Verse 25 says, “And the two ends of the two cords you shall put on the two settings, and put them on the shoulder-pieces of the ephod, at its front.” One end of the chains was put on the ends of the breastplate, and the other, on the golden settings of the shoulder-pieces. The two chains put on the two settings of the shoulder-pieces signify Christ’s divine nature upholding God’s redeemed people, held in His love to His bearing strength. God’s redeemed people are held on Christ’s heart in His love. They are also held on His shoulders, upheld by His bearing strength. The breastplate without the shoulder-pieces would indicate that we are held by Christ, but not that we are upheld by Him. We would be held in love, but we would not be upheld with Christ’s bearing strength. By this picture we can see that we, God’s redeemed people, are both held in love and are upheld by Christ’s bearing strength. His heart holds us, and His shoulders uphold us.
Holding is a matter of love, and upholding is a matter of strength. Often out of love for his wife, a brother may want to do something special for her. However, he may not have the strength, the ability, to do it. For example, he may want to buy something valuable for her, but he may not have enough money to purchase such an expensive object. He may have the heart, but he may not have the means. Likewise, because we parents love our children, we may desire to do many things for them. But we may not have the means or the ability to do everything we want to do. We have the holding love, but we may lack the upholding strength. Christ, however, has love in His heart and strength with His shoulders. Hallelujah, we are held in His love and upheld by His strength!
Verse 28 says, “And they shall bind the breastplate by its rings unto the rings of the ephod with a ribbon of blue, that it may be upon the skillfully woven band of the ephod, and that the breastplate may not come loose from the ephod.” The two chains of gold refer to Christ’s divinity, but the two ribbons of linen refer to His humanity. On the top of the breastplate the connecting element is Christ’s divinity. But at the bottom of the breastplate the connecting element is Christ’s humanity, signified by two ribbons of linen. Therefore, in one sense the church is connected to Christ by His divinity, and in another sense the church is connected to Christ by His humanity. Both His divinity and His humanity are connecting elements.
The blue color of the ribbons signifies heavenliness. Christ’s humanity was lived out on earth; nevertheless, His humanity is heavenly. Christ is a man, but He is a heavenly man. His humanity is with the color of blue.
Verses 26 and 27 say, “And you shall make two rings of gold, and put them on the two ends of the breastplate, upon its edge, which is toward the side of the ephod inward. And you shall make two rings of gold, and put them on the two shoulder-pieces of the ephod underneath, on its front, near its joining, above the skillfully woven band of the ephod.” Two rings of gold on the two ends at the bottom of the breastplate and two rings of gold on the two shoulder-pieces of the ephod signify the Spirit of Christ as the holding element.
According to verse 28, the breastplate was bound by its rings to the rings of the ephod with the ribbons. This signifies the joining of the church to the expression of Christ by His Spirit with His human nature. The ribbon was used to bind the golden rings together. Here we have four things: the golden rings, the linen ribbons, the breastplate, and the ephod. All this signifies joining the church (the breastplate) to the expression of Christ (the ephod) by His Spirit (the rings) with His human nature (the ribbons).
I appreciate Paul’s writings, but not even in them do we have the details concerning the church found in Exodus 28. If we did not have this picture, we could not see so many details about the relationship of the church to Christ. How precious is this picture, and how important it is for us to see it!
As we consider this picture, we see that we are on the heart of Christ, held by His divinity and humanity. We are also upheld on His shoulders by His bearing strength. Now we know where the church is—on Christ’s heart and on His shoulders. From John 10 we see that we are held by the hand of the Lord Jesus and also by the hand of the Father. Although this gives a sense of love and strength, the impression is not the same as that afforded by the picture in Exodus 28.
Verse 30 says, “Aaron shall bear the judgment of the sons of Israel upon his heart before Jehovah continually.” Here we see that the breastplate was borne upon Aaron’s heart before the Lord. This signifies that the entire church as one entity built together is borne upon Christ’s loving heart before God. What a great comfort this is to us! Many among us have hardships and difficulties. We may have problems at work or at home. Human life is not easy. However, if we consider the picture of the breastplate on Aaron’s heart, we shall realize that we are not in our hardships, difficulties, or problems—we are on Christ’s heart before God. When the enemy comes to trouble us, we should declare, “Satan, right now I am borne on Christ’s heart before God.”
Exodus 28:29 says, “And Aaron shall bear the names of the sons of Israel in the breastplate of judgment upon his heart, when he goes into the holy place, for a memorial before Jehovah continually.” This signifies that Christ is bearing the church before God for a memorial, for a remembrance before God. A memorial is usually pleasant and also good. The church borne on the heart of Christ before God certainly is pleasant to God. Every day and even every moment, God has a memorial. This memorial is the church on the heart of Christ.
We all need to realize that the church is borne upon Christ as a memorial, a remembrance, before God. This will encourage us at a time when the Lord’s testimony is under attack and facing opposition. On the one hand, we may be troubled by the slander and rumors spread concerning us. But on the other hand, we should realize that all the churches are on the heart of Christ before God. This is very pleasing to Him. When God looks at His recovery with all the churches, He is happy. He is pleased to have such a remembrance. In the sight of man the churches may be despised, but they are truly pleasant to God. We may have the assurance that we are a pleasing memorial to God.