Exodus 28:15-29 – God will never forget His own

Exodus 28 began with the instruction to Moses on the ephod which the priest was to wear when he performed his duty. In verses 15-29, we see instructions given for another piece of dressing to be made. It was a square piece of breastplate for the priest to wear in front of the ephod. And like the ephod, it was to be skilfully made with the same material as those used for the innermost layer of the Tabernacle. On this breastplate would be four rows of stones mounted. According to  verses 18-20 the four rows of stones with fine gold trimming would be set in this order: the first row shall be “a row of ruby, topaz and emerald; and the second row a turquoise, a sapphire and a diamond; and the third row a jacinth, an agate and an amethyst; and the fourth row a beryl and an onyx and a jasper….”     

These rows of 12 stones represent the nation of Israel, the people of God. One stone for one tribe and twelve stones for the twelve tribes of Israel. The name of each tribe would be engraved on one stone each. Earlier in Exodus 19:5, God had promised that if they obeyed Him, then of all the people of the earth, they shall be His treasured possession. They shall be a kingdom of priests and a holy nation to Him. This promise would be displayed before God as a reminder to God. Each time the priest wearing the breastplate went before God, he would literally be carrying God’s people on his chest and close to his heart, as he entered the presence of the Almighty. This is what we leaders of God need to do. We must always carry the needs of the people we serve close to our heart when we come to God in prayer.

The precious stones also became a symbol of how precious and treasured the people of God was to Him. It behoves us, therefore, also to see them as God’s treasured possession. Exodus 28:22-28 showed how the breastplate would be fastened on the ephod.  On the four corners of the breastplate would be one ring each.  Gold chains would be used to attach the top two corners to the shoulder piece of the ephod. The two rings at the bottom two corners would be used to attach the breastplate to both the ephod and the high priest’s belt with blue cords.

This breastplate was kept close to the heart of the priest as he entered before God’s presence. Verse 29 says that “Aaron shall carry the names of the sons of Israel in the breast-piece of judgment over his heart when he enters the holy place, for a memorial before the Lord continually.” Every time when Aaron went before the Lord, the people of God also went in with him symbolically. They were ever displayed before God as a memorial. Of course, the all-knowing God certainly knew the needs of His people. However, it would still be just as needful for us to come to Him and acknowledge that we are dependent on Him more than ever. Isn’t this how prayer ought to be? It is true that God already knows our need long before we come before Him. But we still need to acknowledge how reliant we are on Him for all the provision in life. More than reminding God, the breastplate served to tell the people that they were ever before God. It may surprise us to know that God is more fully cognizant of all our needs, more so than we care to express to Him. That’s why In Matthew 7:7-8, the Lord Jesus encourages us saying, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.” We are ever before God, and He is more than willing to meet all our needs!