The Weight the Priest Had to Bear
“And Moses brought Aaron and his sons, and washed them with water. And he put upon him the coat, and girded him with the girdle, and clothed him with the robe, and put the ephod upon him, and he girded him with the curious girdle of the ephod, and bound it unto him therewith. And he put the breastplate upon him: also he put in the breastplate the Urim and the Thummim. And he put the mitre upon his head; also upon the mitre, even upon his forefront, did he put the golden plate, the holy crown; as the Lord commanded Moses.”
Both Exodus (ch. 39) and Leviticus recount the garments of the high priest. Not only did the garments consist of several pieces of clothing, but they also included gold plates and chains, multiple stones, bells, and more. In other words, this stuff had to weigh a ton. Can you imagine walking around in an outfit like that? With my joint issues, there are days when specific garments or particular necklaces are off-limits because of their weight. I don’t think I would have made it as a high priest.
Obviously, the entire point of the “outfit” was a representation of how the high priest bore the weight of the people. He was the representative between them and God. The stones he wore on his shoulders and the breastplate were symbolic of him bearing the weight of the people on his shoulders and having the tribes on his heart. Though uncomfortable, it was a beautiful picture of his role and position.
Naturally, as I thought about the weightiness of these garments, I couldn’t help but think of the enormous weight our High Priest bore for us. When Jesus died on Calvary, He took our sins upon Himself. There were no symbolic stones or golden chains, but the weight of our sins was far more substantial than any priestly garments ever could be. And He took it all upon Himself willingly... gladly even. Such was His love for us and His desire to live with us in Heaven for all eternity.
When I think about His sacrifice, I stand in awe. I know me. I know how selfish my thoughts can be and how often I fail. In my mind, I’m not worthy of such love. But what amazes me most is that He knows me too. He knew me when He willingly laid down His life for me. He knew how I would struggle to trust Him. He knew how often I’d stumble and fall. He knew all about me, yet He still felt I was worth dying for. He bore the weight of my sin, so I wouldn’t have to.
The more I ponder it, the more I love Him, and the more I want to serve Him. He gave so much for me, and there’s nothing I could ever do to repay Him, but I’d love to spend the rest of my life trying to. He’s worth that and so much more.
My High Priest is so precious. Not only does He bear me on His shoulders, but He also holds me close to His heart. Such is His love for me! I can’t explain it, but I can invite you to share in it. If you don’t know Jesus, you’re missing out on so much. He loves you, and He died for you. He wants you to be with Him for eternity, and all you have to do is accept His invitation. Will you do that today?
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