And the fourth row, a beryl, an onyx, and a jasper: they were inclosed in ouches of gold in their inclosings.
Exodus 39:13 names the fourth row of the breastplate as a beryl, an onyx, and a jasper, set in enclosures of gold. It describes part of the breastplate of judgment worn by the high priest, on which the tribes of Israel were represented by twelve stones bearing their names. Those stones picture Christ, the great High Priest, bearing every repentant, believing soul upon His heart, and they correspond to the stones forming the foundations of the city of God. As one detail of the sanctuary made according to the divine pattern shown to Moses in the mount, it belongs to the earthly house whose furnishings and rites were a figure of the heavenly sanctuary, pointing to Christ and His power to forgive sin and transform character.
Sanctuary Setting and Construction
The fourth row of the breastplate held a beryl, an onyx, and a jasper, enclosed in settings of gold in their enclosures. Its mention of skilled goldwork and fine craftsmanship fits with evidence that such workmanship existed in the ancient world before the Exodus.
The verse belongs to the second division of Exodus, chapters 19-40, which presents the ransomed people bound to Jehovah by solemn covenant and provided with legal ordinances for guidance. More particularly it belongs to chapters 33-40 and 35-40, which record the preparation, fitting, building, and setting up of the Tabernacle in chronological order from chapter 19 onward, immediately following the instruction given to Moses in the mount in chapters 25-31. The Tabernacle was set up on the first day of the first month of the second year from the Exodus.
It is one detail and particular of the carrying out of the explicit directions for the sanctuary given in Exodus 25-31 and described in Exodus 25-40. It was made according to the divine pattern shown to Moses in the mount by workmen specially endowed by God from free-will offerings, and was submitted to Moses for inspection as work commanded by God. At its center the holy of holies held the ark of the covenant containing God's law written on tables of stone. It belongs to the finished work upon which blessing and glory came down upon the congregation and the building when completed.
The sanctuary described was the marvelously beautiful dwelling place of God among His people. It was given after their deliverance from Egyptian bondage so He might dwell among them and reveal His great love more fully. It was a great, multiple object-lesson by various forms and rites comprehending the great plan of salvation for a people unfitted by slavery to comprehend His salvation and required character. It continued the unfolding plan of redemption previously shown when the people approached God by offering a lamb for sin on an altar of rough stones with the father of each family acting as priest and mediator.
Breastplate Teaching and Symbolism
Exodus 39:8-21 describes the breastplate of judgment worn by the high priest, with the tribes of Israel represented on it. The twelve stones set within its border bear the names of the tribes of Israel and picture Christ, the great High Priest, carrying every repentant, believing soul on His heart. The breastplate's precious stones, including the beryl, onyx, and jasper of the fourth row set in gold, are like and correspond to the stones forming the foundations of the city of God.
The earthly sanctuary and its furnishings, including this breastplate made according to the directions given to Moses, served as a figure of the heavenly sanctuary, and its rites and ceremonies pointed to Christ and His power to forgive sin and transform character. Its offerings, sacrifices, and types revealed shadows from which the substance of the new dispensation may be traced. The breastplate shows that the tenth-day atonement of the house of Israel was in a certain sense a day of judgment, shadowing forth the investigative judgment of the house of God before the second coming of Christ.
The verse is part of the law of Moses commanded in Horeb with statutes and judgments, which includes all the laws God gave through Moses — civil regulations, laws concerning sacrifices and offerings, laws regulating conduct between man and man, health laws, ceremonial laws, and moral laws including the Ten Commandments. That law is set forth in Exodus 20 to 40 and Leviticus, to which attention is called in the last days.
Exodus 39:13 names the fourth row of the breastplate as a beryl, an onyx, and a jasper, set in enclosures of gold. It describes part of the breastplate of judgment worn by the high priest, on which the tribes of Israel were represented by twelve stones bearing their names. Those stones picture Christ, the great High Priest, bearing every repentant, believing soul upon His heart, and they correspond to the stones forming the foundations of the city of God. As one detail of the sanctuary made according to the divine pattern shown to Moses in the mount, it belongs to the earthly house whose furnishings and rites were a figure of the heavenly sanctuary, pointing to Christ and His power to forgive sin and transform character.
Sanctuary Setting and Construction
The fourth row of the breastplate held a beryl, an onyx, and a jasper, enclosed in settings of gold in their enclosures. Its mention of skilled goldwork and fine craftsmanship fits with evidence that such workmanship existed in the ancient world before the Exodus.
The verse belongs to the second division of Exodus, chapters 19-40, which presents the ransomed people bound to Jehovah by solemn covenant and provided with legal ordinances for guidance. More particularly it belongs to chapters 33-40 and 35-40, which record the preparation, fitting, building, and setting up of the Tabernacle in chronological order from chapter 19 onward, immediately following the instruction given to Moses in the mount in chapters 25-31. The Tabernacle was set up on the first day of the first month of the second year from the Exodus.
It is one detail and particular of the carrying out of the explicit directions for the sanctuary given in Exodus 25-31 and described in Exodus 25-40. It was made according to the divine pattern shown to Moses in the mount by workmen specially endowed by God from free-will offerings, and was submitted to Moses for inspection as work commanded by God. At its center the holy of holies held the ark of the covenant containing God's law written on tables of stone. It belongs to the finished work upon which blessing and glory came down upon the congregation and the building when completed.
The sanctuary described was the marvelously beautiful dwelling place of God among His people. It was given after their deliverance from Egyptian bondage so He might dwell among them and reveal His great love more fully. It was a great, multiple object-lesson by various forms and rites comprehending the great plan of salvation for a people unfitted by slavery to comprehend His salvation and required character. It continued the unfolding plan of redemption previously shown when the people approached God by offering a lamb for sin on an altar of rough stones with the father of each family acting as priest and mediator.
Breastplate Teaching and Symbolism
Exodus 39:8-21 describes the breastplate of judgment worn by the high priest, with the tribes of Israel represented on it. The twelve stones set within its border bear the names of the tribes of Israel and picture Christ, the great High Priest, carrying every repentant, believing soul on His heart. The breastplate's precious stones, including the beryl, onyx, and jasper of the fourth row set in gold, are like and correspond to the stones forming the foundations of the city of God.
The earthly sanctuary and its furnishings, including this breastplate made according to the directions given to Moses, served as a figure of the heavenly sanctuary, and its rites and ceremonies pointed to Christ and His power to forgive sin and transform character. Its offerings, sacrifices, and types revealed shadows from which the substance of the new dispensation may be traced. The breastplate shows that the tenth-day atonement of the house of Israel was in a certain sense a day of judgment, shadowing forth the investigative judgment of the house of God before the second coming of Christ.
The verse is part of the law of Moses commanded in Horeb with statutes and judgments, which includes all the laws God gave through Moses — civil regulations, laws concerning sacrifices and offerings, laws regulating conduct between man and man, health laws, ceremonial laws, and moral laws including the Ten Commandments. That law is set forth in Exodus 20 to 40 and Leviticus, to which attention is called in the last days.