God tells us that He is holy. He commands us to be holy, as He is holy. Day and night the beings around the throne are declaring “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty.”
So, what does the word “holy” mean?
I grew up thinking it must mean “perfect” or “sinless,” but that’s not really the center of it. “Holy” simply means “set apart.” You know, like that special thing at your house that you only use for that thing that you do. A Christmas decoration. A keepsake or heirloom. A special chair you don’t let the dog sit on. Your birthday plate. That desk space where only you are allowed to throw your stuff. We have dozens of things that we set apart for special use by a special person at a special time. And THAT’s what it means to be holy, strictly-speaking.
So, in what ways is God “holy?” He is sinless. He is also all-powerful. He is also eternal. The hymn summarizes its speculation on why the beings call Him thrice-holy: He is “perfect in power, in love and purity.”
More personally, then: What does it mean for US to be holy? It means that we are set apart, not to be like the other people on earth. The original word that we have translated “church” (ecclesia) would be better translated as “called-out assembly.” We are called out of the mundane to meet together with God and with one another. As Jesus says near the end of Revelation, “Come out of her, my people!” Come out of Babylon, so that you do not share in her destruction!
The passage today in Exodus 28 is a brief overview of the “setting apart” of the priests, Aaron and his sons. They were given special clothing, each element of which is designed to highlight their holiness. Since we are also a “royal priesthood,” we would do well to see what God is saying about US while He is consecrating THEM.
While we’re at it, let’s explain two other important words: Priest and “minister”. A priest is a representative or a bridge, a person who goes between God and man, representing each to the other. A minister is a person who ministers, I guess you could say, for “minister” is primarily used as a verb, not a noun. To minister means to serve. So when I “minister to the Lord,” I am serving Him. Let’s get into now.
They wore specially-made “holy garments” for glory and for beauty. Made by the most skilled artisans, “whom I have filled with a spirit of skill” (did you catch that beautiful insight?), made of gold, blue and purple and scarlet yarns, and fine twined linen. Here are the meanings of each of the parts:
EPHOD with shoulder pieces, each of which contains two onyx stones set in gold, with the names of the sons of Israel engraved on them. So the priest bears their names before the LORD on his shoulders for remembrance. So the work of a priest is to come before God, bringing the names of his people with him. So as priests we are called to intercede on behalf of our tribe of people. In a sense, we ARE the people, standing in their place on their behalf.
BREASTPLATE of judgment also skillfully made of gold and fine linen, with twelve precious stones, and each with the name fo one of the twelve sons of Israel on it. “So Aaron shall bear the names of the sons of Israel in the breastpiece of judgment on his heart, when he goes into the Holy Place, to bring them to regular remembrance before the LORD.” On the breastplate of judgment is also placed the mysterious Urim and the Thummim, carried close to his heart before the LORD. In this way, Aaron bears the judgment of the people of Israel on his heart before the LORD regularly. What does it mean to “bear the judgment?” I think in this case it means we are not just interceding for others, but as priests our responsibility is to help bring people into right relationship with God. We lead worship. We offer the sacraments. We repeat the holy words and preach the good news. Aaron “ministers to the LORD” on behalf of the people.
ROBE of the ephod is all of blue. Made seamless, so that it may not tear. With bells, among other filigree. As the priest ministers to the LORD, that sound is heard so that “when he goes into the Holy Place before the LORD, and when he comes out, so that he does not die.” This begs the question, why would a silent priest die? It’s not to avoid startling the all-knowing one. But it’s coming with purpose, not coming empty-handed, not offering God something that costs me nothing, not treating this moment casually, as if I could simply walk up to God as if I were a peer of His. Our every move is done reverently, with utmost respect for the One we minister to.
TURBAN on the head with a gold plate on it, with the engraving of a signet, 'Holy to the LORD.' This man who intercedes for others and ministers to the LORD is specially SET APART. Not for common use! That is something worthy of reflection, isn’t it? I am set apart. I am marked on my forehead, just as we find in the Revelation, people either had the mark of the beast, or they had God’s name written on their foreheads. Like a brand that says, “This one belongs to me.” However, it is not just Aaron who is Holy to the LORD—he is responsible to represent all of the people of Israel when he comes before God. He carries in with him any guilt from the imperfections of the people, that they all might be brought before God as His “holy” ones. These names on his chest and on his shoulders, THEY are set apart for God.
COAT woven in checker work of fine linen, and Sash embroidered with needlework, made “for glory and beauty.” Isn’t this a challenging and excellent detail? There were those artists, whom God had filled with a spirit of skill, who make these elements for the sake of glory and beauty. No words or pictures. No particular symbolic meaning, except for glory and beauty. It’s okay to give God excellence, just to bless Him with an offering of your best!
And they were even to have especially modest undergarments, to be sure they do not bring any sensual, distracting, earthly offering before the LORD. Motives and minds must be pure. Otherwise, they will bear guilt and die. This shall be a “statute forever for him and for his offspring after him.” So, even today, we must take care to dress appropriately and to keep our thoughts pure.
They were to dress Aaron and his sons with all these items, and then “anoint them and ordain them and consecrate them, that they may serve me as priests.” Anoint, ordain and consecrate are roughly synonyms of “holy,” don’t you think?
YOUR ENCOUNTER
In our case, we do not have a physical Holy Place to enter. And I would dare say that even Sunday morning worship is not the only context for when we take on the role of a priest in all of these senses. I think every moment of every day, every thought and word, every act and deed, is an act of worship, of offering, of sacrifice. I place my very life on an altar continually, dying to myself, giving Him glory, and letting my every breath be an act of worship.
I’m saying, you are wearing those garments right now! You are carrying the names of people before the throne of God, representing them in reverence and knowingly pleading for them. You have bells on your robe to consecrate every step you take. Breathe in. Breathe out. As unto the LORD. On behalf of others. With excellence, to the glory of God. Take nothing for granted. Life is sacred; do not cheapen it with the mundane. As Peter wrote, “in your hearts set apart Christ as holy.”
What is one takeaway for you from this? What about your role, and your spiritual vestments, stands out to you? How will you consciously behave today, based on your priestly role? Share with someone and write it in your journal.