And the third row, a ligure, an agate, and an amethyst.
Exodus 39:12 names the ligure, the agate, and the amethyst as the three stones forming the third row of the breastplate. They were part of the twelve stones set in gold and engraved with the names of the tribes of Israel for the breastplate of judgment worn by the high priest. The breastplate pictures Christ, the great High Priest, carrying every repentant, believing soul upon His heart. Its stones are the same as the twelve foundations of the city of God. As part of the earthly sanctuary whose service was a figure of the heavenly and pointed to Christ, its use on the tenth-day atonement shows that day was in a certain sense a day of judgment shadowing the investigative judgment of the house of God.
Stones and Tabernacle Context
The third row of the breastplate held a ligure, an agate, and an amethyst. Its twelve stones were set in gold and engraved with the names and representations of the tribes of Israel. The verse belongs to the description of the breastplate of judgment worn by the high priest.
That breastplate account belongs to the preparing, fitting, building, and setting up of the wilderness tabernacle, which was set up on the first day of the first month of the second year after the Exodus. The building account in Exodus 33-40 comes in chronological order after the sanctuary instruction given to Moses in the mount in Exodus 25-31 and after the events of Exodus 19-32. It forms part of the full detailed description from Exodus 25 to the end of the book setting forth the sanctuary and its furnishings.
The sanctuary was built at God's command after He led Israel out of Egypt so He might dwell among them and reveal His great love. It was the center of Israel's worship, which revolved around the holy of holies where God's law rested beneath the mercy seat. It was a marvelously beautiful, multiple object-lesson comprehending the plan of salvation for Israel redeemed from Egyptian bondage and unfitted by slavery to comprehend God's salvation and required character. It was built from free-will offerings by workmen specially endowed by God according to the divine pattern given to Moses in the mount. That work continued the unfolding plan of redemption previously shown from Eden to the Exodus in the simple service of the father of each family acting as priest and mediator by offering a lamb for sin upon an altar of rough stones.
The verse shows the Lord's directions for the sanctuary and its furniture were explicitly carried out just as God directed. When the work of building and inaugurating the sanctuary and its services was completed, blessing and glory came down upon the congregation and the building. The manifestation of God's glory showed His acceptance of the people's repentance. The account of the tabernacle's making to which the verse belongs is evidence that fine linen work and skilled goldworking were known in the ancient world long before the Exodus.
Christ and Judgment Pictured
The ligure, agate, and amethyst named here are the three stones of the breastplate's third row, part of its twelve stones set in gold and engraved with the names of the tribes of Israel. Those twelve stones correspond to the twelve foundations of the city of God, being the same stones as those forming its foundations. The breastplate pictures Christ, the great High Priest, bearing on His heart the name of every repentant, believing soul.
The three stones in the third row of the high priest's breastplate belong to the prescribed furnishings and details that formed part of the earthly sanctuary. That earthly sanctuary's service was a figure of the heavenly sanctuary, and its rites pointed to Christ. The full description beginning with Exodus 25 and continuing to the end of the book sets forth the sanctuary and its furnishings in detail, and that detail is required to learn the exact pattern of the two kinds of atoning service performed for the errors of the people.
The ligure, agate, and amethyst belong to the description of the breastplate of judgment worn by the high priest, bearing representations of the tribes of Israel. Its use on the tenth-day atonement shows that day was in a certain sense a day of judgment. In this it shadowed the investigative judgment of the house of God.
Exodus 39:12 names the ligure, the agate, and the amethyst as the three stones forming the third row of the breastplate. They were part of the twelve stones set in gold and engraved with the names of the tribes of Israel for the breastplate of judgment worn by the high priest. The breastplate pictures Christ, the great High Priest, carrying every repentant, believing soul upon His heart. Its stones are the same as the twelve foundations of the city of God. As part of the earthly sanctuary whose service was a figure of the heavenly and pointed to Christ, its use on the tenth-day atonement shows that day was in a certain sense a day of judgment shadowing the investigative judgment of the house of God.
Stones and Tabernacle Context
The third row of the breastplate held a ligure, an agate, and an amethyst. Its twelve stones were set in gold and engraved with the names and representations of the tribes of Israel. The verse belongs to the description of the breastplate of judgment worn by the high priest.
That breastplate account belongs to the preparing, fitting, building, and setting up of the wilderness tabernacle, which was set up on the first day of the first month of the second year after the Exodus. The building account in Exodus 33-40 comes in chronological order after the sanctuary instruction given to Moses in the mount in Exodus 25-31 and after the events of Exodus 19-32. It forms part of the full detailed description from Exodus 25 to the end of the book setting forth the sanctuary and its furnishings.
The sanctuary was built at God's command after He led Israel out of Egypt so He might dwell among them and reveal His great love. It was the center of Israel's worship, which revolved around the holy of holies where God's law rested beneath the mercy seat. It was a marvelously beautiful, multiple object-lesson comprehending the plan of salvation for Israel redeemed from Egyptian bondage and unfitted by slavery to comprehend God's salvation and required character. It was built from free-will offerings by workmen specially endowed by God according to the divine pattern given to Moses in the mount. That work continued the unfolding plan of redemption previously shown from Eden to the Exodus in the simple service of the father of each family acting as priest and mediator by offering a lamb for sin upon an altar of rough stones.
The verse shows the Lord's directions for the sanctuary and its furniture were explicitly carried out just as God directed. When the work of building and inaugurating the sanctuary and its services was completed, blessing and glory came down upon the congregation and the building. The manifestation of God's glory showed His acceptance of the people's repentance. The account of the tabernacle's making to which the verse belongs is evidence that fine linen work and skilled goldworking were known in the ancient world long before the Exodus.
Christ and Judgment Pictured
The ligure, agate, and amethyst named here are the three stones of the breastplate's third row, part of its twelve stones set in gold and engraved with the names of the tribes of Israel. Those twelve stones correspond to the twelve foundations of the city of God, being the same stones as those forming its foundations. The breastplate pictures Christ, the great High Priest, bearing on His heart the name of every repentant, believing soul.
The three stones in the third row of the high priest's breastplate belong to the prescribed furnishings and details that formed part of the earthly sanctuary. That earthly sanctuary's service was a figure of the heavenly sanctuary, and its rites pointed to Christ. The full description beginning with Exodus 25 and continuing to the end of the book sets forth the sanctuary and its furnishings in detail, and that detail is required to learn the exact pattern of the two kinds of atoning service performed for the errors of the people.
The ligure, agate, and amethyst belong to the description of the breastplate of judgment worn by the high priest, bearing representations of the tribes of Israel. Its use on the tenth-day atonement shows that day was in a certain sense a day of judgment. In this it shadowed the investigative judgment of the house of God.