Exodus 28:36-38

Holiness to the Lord.

Holiness to the Lord

This plate of pure gold was fastened by blue lace to the mitre, or turban, or tiara, or linen, which was upon the head of the high priest. He put it on with the robe of the ephod, the robe under the breastplate and the ephod--the robe of the ephod, which had, round the bottom, a bell and a pomegranate alternately--fruitfulness and music--showing the fruitfulness of the priesthood and the music of the priesthood before God, without which emblems the high priest might never enter into the holy of holies, lest he die. To teach man that no creature can ever stand before God but through priesthood, lest he die. Were we to stand before God but in the fruitfulness and music of the priesthood of Jesus Christ, we should die. The plate of pure gold upon his forehead, he went in before God to present the inscription graven there like the engraving of a signet, “Holiness to the Lord,” to take away the iniquity of the holy things of Israel, and to make those holy things, purged from their iniquity, acceptable to God. Consider the subject of holiness.

I. The word is used in three senses in the Bible.

1. Sometimes the word “holy” means that which is set apart, consecrated. In that sense the vessels of the Temple were holy.

2. Sometimes the word signifies the indwelling of the Spirit, with His gradually sanctifying processes. In this sense the church is holy.

3. There is a still higher sense in which man is perfectly holy. Christ perfects them that are sanctified.

II. The true definition of holiness is the likeness of God. But we cannot conceive of the likeness of God but through a medium, and that medium must be the Lord Jesus Christ. Whatever traits we find characterizing the life of Jesus, these make up holiness.

1. The life of Christ was a separate life.

2. He always carried about an inner sanctuary in His own soul.

3. The life of Christ had a subdued tone.

4. It was a life consecrated to an object.

5. It was a life of praise.

III. Look upon holiness as an end to be obtained. Do not seek holiness as a means to happiness, but happiness as a means to holiness. Be more careful about the holiness of little things than of great things. (J. Vaughan, M. A.)

Christ our High Priest, bearing the iniquity of our holy things

The first thing that strikes us here is, that it is the head of the high priest that is thus adorned, the most honourable member of the body, the seat of the indwelling soul. Then, again, it is the forehead that is selected, which is the comeliness and glory of the head--the place on which the eye of the observer rests, and on which the eye of God would rest when meeting with the priest or the worshipper. On the forehead of the high priest, on “the forefront of his mitre,” was the ornament to be fastened. It consisted of a plate of pure gold, the purest and costliest of metals, to signify the purity that God demanded. On it there was to be engraved, like the engravings of a signet, distinct and deep, “Holiness to the Lord,”--still farther foreshadowing the awful holiness of God, and the no loss awful holiness which He required in the sin-bearer. Forming thus the most prominent part of his dress, and placed upon his forehead, it would be that on which the eye of God might be said first to rest, whether at the-brazen altar, or the altar of incense, or the mercy-seat, in all parts of his holy service. When standing before God, it was this peculiar adorning that presented itself, with its inscription, “Holiness to the Lord.” Thus, then, there was proclaimed to Israel a free forgiveness for the iniquities of their holy things. It was forgiveness through the holiness of another, as if God would teach them that while He required holiness in him who was to bear any sin, yet especial holiness was required when bearing the sins of our holy things. And then there was not merely the bare forgiveness, but there was the acceptance thus provided, both for themselves and their services, before the Lord. All this was to Israel the shadow of “good things to come.” The law, indeed, made nothing perfect, but it was the bringing in of the better hope, by which we draw nigh to God (Hebrews 7:19). This better hope has now been brought in. What was thus foreshadowed afar off by Aaron, as Israel’s high priest, has been fulfilled to us in Jesus of Nazareth, God’s own anointed Priest.

I. We learn how complete is the provision made by God for a sinner’s acceptance. This provision is entirely in Him who is our great High Priest. It is not in ourselves at all, but in Him alone. “It pleased the Father that in Him should all fulness dwell.” He is the Father’s infinite treasure-house of all blessing, secured for, and set open to sinners. Nothing that a guilty soul can require, is awanting in Him. Out of Him, there is nothing; in Him, there is everything. “He, of God, is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption.” In our text, however, the allusion is not to His fulness in general, but to His priesthood alone, as making provision for a sinner’s pardon and acceptance: and this in reference to the sins of our holy things--the sins committed in our more direct transactions with God. For every sin, and for every kind of sin, there is provision in Him on whom our sins were laid. For all these there is a special way of pardon ordained by God, and certain sins are minutely specified, in order to show us that no case has been overlooked or left without a special remedy.

II. Let us learn how perpetual and unchangeable this provision is. It is written here, concerning the high priest on earth, “It shall be always upon his forehead, that they may be accepted before the Lord.” In this we have a vivid type of Him, who is “the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever”; who hath “an unchangeable priesthood”; who “ever liveth to make intercession for us.” He who bears the iniquity of our holy things, is one who changes not; who is ever the same holy High Priest, and ever glorious in the Father’s eyes. We vary, but He varies not. Our feelings change, His alter not. Our soul fluctuates, ever rising and falling, ever ebbing and flowing, but He remaineth steadfast and true. We grow cold and faithless, He abideth faithful, He cannot deny Himself. His is a priesthood which endureth for ever, which never loses aught of its efficacy and value.

III. Learn how glorious and certain is this provision. It depends upon the holiness of the high priest. Not upon his grace, or mercy, or compassion, but upon his holiness. It is because there is such holiness in him to meet and satisfy the holiness of God that our forgiveness is so secure, and the way of our obtaining it so glorious. What an ample pardon, what a secure acceptance, must that be which is secured to us by the holiness of our great High Priest! for His holiness cannot change, neither can it pass away. His mercy might be worn out by our sins, and He might forget to be gracious, but He cannot cease to be holy.

IV. Learn how accessible and free is this provision. It is set open to all. Its benefits are wide and unrestricted “Look unto Me and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth.” (H. Bonar, D. D.)

The mitre

1. Made of blue silk and fine linen (Exodus 28:39), like (as it seems) to an half-coronet.

2. Beautified with a golden plate, on which was written “Holiness to the Lord.”

3. The use. Aaron must ever have it on his forehead while he bears the iniquity of their offerings, to make the people acceptable before the Lord (Exodus 28:38).

I. The mitre and crown on the priest’s head signified--

1. The Deity of Christ our head, which as a crown or circle wants beginning and end.

2. The kingly office of Christ, with all that honour and crown of glory set on the head of our Redeemer, to whom all power is given in heaven and in earth.

II. The golden plate in which was written “Holiness to the Lord,” did not only distinguish it from the mitres of the ordinary priests, which wanted such a plate: but specially typified Jesus Christ our head, in whom was most conspicuous (as in a man’s forehead), a most Divine and perfect holiness purer than the gold of that plate.

III. The use was significant, that as the high priest, having on this plate, with this inscription, got the iniquities of the people pardoned, which he bare before the Lord: So our High Priest, Jesus Christ, presenting before His Father, His most absolute holiness, gets a pardon for all our sins, which He bears upon Himself. And as their sins were pardoned in respect of the high priest, who represented Christ: So both theirs and ours are indeed and in truth pardoned, for the true and eternal High Priest, who is Christ Himself. (T. Taylor, D. D.)

Holiness to the Lord

Holiness to the Lord! Where is that inscription to be stamped now? The Jewish Tabernacle has expanded into that world-wide brotherhood, where whosoever doeth righteousness is accepted. Morning has risen into day. The ministry of Aaron is ended. All the outward glory and beauty of that Hebrew worship which the Lord commanded Moses has vanished into the eternal splendour of the gospel, and been fulfilled in Christ. What teaching has it left? What other than this?--that we are to engrave our “Holiness to the Lord” first on the heart, and then on all that the heart goes out into, through the brain and the hand; on the plates of gold our age of enterprise is drawing up from mines and beating into currency; on bales of merchandise and books of account; on the tools and bench of every handicraft; on your weights and measures; on pen and plough and pulpit; on the door-posts of your houses, and the utensils of your tables, and the walls of your chambers; on cradle and playthings and schoolbooks; on the locomotives of enterprise, and the bells of the horses, and the ships of navigation; on music-halls and libraries; on galleries of art, and the lyceum desk; on all of man’s inventing and building, all of his using and enjoying, for all these are trusts in a stewardship, for which the Lord of the servants reckoneth. (Bp. F. D. Huntington.)

Material and shape of mitre

Elsewhere this ornament is called “nezer,” from a verb signifying to separate; and hence denoting a crown as a mark of separation or distinction. The same word is applied to the diadem of kings. Indeed, such turbans of fine linen, with an encircling or front ornament of gold or precious stones, seem to have been the usual diadems of ancient kings. Justin says that Alexander the Great took his diadem from his head to bind up the wounds of Lysimachus. This shows clearly that it was of linen. Probably, it had some distinguishing ornament like that of the high priest here.

1. Jahn says curiously enough that, in the time of Josephus, the shape of the mitre had become somewhat altered. It was circular, was covered with a piece of fine linen, and sat so closely on the upper part of the head that it would not fail off when the body was bent down: apparently it did not cover the whole of the head. It may be that there is mystical reference to the crown of gold worn by each of those who exulted before God in the acknowledgment that He had made them prince-priests unto Himself. Each cast his mike-coronet down before Him, who sat upon the throne, singing--

“I bless Thee, gracious Father, for Thy pleasant gift to me, And earnestly I ask Thee, that it may always be In perfect consecration laid at Thy glorious feet, Touched with Thine altar-fire, and made an offering pure and sweet.”

On the cultivation of holiness

Let me say a few words concerning the cultivation of holiness. Look upon holiness as an end to be obtained. Do not seek holiness as a means to happiness--but happiness as a means to holiness. In heaven itself, the bliss of that world of glory is to be most prized because the happiness of that world will be the attainment of spotless sanctity. Be sure you take your forgiveness--accept the peace which God freely offers--believe in the love of God; receive gladly and gratefully every token of that love; if it be only for this, that it is the means to holiness; it will make you holy. And you may argue it with God so; “Lord, give me happiness that I may be holy, for I find that without happiness I cannot glorify Thee by holiness, make me happy that I may be holy.” Another suggestion which I would make to you in the cultivation of holiness, is to be more careful about the holiness of little things than of great things. It is so easy to go to church, and have a very devout manner, and even at the time to feel devoutly, and then to go away into life, and to have so very little holiness; rather, such unholiness, in the common affairs of our common life. Now that which characterizes the dispensation on which we are entered, and will characterize it infinitely presently, is this--that there shall be holiness to the Lord, not in the sanctuary, but in the common-places of every-day life, out of doors and in doors; out of doors on that most familiar thing in the East, “the bells on horses”--the very harness of the horses is to be holiness; and in doors (the same passage in the last chapter of Zechariah), in doors, upon the most ordinary vessels that are used for domestic uses, the commonest thing that is in the house is to be “Holiness to the Lord!”--the very culinary vessels are to be “Holiness to the Lord.” (J. Vaughan, M. A.)

The mitre

The white linen is the emblem of purity; the head is the seat of thought and of intellect. Christ had a pure mind; all His thoughts were holy thoughts. And because He is so holy, He can bear His people’s sins (Isaiah 53:4). He who is our Great High Priest before God is pure without a stain. God sees Him as such, and He stands for us who are His people, and we are accepted in Him. His holiness is ours by imputation. Standing in Him we are, in the sight of God, holy as Christ is holy, and pure as Christ is pure. (G. Rodgers.)

Holiness to the Lord in common things

In an old book I was reading the other day the writer laughed at some commoner who had just been made a peer, because he had his coat of arms burned and painted even upon his shovels and wheelbarrows. Now, in my reckoning, that was a very fine action and full of significance. If a man is a true man he is a man of God, a prince of God; and he ought to put the stamp of his nobility on the commonest things with which he has to do. (Christian Journal.)

Holiness unto the Lord

Write on our garnered treasures, Write on our choicest pleasures, Upon things new and old, The precious stone and gold--Wife, husband, children, friends--On all that goodness lends; Go write on your good name--Upon your cherished fame--On every pleasant thing--On stores that Heaven doth fling Into your basket--write! Upon the smile of God, Upon His scourging rod--Write on your inmost heart, Write upon every part--To Him who claims the whole, Time, talent, body, soul--holiness unto the lord!

That Aaron may bear the iniquity of the holy things.

The iniquity of our holy things

I. A sad subject, “The iniquity of the holy things which the children of Israel shall hallow.”

1. They were “holy things.” Despite the iniquity, their offerings were hallowed and holy. This is a precious saving clause. Our prayers, our praises, our service of God, these are holy things, albeit that iniquity attaches to them. They are holy as to God’s ordinance, for He has ordained them for His glory. “Whoso offereth praise glorifieth Me.” When we do what God bids us, the act is holy, because done in obedience to the Divine ordinance. Such deeds are holy as to the Divine design: for the sacrifices which the Israelites brought were meant to set forth Christ and His glorious work, and therefore they were holy. The great Father teaches us much precious truth by every institution of the Tabernacle and the Temple, and the gospel Church, and therefore obedience to each ordinance is holy. These deeds were often holy in the intent of the worshipper.

2. But although “holy things,” there was iniquity upon all of them; and did we ever do anything yet that had not some spot of iniquity upon it? Is not our repentance, after all, but poor stuff compared with what it ought to be? Is not unbelief mixed with our faith? Hath not our love a measure of lukewarmness in it? No act of consecration, no act of self-sacrifice, no rapture of fellowship, no height of spirituality has been without its imperfection.

3. Furthermore, some of these sins are apparent: indeed, many of them are painfully before our own eyes. If the Lord sees iniquity in our holy things, what iniquities there must be in our unholy things! I have to complain that wandering thoughts will intrude in my prayers, my study of the Word, my sacred song, my choice meditation; indeed, even in ministering the Word among you, I find my mind roaming. I have to complain also--and I fear many here would have to complain even more than I do--of want of faith in prayer.

4. These are only a few of the iniquities of our holy things which we can see; but beside these there are many imperfections of our service which we do not notice because we are not spiritual enough to discern them; but God sees them. Bring me that microscope! I have just now put the wing of a butterfly under it. That is God’s work, and, as I enlarge it, I discover no imperfection, but more and more of marvellous beauty. That butterfly’s wing under the microscope becomes most wonderful, and I worship God as I gaze upon His handiwork. Take the butterfly away now and put your needle in its place. What? Why this is a rough bar of iron which has never been smoothed or polished. This is wretched workmanship. It does not seem fitted for delicate work. Such is man’s manufacture, the best of it. When God puts your prayers and my sermons under His microscopic eye, they are not at all what we thought they were, but quite the reverse. This ought to humble us as we come before the presence of the All-seeing One.

5. These imperfections in our holy things are so grievous that they would prevent any one of our works, or offerings, or prayers being accepted before the thrice-holy God.

II. A glad subject. What was done in type has also been done in reality.

1. Consider, then, that God provided the high priest. It was ordained that he should be a man perfect in his person. In our Lord Jesus there is no defect open or secret. He is perfect, and so He can be high priest unto God. The man had to be chosen of God. Aaron was so. Christ is ordained of God, and by Divine authority He stands as high priest for us. This man had to be anointed for his work. Aaron was anointed with oil; but our Lord was anointed with the Holy Spirit.

2. This high priest was altogether given up to his people. He has a heart; his people’s names are on the breast-plate which covers it. He has shoulders: his people’s names are written on his Shoulder-pieces, and thus he lends them his power. Thus Christ has given up His thought, His judgment, His mind, His every faculty to His people. He is all ours. The high priest reserved nothing of himself; he gave all of himself to all his people.

3. The high priest bore “the iniquity of the holy things.” All the iniquity of our holy things our Lord Jesus has borne, and it is no longer imputed unto us. As He stood before God, though He bore the iniquity of the people, yet He exhibited to God no iniquity, but on His forehead was written, “Holiness to Jehovah.” Notice that He bore before God a holiness most precious; in token whereof, in type, the engraving was inscribed upon a plate of pure gold. The righteousness of Christ is more precious to God than all the mines of gold in the whole world. There was no iniquity in His holy things; His holiness was conspicuous and undeniable, it shone on the forefront of His mitre. That holiness of His was permanent. One thing more I want you to notice, and that is, that he always wore it, “And it shall always be upon his forehead.” Jesus is always “Holiness to God” on our behalf. Our holy work is now viewed with Divine favour. Will you not offer more and more of these holy things, since they are in very deed accepted in Christ? Now I have taught you the main doctrine of the type, I desire to bring forth one or two lessons.

1. The first is, see here a lesson of humility. Our good works, if we lay them up in store, and value them as jewels, will, like the manna in the wilderness, very soon breed worms and stink. There is enough rottenness in our best performances to make them offensive to an enlightened conscience. Oh, that this fact, that even our holy things are tainted, may he the death-warrant of our pride!

2. In the next place, learn the awful hazard of going unto God without our High Priest.

3. Learn how you must be dressed as a royal priesthood unto the Lord.

4. Lastly, let sinners gain a store of comfort here. If God’s own people have iniquity in their holy things, and yet they have Christ to bear it for them, how patient must He be who is our High Priest. (C. H. Spurgeon.)