Tetzaveh
You shall command
“Bloodied Garments”
Exodus 27:20-30:10
Ezekiel 43:10-27
excerpted from TorahScope, Volume I
Tetzaveh begins to stipulate many of the steps required of Ancient Israel, to become the kingdom of priests and holy nation which God wanted it to be. He communicated through Moses many of the particulars which separated the Levites out from the other tribes. Aaron and his sons were specifically designated to perform some critical priestly tasks, including the consecration of the high priest. In our Torah reading for this week, we see the instruction,
“You shall take the other ram, and Aaron and his sons shall lay their hands on the head of the ram. Then you shall kill the ram, and take some of its blood, and put it on the tip of the right ear of Aaron, and on the tip of the right ear of his sons, and on the thumb of their right hand, and on the big toe of their right foot; and sprinkle the blood around on the altar. You shall take of the blood that is on the altar, and of the anointing oil, and sprinkle it on Aaron, and on his garments, and on his sons, and on the garments of his sons with him: and he shall be made holy, and his garments, and his sons, and his sons’ garments with him” (Exodus 29:19-21, WMB).
While reading this portion a number of times, I was overwhelmed by the minute details which were listed for the various garments and implements used by the high priest in his ministerial functions.[1] The variety of colors, different material types, precious metals and stones, and their locations on the specific garments, were very intriguing. Of course, all of the possible typology was not overlooked.
Much speculation has been given about how all of the colors and material types could be symbolic of the different aspects of the Messiah and His work as the High Priest. Some of this speculation might, however, take us away from the bigger Biblical picture—which is that in spite of such detail, the Levitical priesthood would be insufficient for offering people permanent atonement and forgiveness for sins (cf. Hebrews 9:9). The details of the Levitical priesthood, seen in Tetzaveh and throughout various Torah portions (notably in Leviticus and Numbers following), are to cause Believers to appreciate the priestly service of Yeshua the Messiah—which now does offer permanent atonement and forgiveness for sins.
It is quite beneficial for us to contemplate the symbols which we read about in Tetzaveh, and their foreshadowing of what was to come in the Messiah’s ministry. Among the most notable of the symbols we encounter, is the fact that the high priest went into the Holy of Holies once a year, with the names of the Twelve Tribes of Israel inscribed in two places on his apparel. First, the names of the Twelve Tribes were engraved on two onyx stones which were placed on the shoulders. Wearing these indicated that the high priest was bearing their weight on himself:
“You shall take two onyx stones, and engrave on them the names of the children of Israel. Six of their names on the one stone, and the names of the six that remain on the other stone, in the order of their birth. With the work of an engraver in stone, like the engravings of a signet, you shall engrave the two stones, according to the names of the children of Israel. You shall make them to be enclosed in settings of gold. You shall put the two stones on the shoulder straps of the ephod, to be stones of memorial for the children of Israel. Aaron shall bear their names before the LORD on his two shoulders for a memorial” (Exodus 28:9-12, WMB).
Secondly, the breastplate of judgment had twelve precious stones engraved with the names of the Twelve Tribes. This was placed over the high priest’s heart and was a constant reminder of their presence before God:
“Aaron shall bear the names of the children of Israel in the breastplate of judgment on his heart, when he goes in to the holy place, for a memorial before the LORD continually. You shall put in the breastplate of judgment the Urim and the Thummim; and they shall be on Aaron’s heart, when he goes in before the LORD. Aaron shall bear the judgment of the children of Israel on his heart before the LORD continually” (Exodus 28:29-30, WMB).
In these two very symbolic ways, we are today reminded of the role of our High Priest, Yeshua. Yeshua the Messiah is the High Priest who is seated at the right hand of His Father in Heaven, interceding for all of those who have placed their trust in Him:
“Therefore he is also able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, seeing that he lives forever to make intercession for them. For such a high priest was fitting for us: holy, guiltless, undefiled, separated from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; who doesn’t need, like those high priests, to offer up sacrifices daily, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. For he did this once for all, when he offered up himself. For the Torah appoints men as high priests who have weakness, but the word of the oath, which came after the law, appoints a Son forever who has been perfected. Now in the things which we are saying, the main point is this: we have such a high priest, who sat down on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, a servant of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle which the Lord pitched, not man. For every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices. Therefore it is necessary that this high priest also have something to offer” (Hebrews 7:25-8:3, WMB).
Further on in Tetzaveh we see a very dramatic event take place, when the high priest and his sons were anointed and then consecrated for their ministry service:
“Then you shall kill the ram, and take some of its blood, and put it on the tip of the right ear of Aaron, and on the tip of the right ear of his sons, and on the thumb of their right hand, and on the big toe of their right foot; and sprinkle the blood around on the altar. You shall take of the blood that is on the altar, and of the anointing oil, and sprinkle it on Aaron, and on his garments, and on his sons, and on the garments of his sons with him: and he shall be made holy, and his garments, and his sons, and his sons’ garments with him” (Exodus 29:20-21, WMB).
Here, the blood of the ram anointed not only the high priest and his sons, but they were also sprinkled by a mixture of the blood and anointing oil. This procedure should give us a vivid impression of the identification which the Holy One requires of the high priest and his sons, with the requirement for a blood sacrifice. As Believers, this should remind us of the Messiah’s dual ministry—not just as High Priest when He ascended into Heaven—but also as the bloody sacrifice required to atone for the sins of fallen humanity. At the time of His death, perhaps it is possible that various disciples and followers of His were reminded of Exodus’ images of the high priest and his sons being consecrated—among the many thoughts which were in their minds.
Only by appreciating the Levitical priesthood, and the sacrifices offered to consecrate Aaron and his sons—can we really appreciate the priestly service of Yeshua, and the sacrifice which He has offered. The author of Hebrews taught what the blood of the Messiah was really all about, connecting it with the dedication of the Tabernacle we read about in Tetzaveh:
“But Messiah having come as a high priest of the coming good things, through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation, nor yet through the blood of goats and calves, but through his own blood, entered in once for all into the Holy Place, having obtained eternal redemption. For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling those who have been defiled, sanctify to the cleanness of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Messiah, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without defect to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” (Hebrews 9:11-14, WMB).
May we each be thankful for how Yeshua was willing to offer Himself up for us, atoning for our sins! He had much more than the bloodied garments of the high priest and his sons to contend with. It was His willingness to suffer and die for us, so we can now have permanent forgiveness before the Father, which the previous Levitical service as important as it was could not provide.
NOTES
[1] Exodus 28:1-43.
