We cannot do anything without Him. She has a weekly YouTube devotional, too. and David was girded with a linen ephod; which others, besides priests, sometimes wore, as Samuel did, and which David might choose to appear in, rather than in his royal robes, as being more agreeable to the service of God, and lighter for him both to walk and dance in on this occasion. It symbolized authority and power and signified the wearers status as a mediator between God and man. Over the ephod, the High Priest wore abreastplatewhich was a pouch about 22-cm (about 9 inches) square made of beautifully woven material. God graciously communicated through these stones, leading His people. The book of 1 Chronicles states that David was "clothed with a robe of fine linen, as were all the . They sacrificed to it and made offerings to it. Only the special priest could wear the ephod. But praise be to God, we have a Savior! As stated earlier, there is a part of the ephod called the breastplate of judgment. However, now- through Jesus, we have the breastplate of righteousness. Remember, it was customary in Israel to tear their garments and put sackcloth and ashes on their heads upon the death of a relative (Genesis 37:33,34). These sons Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Issachar, Zebulun, Joseph, and Benjaminall became the heads of their own family groups, comprising Gods people, Israel. Jesus says Tetelestai here in the perfect tense, which is very rare in the New Testament and has no English equivalent. A. Ephod (Heb. Then David asked God for guidance, and God told him what to do. Well, I recently wrote a blog post on breakthrough and touched on David. That word literally means blue. Consequently, theblue thread is another picture of the God who came from Heaven, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, whose completed work is what holds us close to God our Fathers heart. It was this very expensive garment that the Roman soldiers gambled for at the foot of His cross. However, at Jesus Sanhedrin trial, the High Priest Caiaphas (the name means rock) tore his clothes even though this was forbidden. 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). 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. This means that we are eternally secure in Jesus. The high priest wore a skillfully crafted ephod consisting of gold shoulder pieces bearing carved onyx stones showing the names of the 12 tribes, and a woven band of colorful threads. In Jesus, we have someone who has even more authority. It is often used in ceremonial dress, and it is also used in religious artwork. 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. 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. That day was the highest andmost holy day of the year, the Day of Atonement, a day also called the Day of Judgment. The ephod reminds us that we are set apart. He is our ever-present help (See. The ephod iss mentioned only in the Old Testament. This does not mean we are to sit around and do nothing all day. We know the ephod was a tool of ceremonya special, ornate, handcrafted item with great significance. (Isaiah 53:5. In Hebrew, Dham means blood and Adham (i.e., Adam) means red-blooded man. The ephod is a garment of great significance. Lesson 4: A LINEN EPHOD "And David danced before the LORD with all his might; and David was girded with a linen ephod" (2 Sam. These names were to be a reminder to the nation and The LORD of the history of Israel, and so were called the stones of remembrance. Linen isa unique fabric that keeps the wearer cool in hot weather and warm when cold, which were efficient qualities for living in an arid climate with hot days and cold nights. Only he can save us from our sins and give us eternal life. An ephod was a garment usually made of linen that covered the priest from the shoulder to the hip. They are a part of the ritual the people must do to communicate with God, both to worship God and atone for their sins. Purple is the color of Royalty. In order to understand the ephod, lets try to get a picture of what the priestly garments are comprised of since they were a unit (See Per Exodus 28:4): Lets touch on a few essential pieces of the priestly garments: It was made of linen, and it had two shoulder straps attached to it. He has gone into the presence of God on our behalf and has made intercession for us. Some believe the ephod looked like an apron that covered the body from shoulder to hip, others that it was like a chestless jacket for the breastpiece to fit into. Other biblical books describe an ephod that may or may not be similar to the one legislated for the High Priest. l. 3. c. 7. sect. White typifies righteousness and purity. It was intended for both the front and back of the body and made in two parts, which were clasped together at the shoulder by two onyx stones set in gold. In addition to being a holy item, the ephod is a symbol of the people, as well as their sins. On each shoulder piece, six of Jacobs sons names were engraved on an onyx stone (these were the 12 men who founded the 12 tribes of Israel). Blue, purple, and scarlet wool yarn along with white linen thread and pure gold thread of the ephod. 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. 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). 6:14) wore a simple ephod of linen, apparently during sacred service or at special celebrations (i Sam. This isnt mentioned negatively, but as an act of worship. One he wore in the morning and the other in the evening. The ephod supported the breastpiece of 12 precious stones. (Matthew 13:44) When God, who is light, looks upon us living stones in Christ, He sees reflected back His perfect light from the stones. Thanks Manu! 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). 4 Reasons Why We Have a Hard Time Talking about Loneliness. In early Old Testament history, there are references to the ephod as a rather simple, linen garment, possibly a short skirt, apron, or loin cloth. Hallelujah! The making of the gold thread provides a glimpse into what our Jesus endured for our sakes when He was beaten, pressed, hammered, cut, bruised, and battered for our redemption. 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. The Golden Garment of the High Priests uniform was a two-layered set of clothing which included the four garments of the regular priests plus four additional articles of clothing that were added to enhance the ritual beauty and honor of the sacredness of the duties of the High Priest in his daily work of atonement for the children of Israel. Jesus is our high priest, our Redeemer, and He is all we need. 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 It is kept in position on the body by means of two shoulder pieces (v. 7) and a fastening band (v. 8).". The actual blessing is done with both arms held horizontally in front, at shoulder level, with hands touching, to form the Hebrew letter shin. This stands for the Hebrew word for Shaddai, meaning Almighty [God]., (5)Wuests Word Studies From the Greek New Testament for the English Reader, Volume Three, Golden Nuggets, Kenneth S. Wuest, Reprinted 1999,ISBN-13:978-0802822802, (6) It is finished or completed is the translation of the Greek word Tetelestaiwhich only appears twice in the Bible (John 19:28,30). The Urim and Thummim were placed inside this pouch. [2] The verb --, "to gird," is used for an ephod, [3] implying that an ephod contains (or perhaps is) a belt or sash. The ephod didnt have the Aaronic priesthood or Levites behind it to give it authority. Over a robe of checker work the High Priest wore a garment called an 'ephod'. So God, speaking through Moses, gave the people instructions on how they should live. The Stones of the Ephod. The ephod was a sacred garment in the Old Testament. This led to even more division among the Israelites. ";[8] according to the Bible this action eventually caused the whole of Israel to turn away from God yet again and the ruin of Gideon and his family. May God bless you abundantly! The other meaning of "ephod" is somewhat similardescribed less as a garment but rather more as an item of ceremonial, sacred significance, much like an idol or other special item to be worn but not necessarily an item of clothing. He wanted to wear it to signify that God was with him and would help him defeat his enemies. They have to be diligently searched for with great determination, excavated, washed, and finally cut andpolished(1) by the master jeweler to release their true beauty. 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. Later, the same thing happened. First, the "ephod" (a garment): They shall make the ephod of gold, of blue, purple, and crimson yarns, and of fine twisted linen, worked into designs . 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. The second row contained acarbuncle,jasper, and a sapphire. The blue cord represents that Jesus mind is our mind (i.e., the mind of Christ). Jesus is the one who can help us find forgiveness and eternal life. Before Jesus, most people didnt simply talk with God about His will, whether out of fear they were not holy enough and would incur His wrath or because God typically only spoke through His prophets. While the priestly garments were allowed to have a combination of wool and linen, those of the laity were not. These are the same people who Moses led out of Egypt and into the Promised Land. The ephod was a symbol of the authority of the high priest. Despite their periods of faithlessness, God remained faithful. When you and I accept Jesus as our personal Savior, we, the red of human birth, accept the blue of Christs divinity,and we become purple, too! The tearing by Caiaphas of the priestly garments represented the abolishment of the Levitical Priesthood and its replacement after the Melchizedek Priesthood order. The names on the breastplate were always close to Aarons heart, just as with Christ and His precious ones. He made a covenant with Moses, promising He would still be with the people in spite of their misdeeds as long as they obeyed God (Exodus 34:10-11). We are also called to be holy people, set apart for His (Gods) purposes. Titus 3:5. Its threads were 12 plies. Genesis 30:1-24. Purple the God-Man (Blue+Red=Purple) Jesus who is the Last Adam! He was also the King of Salem, which means peace. So when they wanted to know Gods will, they consulted a priest or prophet, who would then speak to God on their behalf. What Jesus is, we are in the sight of God. God is not looking at my thoughts to judge me but rather the thoughts of the high priest. This means that we are eternally secure in Jesus. The first of the fourth row was achrysolite, the next was an onyx, and then a beryl, which was the last of all. The High Priest is also a King of Israel! suggest that the ephod originally refers to a container for the stones used to cast lots and later became associated with many objects that also could contain the stones or were used in divination. Urim and Thummim are two stones that were set in the ephod and were used to inquire of the Lord about specific matters. It is mentioned throughout the Bible and has been worn by some of the most well-known figures in Christianity. Further, two onyx stones are to be mounted in gold and fastened on the ephods shoulder pieces. (Colossians 3:9,10. Although the linen ephod is primarily associated with the high priests garments, it was by no means limited to the high priest. God is holy and sin separated God from His people but they could still come before Him through a priest following sacrifices and cleansing. It is also to be noted that the high priests ephod (Exodus 28:6; Exodus 28:8, &c.) was made of shesh, while the garments of the ordinary priests, as well as the ephods of Samuel and David, were of bad. Indeed, no one is exactly certain just what an Ephod was, other than something liturgical. Later on in 1 Samuel 23 and 30, we see David call for the ephod in order to communicate with God at a time when Saul was plotting against him. Great detail goes into the Lords description of the ephod. I will start by explaining what an ephod is, who was allowed to wear it, and what it looked like. It was also a symbol of his office. In the New Testament, the apostle Paul writes about the importance of clothing ourselves with Jesus Christ (Galatians 3:27). This belt was woven into the entire length of the ephods upper hem. Girded with a linen ephod.This is usually spoken of as if David were arrayed in a distinctively priestly dress; but it is remarkable that the ephod was not prescribed as a part of the priestly dressthe ephod of the high-priest (Exodus 25:7, &c.) being quite a different thingand was worn by others, as Samuel (1Samuel 2:18). These stones are to be engraved with the names of the 12 tribes of Israel, with six names on one and six on the other, and two braided gold chains are to connect the stones (v. 9-14). In the book of Exodus and in Leviticus one is described as being created for the High Priest to wear as part of his official vestments (Exodus 28:4+, 29:5, 39:2+; Leviticus 8:7). In Exodus 39, we read how the Israelites were obedient in this and crafted the ephod exactly as God commanded. David's Ephod. And why was it important? (Genesis 3:19). We also see King David wearing a linen ephod in 2 Samuel 6:14 and 1 Chronicles 15:27 as he and others carried the ark of the covenant into Jerusalem. The same as High Priests Turbin previously described. In the Bible, in the contexts where it is worn, the ephod is usually described as being linen, but did not constitute complete clothing of any kind, as the Books of Samuel describe. The robe is put on from above, meaning not self-appointed but rather office and authority God appointed (John 19:11). [1][2] However, the biblical text states the Urim and Thummim were placed in the breastplate, not the ephod (Leviticus 8:8). superhumerale) is a kind of garment mentioned in the O. T., which differed according to its use by the high-priest, by other persons present at religious services, or as the object of idolatrous worship.. Ephod of the High-Priest.Supplementing the data contained in the Bible with those gleaned from Josephus and the Egyptian monuments . Best effort color determination of Breastplate Stone colors since some of the stones names have changed over time (Exodus 28:17-21. The Bible mentions Urim and Thummim many times. After the Day of Atonements conclusion, he will never again wear the white garments he officiated on this day. The Gospel of John Jesus the Son of God. (http://www.ciu.edu/content/it-finished-look-greek), Hal has been teaching the Bible for over three decades. Thanks Lallie, thanks for stopping by! The ephod is also a reminder of our need for God. 28:6-8; 39:2-5). There are two basic meanings for the word ephod. The ephod is a garment of great significance. [5] Since the oracular process is considered by scholars to have been one of cleromancy, with the Urim and Thummim being the objects which were drawn as lots, the Ephod is considered by scholars to have been some form of container for the Urim and Thummim;[2][5] to harmonise this with the descriptions of the Ephod as a garment, it is necessary to conclude that the Ephod must have originally been some sort of pocket, which the priests girded to themselves. In the Books of Samuel and Books of Chronicles, David is described as wearing an ephod when dancing in the presence of the Ark of the Covenant (2 Samuel 6:14, 1 Chronicles 15:27) and one is described as standing in the sanctuary at Nob, with a sword behind it (1 Samuel 21:9). 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. God desires His ministers to have cool passions. The Golden Garments of the High Priest revealed Jesus as God the Great High Priest in Heaven. Lets take a closer look at why this act of making an ephod became a snare. He used to be only All God, but now He is also All man, making HIm the Perfect Man! 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). Chitn is the word in the Greek Old Testament for the tunic/undergarment worn by all priests, while a different word, hypodyts ( ), is usually the word for the priestly robe. The ephod also symbolized the high priests authority over the people. Note the neck of this garment was specifically fortified to prevent it from accidentally tearing. It reminds us of our need to obey Gods laws and of His authority over us. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. We are sinners in need of a Savior. 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. That is, we have the righteousness of Jesus imputed to us based on His finished work and are now free from the impossible task of attempting to earn righteousness through our dead works (1). (ee' fahd) A priestly garment connected with seeking a word from God and used in a wrong way as an idol. This blog post will discuss 12 fascinating facts about the ephod. While cotton fabric is derived from the fibers in the bolls that grow around the plant's seed heads, linen is made from fibers in the stems of the flax plant. There were also had two shoulder straps that were sewn onto the belt. And in the breastpiece of judgment you shall put the Urim and the Thummim, and they shall be on Aarons heart, when he goes in before the Lord. White is the symbolic color of purity, of cleanliness. It is clear that the ephod (and the associated breastpiece with the Urim and Thummim stones) was a way that God was able to direct His people (this is some time after he fights Goliath as a boy). Article Images Copyright 2023 Getty Images unless otherwise indicated. Also, the names were not simply written on the stones but rather engraved, meaning they can never be removed. Hallelujah! A passage in the Book of Exodus describes the Ephod as an elaborate garment worn by the high priest, and upon which the Hoshen, or breastplate containing Urim and Thummim, rested. It is finished; the work of mans redemption and salvation is now completed. The Aorist tense is only half of the perfect tense! Ephodits a word you dont typically see today, and yet it carries great weight in the Bible when it comes to ceremony and honor. It is also the color ofgrace. In this situation, it is clear that God alone was being worshiped following the victory. 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 ephod also symbolized the importance of obedience to Gods laws. The first significant passage is in Exodus where God is providing Moses with the design of the ephod that Aaron, the high priest, would wear. When we understand this, we can see how important it is to have a relationship with him. The first of the third row was aligure, then an amethyst, and the third an agatebeing the ninth of the whole number. The precious stones with the names represented that all of Gods Special Treasures (i.e., His people) are on His heart. When David asked for the Ephod, he was asking for a symbol of Gods presence and favor.
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