In the ephod blue, purple, and scarlet strands were also woven into the fine linen. Blue signifies heavenliness; purple, kingliness; and scarlet, redemption. Hence, in the ephod not only do we see Christ and His divine glory woven into His human beauty, but we also see His heavenliness, kingliness, and redemption. The life of the Lord Jesus on earth was an expression of God and man, an expression of divinity and humanity. In His living we see His heavenliness, kingliness, and redemption; we also see His divine glory and human beauty. Christ has the power to hold us and the strength to fasten us to Himself because He includes all these elements.
Exodus 28:9-10 says, “You shall take two onyx stones and engrave on them the names of the sons of Israel, six of their names on the one stone, and the names of the remaining six on the other stone, according to their birth.” Verse 12 says, “You shall put the two stones on the shoulder pieces of the ephod as stones of remembrance for the sons of Israel. And Aaron shall bear their names before Jehovah on his two shoulders for a memorial.” Two onyx stones were put upon the two shoulder pieces of the ephod, and the names of the twelve sons of Israel were engraved on the stones. The two onyx stones signify the believers in Christ. After regeneration, believers begin to possess the element of precious stones and enter into the process of transformation. With our natural being there is the aspect of God’s creation and the aspect of the fall. Whatever has its source in man’s fall will be removed, and whatever comes from God’s creation will be transformed. Hence, on the one hand, God is working on us to shake away and remove the fallen factor and, on the other hand, to uplift and transform the aspect of our being that is related to God’s creation so that we may become precious stones. Eventually, in the New Jerusalem in the new heaven and the new earth, all the believers in Christ will be precious stones.
The two onyx stones were enclosed in settings of gold and then placed on the two shoulder pieces (vv. 11-12). The settings of gold signify how we are attached, fastened, and held to the Lord Jesus. The Hebrew words rendered “settings of gold” also mean “plaited work of gold, plaited settings of gold, filigree settings of gold.” These settings portray the Lord’s divinity after it has been processed, passing through many sufferings, which causes Him to be formed into a beautiful setting of gold to hold us as precious stones.
The two settings of gold were fastened to the shoulder pieces by two chains of gold (vv. 13-14). The chains of gold were made of pure gold twisted together as cords. This signifies that Christ in His divinity passed through a process to become a golden fastening cord.
Thus, the high priest bearing the two onyx stones fastened to the two shoulder pieces with the two settings of gold and the two gold chains typifies that Christ as God’s High Priest has the strength to bear God’s redeemed people before God. This strength comes from His divinity mingled with His humanity, which expresses God, man, and the Lord’s heavenliness, kingship, and redemption. Furthermore, the precious stones become a memorial in the sight of God (v. 12), that is, a memorial of the church set in Christ, a memorial of Christ holding the church, God’s redeemed people. This memorial will last for eternity.
The focus of the ephod is the breastplate. Hence, of the various items of the priestly garments, the first thing spoken of is the breastplate (v. 4). This indicates that the priestly garments are for the breastplate. The breastplate signifies that God’s redeemed people have been built together in Christ. The twelve precious stones, which signify all God’s redeemed people, being built together on the breastplate are a picture of the building of God’s people. The breastplate is also used for the manifestation of God’s will concerning His people. In the Old Testament age, the breastplate was the instrument and channel through which God spoke.
Verse 21 says, “The stones shall be according to the names of the sons of Israel, twelve, according to their names; they shall be like the engravings of a signet, each according to its name, for the twelve tribes.” The names of the twelve tribes of Israel engraved on the twelve stones signify the redeemed people of God. The stones are separate pieces, but they are not divided. Rather, they are incorporated together. Using a New Testament concept, the stones have been built together. The twelve stones are built together to become one entity, and the name of that entity is the breastplate. Hence, the breastplate typifies the church.
In the church the believers are distinct individuals, but they are not separated, individualistic, or divided. They have been built as one. Furthermore, the Lord does not bear each one individualistically; He bears one entity, the church, which is His Body.
The breastplate is called the breastplate of judgment (v. 15). The word judgment is related to judging. However, the judgment here is not mainly to determine right or wrong, that is, what is just or unjust. Instead, this judgment is related to God’s people knowing His leading. If we would know God’s leading, we must experience a great deal of judgment. Whatever is of the flesh, the self, the old man, and the world must be judged so that we may know God’s leading.
The breastplate functions as a heavenly, divine, and spiritual typewriter. Of the twenty-two letters of the Hebrew alphabet, eighteen were contained in the names of the twelve tribes inscribed on the twelve precious stones set on the breastplate. The remaining four letters were contained in the Thummim attached to the breastplate. Therefore, the breastplate contained all the letters of the Hebrew alphabet. In addition, the Urim was inserted underneath the twelve precious stones. In Hebrew the word Urim means “lights, illuminators.” The Urim had twelve illuminators, one to illuminate each piece of stone on the breastplate. Then the transparent precious stones could shine with light. When the Urim and the Thummim were added to the breastplate, they caused it to become the breastplate of judgment (v. 30). Through the breastplate with the Urim and the Thummim, the Lord’s leading could be obtained, and by the composition of a word or a sentence, the Lord’s leading was made known.
On the one hand, the breastplate typifies the church, and on the other hand, it makes known God’s leading. This indicates that today God reveals what we should do through the church, by the church, and with the church. If we do not know the church, we do not know the Lord’s leading. Actually, God’s leading and the church are one.