Exodus 28 records the beautiful garments Aaron will wear when he serves as priest to the Lord in His Holy Presence. I try to imagine what Aaron would look like in garments of gold, blue, purple and scarlet yarn of finely twisted linen; of precious stones of beautiful colors, twelve in all with the name of a tribe of Israel on each one; with two onyx stones on his shoulders each bearing 6 names of the tribes of Israel as a memorial before the Lord. v. 12. On his forehead, a plate of pure gold and engrave on it as on a seal: HOLY TO THE LORD. v. 36, that the gifts brought to the Lord by the people will be acceptable to the Lord. These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ. Colossians 2:17.

I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and wages war. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. Coming out of his mouth is a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. “He will rule them with an iron scepter.” (Psalm 2:9) He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS. Revelation 19:11-16.

Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death – that is, the devil – and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. For surely it is not angels he helps, but Abraham’s descendants. For this reason he had to be made like them, fully human in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people. Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted. Hebrews 2:14-18.

Nothing is left undone. Our ancestors and we, too, see and live the shadow of things that will come. My imagination fails me when I try to envision God’s kingdom here on Earth. I see the turmoil and violence here and it’s no wonder He treads the winepress of the fury of God because God knows how hurtful sin is and always has been and how sin needs to be destroyed by our Faithful High Priest who gave His life out of love for us. As magnificently dressed as Aaron was in service to God, it was a shadow of the reality that exists today – but that we who see through a glass darkly cannot see. We, with our ancestors, live in the time before Jesus returns. That’s why we pray in earnest…your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Matthew 6:10. He helps Abraham’s descendants…that’s us…faithfully out of His great love. Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will – to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us. With all wisdom and understanding, he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment – to bring unity to all things in heaven and on earth under Christ. Ephesians 1:3-10. Nothing left undone. I think we will all of us one day be amazed when we see how much God is doing for us. I think we will be in such awe there will be no words. We will need better words! Through Jesus, therefore, let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise – the fruit of lips that openly profess his name. And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased. How I want to please Him who does so much for us!