Sermon Notes: Exodus 27:20-28:14 – Light to see holiness, glory, and beauty

We learn about Jesus’ high priestly work as we study the tabernacle. God was at work to prepare the world to see his holiness, glory, and beauty in the person and work of Jesus and receive the and receive him by faith.

Luke 24:44-47 (ESV) 44 Then he said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” 45 Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, 46 and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, 47 and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.

Hebrews 4:14-16 (ESV) 14 Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Everything we read here in Exodus 27:20-28:14 is designed by the Father to give us a glimpse into the unseen reality of the glories of Jesus, and the Holy Spirit’s work is to remind us about this and to help us see more of Jesus, and when we see Jesus, we have seen the Father.

So, as we study the tabernacle, we are getting into the very presence, nature, and existence of the Triune God of the Bible.

Let’s read it together: Exodus 27:20-28:2

What do we see?

Before we make 2 big observations, it is important that we understand the connection between the lamp in 27:20-21 and the priest’s clothing we’ll see in 28:1-14. What is that connection?

The Lord commands the people to bring their purest oil, which would burn cleanly, and it was to be brought in such regularity that the flame was always kept burning. God made sure they understood that light was always available to see how to work but more importantly who that work was pointing them to.

NOTE: The Lord required the purest oil likely for the well-being of those serving in the tabernacle so they could breathe clean air from clean oil since he required that the lamp burn all the time. I don’t believe it is too much of a stretch to say that pure oil is also an indicator that the Lord cares about purity in all things and the purity in all things is good for humans, and we can safely say this because the Lord will require the priest’s clothing to be holy by being made according to his instructions. Purity in all things matters to God because he is holy, the definition of glory and beauty, and so being made in his image, those things are good for us as well. So, we should always make it a goal to keep ourselves from the contamination of dark influences.

The connection between the priest’s clothes in chapter 28 and the continual source of light is noted in the use of the word “then”, the conjunction that connects chapter 27 and 28.

This conjunction implies that the light is a necessary part of what is happening with the priest’s clothing. Light allows what is happening to be seen and understood. The Lord wants us to see and thus understand, so he makes these Levitical workers and Levitical priests, who will also be tasked with teaching the people, able to see what is happening so they can understand and teach the people.

Light leads to understanding and the ability to communicate understanding. Darkness leads to ignorance and wrong actions, and that never leads to good.

So, what do we need to observe?

God gives us light so that we can see.

In the Bible, there is a connection between darkness that blinds and unbelief. Darkness and blindness and evil.

There is also a connection with light, sight and belief. And it’s important to recognize that blindness and sight are physical realities that are to assist us to see and understand the metaphysics of unseen realities.

Darkness and blindness lead to the inability to perceive and understand the truth. This is unbelief.

Light and sight lead to our ability to see, understand, and believe the truth. This is faith.  

In the curse of sin there is a real malady of physical blindness that gets introduced to creation and it is a terrible hindrance, but the inability to perceive and understand truth is a mortal enemy, and an instrument of the the Serpent Dragon to keep people in unbelief. Blindness to truth is devastating.

Physical sight is a great gift, but the ability to perceive and understand truth is the ultimate sight, and that ability to understand truth makes faith possible.

In other words, if we can’t see, know, or understand something, we can’t believe in it. Therefore, we are in need of seeing and understanding so that we can believe.

Listen to 2 Corinthians 4:1-6 (ESV) 1 Therefore, having this ministry by the mercy of God, we do not lose heart. 2 But we have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways. We refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God’s word, but by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God. 3 And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. 4 In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. 5 For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. 6 For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

God did not let the work of the tabernacle happen in darkness so the priests could, understand, and pass on the truth. God made sure that the priests could see so they could teach the holiness, the glory, and the beauty of God (Exodus 28:2).

By seeing on repetition, the work of the tabernacle and teaching the people about the holiness, glory, and beauty of God in his work for them, they would be primed to recognize the Son of God who is being dramatized in front of their eyes.

God provided light to see and understand so that people might see, believe, and be saved.

God gives us light so that we can see the holy, glorious, and beautiful truth that Jesus continually brings his people before the Father and knows them by name.

The Levites do much of the manual labor of the tabernacle, while Aaron (a Levite also) and his sons do the priestly work of representing the people of God before God.

The priest’s clothing was to be made according to God’s instructions so that, according to Exodus 28:2, holiness, glory, and beauty would be on display.

We have to be careful in our observation here so that we don’t make arbitrary interpretations of things like assigning meaning to the colors and things like that. God intends for us to see his holiness, glory, and beauty in his gospel work of dealing with the sin of the people and leading them to see Jesus.

Every part of the clothing was colorful and skillfully put together for beauty.

What is most glorious, holy, and beautiful here is that on these two onyx stones at the shoulders of this particular part of the clothing are the names of God’s people. As atonement is made for their sin, the priest carries the names of his people before God, and they are remembered and counted right by faith until Jesus would come as the fulfillment of all this is enlightening and complete the work once for all (Romans 3:21-26).

The Lord Remembers his People by Name. The engraving of the 12 tribes on those onyx stones displays God’s covenant love for his people as he remembered their names and made sure they were continually represented before him.

Don’t think “remembered” in terms of forgetting and being reminded. Think about remembrance in terms of intentional representation, care, and provision for those who God made a promise to.

Fast forward to the completed work of the gospel: For those who have heard the gospel and seen the light of the gospel and have repented and believed, they are known by name.

Listen to Jesus: John 10:1-15 (ESV) 1 “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber. 2 But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. 5 A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers.” 6 This figure of speech Jesus used with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them.(They did not understand because there was no light, they were blind) 7 So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. 8 All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. 9 I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. 11 I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 12 He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. 13 He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep.

When we are in Christ, we are known by name and carried before the Father by name as robustly as verse 14 implies: Just like the Father knows the Son and the Son knows the Father, Jesus knows his people.

Jesus carries us by name before the Father in remembrance, not from forgetting, but in covenant faithfulness to be cared for and provided for in all things.

Listen to Isaiah the prophet: Isaiah 49:15-16a (ESV) 15 “Can a woman forget her nursing child, that she should have no compassion on the son of her womb? Even these may forget, yet I will not forget you. 16 Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands;

Every time the priest entered, they carried the sacrifice for sins and the names of the people of God. When Jesus entered the perfect tabernacle not made with hands, he didn’t need the priests clothing that was designed for holiness, glory, and beauty. He entered as he is because he is holy, glorious, and the definition of beauty. And when he entered by the means of his own blood, he took the names of the elect of God, and there he sees that we are known, covered, and kept. And, by the way, will see that all those the Father has given to him will hear, see, understand, repent, believe, and come to him by faith.

Listen to Jesus: John 6:37-40 (ESV) 37 All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. 38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. 39 And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. 40 For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day.”

In his current role as the merciful and faithful high priest, he carries the names of those precious kingdom of priests called the church before the Father, and he sees that they will be cared for. He will see that the good news gets to every ear effectively for those the Father has given to him. He will see that there is no one without excuse.

Jesus is a priest without sin. He is holiness incarnate—perfectly righteous in his own person. He is also glorious. As the Scripture says, “The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven” (Heb. 1:3). Jesus is pristine in his holiness, magnificent in his glory, and sublime in his beauty.^[1]

We are engraved on the Son of God by the cross through faith, and that love of God is so sure that even when we don’t know how to pray because we find ourselves burdened beyond words, he covers that for us. Listen to the old apostle: Romans 8:26-27 (ESV) 26 Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. 27 And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.

Since John 14 reminds us that Holy Spirit is one just like the Son, when Spirit intercedes for us with the Father, it’s the Son interceding for us before the Father.

Holiness. Glory. Beauty.

Application

1) Pursue light like your life depends on it.

When we say pursue light, we mean it like the Bible means it, hopefully like we’ve presented it here.

To say it another way, pursue knowing truth and pursue making truth known like your life depends on it.

Ephesians 4:17-25 (ESV) 17 Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. 18 They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart. 19 They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity. 20 But that is not the way you learned Christ!— 21 assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, 22 to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, 23 and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24 and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness. 25 Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another.

Ephesians 5:6-16 (ESV) 6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. 7 Therefore do not become partners with them; 8 for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light 9 (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), 10 and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. 11 Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. 12 For it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret. 13 But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible, 14 for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says, “Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” 15 Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.

Notice all the connections between darkness and futile thinking and deception and disobedience and ignorance and falsehood and unfruitful works of darkness and the need for these things to be exposed by light and that light that exposes the lies of darkness is Jesus.

We have emphasized for a while that it is important for us to make sure we as a church put to practice what we believe, AND we can’t fail to emphasize that what we do is only important if it is rooted in truth.

There is no place for ignorance or not knowing or demeaning the knowledge of truth in favor of just doing stuff to be doing stuff.

Knowledge and action are intrinsically linked. Without knowledge there can be no obedience. Without obedience, there is no true knowledge.

To truly know something is to have evaluated it, found it to be true, integrated it into our minds, and then begun acting on it. We might call that “faith”. The assurance of things hoped for. The conviction of unseen things.

Information is coming at us at light speed, and the opportunities to be deceived and walk in darkness are exponentially increased.

We cannot afford to yoke ourselves to untruth.

The Christian world is full of information, ideas, thoughts, and competing voices. In fact, there is growing evidence of outside left leaning organizations working to influence pastors of large churches and denominational entities in order to soften the evangelical Christian’s positions on social issues.

When big social ideas begin being propagated by the so called “influential” people and orgs from seemingly out of nowhere, we need to pay attention.

Be careful about being discipled by voices and resources outside of your local church. Always ask your elders for clarity on subjects and issues, and it is up to us to be rooted in God’s word so deeply that we can smell well disguised lies and help each other root them out. Hopefully, we pass that on to the whole church.

What is at stake is the holiness, glory, and beauty of God and his work to save people and restore all things to the holy, glorious, and beautiful state of Eden regained.

So, as the Levites and priests kept the lamp burning so they could see the holiness, glory, and beauty of the gospel, may TRC be like the Bereans who checked out everything to see if it is true. May TRC be a noble people who are voraciously tied to the word of God as our bedrock and framework of what is true. May TRC reject everything not rooted in reality.

2) Teach truth like your family and church’s lives depend on it.

Since we are a kingdom of priests to the Lord, it’s not just elders who have the responsibility to know truth and teach it. Every one of us must carry the responsibility to know truth and make it known to the best of our capacity.

And, finally, lest you begin to think it’s all on you or your standing before God and men rests on your great effort…

3) Take rest knowing you are known and remembered before the Father because Jesus, the faithful and merciful High Priest, has made access for us before God.

Like the priest carried the names of the tribes of God’s elect before the Father, the Great High Priest, Jesus, carries each of his people by name before the Father and we are remembered before God because of what Jesus has done for us.

Do you believe that Jesus carries your name into the presence of the Father today? Do you take time each day to settle into that gospel truth?

Are you weighed down by guilt, trying to perform for the eyes of man while also trying to perform for God because you believe man and God are judging you on your own merit while appearing to be trusting Jesus alone?

Hebrews 10:12-18 (ESV) 12 But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, 13 waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet. 14 For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified. 15 And the Holy Spirit also bears witness to us; for after saying, 16 “This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws on their hearts, and write them on their minds,” 17 then he adds, “I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more.” 18 Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer any offering for sin.

4) Pray: 1. Honor 2. Contrition 3. Prayer 4. Increase TRC 5. Seek the kingdom and righteousness first 6. Send us

^[1] Philip Graham Ryken and R. Kent Hughes, Exodus: Saved for God’s Glory (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books, 2005), 875.