The main point in this message, however, is not related to transformation. It is related to how the onyx stones were placed on the shoulder-pieces. How were the onyx stones attached to the shoulder-pieces? Exodus 28:11 says, “With the work of a stone engraver, like the engravings of a signet, you shall engrave the two stones according to the names of the sons of Israel; you shall make them enclosed in settings of gold.” We have seen that the Hebrew words rendered “settings of gold” also mean plaited work of gold, plaited settings of gold, filigree settings of gold. The gold into which the onyx stones were put was not simple in shape. Rather, it was plaited into a very beautiful design. We should not think of these settings merely as sockets of gold formed to hold the precious stones. No, the gold was plaited into a filigree setting.
These filigree settings of gold signify how we are attached, fastened, held, to the Lord Jesus. These settings portray the Lord’s divinity after it has been processed and has passed through many sufferings. The sufferings experienced by the Lord Jesus caused Him to be formed into a beautiful setting to hold us as the precious stones.
If we did not have the picture afforded by the type of the ephod with the filigree settings, we would not know simply by the plain words in the New Testament how we are held to the Lord Jesus. The New Testament indicates that we are held by the power of the Lord. The Bible says this, and we believe it. But have you ever imagined that the Lord Jesus is holding us in beautiful settings of gold filigree? We are being held to Him in a very beautiful way.
We need to take time to pray-read these verses in Exodus 28 and fellowship with others concerning them. This will help us to appreciate the Lord more. The more we behold the Lord’s beauty and appreciate it, the more steadily shall we be fastened to Him and by Him.
We have seen that the onyx stones were placed into beautiful settings of gold filigree. Now we must go on to see how these lovely settings were connected to the shoulder-pieces of the ephod. Exodus 28:13 and 14 say, “And you shall make settings of gold, and two chains of pure gold, twined you shall make them, a work of cords; and you shall put the chains of cords upon the settings.” These verses indicate that the settings are joined to the shoulder-pieces by chains of gold. The chains of golden cords were formed of golden threads twined together. These cords of gold fastened the onyx stones in the golden settings to the shoulder-pieces. Here we have three items: the shoulder-pieces, the onyx stones in the golden setting, and the golden cords used to fasten together the settings and the shoulder-pieces. This portrays the Lord’s divinity becoming a golden fastening cord. Once again, it was necessary for Christ in His divinity to pass through a process in order to become such a golden cord.
From reading the New Testament we cannot see the beauty, the filigree, of the Lord’s fastening strength and power. But we can see it by considering the picture of the ephod with the shoulder-pieces, settings, and golden cords in Exodus 28. When the onyx stones were fastened to the shoulder-pieces, they formed what we may call the shoulder plates. We have pointed out that the shoulder-pieces were part of the ephod and therefore were made of the same materials.