You shall speak to all the skillful, whom I have filled with a spirit of skill, that they make Aarons garments to consecrate him for my priesthood. It is mentioned throughout the Bible and has been worn by some of the most well-known figures in Christianity. Jesus, our Great High Priest, has human emotions, human understanding, and human compassion. Praecidan. Exodus 39:10-14). This sparked an interest in re-reading the story of David and his conquests. Gideons ephod became a snare because it was an object of worship. Much, much later, the Bible tells us God allowed the destruction of Israel because of their great and continued long streak of disobedience, and that part of their destruction included no guidance from God. [1][2] However, the biblical text states the Urim and Thummim were placed in the breastplate, not the ephod (Leviticus 8:8). The robe is put on from above, meaning not self-appointed but rather office and authority God appointed (John 19:11). As an Image. Jesus says Tetelestai here in the perfect tense, which is very rare in the New Testament and has no English equivalent. The integration of the stones in the breastplate, as well as the Hebrew usage of "Urim" as "lights," suggest that the Urim and Thummim may have been a type of ocular device through which the priest would look when receiving divine communication. Some believe David sinned by wearing the linen ephod in his worship. In conclusion,in Jesus statement It is finished, we have a declaration of salvation that is both in a particular moment in time and eternal, Aorist and Present, linear and punctiliar. Thank you for this information, God bless you. The ephod was a garment that was to be worn by the High Priest. God desires His ministers to be even-tempered (i.e., cool-headed). Again, no sewing was used, simply weaving. We know the ephod was a tool of ceremonya special, ornate, handcrafted item with great significance. (1 John 1:5. Hebrews 4:16 tells us we can approach Gods throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. And as were told in 1 John 5:14, This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.. The ephod reminds us that we need to seek His face and ask for His help in everything we do. The Present tense is linear: meaning something that continues on into the future and has ongoing results/implications. Pictured above: Blue, purple, and scarlet wool yarn along with white linen thread and pure gold thread. The ephod had twelve different stones set in it. As previously stated,Urim and Thummim were an important part of the ephod and were used to inquire of the Lord about specific matters. It was also a symbol of his office. The ephod is depicted here in yellow. The spiritual significance of the ephod is that it points to Jesus as our high priest. (Luke 22:44) That is, He redeemed us from sweat produced from human works, effort, striving, worrying, fear, etc., and gave us His rest and peace! God invents boxer shorts! The ephod is a garment of great significance. (Matthew 6:25-34). I will start by explaining what an ephod is, who was allowed to wear it, and what it looked like. Since the twelve stones were in one breastplate, they speak of the oneness of the people of God, while their position upon Aarons breast speaks of Gods affection for His people. The crafting of these priestly garments, along with other preparations for the elaborate details of the Lords tabernacle, takes up several chapter in Exodusfirst the descriptions of how they are to be made, then the description of the crafting itself. There are two basic meanings for the word ephod. What is a Ephod and what does it look like? Realize, precious stones are typically located deep within the earth. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Years later the prophet Samuel, who so pleased God especially in comparison to the showy, sinful sons of the prophet Eli, is described as wearing a linen ephod as he served the Lord as a boy (1 Samuel 2:18). For instance, in 1 Samuel 23, when David heard Saul was plotting against him, he went to Abiathar the priest and asked him to bring the ephod (v. 9). According to Josephus, the engraved onyx stones on the shoulders were designed so that the six eldest sons names were engraved on the stone on the right shoulder and those of the six youngest sons on the stone on the left shoulder. The Tabernacle of Moses - God's Heavenly Pattern for our Spiritual (Ephesians 2:4-6)Hallelujah! Indeed, no one is exactly certain just what an Ephod was, other than something liturgical. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. The first of the third row was aligure, then an amethyst, and the third an agatebeing the ninth of the whole number. He (David) has an infamous line Bring me the ephod.. Ephod - The 1901 Jewish Encyclopedia (3) The ephod covered the back of his body. He remains faithful, He is the God who saves. He believes, second to cultivating his relationship with God that raising his family unto the Lord is the most significant task for him while on Earth. He reminded His people of His faithfulness with beautiful depictions of the names of the 12 sons of Jacob on the onyx stones on the ephod (and breastpiece). The high priest was to wear the ephod as a reminder that he must obey all of Gods laws. Titus 2:14) The names were not simply written on the stones but rather engraved, meaning they can never be removed. Over the ephod, the High Priest wore abreastplatewhich was a pouch about 22-cm (about 9 inches) square made of beautifully woven material. But when Moses stayed with God too long on the mountain, 40 days and nights, the people turned away from the Lord and worshipped other gods (Exodus 32). The word "ephod" occurs 51 times in 41 verses in the NASB, and refers to the sacred outer garment worn by the high priest, made of gold, blue, purple and scarlet yarn (colors of royalty), to which the breastpiece was attached, and worn over a blue robe. White typifies righteousness and purity. Aww! The ephod iss mentioned only in the Old Testament. Note that God is concerned about covering our nakedness or private parts (Exodus 20:26. God was furious over their disobedience and faithlessness and planned to destroy the Israelites. David then inquired of God, and God told him what to do. Jesus as High Priest: the Significance of the Seamless Robe And why was it important? The precious stones with the names represented that all of Gods Special Treasures (i.e., His people) are on His heart. We are now at peace with God because Jesus has born the full judgment of Gods wrath for us! The Ephod - Theopolis Institute Ephod | Encyclopedia.com (q) Hackman. l. 3. c. 7. sect. NASB Now Samuel was ministering before the LORD, as a boy wearing a linen ephod. And all Israel whored after it there, and it became a snare to Gideon and to his family. The Golden Garments of the High Priest revealed Jesus as God the Great High Priest in Heaven. Today, the ephod is not worn by the High Priest. The ephod also symbolized the importance of obedience to Gods laws. The first of the fourth row was achrysolite, the next was an onyx, and then a beryl, which was the last of all. God tells Moses the two stones upon the ephod are, in fact, memorial stones for the sons of Israel and that Aaron is to bear the names on his shoulders as a memorial before the Lord (Exodus 28:12). David knew that Saul was plotting harm against him. She has a weekly YouTube devotional, too. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ephod&oldid=1142452419, This page was last edited on 2 March 2023, at 13:06. CSB Samuel served in the Lord's presence--this mere boy was dressed in the linen ephod. Great detail goes into the Lords description of the ephod. The tribe of Levi was set apart by God to be His holy ministers. The ephods front and back were made to be as one garment by a sash or girdle, which was tied about the priests waist. 1 : a linen apron worn in ancient Hebrew rites especially : a vestment for the high priest 2 : an ancient Hebrew instrument of priestly divination Word History Etymology Middle English, from Late Latin, from Hebrew phdh First Known Use 14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1 Time Traveler (1 Corinthians 1:30) The Father sees us in His Son, not apart from Him with the glorious radiance of the One that is Altogether Lovely (i.e., Totally Desirable) shines upon us. 12 Fascinating Facts about the Ephod in the Bible | Ephod Bible Study According to the Talmud, the wearing of the ephod atoned for the sin of idolatry on the part of the Children of Israel.[7]. Also, the names were not simply written on the stones but rather engraved, meaning they can never be removed. Gold (pure) (1) Almighty God who is Holy. There are many opinions on what are the correct stones and order for the stones. Gideons ephod just added to this division. And the fourth row a beryl, and an onyx . Through these holes, threads dyed with Sky-Blue color were run, and the ends of these threads were connected in the back of the priests head. These stones, however, stood in three rows, by four in a row, and were inserted into the breastplate itself, and they were set in (p)ouches of gold, that were themselves inserted in the breastplate and were so made that they might not fall out. The word urim means lights, and thummim means perfections.. I appreciate your kind sentiments. He consecrated it to God, but after his death homage was paid to it as an idol. Scarlet,or red, is the last color mentioned. Exodus 28:6 They are to make the ephod of finely spun linen embroidered God bless you . O Lord, the God of Israel, please tell your servant. And the Lord said, He will come down.. Ephod - Biblical Meaning and Significance Why did David request the ephod knowing he wasnt the High Priest? Leviticus 10:1-7) Furthermore, he could not go near any dead person, including his father and mother (Leviticus 21:11). Hallelujah! These were then rolled and hammered some more until each piece was the tiniest, finest pure gold thread. Thus Aaron will always bear the means of making decisions for the Israelites over his heart before the Lord. Gideon was a judge in Israel and led the Israelites to victory against the Midianites. The other Levites were tasked with helping the priests in these duties (. Feel free to use the table of contents to see what topics Ill cover. Jesus tunic was made out of the finest linen and was completely seamless. It shall have two shoulder pieces attached to its two edges, so that it may be joined together. That is, his personal emotions cannot overrule his ministry to represent people to God. They are hidden in the place where he removes them. The purpose of this study is to review in detail each of the three priestly garments of the Old Testament. Learn more about her fiction and read her faith blog at jessicabrodie.com. Shes also produced a free eBook, A God-Centered Life: 10 Faith-Based Practices When Youre Feeling Anxious, Grumpy, or Stressed. Will Saul come down, as your servant has heard? As a Garment. Purple Gods Royal Blood in the Son of Man (Red) that came from Heaven (Blue). This uniform consisted of four White Garments: The White Garments revealed Jesus as the Son of Man, the Last Adam, who stepped down from Heaven to become a servant and shed His blood for the original sin of the First Adam and everyones subsequent sins. This means that we are eternally secure in Jesus. The High-Priest: His Clothes The Clothing of the High Priest No demand made upon that grace can delete it. This arrangement of the tribes forms a cross with its base to the East. The ephod reminds us that we are set apart. The Talmud argues that each of the textures was combined in six threads with a seventh of gold leaf, making 28 threads to the texture in total. Josephus, Antiquities 3:7:1 Twelve stones were also on the breastplate, extraordinary in largeness and beauty; and they were anornament not to be purchasedby men, because of theirimmense value. It was as if The Word (i.e., Jesus) offered the animal sacrifices to God the Father. Only he is worthy of our worship and devotion. We dont need anything else when we have him. The high priest wore it when he went into the Holy of Holies to intercede with God on behalf of the people. Most likely some sort of bag or pouch that carried the Urim and Thummim, some sort of objects used for divination. Red and blue combined yield purple. Its width is approximately 4 cm (approximately 1.5 inches). Learn how your comment data is processed. Without the ephodor the breastpiece, tunic, or sashthe priest was unfit to serve. When Saul or David wished to question Yhwh through the oracle, they commanded the priest, "Bring hither the ephod" ( 1 Samuel 14:18 [A. V. "ark of God"], 23:9, 30:7). The ephod was also a symbol of the unity of the people. These straps went behind, up, and slightly over the garments upper corners, over the priests shoulders. They sacrificed to it and made offerings to it. Hebrews 12:23) This is because we are hidden in Christ, so the perfect light only reflects the perfect work of Jesus in removing our sins. We set ourselves up for disappointment and disillusionment. These pomegranates were actually hollow spheres of fabric in the shape of pomegranates. There were also had two shoulder straps that were sewn onto the belt. The explanation seems to be that the ephod of bad was simply a garment worn by any one engaged in a religious service, and it is used in 1Samuel 22:18 to describe the priests, because such service constituted their ordinary life. When Jesus says It is finished (or completed),what He is actually saying is, It is finishedand will continue to be finished. The first element of the perfect tense: the Aorist, punctiliar, point in time statement It is finished is powerful. (significance and symbolism), And thats it, folks, the ephod in the bible, Dream About the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem (Raw), 31+ Brilliant Bible Emergency Numbers (Verses). Other biblical books describe an ephod that may or may not be similar to the one legislated for the High Priest. The same as the High Priests undergarments previously described. On each of these stones was engraved the name of one of the tribes of Israel. We dont need an ephod anymore, because Jesus fulfilled its purpose. (1 Corinthians 15:45,47), Golden Bells ringing out the good news that Jesus the Last Adam has paid the price of our sin from eating the forbidden fruit! What did the priestly garments look like? Genesis 30:1-24. The most well-known understanding of it, that of a garment or item to be worn, comes in Exodus and Leviticus, where God describes for Moses exactly what preparations Aaron is to take for his priestly service, including how to wash himself and what to wear. It is finished; an end is made of transgression by bringing in everlasting righteousness. Thats the number of GRACE! More specifically, it was worn only by the high priestthe head of the Aaronic priesthood. Satan seeks to display them in a shameful, exploitative way leading to a sense of vulnerability that approximates a fear of evil (Genesis 3:7). Although the whole earth is mine, you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation (Exodus 19:5-6a). Birth mother is indicated and the birth order (Genesis 29:31-35. Just like how the ephod easily became a snare based on the three points provided, we can draw some lessons that we can apply today. This blog post will discuss 12 fascinating facts about the ephod. Why Does the Bible Use the Word Long-suffering? When we wear Jesus Christ, we are clothed in his righteousness and are forgiven of our sins. The Bible tells us that we are not to worship anything but God. According to the ancient apocryphal Lives of the Prophets, after the death of Zechariah Ben Jehoiada, the priests of the Temple could no more, as before, see the apparitions of the angels of the Lord, nor could make divinations with the Ephod, nor give responses from the Debir. We know the ephod was a tool of ceremonya special, ornate, handcrafted item with great significance. Purple the God-Man (Blue+Red=Purple) Jesus who is the Last Adam! The High Priest was revered as much or more than any king or royalty of the nations around Israel. The first four articles of clothing were uniquely worn by the High Priest, and the last four garments were similar to those worn by the other Priests except the Sash, which was unique for the Golden Garment: From the blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, they made woven garments for serving in the sanctuary; they made holy garments that were for Aaron, just as the LORD had commanded Moses. King David wore a linen ephod when he famously danced before the Lord when they carried the ark of God from the house of Obed-Edom to the City of David. That day was the highest andmost holy day of the year, the Day of Atonement, a day also called the Day of Judgment. We become like Jesus with the difference that we started out all red and He started out all blue (i.e., all God). These were integral elements in the communion between God and the high priest, like our union with Christ today, who represented the entire nation before God. God is holy and sin separated God from His people but they could still come before Him through a priest following sacrifices and cleansing. Yarn and Thread Colors Five Colors which is the Biblical Number for Grace. Divinely Righteous. (John 10:28,29). David leads the ark procession into Jerusalem wearing a linen ephod (1 Samuel 6). The ephod enabled him to do his job and to properly hear God. The stones upon the breastplate represented the twelve tribes of Israel, and they were borne before the Lord continually as a memorial. It carried much symbolic weight. (g) With a garment like the priest's garment. (Isaiah 53:5. Ephod | RayKLiu We will ultimately be let down when we put our trust in anything other than Jesus Christ. Mathew Henry describes all that is finishedat that exact moment in time: It is finished; that is, the counsels of the Father concerning his sufferings were now fulfilled. It was to be made of threads "of blue and of purple, of scarlet, and fine twined linen" and embroidered in gold thread "with cunning work" ( Exodus 28:4; 29:5; 39:2; Leviticus 8:7 ). What is an Ephod in the Bible? - Understanding the Bible Thus, Aaron and his sons were ordained as Gods priests in accordance with all Gods commands. The Hebrew word for "linen" used in describing the ephod worn by young Samuel and the 85 priests is badh, while shesh . Pomegranates, by contrast, are somewhat easier to identify. This bespoke of custom-fitted, meticulously detailed, and immaculately clean garments. The perfect tense is a combination of two Greek tenses: the Present tense and the Aorist tense. We can also replace Jesus Christ with our own self-righteousness. All the best with your assignment, I hope you get a good grade. [2] The conclusion thus is that Ephod, in these cases, referred to a portable idol, which the lots were cast in front of;[1][2] some scholars have suggested that the connection between the idol and the garment is that the idol was originally clothed in a linen garment, and the term Ephod gradually came to describe the idol as a whole.[2]. So, What Is An Ephod? | Ephods & Pomegranates God bless you! This diadem, crown, or headband was constructed with one piece of pure gold engraved with the simple message, Holy to the Lord. Unlike the crown worn by royalty on top of the head, this is worn across the forehead and extends from ear to ear. Once you become purple, you can never become red again. Despite their periods of faithlessness, God remained faithful. (, The descendants of Aaron were responsible for offering sacrifices and keeping the tabernacleor, later, the templeclean and orderly. When the High Priest put on these garments, he was putting on Christ! The Amalekites also took captive all the women and children. (p) Lexic. In Exodus 39, we read how the Israelites were obedient in this and crafted the ephod exactly as God commanded. The ephod is an exterior garment, worn over the tunic and robe (vv, 31-35, 39). I will also explore some of the most famous stories involving the ephod, such as Gideon and David. Well. When we do this, we make an idol out of something that is not God. ), (4) Depicted is a Temple service with the kohane blessing ritual (duchenen in Yiddish) that is performed on certain holy days. Christianity.com is a member of the Salem Web Network of sites including: Copyright 2023, Christianity.com. [6], The object at Nob, which must have been somewhat freestanding since another object is kept behind it, and the objects made by Gideon and by Micah, from molten gold, logically cannot have just been garments. The High Priest is also a King of Israel! To wipe out this slight upon his own tribe, Gideon made an ephod bearing the name of Manasseh. We have His revealed and complete Word The Bible. It is kept in position on the body by means of two shoulder pieces (v. 7) and a fastening band (v. 8).". (Genesis 3:21) However, here the tunic was made out of very fine linen. This plate was inscribed with the words HOLY TO THE LORD. The high priest was to wear this plate whenever he went into the Holy of Holies, the most sacred room in the tabernacle or temple (Exodus 28:36-38). Presently, He desires to honor Jesus Christ through this Internet teaching ministry, thereby glorifying the Heavenly Father in the power and presence of the Holy Spirit. (Matthew 26:62-65). 3 Surprising Reasons to Be Like Doubting Thomas. 2 Samuel 6:14 Commentaries: And David was dancing before the LORD with People started arguing over who should wear the ephod and who shouldnt. It was listed first of these priestly garments, and the breastpiece was to be fashioned after the ephod, as well as tied to it with blue cord. The biblical description (Exodus 28:16, 39:9) continues describing the size of the breastplate which is affixed to the front of the ephod as a square measuring one span by one span (the width of an outstretched hand from little finger tip to out stretched thumb tip). These included: According to scripture (Exodus 28:6-12), the high priests ephod consisted of two gold shoulder pieces and an intricately woven band of gold, scarlet, blue, and purple yarn connecting them. (Genesis 14:18,20. Romans 11:6)Hallelujah! The tearing by Caiaphas of the priestly garments represented the abolishment of the Levitical Priesthood and its replacement after the Melchizedek Priesthood order. (Deuteronomy 7:6. The ephod didnt have the Aaronic priesthood or Levites behind it to give it authority. Melchizedeks name comes from two Hebrew words: Melchi, meaning King, and Zedek,meaning Righteousness. Did David dance naked (2 Samuel 6:14)? | GotQuestions.org It was worn outside the robe and probably kept in place by a girdle and by shoulder pieces, from which hung the breast piece (or pouch) containing the sacred lots (divinatory objects), Urim and Thummim, whose precise function is now unknown. The Ephod was an apron-like garment worn in priestly activities at the temple. Hello Ken, thank you so much for stopping by! We dont need an ephod to talk to God today, just as we no longer need to sacrifice lambs on the altar to atone for our sins. An ephod ( Hebrew: f; / fd / or / ifd /) was a type of apron, which according to the Hebrew Bible, was worn by the Jewish high priest the kohen gadol, an artifact and an object to be revered in ancient Israelite culture, and was closely connected with oracular practices and priestly ritual. White is the symbolic color of purity, of cleanliness. To most commentators, a belt and shoulder straps suggested an apron-like garment.