The priestly wardrobe- for glory and for beauty. And meaning. There is a lot of meaning here too. Oh, and underwear. We’re gonna talk about underwear.

This is where Aaron and his 4 sons are singled out to serve as priests. They are given a special wardrobe; Aaron in particular. Let’s look at each piece.

Oh- before we look at what they wore, let’s take a second to notice what they didn’t wear. Shoes. That’s right. No shoes or sandals of any kind. The priests went barefoot in the tabernacle because they were on holy ground.

Ok, now on to the wardrobe.

1. Breastplate – It’s called the Breastpiece of Judgment. It’s a pocket that carries the Umim and Thumim (more on those later) and has 12 stones with tribal names embellishing the front. It is permanently mounted to the Ephod with gold chains. The names of the tribes are over the priest’s heart.
2. Ephod – this word is a transliteration from the Hebrew ephowd (ay-fode). We might describe it as an apron. It’s a mix of blue, purple, red, and even gold threads woven together. The front and back are joined with clasps at the shoulders where onyx stones are mounted in gold and have the names of the 12 tribes inscribed. Because the Breastplate of Judgment is attached to it, the ephod becomes the most important part of the priest’s attire. Only the High Priest wears it and only on certain occasions. This piece is going to be around for centuries.
   • And can we please remember this until we get to the story of David bringing the Ark into Jerusalem wearing a (not THE) linen ephod WITH a robe?! I’m SO sick of people perpetuating the legend of David dancing in his underwear. 🙄 False. Never happened. And I will pick this legend to pieces when we get there. (Huff!) We ARE going to talk about underwear but an ephod IS. NOT. UNDERWEAR. Nor is it a “loincloth.” 🤦‍♀️🙄 Just because we don’t know what something is doesn’t mean we can make up stuff about it. Are we clear on this? I hope so. 🤨
3. Belt/Sash – made of the same color threads as the ephod and was tied at the waist.
4. Robe – this was an in-between layer that went under the ephod but over the tunic. It was solid blue with a reinforced neckline and on the hem alternating pomegranates (is this where we get the idea of Pom-poms?🤔) and little golden bells. 🔔
   • “And it will be on Aaron for serving, and its sound will be heard at his coming into the sanctuary before Yahweh and at his going out, so that he will not die.” Exodus‬ ‭28‬:‭35‬ ‭LEB‬‬
   • Perhaps this suggests that Yahweh’s priests may not be idle or slothful. Move. Keep them bells ringing.
5. Tunic – woven of fine linen. To us it would’ve looked off-white with a square weave. Very natural. Organic. Something a vegan would wear. Rather Jedi robe-looking. It went under the blue robe. Comfy. Flowy. Breathable. Kinda like a mumu. Does anyone remember mumus?
6. Turban – 👳🏽‍♂️ this headpiece was worn by both Aaron (high priest) and his sons. But on Aaron’s turban there was attached a golden medallion-crown that said “Holy to Yahweh.” I kinda wonder if there’s any connection to this and both the 144,000 having the Father’s name on their foreheads and the citizens of the Beast kingdom having his name-number on their foreheads. 🤔
7. Linen Underwear – NOW we’re gonna talk about underwear. These were definitely boxers, not briefs. 🩳 Bet cha didn’t know God cared about underwear did ya? One o’ these days I think I’ll do an underwear object lesson. That oughta get attention. 😏
   • Check out this insight about linen underwear from the prophet Ezekiel: “When they enter the gates of the inner court, they shall wear linen garments. They shall have nothing of wool on them, while they minister at the gates of the inner court, and within. They shall have linen turbans on their heads, and linen undergarments around their waists. They shall not bind themselves with anything that causes sweat.” Ezekiel‬ ‭44‬:‭17‬-‭18‬ ‭ESV
   • Credit to a good friend and pesky little brother in the Lord for sharing this insight. The Lord doesn’t want His ministers sweating. If we’re sweating it may be because there’s a bunch of effort on our part. Instead of relying on the Holy Spirit to work through us, we’re working to try to make it happen. Or maybe we’re covering the flesh up with something other than God’s own righteousness. No one sees it. It’s hidden. It’s covering our most intimate parts. But the Lord knows. And when we engage in ministry it gets warm. Uncomfortable. There is friction. Chafing. And it starts to get stinky. No air-flow. It’s not breathable. No wind of the Spirit. That’s ministry in the flesh and not in the Spirit. Ministry done in the power of the Spirit is “no sweat.” Linen is known for being breathable. When we serve in the breathable garments of salvation, and are actively led by the Holy Spirit, there is a flow that doesn’t feel like work. We are cool and calm and fresh as a daisy. So if your ministry feels sweaty- umm- maybe change your undies.
   • Now, I bet you will never be able to think about sweaty underwear the same again. You’re welcome. 😆

Next, the priests in their breathable underwear will be consecrated for service.