what is a linen ephod look like

Now thenames of all those sons of Jacob were engraved on these stones, whom we esteem the head of our tribes, each stone having the honor of a name, in theorder according to which they were born. 6:14). Curiosity got the best of me to research about the ephodHence, after much research, this super detailed blog post was birthed. (Isaiah 9:6) They demonstrate that all believers, from the latest convert to the mature believer, are equally precious and complete in His sight. Scarlet,or red, is the last color mentioned. Ephesians 2:13-18. And the second row shall be an emerald, a sapphire, and a diamond. Therefore, the people knew they were not only duty-bound but also bound under threat of annihilation by God Himself to follow Gods commands. Ephodits a word you dont typically see today, and yet it carries great weight in the Bible when it comes to ceremony and honor. Only he is worthy of our worship and devotion. Even the priests, who approach the Lord, must consecrate themselves, or the Lord will break out against them (Exodus 19:21-22). Lesson 4: A LINEN EPHOD "And David danced before the LORD with all his might; and David was girded with a linen ephod" (2 Sam. Thanks Manu! In the Books of Samuel and Books of Chronicles, David is described as wearing an ephod when dancing in the presence of the Ark of the Covenant (2 Samuel 6:14, 1 Chronicles 15:27) and one is described as standing in the sanctuary at Nob, with a sword behind it (1 Samuel 21:9). The High Priest and Priests wore no shoes or sandals, meaning they would walk barefoot, which is the prerequisite for walking on holy ground (Exodus 3:5). The prophet Samuel, too, wore an ephod during his service to God. The tribe of Levi was set apart by God to be His holy ministers. Consequently, it is NOT all about us but rather all about Jesus Christ, and we are hidden in Him! That is, we have the righteousness of Jesus imputed to us based on His finished work and are now free from the impossible task of attempting to earn righteousness through our dead works (1). We dont need anything else when we have him. Why Does the Bible Use the Word Long-suffering? This does not mean we are to sit around and do nothing all day. A God-Centered Life: 10 Faith-Based Practices When Youre Feeling Anxious, Grumpy, or Stressed, California - Do Not Sell My Personal Information. The ephod was a sacred garment in the Old Testament. Verse 6. The spiritual significance of the ephod is that it points to Jesus as our high priest. The Gospel of Matthew Jesus of royal lineage. Today, we dont have Urim and Thummim, but here is what we can learn from their use in the Old Testament: The ephod played an important role in the lives of both Gideon and David. The exact meaning and derivation of the term "ephod" are not clear. The ephod also had a waistband, which was made of gold and was also attached to the ephod at the two upper corners (Exodus 28:27-28). ephod, also spelled Efod, part of the ceremonial dress of the high priest of ancient Israel described in the Old Testament (Ex. [5] Since the oracular process is considered by scholars to have been one of cleromancy, with the Urim and Thummim being the objects which were drawn as lots, the Ephod is considered by scholars to have been some form of container for the Urim and Thummim;[2][5] to harmonise this with the descriptions of the Ephod as a garment, it is necessary to conclude that the Ephod must have originally been some sort of pocket, which the priests girded to themselves. When Jesus cried out FINISHED from the cross, He only said one word in Aramaic:KLH: Finished or fulfilled! The wearer of such linen made from breathable flax fibers would not sweat. . The Hebrew word tekheletliterally means blue, with its root word meaning complete. When Jesus from the cross cried out finished, He said one Aramaic word: kulah, translated as Teleostei in Greek, with both words meaning finished (6). But the ephod is not just mentioned in Exodus and Leviticus. I will start by explaining what an ephod is, who was allowed to wear it, and what it looked like. We are hidden in Jesus the PRECIOUS of God the Father (2 Peter 2:6), which makes us precious to Him! The color of Grace. Only certain people were allowed to wear the ephod. From this description it appears to have been something like an apron or skirt with braces,[1] though Rashi argued that it was like a woman's riding girdle. Purple the God-Man (Blue+Red=Purple) Jesus who is the Last Adam! That is, his personal emotions cannot overrule his ministry to represent people to God. CSB Samuel served in the Lord's presence--this mere boy was dressed in the linen ephod. It was a day of rejoicing as David "and all Israel were bringing up the ark of the Lord with shouts and the sound of trumpets . The ephods front and back were made to be as one garment by a sash or girdle, which was tied about the priests waist. This blog post will discuss 12 fascinating facts about the ephod. It was worn outside the robe and probably kept in place by a girdle and by shoulder pieces, from which hung the breast piece (or pouch) containing the sacred lots (divinatory objects), Urim and Thummim, whose precise function is now unknown. That is, God the Father looks at Jesus to judge Christians. Best effort color determination of Breastplate Stone colors since some of the stones names have changed over time (Exodus 28:17-21. The high priest wore a skillfully crafted ephod consisting of gold shoulder pieces bearing carved onyx stones showing the names of the 12 tribes, and a woven band of colorful threads. The ephod iss mentioned only in the Old Testament. A. The settings for the two sardonyx stones (i.e., memorial or remembrance stones) were attached at the ends of these straps, on the shoulders. In particular, I was interested in the conquest where David defeated the Amalekites. In order to understand the ephod, lets try to get a picture of what the priestly garments are comprised of since they were a unit (See Per Exodus 28:4): Lets touch on a few essential pieces of the priestly garments: It was made of linen, and it had two shoulder straps attached to it. His thoughts are for us. Mosess brother, Aaron, donned the ephod and other priestly garments as his formal clothing at the holy tabernacle, which was the portable sanctuary used by the Israelites to worship the Lord during their years in the wilderness. Over the ephod, the High Priest wore abreastplatewhich was a pouch about 22-cm (about 9 inches) square made of beautifully woven material. An ephod was a garment usually made of linen that covered the priest from the shoulder to the hip. When we understand this, we can see how important it is to have a relationship with him. Purple is the color of Royalty. People started arguing over who should wear the ephod and who shouldnt. The Lord would then answer the question through the stone. All the best with your assignment, I hope you get a good grade. Here, we explore the biblical meaning and spiritual significance of the ephod. The wearing of the ephod, however, is spoken of in 1Samuel 22:18 as characteristic of the priests, and in Judges 8:27; Judges 17:5; Judges 18:14-20, it is connected with idolatrous worship. For instance, in Judges 8:25-27, the Israelites threw gold rings into a pile, which were then melted down and turned into an ephod that Gideon placed in his town, where it was worshipped by the people. Heather, such a well detailed out explanation about the Ephod. Again, linen isa unique fabric that keeps the wearer cool in hot weather and warm when it is cold which were very practical qualities for living in an arid climate with hot days and cold nights. King David wore a linen ephod when he famously danced before the Lord when they carried the ark of God from the house of Obed-Edom to the City of David. He was not prepared, not clean and holy enough, to do the work of the Lord. 1 Peter 2:24). The word urim means lights, and thummim means perfections.. The stones represented the twelve tribes of Israel, and they were arranged in four rows of three stones each. Its skillfully woven waistband is to be like itof one piece with the ephod and made with gold, and with blue, purple and scarlet yarn, and with finely twisted linen (Exodus 28:6-8 NIV). When we do this, we make an idol out of something that is not God. After the Day of Atonements conclusion, he will never again wear the white garments he officiated on this day. A passage in the Book of Exodus describes the Ephod as an elaborate garment worn by the high priest, and upon which the Hoshen, or breastplate containing Urim and Thummim, rested. Jesus the Messiah! O Lord, the God of Israel, please tell your servant. And the Lord said, He will come down.. Likely this had to do with the sacredness of the priesthoods garments and what these materials and colors represented typologically. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. The occasion was the return of the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem. As a garment the ephod is referred to in the priestly ordinances as a part of the official dress of the high priest. They are a part of the ritual the people must do to communicate with God, both to worship God and atone for their sins. These garments are made from white flax, hence their designationthe white garments.They must be woven, and each thread used must be six-ply woven from six individual strands of fabric. Stay tuned for an upcoming post where I break this down. In Exodus 39, we read how the Israelites were obedient in this and crafted the ephod exactly as God commanded. Other scholars[who?] It is at this time that David said to the priest, Bring me the ephod. (See 1 Samuel 30:7). Genesis 35:16-19). (Romans 5:1,2). (1 Corinthians 1:30) The Father sees us in His Son, not apart from Him with the glorious radiance of the One that is Altogether Lovely (i.e., Totally Desirable) shines upon us. In Hebrew, Dham means blood and Adham (i.e., Adam) means red-blooded man. Here goes: Modern-day society can replace Jesus Christ with various things. Per my previous explanations, the Ephod was a garment that was only to be worn by the high priest. Now the first three stones were asardonyx, a topaz, and an emerald. David leads the ark procession into Jerusalem wearing a linen ephod (1 Samuel 6). 1 John 3:2). That day was the highest andmost holy day of the year, the Day of Atonement, a day also called the Day of Judgment. Realize, precious stones are typically located deep within the earth. The ephod was one of these instructions, as significant as the rest. God then gave Moses the Ten Commandments and other laws. Hallelujah! Titus 2:14) The names were not simply written on the stones but rather engraved, meaning they can never be removed. On each shoulder piece, six of Jacobs sons names were engraved on an onyx stone (these were the 12 men who founded the 12 tribes of Israel). The golden garments wereworn all yearin the rituals performed as the High Priest when he, in view of the people of Israel, enters the sanctuary interior in themorning and evening sacrifices. Some believe that the bells and pomegranates were interspersed alternatively, in between each other; however, others hold that the bells were placed inside the pomegranates (the author of this article believes the latter). In Hebrew, the word for red is Adam or Edom. Adam, one of the words for man and literally means red-blooded man. It is derived from the root word in Hebrew for blood: Dam. Redspeaks of Jesus shed blood, The One Who became the second and last Adam, or red or red-blooded man.. We dont have to fear Gods wrath when we approach Him or think He cannot hear us. (John 19:30) It is the verb form of the word, Complete. This is the root word for Tekhelet, pronounced te-KAY-let, which was theblue tunicworn by the high priest. This means that we are eternally secure in Jesus. The ephod is also a reminder of our need for God. (1 Corinthians 15:45,47), Golden Bells ringing out the good news that Jesus the Last Adam has paid the price of our sin from eating the forbidden fruit! This sparked an interest in re-reading the story of David and his conquests. Romans 5:1;10:15. The Bible mentions Urim and Thummim many times. The combination of these two tenses in the perfect tense is used inJohn 19:30is of overwhelming significance to the Christian. David needed guidance from God, so he asked Abiathar again to bring him the ephod (1 Samuel 30:7). (Deuteronomy 7:6. [1][2] However, the biblical text states the Urim and Thummim were placed in the breastplate, not the ephod (Leviticus 8:8). We are also given the Holy Spirit, who helps us to grow in our relationship with God. (Psalms 110:4) That is, Jesus was to become the eternal High Priest, our Great High Priest. As a Garment. It is clear that the ephod (and the associated breastpiece with the Urim and Thummim stones) was a way that God was able to direct His people (this is some time after he fights Goliath as a boy). God made a way. (ee' fahd) A priestly garment connected with seeking a word from God and used in a wrong way as an idol. It was to be made of threads "of blue and of purple, of scarlet, and fine twined linen" and embroidered in gold thread "with cunning work" ( Exodus 28:4; 29:5; 39:2; Leviticus 8:7 ). According to this description, the Ephod was woven out of gold, blue, purple, and scarlet threads, was made of fine linen, and was embroidered with skillful work in gold thread (Exodus 28:614). (John 14:27) We are to rest in Jesus completed work seated with Him (i.e., resting) in the Heavenly realms. As long as he wore the crown his thoughts were considered pure. The ephod is a very important symbol in the Bible. His sufferings were now finished, both those of his soul and those of his body. (John 19:23,24). (Matthew 13:44) When God, who is light, looks upon us living stones in Christ, He sees reflected back His perfect light from the stones. In one of the most effusive displays of worship recorded in the Bible, King David danced "before the Lord with all his might" ( 2 Samuel 6:14 ). While cotton fabric is derived from the fibers in the bolls that grow around the plant's seed heads, linen is made from fibers in the stems of the flax plant. The tearing by Caiaphas of the priestly garments represented the abolishment of the Levitical Priesthood and its replacement after the Melchizedek Priesthood order. Stating that it was held together by a girdle, and had two shoulder straps which were fastened to the front of the ephod by golden rings, to which the breastplate was attached by golden chains (Exodus 28:614). This uniform consisted of four White Garments: The White Garments revealed Jesus as the Son of Man, the Last Adam, who stepped down from Heaven to become a servant and shed His blood for the original sin of the First Adam and everyones subsequent sins. That is, you cannot lose your salvation because the work of the Last Adam was greater than the work of the First Adam! However, it is still a very important part of Jewish tradition and culture. The most important garment worn by the High Priest is the ephod. We are sinners in need of a Savior. He also had a Shechemite concubine who bore him a son whom he named Abimelech, which means "my father is king" (Judges 8:31). (1 Corinthians 15:45-47) The Gospel of Mark Jesus the suffering servant. Glad this was of some help. Again, He assesses us in the light of His unique Son, Jesus. The onyx stones were meant to be memorial stones, we are told in Exodus 28:12, representing the sons of Israelliterally, the descendants of the biblical patriarch Jacob, also known as Israel, through his 12 sons birthed through his two wives, Leah and Rachel, and two concubines, Bilhah and Zilpah. Purple Gods Royal Blood in the Son of Man (Red) that came from Heaven (Blue). We are saved at a specific point in time, it is finished, our debt is paid, we are ransomed from the kingdom of darkness, and then we confidently rest in the reality that it will continue to be finished because we are in a position of grace and stand justified for all time before God. Hebrews 4:16) (5), The Breastplate was attached to the Ephod by two solid gold chains on each side that were braided and twisted for double strength, meaning we are securely attached to our Great High Priest. The preciousness of Jesus in the eyes of God the Father has been imputed to us even as His righteousness has been imputed to us. It was this very expensive garment that the Roman soldiers gambled for at the foot of His cross. These included: According to scripture (Exodus 28:6-12), the high priests ephod consisted of two gold shoulder pieces and an intricately woven band of gold, scarlet, blue, and purple yarn connecting them. Although the significance of the ephod has changed over time, it still represents the authority and power that God has given to His people. Let us take a closer look at the way in which the Torah describes how Aaron must function vis--vis the "clothing items.". God graciously communicated through these stones, leading His people. Consequently, the blue robe represents that the finished work of grace completed by Jesus, our Great High Priest, will never end (i.e., not undone or torn). But what is an ephod, exactly? And all Israel whored after it there, and it became a snare to Gideon and to his family. Over a robe of checker work the High Priest wore a garment called an 'ephod'. Then take two lazuli stones and engrave on them the names . He is our ever-present help (See. That is, God became something He was not before. P.S Here is the YouTube video that relates to this blog post: Wow! We cant be sure, but we do know that it was a significant part of the priests garments and it was worn out of obedience to God while they made intercession and heard from God. An ephod (Hebrew: f; /fd/ or /ifd/) was a type of apron, which according to the Hebrew Bible, was worn by the Jewish high priest the kohen gadol, an artifact and an object to be revered in ancient Israelite culture, and was closely connected with oracular practices and priestly ritual. [2] The biblical description also adds that there were two engraved gems over the shoulder straps (like epaulettes), made from shoham (thought by scholars to mean malachite,[2][3] by Jewish tradition to mean heliodor,[2] and in the King James Version translated as "onyx", and with the names of the 12 tribes written upon them; the classical rabbinical sources differ as to the order in which the tribes were named on the jewels (Sotah 36a). The ephod was of great importance. He has gone into the presence of God on our behalf and has made intercession for us. He consecrated it to God, but after his death homage was paid to it as an idol. But praise be to God, we have a Savior! Each garment was individually made from the finest white flax linen in Israel. The breastpiece that was attached to the ephod also held huge significance and contained two stones, the Urim and Thummim. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ephod&oldid=1142452419, This page was last edited on 2 March 2023, at 13:06. Also, the names were not simply written on the stones but rather engraved, meaning they can never be removed. [2] The conclusion thus is that Ephod, in these cases, referred to a portable idol, which the lots were cast in front of;[1][2] some scholars have suggested that the connection between the idol and the garment is that the idol was originally clothed in a linen garment, and the term Ephod gradually came to describe the idol as a whole.[2]. There is some deviation from the Breastplate order as the tribe of Levi is in the middle of the camp around the tabernacle, and the tribe of Joseph is replaced with his two sons Ephraim and Manasseh, effectively giving the tribe of Joseph a double portion in the promised land. Hebrews 12:23) This is because we are hidden in Christ, so the perfect light only reflects the perfect work of Jesus in removing our sins. On each side, one chain represents that we will never be snatched from God our Fathers hand, and a second chain represents we will never be snatched from our God Jesus hand. Note It is always mentioned second. The video helped a lot in the understanding of how it was made. Girded with a linen ephod.This is usually spoken of as if David were arrayed in a distinctively priestly dress; but it is remarkable that the ephod was not prescribed as a part of the priestly dressthe ephod of the high-priest (Exodus 25:7, &c.) being quite a different thingand was worn by others, as Samuel (1Samuel 2:18). (Matthew 26:62-65). Lesser priests, as well as others engaged in sacred ministrations, Samuel (i Sam. There are two basic meanings for the word ephod. (1 Peter 2:9). The ephod was also a symbol of the unity of the people. He is the only one who can give us true peace and satisfaction. Red and blue combined yield purple. No need for a third or more Adam as this one finished the work! Jesus tunic was made out of the finest linen and was completely seamless. (Genesis 3:21) However, here the tunic was made out of very fine linen. [1] The book of 1 Chronicles states that David was "clothed with a robe of fine linen, as were all the Levites who bore the ark [and] David also wore an ephod of linen," [NAS Bible translation; 1 Chronicles, 15:27] "and David was wearing a linen ephod" [NAS Bible translation; 2 Samuel, 6:14]. The holy garments that the priests wore while performing their duties set them apart from the rest of the Israelites. What is a Ephod and what does it look like? Hebrews 7:1-17) Therefore, He is the King of Righteousness and Peace and a giver of righteousness that leads to peace with God the Father. (Revised), End Times: I Wish Wed All BeenDiscipled. [2] The verb --, "to gird," is used for an ephod, [3] implying that an ephod contains (or perhaps is) a belt or sash. (3) The ephod covered the back of his body. (2 Thessalonians 3:10) But rather this means as we go through our daily lives, we are to rest in Jesus, not worrying about what we shall eat, drink, or wear, etc. Lets take a closer look at why this act of making an ephod became a snare. Christianity.com is a member of the Salem Web Network of sites including: Copyright 2023, Christianity.com. In those days the Israelites were so addicted to the worship of Beelzebub that they constantly carried small images of this god with them in their pockets, and every now and then they were in the habit of bringing the image forth and kissing it fervently. It was as if The Word (i.e., Jesus) offered the animal sacrifices to God the Father. The High Priest is also a King of Israel! In conclusion,in Jesus statement It is finished, we have a declaration of salvation that is both in a particular moment in time and eternal, Aorist and Present, linear and punctiliar. The perfect tense is a combination of two Greek tenses: the Present tense and the Aorist tense. NIV But Samuel was ministering before the LORD--a boy wearing a linen ephod. In the Bible, in the contexts where it is worn, the ephod is usually described as being linen, but did not constitute complete clothing of any kind, as the Books of Samuel describe. suggest that the ephod originally refers to a container for the stones used to cast lots and later became associated with many objects that also could contain the stones or were used in divination. Both were made of white linen, woven without a seam. Exodus 39:10-14). Thus Aaron will always bear the means of making decisions for the Israelites over his heart before the Lord. We dont need an ephod to talk to God today, just as we no longer need to sacrifice lambs on the altar to atone for our sins. This ephod might have been worn or set upon an altar. Thank you for this information, God bless you. The Hebrew word for "linen" used in describing the ephod worn by young Samuel and the 85 priests is badh, while shesh . The Sky-Blue (the color of the sky at noon)robe or tekhelet (Hebrew) was a closed garment, seamlessly woven from one piece of fabric and slipped on over the head. What did the priestly garments look like? (Leviticus 21:10. (g) With a garment like the priest's garment. 4 Reasons Why We Have a Hard Time Talking about Loneliness. Although David was not a priest, he was a man of God who sought to follow His will in all things. Jesus came from Heaven to become a red-blooded man. Urim and Thummim are two stones that were set in the ephod and were used to inquire of the Lord about specific matters. There are many opinions on what are the correct stones and order for the stones. Thus, Aaron and his sons were ordained as Gods priests in accordance with all Gods commands. (Genesis 14:18,20. Hallelujah! But Moses pleaded with God to forgive the people, and God relented. What Jesus is, we are in the sight of God. 22:18). (Genesis 3:19). This doesnt always mean that he will give us an immediate answer, but if we trust him and follow his leading, he will never lead us astray. While the priestly garments were allowed to have a combination of wool and linen, those of the laity were not.
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