Exodus 28:36-38

THE DIADEM OF THE PRIEST.—Exodus 28:36

The words on the priest’s mitre, Holiness to the Lord, signify that he who wore it was entirely devoted to God, and that it was his mission to elevate the people to the same sanctity. Thus is Christ pure, and thus does He seek to sanctify all who seek His aid. Consider the sanctity of the priest—

I. As personal. The inscription on the priestly diadem signified:—

1. That the priest was altogether separated to God. The inscription was on his brow, declaring the giving up to God of his whole personality.

2. The priest was always separated to God. “It shall be always upon his forehead.” Thus the Israelites saw in their high priest the ideal of a true humanity—life altogether and always given up to God. In Christ we see the glorious actuality—an absolutely pure humanity. See Hebrews 7:25. All other men, even the greatest, the wisest, the best, have been marked by imperfection and sin, but in Christ we have a great High Priest of absolute sinlessness, and in Him we may safely and fully trust.

II. As official. It was the duty of the high priest to raise others to his own sanctity, Exodus 28:38. He had to bear away the iniquity of the sacred things. The high priest was an atoning mediator of the whole nation, and in his intercession the sin of the people was blotted out. Thus Christ is a High Priest to take upon Himself and to bear away the condemnation of all sinful but penitent men. Christ declares in His teaching the holiness of God; in His own life He gives us the grandest illustration of that holiness; and in His ever-living advocacy, He seeks to elevate all His people to share His glory.

Lessons:—

1. Man at his best is a sinful creature. “The iniquity of the holy things.” Our best works, feelings, hours, are tainted, and mixed and imperfect. What of our ordinary works, feelings, hours? What of our worst?
2. That God will only accept us and our gifts when we and they are pure. The priest had to purify the givers and the gifts; for so long as these were infected by iniquity they were unacceptable to God. Here we see the need of a mediator. How presumptuous are those who venture to go into the presence of God on merely natural grounds, and offer Him their spotted selves, and spotted lives, gifts, prayers, services! All sacrifices, prayers, oblations, services, are an abomination to God if they are not perfectly sincere and pure; and how can these clean things come out of our erring, passionate, perverse nature?
3. That in Christ we have full redemption and sanctification. He can make us pure and our offerings. He can purge the iniquity of our holy things and our unholy. We need seek no other priest; we need add to Him no other priest; His royal power and eloquent advocacy save to the uttermost all who come unto God through Him.

ILLUSTRATIONS

BY
REV. WILLIAM ADAMSON

Scripture-Secrets! Exodus 28:1. “The Bible can never be exhausted. The most learned commentators and eloquent preachers have but crossed the threshold of the magnificent temple. As in Nature, so in Revelation: the materials of every steam-engine, telegraph, microscope, and other mechanical and scientific contrivances, have been lying for countless ages under the dust of the earth undisturbed until a comparatively recent date.… And what yet may be fashioned out of the materials of nature no sagacity can prognosticate. Our present conquests form the starting-points of more dazzling victories. So, in reference to Revelation: generations yet unborn will group around its pages, and gather from them more sublime and radiant truths than those which have flashed on our intellect and cheered our heart—from the harps of the Hebrew bards they will hear a more elevating melody than ever charmed our spirits, and in the living words of the Divine Man perceive a depth, a grandeur, and a significance of which no conception can be formed. The ancient prophets have yet more to relate. Isaiah will reveal glories surpassing imagination, and Ezekiel unfold splendours which would overpower our visual organs. Intellectual perception will be quickened so as to penetrate the clouds which intercept man’s vision of the truth. No NEW Revelation, however, will be granted; but from the present Bible will stream ‘a light above the brightness of the sun.’ Never need we fear an exhaustion of the truth. It is sempiternal as God, and perennial as the springs of immortality.”

“The Book of God! a well of streams divine!
But who would wish the riches of that mine
To make his own, his thirst to satisfy
From that pure well, must ear, eye, soul apply.”

—Mant.

Mitre-Medallion! Exodus 28:36.

(1.) Dr. Kitto says that the mitre was a turban of fine linen, furnished in front with a plate of pure gold, on which were inscribed the words, “HOLINESS TO THE LORD,” and which was attached to the turban by a blue lace. The word translated, “plate,” signifies a flower, and is rendered petalon, i.e., a petal, by the Septuagint. This seems to show that the plate was wrought with flowered work, or was itself in the form of a flower or petal.

(2.) In the prophecies of Zechariah (Exodus 14:20) it is foretold that in the coming millennial days there is to be inscribed upon the bells of the horses, “HOLINESS TO THE LORD.” Until the recent introduction of tram-cars there was little of such a custom in England, though in some continental cities almost every horse employed for draught purposes bears a bell round its neck. Russian and Canadian sleighs are always furnished with these bells.

(3.) Contrast the one inscription on the Messiah’s frontlet with this inscription everywhere visible in the latter days. It tells us that so efficacious will the intercessions of our Great High Priest in heaven for 2000 years prove, that every kind of traffic shall be carried on in a manner becoming the Gospel, and that, whatsoever men do, each and all of their works shall be done with a single eye to God’s glory, i.e., shall be “HOLINESS TO THE LORD.”

“And all the holy race of Abraham
Be clothed in priestly robes, spotless as snow.”

—Bickersteth.

Mitre-Moral! Exodus 28:38. During Alexander the Great’s career of conquest, he was opposed by the Jews, who remained faithful in their allegiance to Darius the Persian. Having wreaked his vengeance on Tyre by giving it to the flames, and crucifying 2000 of its citizens along the seashore, he marched against Jerusalem. Rollin gives an interesting account of the event. Jaddus, the high priest, interceded with God to aid His people, and was answered in a dream that he must cause flowers to be strewn about the city, set open the city gates, and go forth with the priests in festal procession, wearing his pontifical robes. He accordingly arrayed himself, and leading the procession, marched forth to meet the “fiery scourge of God.” Alexander, struck by the sight of the high priest, on whose mitre and forehead a gold plate was fixed bearing the name of God, bowed low before the august name of JEHOVAH. All were surprised, and one of the conqueror’s favourite generals asked for an explanation. The conqueror having given it, entered Jerusalem, and offered up sacrifices to the God of the Hebrews. Thus the proud head of earth’s mightiest warrior bent before the mitre-motto, “Holiness to Jehovah.” And before Jesus, the great High Priest, on the forefront of whose earth and heaven life is inscribed this title, shall all the mighty ones of the world be at last constrained to bow.

“Exalted high at God’s right hand,

And Lord of all below;

Through Him is pardoning love dispensed,

And boundless blessings flow.”

—Barbauld.