Exodus 28:29, commentary and pictures

Aaron bore the names of the twelve tribes engraved on precious stones set in gold in the breastplate, the most sacred of the priestly vestments, upon his heart whenever he entered the holy place as a continual memorial before the Lord. Aaron in this service was a type of Christ the great High Priest, and his bearing the names is a beautiful figure of Christ's unchanging love and tender care for His church. Jesus now bears upon His heart continually the name of every repentant, believing soul, pleading His blood before the Father in the sinner's behalf and binding His chosen to His great heart of love as a memorial before God. His advocacy assures helpless sinners that they may come to Him and trust His abundant mercy, and gives burdened workers certainty that the chosen are remembered, justified, and safe from condemnation because He died, rose again, and intercedes at the right hand of God. Earthly ministers are to keep this lesson in mind and labor together following His example, sharing that same love, sympathy, tenderness, and solicitude toward one another.

Garment and Holy Service

The direction about Aaron carrying the names in the breastplate of judgment upon his heart into the holy place for a continual memorial was spoken by Jesus Himself as the great I AM while enshrouded in the pillar of cloud to educate His church in the wilderness. It sets forth the outline of God's expressed will, His covenant with the people He is seeking to save, and the terms of salvation. It provides the most valuable education for today, the higher education and highest knowledge a human being can possess, the knowledge of the only true God and Jesus Christ whom He has sent. That knowledge gives mental discipline, strengthens the mental powers, and teaches how to conduct life as a citizen of heaven for present and eternal good.

The breastplate was the most sacred of the priestly vestments, made of the same material as the ephod, square and measuring a span. It was suspended from the shoulders by a blue cord from golden rings, with a border of precious stones and twelve stones set in gold inside in four rows, engraved with the names of the twelve tribes. Those engraved names Aaron bore upon his heart whenever he went into the holy place, for a memorial before the Lord continually. God distinctly specified the particular style of garments the priests were to wear when doing service in the holy place and ministering in the priest's office, with clothing made in accordance with their sacred work. Entering the presence of a high and holy God required meeting His conditions and putting away every particle of defilement on pain of death.

God gave special directions about everything connected with His service, including the dress of those who minister before Him. The apparel of those who officiate before God can honor or dishonor Him. His directions for ministerial dress require order in everything and especially cleanliness. What the priests wore while ministering before God was part of the sacred order He required, and their service was to reflect reverence for His holiness. The high priest wore the breastplate of judgment before the Lord as part of the service God had appointed, and its sacred use depended on that appointment and was not authorized for others to wear in worship.

Aaron's robes were symbolic, and the setting of this direction illustrates that dress can carry meaning, so that Christ's followers are likewise to dress as representatives of Him. The breastplate set with precious stones served as the means by which messages from Jehovah were received and His will revealed. The light of His glory flashed forth upon the stones in approval, and the cloud of His disapproval shadowed them. When Christ died the veil of the temple was rent in twain from top to bottom and the most holy place was exposed, and this divine communication through the breastplate ceased. No longer would the presence of God overshadow the earthly mercy-seat, and no longer would His glory and disapproval be shown upon the breastplate.

The sanctuary ministration to which this bearing of the names belongs served as an example and shadow of heavenly things. The priestly breastplate and its names are reflected in Jesus' garments as He completes His ministry in the heavenly holy place and passes through the second veil in 1844. In that heavenly completion He keeps the people continually in remembrance before the Lord, as Aaron bearing Israel's names on his heart when entering the holy place foreshadowed.

Christ the Great High Priest

Aaron was a type of Christ the great High Priest, and his bearing of the names of the children of Israel in the breastplate of judgment upon his heart when entering the holy place as a continual memorial is a beautiful and expressive figure of Christ's unchanging love for His church. As Aaron bore Israel upon his heart, so Christ bears His people and God's chosen upon His own heart with enduring love and care. That bearing of the engraved names of the twelve tribes is fulfilled in Christ as the great High Priest, who pleads His blood before the Father in the sinner's behalf. He bears upon His heart the name of every repentant, believing soul, so that though the believer is poor and needy, he is thought upon by the Lord.

Jesus as the great High Priest bears the names of all the chosen upon His breastplate over His heart continually as a memorial before God. This means He has bound His people to His great heart of love, has graven them on the palms of His hands, and loves them. Christ, whom Aaron symbolized, thus bears the names of all His people in the holy place as their great High Priest. There He remembers the words He used to encourage them to trust, and He remains mindful of His covenant.

Assurance and Ministerial Example

Jesus keeps the believer's name upon His breastplate and pleads for that person before the Father, and that advocacy assures sinners that they may come to Him helpless and trust His abundant mercy and willingness to receive them. He bears the names of all the chosen upon His breastplate over His heart continually as a memorial before God, which means He has bound His people to His great heart of love, has graven them on the palms of His hands, and loves them. This gives certainty and comfort to burdened workers, for though men are daily deciding their destiny and many refuse light, the chosen are remembered. They are justified by God and safe from any charge or condemnation, because Christ died, rose again, is at the right hand of God, and makes intercession for them.

Jesus is the High Priest who can bear the burden of representing the people before God continually, as the high priest bore Israel's names over his heart when entering the holy place. He can bear also all the burdens of those who look to Him, so believers may entrust their cares to Him. Aaron bearing the names of the children of Israel in the breastplate of judgment upon his heart when going into the holy place for a memorial continually is a beautiful and expressive figure of the unchanging love of Christ for His church, with Aaron as a type of Christ the great High Priest who bears His people upon His heart.

His earthly ministers should share that same love and sympathy and solicitude. They should keep this lesson in mind and show one another Christ's tenderness, kindness, courtesy, and love. His death on the cross is the measure of the value of souls in God's sight, and His ministers must labor together in connection with one another following His example.