 'measure'. The word 'garment' is always without exception translated 'measure'. It is used most often of Ezekiel's actions in measuring the temple. The measure of a thing is objective – but we do not measure a building, or person without emotion. There is intent and purpose, discovery, and possibly confirmation of an idea we had. David's psalm is this recognition of the pleasure of understanding – more is revealed and more is understood.
The oil goes down the full measure of Aaron's robe, in the role of high priest. We may see Yeshua in the pattern when we comprehend Aaron's 'garments'. The high priest was to bear over his heart the breastplate of the judgement of the children of Israel. We are told Yeshua bore our iniquities.
He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities. (Isaiah 53:11)
But yet all of pattern requires that it be made by the wise-hearted servants of the seed of Israel. David's song says that when the blessing comes down it comes down on, and covers, the full measure of Aaron's gown in all its symbolism of the multitudinous servants of Christ who have wrought the garments of the high priest – in their hearts/minds bodies and lives. The blessing comes down on what we have made ourselves in Christ, if it be fit for service, and at the judgement the world of the wise-hearted is transformed. Mortality is made immortal.
There was only one high priest, and only one heir, but in the picture of glory and beauty, in the pattern of Yeshua, there are also consecrated many sons. They also wore beautiful coats, not robes, but coats – or coverings.
For Aaron's sons thou shalt make coats, and thou shalt make for them girdles, and bonnets shalt thou make for them, for glory and for beauty. (Exodus 28:40)
In all there is beautiful picture, for it shows the work of God involves the work of humans making the garments whereby their own blessing will come. The point is that they had to be wise hearted to have wisdom given to them, to work in unity to make a complete robe of beauty and glory. The works were to be only of the precise pattern Yahweh Elohim desired. The end was a work of glory and beauty, and it honoured Yahweh Elohim. Once again the focus of the idea of human salvation, is not individual human salvation as such, but that the glory of Yahweh fill the earth in the collective works of wise hearted family working together, led by the head, the perfected firstborn son. This will not be finally achieved until the time when the blessing comes down upon the mountains of Zion and brethren live in unity, having attained the blessing of life forever more.
It is rather amazing, that we can give something. If we give our strength to Yahweh he has strength. If we walk in his ways we make beauty, for him.
<A Psalm of David.> Give unto the LORD, O ye mighty, give unto the LORD glory and strength. Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name; worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness. (Psalm 29:1-2) 1 Chron 16:29
