7 Identity: Crown and Turban Garments of the Priest
Assemble the people in my presence to listen to my words so that they will learn to fear me
I came across this scripture and found it beautiful. It emphasizes the importance of gathering in God’s presence, listening to His words, and passing on this way of life to future generations. This is why we come together—to learn from Him, to take on His yoke that is easy, and His burden that is light. Listen, we said last week is not picking sounds but hearing and obeying. Deuteronomy 4:10 That day when you stood before God, your God, at Horeb, God said to me, “Assemble the people in my presence to listen to my words so that they will learn to fear me in holy fear for as long as they live on the land, and then they will teach these same words to their children.”
Back to our original text, 1 Peter 2:9-10 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
We had looked at the “royal” section of “royal priesthood,” and we said that royal here affirms our identity as belonging to a king and kingdom and having kingly power, dignity, and authority. We left off by saying that the next time we look at this scripture, we will explore the priests’ garments from the Old Testament and learn a thing or two. These garments are deeply connected to one’s identity. They were designed by God Himself, just as a man who lives in Christ is also designed by God. Just like the ark and the tabernacle, these garments also have specific dimensions and designs that come from God.
All believers are priests! That is why the verse says, “You, yes you, are a chosen people, a royal priesthood.” You are a priest! Let us settle this in our hearts today by faith. I am a priest; it is my configuration in Christ. So, what garments are these that a priest wears and why are we looking at them? Let us also remember that our identity is SONSHIP, and our function is “kingship and priesthood”.I will start by saying that the entire Word of God is inspired by God and is relevant in every age and season.
Let us read Exodus 28:1-5 Have Aaron your brother brought to you from among the Israelites, along with his sons Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, so they may serve me as priests. 2 Make sacred garments for your brother Aaron to give him dignity and honor. 3 Tell all the skilled workers to whom I have given wisdom in such matters that they are to make garments for Aaron, for his consecration, so he may serve me as priest. 4 These are the garments they are to make: a breastpiece, an ephod, a robe, a woven tunic, a turban, and a sash. They are to make these sacred garments for your brother Aaron and his sons, so they may serve me as priests. 5 Have them use gold, and blue, purple and scarlet yarn, and fine linen.
Christ is the one we "put on" like a garment, and our dignity and honor come from Him, not from external sources
Before even examining the clothes, we first learn that the priesthood starts with God. He is the initiator of this whole process in Exodus 28, and we also see this solidified in
Ephesians 1:4-6 For He chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in His sight. In love He predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One He loves.
We also notice words such as dignity and honor emanating from them. This is intriguing because it is linked to identity. Christ is the one we “put on” like a garment, and our dignity and honor come from Him, not from external sources. Romans 13:14 Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the flesh.
The garments clearly represent the values, principles, attitudes, choices and behaviors that God our Father requires from us as priests. A priest is a person who stands before God to represent humankind and stands before humankind to represent God; therefore, they must be clothed with the character, image, and likeness of our Father.
I found a really cool picture of the priestly garments; you can find it here: https://www.crcnh.org/downloads/reference-guides/28-The-High-Priest’s-Garments.pdf
.... fitting every loose thought and emotion and impulse into the structure of life shaped by Christ
- Crown (kingship) and turban- reminds me of this scripture -Zechariah 3:1-5 Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at his right side to accuse him. 2 The Lord said to Satan, “The Lord rebuke you, Satan! The Lord, who has chosen Jerusalem, rebuke you! Is not this man a burning stick snatched from the fire?”3 Now Joshua was dressed in filthy clothes as he stood before the angel. 4 The angel said to those who were standing before him, “Take off his filthy clothes.”Then he said to Joshua, “See, I have taken away your sin, and I will put fine garments on you.” 5 Then I said, “Put a clean turban on his head.” So they put a clean turban on his head and clothed him, while the angel of the Lord stood by. Our standing before God is not because of our own righteousness. We have previously examined the concept of renewing the mind, and this analogy demonstrates the importance of adopting a new mentality. It’s no surprise that we are encouraged to let the mind of Christ be our own. A new person has new thoughts which are nurtured by a prosperous soul steeped in the teachings of the Word of God. Exodus 28:36-39 “Make a plate of pure gold and engrave on it as on a seal: holy to the Lord. 37 Fasten a blue cord to it to attach it to the turban; it is to be on the front of the turban. 38 It will be on Aaron’s forehead, and he will bear the guilt involved in the sacred gifts the Israelites consecrate, whatever their gifts may be. It will be on Aaron’s forehead continually so that they will be acceptable to the Lord.
Let me read something from Ray Steadman about the turban. On the head of the priest, Moses set a turban, a beautiful cloth bound around his head. This is a symbolic picture of the mind under control, the intelligence of the priest in subjection to the workings of God. Here is an instruction and a command for each of us: 2 Corinthians 10:3-6 The world is unprincipled. It’s dog-eat-dog out there! The world doesn’t fight fair. But we don’t live or fight our battles that way—never have and never will. The tools of our trade aren’t for marketing or manipulation, but they are for demolishing that entire massively corrupt culture. We use our powerful God tools for smashing warped philosophies, tearing down barriers erected against the truth of God, fitting every loose thought and emotion and impulse into the structure of life shaped by Christ. Our tools are ready at hand for clearing the ground of every obstruction and building lives of obedience into maturity.
