Having covered the matters of holiness and righteousness, we must go on to speak concerning the priests themselves. Priests are the most normal and proper persons. If as a human being you are not a priest serving God, you are not normal. A proper human being is one who is a priest, one who serves God. If a lawyer or a professor does not serve God, he is not a proper person. If we are not priests serving God, we are abnormal. You may think that you are very good, even excellent. But no matter how good we may be, we are improper and abnormal if we are not priests. Praise the Lord that we can declare that we are priests serving God! This means that we are normal, proper persons.
In order to be priests, we must be holy and righteous. This means that we should have the virtues of holiness toward God and righteousness toward men. This holiness and righteousness are signified by the priestly garments. We need to ask ourselves what kind of garments we are wearing. If we are priests, those who are normal and proper, we are wearing holiness and righteousness as our garments. Our priestly garments are holiness and righteousness.
The concluding word on the section concerning the priestly garments is that the garments of the priests are the expression of holiness and righteousness. This is the significance of the priestly garments, and this is the expression of a proper and normal person, one who is a priest serving God. A priest always wears holiness and righteousness as his garments, holiness in the divine nature and righteousness in humanity.
Let us now consider in more detail the plate upon the turban, the tunic, the turban, the girdle, and the breeches. The golden plate was a holy crown, diadem, or blossom. This plate was of pure gold; that is, it was of the pure divine nature. The engraving “Holy to Jehovah” indicates that the entire priesthood is sanctified unto the Lord. Hence, the priestly garments signify holiness in the divine nature. The priests were separated unto the Lord from everything other than God. This is the meaning of the inscription “Holy to Jehovah.” As we have pointed out, this holiness is the expression of the divine nature. However, because they are lacking in revelation, many Christians have a different understanding of holiness, an understanding that is far from scriptural.
Verse 37 says, “And you shall put it on a ribbon of blue, and it shall be upon the turban; at the front of the turban it shall be.” The fact that the plate of gold was put on a ribbon of blue indicates that it was held by heavenly strength. A heavenly strength holds the plate to the turban. This indicates that genuine holiness is related to heavenliness. Anything that is earthly is not holy. But if something is holy, it must be heavenly, for holiness is associated with heavenliness.
Verse 37 tells us that the plate of pure gold was put at the front of the turban. This signifies a declaration. The golden plate on the turban worn by the high priest declared that he was holy unto the Lord. When the Lord Jesus was on earth, there was upon His forehead a declaration to all the angels, demons, and the entire universe that He is holy unto God. This is also true of Him in the heavens today. The words “Holy to Jehovah” are His brand, His declaration. His entire being declares that He is holy unto God.
Verse 38 says, “And it shall be on Aaron’s forehead, and Aaron shall bear the iniquity of the holy things which the sons of Israel shall sanctify for all their holy gifts; and it shall be on his forehead continually that they may be accepted before Jehovah.” This verse indicates that Aaron bore the responsibility of sanctifying the holy gifts of the sons of Israel that they might be accepted before the Lord. This is difficult to understand.
All the children of Israel labored on the good land and eventually harvested some produce. The top tenth of that produce was brought to the feasts and offered to God as holy gifts. Verse 38 speaks of holy gifts, not of holy offerings or sacrifices. A sacrifice involved redemption or the remission of sin. Sacrifices were offered to God for the remission of sin. But with gifts the remission of sin is not involved. For example, if someone gives you a gift, this does not mean that he has offended you and wants to give you something in order to be forgiven. No, a gift is for fellowship; it is a sign of an intimate relationship.
During the feasts, the children of Israel did offer sin offerings and trespass offerings. But of the five main offerings, only these two were related to redemption or the remission of sin. The other three main offerings—the burnt offering, the meal offering, and the peace offering—were for fellowship with God. The peace offering was related to making peace with God, the meal offering was to be enjoyed with God and eaten with Him, and the burnt offering was for full communion, full fellowship, with God. The term “holy gifts” signifies peace with God, fellowship with God, and enjoyment with God. At the time of the feasts, the children of Israel brought the top produce of the land to offer to God so that they could be at peace with Him, have enjoyment with Him, and have communion with Him. These were the holy gifts.
A portion of the holy gifts offered to God was separated for God Himself to enjoy, and the remainder was for the people’s enjoyment. First, the people labored on the good land and reaped the harvest. Then they brought the top tenth of the produce to the feast and offered this to God to make peace, to have enjoyment with God, and to have fellowship with Him. Part of what was offered to God was separated to Him; the rest was for the people. That part which was separated for God had to be kept entirely for Him. It was not to be used by anyone with the exception of certain parts designated for the priests. Only the priests had the right to enjoy this portion. This ordinance, this regulation, was to be strictly observed. It was Aaron’s responsibility as the high priest to take care of this matter. If that portion which was separated unto God was touched by anyone who was not a priest, that would have been a serious transgression. It would have been a great offense in the sight of God, and the high priest was to bear the iniquity of it.
Now we can understand more clearly the meaning of the words “Holy unto Jehovah.” Here we have a fourfold holiness. First, the people labored on the holy land. Second, as a result of their labor, they harvested the holy produce. Third, a tithe of this holy produce was offered to God. This means that the tithe was also holy. Fourth, a portion of the top tenth was separated absolutely unto God—it was holy unto Him. Those who did not serve God as priests were not allowed to touch it. Some of this was burnt on the altar and offered to God for His satisfaction; the rest was for the enjoyment of the priests. Those who were not priests could not enjoy this portion, for it was altogether for the Lord. This is absolute holiness, and this is the meaning of “Holy unto Jehovah.”
Do you see these four stages of holiness? These stages include the holy land, the holy produce, the holy tithe, and the holy portion separated to God and to His priests. That part was most holy. Hence, we go from the first degree of holiness, the land, to the second, the holy produce; from the second to the third, the holy tenth; and from the third to the fourth, the portion separated to the Lord. The high priest was to bear the responsibility for that most holy portion. That part was absolutely for God and His priests. Anyone else who touched it transgressed the ordinance of God’s holiness. Aaron was charged by God to be responsible for such transgression. This means that the high priest was to keep that holy part absolutely for the Lord. For this reason, he wore a golden plate that declared “Holy unto Jehovah.”
As those who believe in Christ, we all are saints, holy ones. However, we need to ask ourselves in which stage, or degree, of holiness we are. Are you holy in the first stage, or are you holy in the second, third, or fourth stage? Do you have fourfold holiness, or do you have onefold, twofold, or threefold holiness? Can your holiness be compared to the holy land, the holy produce, or the holy gifts? We have seen that the holy gifts were set apart to be offered to God during the feasts. At the time of the feasts, God’s people enjoyed these holy gifts. From these gifts the top portion was set aside for God and His priests. Not even all the Levites could share in these holy offerings. As we consider these degrees of holiness, we need to realize where we are today. Yes, we are saints. But are we saints in the holy land? with the holy produce? with the holy gifts? or with the top portion of the holy gifts separated absolutely for God? These holy gifts are fully under the responsibility of Christ, our High Priest. There must be such a top portion of holiness for God’s enjoyment.
As our High Priest, Christ bears a heavy responsibility. He is responsible to take care of the highest degree of holiness. We have seen that the priestly garments first signify holiness in the divine nature. Now this holiness needs to come to the highest degree; that is, it must progress from the holy land, the holy produce, and the holy gifts to the topmost holy offering. This is the highest holiness taken care of by Christ. Thus, He wears a plate that declares “Holy unto Jehovah.” He bears the responsibility to make us all holy not only in the first, second, and third steps, but also in the fourth step. He bears the responsibility to bring us into a fourfold holiness.