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Listen "#86 | Exodus and the Atonement: The High Priest Garments Part 2"
Episode Synopsis
In this episode we continue to explore the garments of the High Priest, specifically, the breast plate, the turban, and the gold plate that says HOLINESS TO THE LORD. This golden plate gives us a picture of how atonement works in the sacrificial system because it says the gold plate bears the iniquity of the offerings the Israelites bring to God. The idea is that the warped condition of the offerings, which are symbolically transferred to the offerings from the worshipper, are then carried into the Tabernacle and subsequently transferred to the High Priest's golden plate, so that he in some sense bears, or carries the iniquity on that golden plate. In Exodus, there is no other passage that outlines what happens to the iniquity after it makes contact with the gold plate. We may assume, then, that once the iniquity (warped condition) has passed from the worshipper, to the offering, and then to the gold plate, that it is somehow "unwarped" and "made right" by making contact with the High Priest's gold plate that says HOLINESS TO THE LORD. Apparently, the High Priest carries the iniquity, but not indefinitely. It is somehow made right and straightened out.
In Hebrews, Jesus is our High Priest because he, like the gold plate on the High Priests turban, absorbs our warped human condition through the incarnation, and makes it right, correcting and straightening it out, perfecting it in himself. Now that he has perfected his own humanity, when our own warped condition makes contact with his holy, harmless, undefiled, sinless human condition, it is made right, corrected and straightened out, perfecting us into the glory of our created purpose.
Key Passages
Exodus 28:15-43 - breastplate, turban, and golden plate
Exodus 29:10-14 - laying hands on the purification/sin offering identifies the worshipper with the animal, and symbolically "transfers" the iniquity of the worshipper to the flesh (not the blood or the organs) of the animal. In this case, it's the flesh of a bull for Aaron and his sons. Normally, the priests eat the flesh of the purification/sin offering (Lev. 6:24-30; 10:8-20). But in this situation, the bull represents the priests, and if the priests eat the flesh of the bull, they will be taking their own inquity back into themselves. So instead of eating the flesh of the bull, they take the bull outside the camp and it is completely burned up - no one eats it.
Hebrews 7:23-26 - Jesus is the perfect High Priest
Key Resources
A blog post depicting each one of the High Priest garments.
Explainer Video on how to use www.biblehub.com and www.blueletterbible.org
Leave us a question or comment at our website podcast page.
* Intro Music: "Admirable" Carlos Herrera Music
In Hebrews, Jesus is our High Priest because he, like the gold plate on the High Priests turban, absorbs our warped human condition through the incarnation, and makes it right, correcting and straightening it out, perfecting it in himself. Now that he has perfected his own humanity, when our own warped condition makes contact with his holy, harmless, undefiled, sinless human condition, it is made right, corrected and straightened out, perfecting us into the glory of our created purpose.
Key Passages
Exodus 28:15-43 - breastplate, turban, and golden plate
Exodus 29:10-14 - laying hands on the purification/sin offering identifies the worshipper with the animal, and symbolically "transfers" the iniquity of the worshipper to the flesh (not the blood or the organs) of the animal. In this case, it's the flesh of a bull for Aaron and his sons. Normally, the priests eat the flesh of the purification/sin offering (Lev. 6:24-30; 10:8-20). But in this situation, the bull represents the priests, and if the priests eat the flesh of the bull, they will be taking their own inquity back into themselves. So instead of eating the flesh of the bull, they take the bull outside the camp and it is completely burned up - no one eats it.
Hebrews 7:23-26 - Jesus is the perfect High Priest
Key Resources
A blog post depicting each one of the High Priest garments.
Explainer Video on how to use www.biblehub.com and www.blueletterbible.org
Leave us a question or comment at our website podcast page.
* Intro Music: "Admirable" Carlos Herrera Music
In God we trust