Sermon Notes: Exodus 39:1-31
Exodus 39:1-31. We’re not going to spend the time reading the entire text because it's lengthy, and most of what is in this passage has been read in previous sermons.
We’re moving closer to the completion of the tabernacle where it will culminate with the Shekinah glory coming down and filling the tabernacle. This mini-Eden will serve as a constant reminder of the Lord’s presence among his people as they journey towards the land of promise.
This morning, I want to read Exodus 39:1 and make our observations and applications.
Read Exodus 39:1.
1 Repentance leads to continuous obedience to the word of the Lord.
Mitch taught us last week how these mirrors in Exodus 38:8 illustrate repentance and radical obedience post-golden calf.
As God’s covenant people, Israel was required to live in obedience in order to receive blessings from the Lord. Remember that living within the boundaries of God’s law and instruction brought about human flourishing. Steeping outside of those boundaries brought destruction, exile, and captivity all of which the people of Israel would unfortunately experience later on.
Repentance is never a one time act. Remember the tension Mitch brought to our attention last week as we end the book of Exodus. Are the people going to obey, or go rogue and decide to do things that oppose the Lord’s commands?
That same tension remains for us. Repentance is a life long commitment in order to stay the course. Do not hear me say your eternal security is dependent upon performing some sort of ritual. That is certainly not what I am saying. Rather, a heart that is truly transformed by the power of the gospel will be sensitive to sin in their lives and will be eager to repent and return to fellowship with the Lord when it is broken.
Paul is clear on this when he says in Romans 6, “Are we to sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means!” You’re either a slave to sin which leads to death, or you’re a slave to obedience which leads to righteousness and life in Christ.
Chapter 39 tells us of the making of the priestly garments, which were crucial for the High Priest, and for the people of Israel in whom he would be representing.
7 times in this passage the phrase, “as the LORD had commanded Moses” gets repeated.
Every detail in the construction of the tabernacle was to be completed just as the LORD had instructed Moses, and the priestly garments were no exception.
I’m not going to say there is a more important part of the tabernacle than another, because everything in the tabernacle reflected the holiness of God, but the priestly garments certainly were of high importance due to the fact the high priest was entering the presence of the Lord, the most sacred place not just in the land of Israel, but the whole entire world.
The sacred garments that he wore showed that he belonged in God’s presence to do the work of ministering, sacrificing, and interceding for the people of Israel, and they were what allowed him to enter the Lord’s presence.
The four main items that were made for the priest included the ephod, the breastpiece, the robe, and the turban, all of which were introduced to us back in Exodus 28, and described here in chapter 39 as the craftsmen made them according to the command of the Lord.
The ephod was the first thing the craftsmen made in verses 2-5.
The ephod was a sleeveless vest that was attached by means of two shoulder straps. On the shoulders bore the names of six of the twelve tribes of Israel. This was significant as it showed that the priest represented the nation.
As the priest went about his priestly duties, he showed that he was bringing God’s people into his presence.
8-14. The breastpiece was for casting judgment as we learned in Exodus 28. There was a pouch inside the breast piece for the Urim and Thummim— the holy dice that the high priest used to consult the will of God for Israel. That is why it is described in Exod. 28:15 as “a breastpiece for making decisions.”
The breastpiece was also a visual representation of Israel. It was decorated with twelve precision stones, each of them engraved with the name of one of Israel’s tribes. The breastpiece was then attached to the ephod.
22-26. The robe. A long, seamless garment of royal blue. It was made of a single piece of cloth with no seams, so that it would not tear while he was doing his work. Any breach of the priest's garment would be deadly, thus the robe kept him covered and protected.
On the hem of the robe, pomegranates and golden bells were placed all around him. The bells allowed those outside the Holy Place to know the priest was still alive, performing his duties in the presence of the Lord.
27-31. The turban with the inscription “holy to the LORD” was what set the high priest apart from the people, thus allowing him to enter God’s presence on their behalf.
The finely woven garments and everything it consisted of was what allowed the high priest to enter the presence of the Lord.
When Aaron donned the priestly garments, he was wrapped in holiness, glory, and beauty. But Aaron was not holy, glorious, and beautiful. In fact he was sinful and in need of covering in order to be accepted before the Lord.
A little gospel pre-application here. Apart from Christ, we all are unable to enter the Lord’s presence and be accepted. Apart from Jesus and his atoning blood covering our sins, we are hostile to him, enemies deserving of wrath.
But there is good news!
When we come to Jesus by faith, his blood is applied to our lives and we are able to gain access to the Father. We do not have to go through a priest to approach him any longer.
Paul tells the Ephesians “In him we have redemption through his blood, for the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.”
Jesus takes our sin upon himself, and in exchange he lavishes his holiness, glory, and beauty upon us now to be accepted as sons and daughters of the Lord!
The writer of Hebrews calls Jesus our “great high priest” (Heb. 4:14), “a great priest over the house of God” (Heb. 10:21).
2 Let's consider the grace, mercy, and long-suffering of the Lord in the life of Aaron after the golden calf, and his path to restoration as Israel's high priest.
These holy garments were made for Aaron. All week that phrase in 39:1 has struck me, and raised all sorts of questions.
Primarily, my question is: how does Aaron continue to serve as high priest after leading the people in blatant rebellion against the Lord? I mean we remember what he did right?
Was Aaron excused for his sin?
Aaron deserved to die for his work in leading the people in rebellion. But God extended grace, mercy, and longsuffering to him instead.
Grace— “God’s grace describes God as perfectly bestowing favor on those who cannot merit it because they have forsaken it and are under the sentence of divine condemnation. Grace is simply “favor”, so in itself it does not include any basis in merit or lack of merit.” You can’t earn it and you can’t keep it. You just receive it by faith and keep going. It was by grace alone that God chose the nation of Israel to be his covenant people, and it was by grace alone that he chose Aaron for the role of priest despite his sinful nature.
Mercy— “God’s mercy describes him as perfectly having deep compassion for people, such that he demonstrates benevolent goodness to those in a poor or miserable condition, even though they do not deserve it.” Aaron certainly did not deserve to continue as high priest who would go before the entire nation of Israel, but he did and it was purely an act of God’s mercy on his life.
Long-suffering— “God’s long-suffering speaks of his being perfectly placid in himself and toward sinners in spite of their continual disobedience and disregard for his warnings. God does not “lose his temper” but rather acts calmly with proper affection according to his eternal sovereign plan.” God was longsuffering before the time of Christ as Paul says in Romans 3:25, “in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins,” thus Aaron’s sin and rebellion at the golden calf was appeased and satisfied in the death of Christ. Wow! Jesus took that on so that Aaron could receive grace, mercy, forgiveness, and experience the longsuffering nature and character of God.
One pastor made this comment, “The Bible shows Aaron as Israel’s first high priest, appointed by God to lead the people in worship. However, one of the most troubling acts in his life was the role in which he played in the sin of the golden calf. This incident was not only a personal failure but a national act of rebellion against God, committed only days after Israel pledged covenant loyalty at Mount Sinai. Still, the Bible also records Aaron's restoration to his priestly role, revealing both the seriousness of sin and the depth of God’s mercy.”
The creation of the golden calf that Aaron led was a direct breach of the covenant God had established with his people. He instructed the people to bring gold jewelry, fashioned the metal into a calf, built an altar, and declared a festival “to the Lord” according to Exodus 32:4-5.
This broke several commandments which included:
Idolatry— The second commandment forbade making any image to represent God (Exodus 20:4-6).
Misuse of God’s Name— Declaring the calf to be associated with Yahweh corrupted His name and character.
False worship— Instituting an uncommanded festival undermined God’s prescribed worship.
The Bible portrays this not as a misguided cultural expression but a grave sin. Aaron attempted to merge the worship of the true God with pagan symbolism, illustrating how syncretism distorts true faith.
What were some pressures that led to Aaron’s compromise?
Aaron’s decision to yield to the people’s demands likely came from multiple pressures:
Fear of rebellion— the crowd’s unrest may have threatened social stability and even Aaron’s life.
Attempt to retain Yahweh worship— by proclaiming a feast “to the Lord,” Aaron may have thought he was keeping worship focused on God, though in reality he distorted it.
A lack of spiritual resolve— without Moses present, Aaron’s leadership confidence faltered, making him more susceptible to the people’s demands.
The Bible often warns about the dangers of fearing man rather than God. Proverbs 29:25 says, “The fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD is safe.”
Aaron’s failure demonstrates how leadership without firm commitment to God’s commands can easily drift into compromise.
Aaron’s path to restoration
Despite the severity of his sin, Aaron continued as high priest. His restoration was not a dismissal of his guilt but a testament to God’s prior appointment and his plan for Israel’s priesthood.
1 Aaron and his descendants were chosen by the Lord for the exclusive priesthood prior to this incident.
Exodus 28:1, “Then bring near to you Aaron your brother, and his sons with him, from among the people of Israel, to serve me as priests— Aaron and Aaron’s sons, Nadab and Abihu.”
The Lord was not taken back by Aaron’s role in leading the people in rebellion. Aaron was sinful and prone to sinning, yet the Lord chose Aaron and his descendants after him to serve as the high priest for the people of Israel.
Aaron was chosen by the Lord. Romans 9 is clear that God has chosen some for honorable use and others for dishonorable use.
Romans 9:20-21, “But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, “Why have you made me like this?” Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use?”
God sovereignly chooses those whom he pleases. That’s what it means to be sovereign over all of creation. Instead of questioning his sovereign rule and choosing those whom he pleases, we should worship him for his grace towards us. And if you are not one of his, it is his grace extended to you to be hearing this right here right now, so believe.
Pharoah was raised up and his neck was stiffened by the LORD so that his power and his name would be proclaimed in all the earth.
The Lord told Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” Romans 9:15)
The Bible is full of fallen, broken people that God in his sovereignty uses for his glory. That’s the point! All have fallen short of the glory of God and are in need of the Lord’s help.
2 Moses interceded for Aaron.
Exodus 32:11-14, “But Moses implored the LORD his God and said, “O LORD, why does your wrath burn hot against your people, whom you have brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand? Why should the Egyptians say, ‘With evil intent did he bring them out, to kill them in the mountains and to consume them from the face of the earth’? Turn from your burning anger and relent from this disaster against your people. Remember Abraham, Issac, and Israel, your servants, to whom you swore by your own self, and said to them, ‘I will multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have promised I will given to your offspring, and they shall inherit it forever.’” And the LORD relented from the disaster that he had spoken of bringing on his people.”
Moses’ prayer spared Aaron from immediate destruction as Moses said in Deuteronomy 9:20, “And the LORD was so angry with Aaron that he was ready to destroy him. And I prayed for Aaron also at the same time.”
Wow! What if we prayed for other people like that, and interceded on their behalf?
3 Aaron was repentant for his actions in leading the people into rebellion.
Aaron was among the sons of Levi who gathered to Moses when he called out in Exodus 32:26, “Who is on the LORD’S side? Come to me.”
For those who did not join Moses on that day about 3,000 men were killed.
After his repentance, Aaron continued his priestly duties, leading sacrifices, blessing the people of Israel, and acting as a mediator.
Leviticus 9:22-24 says, “Then Aaron lifted up his hands toward the people and blessed them, and he came down from offering the sin offering and the burnt offering and the peace offerings. And Moses and Aaron went into the tent of meeting, and when they came out they blessed the people, and the glory of the LORD appeared to all the people. And fire came out from before the LORD and consumed the burnt offering and the pieces of fat on the altar, and when all the people saw it, they shouted and fell on their faces.”
Aaron as a mediator in the story of Korah’s rebellion.
Numbers Chapter 16
Korah’s Rebellion describes a significant challenge to Moses and Aaron's leadership among the Israelites. Korah, along with Dathan, Abiram, and 250 prominent leaders, confronts Moses, claiming that all members of the congregation are holy and questioning why Moses and Aaron elevate themselves above others. In response, Moses falls on his face and proposes a test to determine whom the Lord has chosen. He instructs Korah and his followers to prepare censers with incense for a divine demonstration.
Moses reminds Korah of the privileges granted to the Levites and questions their desire for the priesthood. Dathan and Abiram refuse to meet with Moses, accusing him of leading them out of a prosperous land only to die in the wilderness. Moses, angered, asks God not to accept their offerings, asserting his integrity.
The next day, as the congregation gathers, God instructs Moses to separate the people from Korah and his followers. Moses warns them of impending judgment, and when the ground opens to swallow Korah and his company, it confirms Moses' authority. Fire from the Lord consumes the 250 men who offered incense.
Despite witnessing these events, the people still grumble against Moses and Aaron, leading to a plague that results in 14,700 deaths. Aaron intervenes with incense to atone for the people, stopping the plague. This event powerfully affirmed Aaron’s God-given role as the legitimate high priest and mediator.
Sin brings consequences.
Restoration did not remove all earthly consequences for Aaron. He was never able to enter the Promised Land, and he suffered the loss of his sons Nadab and Abihu for offering unauthorized fire before the Lord.
What we learn from the life of Aaron though is a foreshadowing of the greater High Priest. Aaron’s story takes us beyond his life to the greater High Priest, Jesus Christ.
Unlike Aaron, Jesus never yielded to sin. Jesus is able to sympathize with us because he has felt and endured the full weight of sin. We give in to sin and thus are not capable of feeling its full weight.
Jesus never distorted worship to the Father. Jesus was completely devoted to true and pure worship.
Jesus never failed his priestly role. Where Aaron required intercession, Jesus is the perfect intercession. Hebrews 7:25, “He is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.”
Aaron’s priesthood was temporary and flawed, but it was part of the pattern leading to the new covenant. The sacrifices he offered foreshadowed the one perfect sacrifice of Christ, whose blood secures eternal redemption for his people.
Hebrews 9:11-14, “But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation) he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption. For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.”
Aaron’s restoration after the golden calf reveals the grace, mercy, and longsuffering of God toward his appointed servant, while Christ’s ministry reveals the fullness of that grace, mercy, and longsuffering for all who trust in him.
Application: Warning and Encouragement
Warning. Aaron’s role in the golden calf incident warns believers of the danger of compromising with idolatry and bending to cultural pressure. Yet his restoration offers hope that God’s purposes are not thwarted by human failure. The Bible consistently shows that God restores his people not because they are worthy, but because of his steadfast love and covenant promises.
Encouragement. For the church today, Aaron’s example urges leaders to hold fast to God’s commands in the face of pressure and reminds all believers that our ultimate hope lies not in human leaders but in the unshakable priesthood of Christ.
Commit to live in obedience to God's word. Fight the tension you will encounter tomorrow morning when you clock in at work. For many of you, you are the only person in that place that follows Jesus, and the temptation will be to hold back and not be salt and light. Engage the darkness and expose it with the light of the gospel. Grip the plow and live your life in faithful obedience to the word of the Lord.