The High Priest's Ephod

"Aaron's garments to consecrate him, that he may minister unto me in the priest's office"

The instructions for the ephod were given by The Lord (see "The God Of The Old Testament" to understand Who that actually was) to Moses (see The Education Of Moses and The Trysting Tent; also Why Did Christ Put Moses To Death?).

"^28:1 And take thou unto thee Aaron thy brother, and his sons with him, from among the children of Israel, that he may minister unto me in the priest's office, even Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar [see The Lines Of Eleazar and Ithamar], Aaron's sons. ^28:2 And thou shalt make holy garments for Aaron thy brother for glory and for beauty. ^28:3 And thou shalt speak unto all that are wise hearted, whom I have filled with the spirit of wisdom [see The Spirit Of God and God's Wisdom], that they may make Aaron's garments to consecrate him, that he may minister unto me in the priest's office.

^28:4 And these are the garments which they shall make; a breastplate, and an ephod, and a robe, and a broidered coat, a mitre, and a girdle: and they shall make holy garments for Aaron thy brother, and his sons, that he may Minister unto me in the priest's office. ^28:5 And they shall take gold, and blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine linen." (Exodus 28:1-5 KJV)

The ephod and other items were of fine material and precious stones. Where did the former slaves, far out in the Sinai wilderness, get most of those valuable textiles and gems? At the Exodus: "^12:35 And the children of Israel did according to the word of Moses; and they borrowed of the Egyptians jewels of silver, and jewels of gold, and raiment: ^12:36 And the LORD gave the people favour in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they lent unto them such things as they required. And they spoiled the Egyptians" (Exodus 12:35-36 KJV).

"^28:6 And they shall make the ephod of Gold, of blue, and of Purple, of Scarlet, and fine twined Linen, with cunning work. ^28:7 It shall have the two shoulder pieces thereof joined at the two edges thereof; and so it shall be joined together. ^28:8 And the curious girdle of the ephod, which is upon it, shall be of the same, according to the work thereof; even of gold, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen.

^28:9 And thou shalt take two onyx stones, and grave on them the names of the children of Israel: ^28:10 Six of their names on one stone, and the other six names of the rest on the other stone, according to their birth. ^28:11 With the work of an engraver in stone, like the engravings of a signet, shalt thou engrave the two stones with the names of the children of Israel: thou shalt make them to be set in ouches of gold. ^28:12 And thou shalt put the two stones upon the shoulders of the ephod for stones of memorial unto the children of Israel: and Aaron shall bear their names before the LORD upon his two shoulders for a memorial. ^28:13 And thou shalt make ouches of gold; ^28:14 And two chains of pure gold at the ends; of wreathen work shalt thou make them, and fasten the wreathen chains to the ouches." (Exodus 28:6-14 KJV)

Fact Finder: The office of the Levitical high priest was created merely as a living prophecy of the coming of The Messiah. How do we know that?
See What Is Jesus Christ Doing Right Now? and Christ's Day Of Atonement; listen also to the Sermon The Christ Of The Day Of Atonement from our Sermons page.