Exodus 39:10
And they set in it four rows of stones: the first row was a sardius, a topaz, and a carbuncle: this was the first row. And they set in it four rows of stones: the first row was a sardius, a topaz, and a carbuncle: this was the first row.
It records the three stones forming the first of the four rows set in the breastpiece, in completing the furnishings exactly as the Lord had directed in Exodus 25-31. It belongs to the building of the beautiful worldly sanctuary first pitched in the wilderness after God brought Israel out of Egyptian bondage. Those stones belonged to the high priest's breastplate of judgment, on which the twelve tribes of Israel were represented by name. That breastplate represents Christ the great High Priest bearing on His heart the names of every repentant, believing soul. The sanctuary description to which it belongs set forth in figure the atonement work and great plan of salvation pointing to the coming Messiah, and foreshadowed the better temple, the true tabernacle which the Lord pitched and not man.
Sanctuary Setting and Construction
The setting of the stones in the breastpiece is recorded here as the first of four rows, with sardius, topaz, and carbuncle named as the first row. That setting belongs to the completion of the sanctuary furnishings according to God's instructions. It was the carrying out of God's earlier directions for the sanctuary given in Exodus 25-31, setting the four rows of stones exactly as God directed as part of building the ark with all its furniture and equipment, whose construction carried out the Lord's directions explicitly.
The verse belongs to the directions for building and the description of the marvelously beautiful sanctuary structure in Exodus 25-40, the complete description of the sanctuary and its furnishings and of the tabernacle in Exodus 25 to 40, the worldly sanctuary first pitched in the wilderness. That sanctuary was given after God redeemed Israel from Egyptian bondage and brought them out of Egypt, after leading them out of Egypt. The instruction concerning the sanctuary in Exodus 25-31 was given to Moses in the mount with explicit directions, coming in chronological order after the events of Exodus 19-32. The building and setting up of the sanctuary in Exodus 33-40 immediately followed that instruction.
That sanctuary was to be made from the people's willing offerings and built from free-will offerings of all materials used, so that God might dwell among them and among men, so that the temple of God was with men as a dwelling-place. The work was done by workmen specially endowed by God for the work, according to a divine pattern and explicit directions given to Moses in the mount. It was the sanctuary God asked Israel to make so He might dwell among them to reveal more fully His great love. It continued the unfolding plan of redemption that from Eden to the Exodus was shown in the simple offering of a lamb for sin upon an altar of rough stones with the father of each family acting as priest and mediator.
This exact obedience in completing the work brought blessing and glory down upon the congregation and the building. The construction and inauguration was followed by God's glory being manifested as a sign of His acceptance of the people's repentance. The description here of carefully arranged precious stones is consistent with the fine craftsmanship already practiced in the ancient world before the Exodus.
Breastplate Meaning and Symbolism
The sardius, topaz, and carbuncle named as the first row belong to the high priest's breastplate, the breastplate of judgment, on which the tribes of Israel were represented. Its twelve stones bore and were engraved with the names of the tribes of Israel. That breastplate represents Christ, the great High Priest and divine, human priest, bearing on His heart the names of every repentant, believing soul.
The full sanctuary description in Exodus 25 through the end of Exodus, to which this setting of stones belongs, sets out the form of the atonement work in figure. It is a great, multiple object-lesson comprehending the great plan of salvation, given to teach a people unfitted by slavery to comprehend His salvation and the character He required. All its rites and ceremonies are object lessons pointing to the coming Messiah and His power to forgive sin, transform the character, and deliver from burdens.
The wearing of that breastplate of judgment in the tenth-day atonement of the house of Israel shadowed forth the investigative judgment of the house, or church, of God before the second coming of Christ. In that judgment the cases of the righteous dead and living are decided and their sins blotted out. That tenth day was in a certain sense a day of judgment in which every soul that would not be afflicted would be cut off from among his people.
The worldly sanctuary so built exactly according to directions, afterward succeeded by Solomon's temple, was typical of and foreshadowed the better temple, the true tabernacle which the Lord pitched and not man, serving unto the shadow of heavenly things. It centered the true worship of God until the death of Christ, when the veil of the temple was rent and the earthly sanctuary passed away entirely and forever.