"And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, 'Take Aaron and his sons with him, and the garments, and the anointing oil, and a bullock for the sin-offering, and two rams, and a basket of unleavened bread; and gather thou all the congregation together unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.' And Moses did as the Lord commanded him; and the assembly was gathered together unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation." There is special grace unfolded here. The whole assembly is convened at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, in order that all might have the privilege of beholding the one who was about to be intrusted with the charge of their most important interests. In the twenty-eighth and twenty-ninth of Exodus we are taught the same general truth with respect to the vestments and sacrifices connected with the priestly office; but in Leviticus, the the congregation is introduced, and allowed to look on at every movement in the solemn and impressive service of consecration. The humblest member of the assembly had his own place. Each one--the lowest as well as the highest--was permitted to gaze upon the person of the high-priest, upon the sacrifice which he offered, and upon the robes which he wore. Each one had his own peculiar need, and the God of Israel would have each to see and know that his need was fully provided for by the varied qualifications of the high-priest who stood before him. Of these qualifications the priestly robes were the apt typical expression. Each portion of the dress was designed and adapted to set forth some special qualification in which the assembly as a whole, and each individual member, would, of necessity, be deeply interested. The coat, the girdle, the robe, the ephod, the breastplate, the Urim and the Thummim, the mitre, the holy crown--all told out the varied virtues, qualifications, and functions of the one who was to represent the congregation and maintain the interests thereof in the divine presence.
Thus it is the believer can, with the eye of faith, behold his great High-Priest in the heavens, and see in Him the divine realities of which the Aaronic vestments were but the shadows. The Lord Jesus Christ is the holy One, the anointed One, the mitred One, the girded One. He is all these, not in virtue of outward garments to be put on or off, but in virtue of the divine and eternal graces of His Person, the changeless efficacy of His work, and the imperishable virtue of His sacred offices. This is the special value of studying the types of the Mosaic economy. The enlightened eye sees Christ in all. The blood of the sacrifice and the robe of the high-priest both point to Him--both were designed of God to set Him forth. If it be a question of conscience, the blood of the sacrifice meets it, according to the just claims of the sanctuary. Grace has met the demand of holiness. And then, if it be a question of the need connected with the believer's position down here, he can see it all divinely answered in the official robes of the high-priest.
And here let me say, there are two ways in which to contemplate the believer's position--two ways in which that position is presented in the Word, which must be taken into account ere the true idea of priesthood can be intelligently laid hold of. The believer is represented as being part of a body of which Christ is the Head. This body, with Christ its Head, is spoken of as forming one man, complete in every respect. It was quickened with Christ, raised with Christ, and in Christ seated in the heavens. It is one with Him, complete in Him, accepted in Him, possessing His life, and standing in His favor before God. All trespasses are blotted out. There is no spot. All is fair and lovely beneath the eye of God. (See 1 Cor. xii. 12, 13; Eph. ii. 5-10; Col. ii. 6-15; 1 John iv. 17.)
Then, again, the believer is contemplated as in the place of need, weakness, and dependence down here in this world. He is ever exposed to temptation, prone to wander, liable to stumble and fall. As such, he continually stands in need of the perfect sympathy and powerful ministrations of the High-Priest, who ever appears in the presence of God in the full value of His Person and work, and who represents the believer and maintains his cause before the throne.