THE LIVES OF THE PATRIARCHS #179 | THE LIFE OF MOSES #160
Pastor Christopher Choo
Lesson 3865
THE LIVES OF THE PATRIARCHS #179
THE LIFE OF MOSES #160
MOSES AT MT.SINAI#59
THE TABERNACLE OF MOSES ( Part 18)
RECAPT: THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE 12 GEMSTONES ON THE BREASTPLATE AND THE 2 BLACK ONYX STONES ON THE SHOULDERS OF THE HIGH PRIEST.
Interestingly, the gemstones listed as part of the priest's breastplate are similar to the 12 stones that the Bible describes in the Book of Revelation as comprising the 12 gates to the wall of the holy city that God will create at the end of the world, when God makes a "New Heaven" and a "New Earth."
And, because of the translation challenges of precisely identifying the Breastplate stones, the list of stones may be entirely the same.
Just like each stone in the Breastplate is inscribed with the names of ancient Israel's 12 tribes, the gates of the city walls are inscribed with those same names of Israel's 12 tribes.
Revelation 21 describes an angel giving a tour of the city, and verse 12 says: "It had a great, high wall with twelve gates, and with twelve angels at the gates. On the gates were written the names of the twelve tribes of Israel."
The city wall's 12 foundations "were decorated with every kind of precious stone," verse 19 says, and those foundations were also inscribed with 12 names: the names of Jesus Christ's 12 apostles.
Verse 14 says, "The wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb."
Verses 19 and 20 lists the stones that make up the city's wall: "The foundations of the city walls were decorated with every kind of precious stone. The first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, the fifth onyx, the sixth ruby, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth turquoise, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst."
We can conclude that the Breastplate of twelve stones symbolizes the complete family of God -- a spiritual Israel of all who has been born from above.
THE TWO FOCAL POINTS OF THE BREASTPLATE
The Breastplate was unique in that it had two focal points instead of one.
There were the onyx stones on the shoulder and the 12 gemstones on the chest piece.
On each of these focal points were beautiful stones to draw one’s attention and they both included the names of all 12 tribes of Israel.
1. THE TWO BLACK ONYX STONES ON THE SHOULDERS
Is it possible that the two onyx stones of Exodus 28:9 engraved with the names of Israel, which rested on the shoulders of the High Priest, represents the Priest carrying the sins of all Israel upon his shoulders as intercessor?
These two stones were identical in size, shape, and color. They were engraved as a signet – an item used to seal contracts, covenants, or decrees.
Theu show us that in God’s view, all of us who have entered covenant with Him are viewed the same, or as Galatians 3:28 says:
"There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female—for you are all one in Messiah Yeshua."
The High Priest, through intercession, carried our sins on his shoulders just as Yeshua would, years later, carry the burden of our cross on His shoulders.
2. THE 12 GEMSTONES OVER THE HEART
The second focal point of the breastplate were the 12 gemstones of Exodus 28:17-21 that were on the front, which lay over the heart of the High Priest.
Unlike the gems on the shoulder piece, these stones were different one from another. Different stones and different colors, but all placed together in unity.
Could it be that these stones represent the individuality and diversity of the people that the High Priest would intercede for, just as Yeshua made intercession for all people of all cultures and backgrounds?
These stones were not placed upon the shoulders, but rather upon the heart because it takes a work of the heart to truly intercede for diverse people. He didn’t just offer Himself for an entire nation (the onyx stones). He also offered Himself for each one of us individually and personally (the 12 individual stones).
It wasn’t simply the strength (shoulder stones) of Yeshua that brought redemption to the world. Remember, He said in Matthew 26:53:
"Or do you suppose that I cannot call on My Father, and at once He will place at My side twelve legions of angels?"
No, it wasn’t strength and might alone that brought the covenant-promised redemption to Israel. It required a greater power than the Arm of YHVH; it was the Heart of the YHVH (the heart stones).
N.B.
It is important to note that the shoulder stones were connected to the heart stones by golden chains.
The two groups of stones were connected and only complete when they were together.
Just as we can only understand the fullness of the work of our High Priest Yeshua when we understand that the strength of His redemption was a combination of His carrying us upon His shoulders and His heart.
CONCLUSION
These revelations of the significance of the 12 Gemstones over the heart and the 2 Black Onyx stones opon the shoulders of the High Priest speak of the burden carried by Jesus on our behalf when He became our Great High Priest.
He bears our burdens and gives us rest corporately as a church and has a heart of love towards us individually.
This study of the Breastplate of Righteousness as such is not cold theology or Biblical history of the past but positive and present life-affirming lessons for us.
Let us recall the two disciples on the road to Emmaus who were taught by the resurrected Christ Himself how the Old Testament scriptures pointed to Him.
Among other lessons, His resurrection proved He was no longer living in a continuum called time or even eternity; He is the very embodiment of Time and Eternity. And this was the essence of the gift of eternal life that He gave us - eternal life in Him.
And like the jewels gleaming on the Breastplate in the reflected glory of the Light of the World, may our hearts burn as did the hearts of the two disciples - when revelation knowledge of His Word opened their spiritual eyes and illuminated their spirit, soul and body.
Amen.
