The Blood of the Korban

Shemot {28:4} These are the garments which they shall make: a breastplate, and an ephod, and a robe, and a coat of checker work, a turban, and a sash: and they shall make kadosh (holy/set apart) garments for Aharon (Aaron) your brother, and his sons, that he may minister to me in the cohen's (priest’s) office. {28:5} They shall take the gold, and the blue, and the purple, and the scarlet, and the fine linen. {28:6} "They shall make the ephod of gold, of blue, and purple, scarlet, and fine twined linen, the work of the skilful workman. {28:7} It shall have two shoulder-pieces joined to the two ends of it, that it may be joined together. {28:8} The skilfully woven band, which is on it, that is on him, shall be like its work and of the same piece; of gold, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen.

The Cohen HaGadol’s (High Priest’s) kadosh garments were to be something special. Therefore HaShem gave Moshe (Moses) specific instructions, to the last detail, on the manufacture of these articles of clothing. The breastplate for example was woven like the ephod, it was to be made of the same material, only smaller. It was doubled (folded over) and left open on the top and the two sides. Inside was placed the Urim and Thummim, which are literally translated as "the light," and "made perfect." It is not known exactly what the Urim and Thummim was nor is it known what it did, however their purpose is known. It served as a type of spiritual guiding tool for the Cohen HaGadol when a spiritual or important decision had to be made.

Besides being made of the same fine material as the ephod, the breastplate also had 12 precious stones woven into it. This article of the Cohen’s garment was worn on the chest, which is where it got its name, breastplate, not because it was metal, but because it was worn on the chest of the Cohen HaGadol. Likewise the Cohen HaGadol's robe was made of the finest, costly, blue linen with solid gold bells and blue, purple and scarlet pomegranates encircling its bottom hem. As well the Cohen HaGadol wore a beautiful, expensively woven turban covering his head. These were truly garments of splendour and beauty and rightly so because they were not meant to be drab like cloths worn during times of mourning or grieving, but rather they were colourful and bright as emblems of the glory and beauty of HaShem, who the Cohen HaGadol represented.

Yet despite the beauty and the splendour of the clothing, G-d knew the condition of the heart of the man who would be wearing these garments. Scripture clearly advises us of that:

Bereshit/Genesis {8:21} ……the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth;….

Kohelet/Ecclesiastes {7.20} For there is not a just man upon earth, that does good, and sins not.

So with HaShem having this information, let us read what He instructed Moshe to do next.

Shemot {29:21} You shall take of the blood that is on the altar, and of the anointing oil, and sprinkle it on Aharon, and on his garments, and on his sons, and on the garments of his sons with him: and he shall be made kadosh, and his garments, and his sons, and his sons' garments with him.

Now I would like us to get the picture here. First HaShem told Moshe to make expensive clothing for the Cohen, then He told him to take blood and oil and splatter his clothing with them. This he was told to do before Aharon or his sons were allowed to present themselves before Him. How many of us would take an expensive gown or a fine pair of linen trousers and before presenting ourselves before an earthly king pours olive oil and blood all over ourselves? I don't think so! There must be something more here!

What HaShem is telling us here is that it doesn’t matter how beautiful we look on the outside, or who we are, or what our position is, or how beautiful our clothes are. It doesn't matter how much makeup we apply or cologne we splash on, He sees and knows who we really are inside. He knows our hearts and we should all know by now what HaShem thinks about our hearts:

Yirmeyahu/Jeremiah 17.9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?

Yes despite the splendour and beauty of these priestly robes, it still took the blood of the korban (offering) and the oil of the Ruach HaKodesh (Holy Spirit), to make Aharon acceptable before HaShem. None of us are exceptions, no, not even one! Your good looks, your money, your good deeds, your position or station in life can not make you acceptable before a kadosh G-d. Many people are trying to come to HaShem by fulfilling the mitzvot (commandments) or by their charity and prayer but without applying the blood and the oil, their efforts are futile. So how do we apply the blood of the korban today seeing as there is no Temple to make offerings? Not Until you apply the blood of the korban, the blood shed for you by the Mashiach (Messiah) Yeshua, the one who died for your sins (see Yeshayahu 52:7-53:12). Until you allow the oil of the Ruach HaKodesh to be applied on you, you are not acceptable to appear before HaShem, no matter how righteous you may think you are.

Although it was HaShem who designed these garments for Aharon and his sons I am sure He was not impressed or influenced by them. In fact HaShem probably never even noticed them. Clothing only made Aharon look good for human eyes. What HaShem saw when Aharon and his sons appeared before Him was the blood of the korban and the oil of the Ruach HaKodesh and that is what He will be looking for when you present yourself before Him as well. It is these and these alone that make you kadosh in His eyes.

Rabbi Jack "Yaacov" Farber is the spiritual leader of Congregation Melech Yisrael in Toronto, Canada.

Copyright 2004