If you'd like to follow along,
we'll be in Exodus chapter 28. Exodus 28. And I wanna read verses nine through
12 for a start. Exodus 28 verse nine. And thou
shalt take two onyx stones and grave on them the names of the
children of Israel. six of their names on one stone
and the other six names of the rest on the other stone according
to their birth. With the work of an engraver
in stone, like the engravings of a signet, shalt thou engrave
the two stones with the names of the children of Israel. Thou
shalt make them to be set in ouches of gold. and thou shalt
put the two stones upon the shoulders of the ephod for stones of memorial
unto the children of Israel. And Aaron shall bear their names
before the Lord upon his two shoulders for a memorial. Now, my title, Paul, is Words
on the High Priest. Let me read you this, because
this is real good. This is by John Newton. Our righteousness
is in him, and our hope depends not upon the exercise of grace
in us, but upon the fullness of grace and love in him, and
upon his obedience unto death. John Newton said that. I really
like that. Because when I read that, I think
of this. I lay down my life for the sheep. And then right after it he says,
other sheep I have, which are not of this foal, them I must
bring. And oh, that does me good. There
is an exercise of grace in us. but it's him that we depend on,
totally. The fullness of grace and love
in him and his obedience unto death, which is partially what
I'm gonna talk about today. First of all, I wanna start with
Exodus 28, verses nine through 12, talking about the names of
the children of Israel. They were engraved upon two onyx
stones. Now, I don't know if you're like
me, But whenever anybody says onyx, I think of a black stone. And it had to be big enough to
engrave six names on. So, I mean, it wasn't a little
bitty one, I don't think. I mean, but anyhow, it doesn't
matter. It doesn't really tell us how big they are. It just
says that there's two of them. But I did find out a few things.
This word onyx in the Hebrew means nail, like the nail of
a finger. So it's thought that these were
pale stones. And I got to thinking about it,
and I got to thinking, it doesn't matter what stones they were,
other than the fact that they were onyx, because that's what
it says. And there is a pale onyx, there's green onyx, yellow
onyx, purple onyx, all different kinds of onyx. But it doesn't
matter what those stones were made of, it matters whose names
were engraved on them, and where they went. They went on the shoulders
of the ephod that the high priest, and the high priest alone, would
wear. Oh, and they are engraved with
the names of the children of Jacob. Excuse me, that's wrong. The children of Israel. Same
children, but it's the children of Israel they're engraved with.
the names of the children of Israel. Not the children of Jacob,
the usurper, the children of Israel, the prince with God. I understand that on these two
stones, six on each stone in the order of their birth, these
names were engraved on these two stones. And here's the thing,
no more and no less. all 12 children of Israel, all
of them. These stones are placed upon
the ephod, on the shoulders of the ephod, and the ephod is placed
upon the high priest. You understand, this ephod is
a part of, well, where is it? Verse two, chapter 28. And thou shalt make, what? Holy garments for Aaron, thy
brother, for glory and for beauty. These are called holy garments
of the high priest. Holy garments of the high priest. And these are carried upon the
shoulder of the high priest. He bears the ephod in the names
of the children of Israel. Now here's the thing. The shoulders
are a place of strength. That's what this point is. The
shoulders are the place of strength. You understand, the high priest
carries these names on these two stones into the Holy of Holies
when he goes in to sprinkle the blood on the mercy seat. Those
12 names are with him, he's carrying them. during the sacrifice, after
the sacrifice, and making the offering on the mercy seat. He's
carrying those 12 names on his shoulders. Now, let's be very
clear. This is not indicative of him
bearing their sins. That's what the blood's for.
He's carrying the blood. The blood was shed for their
sins, to make an atonement for their sins. He's carrying those
names in there because he is their representative for all
of the children of Israel. And Jesus Christ carried our
names into the Holy of Holies. That's what the type represents. Understand? He's carrying us
when he goes for the atonement. It's not he's burying our sins,
that's what the blood's for. That's why the blood was shed.
Oh, he's carrying, he carries these people into the Holy of
Holies. Oh my. The blood of the sacrifice
is the offering for sin. But he carries us upon his shoulders.
Understand, if the high priest didn't carry us in, we wouldn't
be there. And that's the whole point of
the names on his shoulder. No less goes in and no fewer
go in than what the high priest carries in. Oh, I like that,
I do. Because you understand what I
said, this is a position of strength. The story Jesus Christ told us,
the parable, about the man who had a lost sheep and he went
out and found it. What'd he do? He picked it up. and put it on
his shoulders. And what'd he do with it? He
carried it all the way to the fold. Because our high priest
carries us. That's the beauty of it. He carried
us. Oh, I like that. On the shoulders
of the great high priest were the names of the people of the
congregation. His people. His people. Oh, I
like that. Oh, and here's the thing. The
only time Aaron wore this ephod was on the Day of Atonement. This was not the uniform of the
day, you understand? This was what he put on specific
for the Day of Atonement, and he had to be washed before he
put it on. He had to offer a sacrifice for
himself also before he offered the sacrifice for the people.
And Christ, the great high priest, didn't need to offer a sacrifice
for himself. But he did offer himself for
the sheep, for his people. And he carried us with him. Oh,
I like that. Because here's the thing. We're
a part of his holy garments. And there's no way that he would
leave one outside or one piece of the garment off. Oh, and he
carries us on his shoulders by himself in his own strength and
power. Secondly, the words of the high
priest, Starts in verse 17. This is the 12 stones. Let me
see. Verse 17, and thou shalt set
it in settings of stones, even four rows of stones. And it goes
through the first row, the second row, the third row, the fourth
row. I'm not gonna go through them individually, but here it
is. These are 12 separate stones. Each particular stone has the
name of one of the children of Israel on it. One of them. Then you go to verse 29, because
it talks about how you do them, what you do with them, and how
you attach them, and it says, and Aaron, verse 29, and Aaron
shall bear the names of the children of Israel in the breastplate
of judgment upon his heart. when he goeth into the holy place,
for a memorial before the Lord, and here's a key word, continually,
continually, on the heart, he carries these 12 names. Now they
are the same 12 names that are on his shoulders. Six on one
stone, six on the other. Now he's got 12 individual names. on 12 individual gems. Oh, 12
stones with 12 names. And understand, folks, these
names are engraved in those stones. It's not chalkboard. It's not
even one of these newfangled whiteboards. It's not even a
permanent marker. This is carved, literally carved
in stone. are these names that go upon
the breastplate, upon the heart of the high priest. And they're
there also when he goes into the holy place. Oh, I like that. You understand, on the heart
is what? The place of love, the place
of love. On the shoulders, the place of
strength, he carries us, but he also has us on his heart in
the place of love. Here on the breastplate, there's
12 of them. On the shoulders, there's two
of them. And you understand, they will never change the names
that he carries. You understand what I'm saying?
When Jesus Christ did the true atonement and entered into the
holy place, not made with hands, not like the one Aaron's gonna
enter in, Those names were engraved upon his heart. They were engraved
in stone. No, not one name will change. He took the sin of all his people
and suffered for it. He took the blood he shed gave
for those people and took it to the Holy of Holies to present
it to the Father as a sacrifice for our sin, but when he did
it, every single child of God was written on his heart in love,
in love. He carried us in by his own power
and his strength, but he carried us in in love. That's amazing
to me. Christ loves his people. Christ made that sacrifice for
sin forever. One time, one time. And he offered
it to God and there, here's the thing. God's not gonna change
his mind. What am I saying? I'm gonna tell
you something. His election is perfect. You understand? No one is getting
added into Jesus's heart now. They were there when he made
that atonement, that offering to the Father, or they won't
be there at all. They were engraved in stone.
There's a permanence to everything that God does. Because there's
a perfection to everything God does. And his choice for his
people was perfect and in his son. Oh, I like that. And here's the
thing, you know why that's true? Because his love is unchangeable. His love is perfect. When he goes into that holy place,
when he went, I'll say it in the past tense, when he went
into the holy place, the true holy place, not made with hands,
which is to say, it's in heaven. It's what it tells us in Hebrews.
He bore our names on his heart. And he carried us on his shoulders.
The Lord loves his people. You understand, I don't, I wrote
this down, and I don't think it's out of line, but seeing
these names upon the heart of the high priest, you understand
maybe just a little bit of why he carries us on his shoulders. He carries us on his shoulders
out of the love he has for his people. His people are on his heart.
And look at this. This is a beautiful thing. It doesn't say this about
the names on the shoulder. It does say that they are there
for a memorial in verse 12. But look at verse 29 at the very
end. He says, he will carry it in the breastplate of judgment
upon his heart when he goeth into the holy place for a memorial
before the Lord. But then it ends with this word,
continually. The love of Christ is never going
away. The love of Christ for his people
will never change. It's continuous, and it's before
God. It's before God. You understand,
I may feel unloved. I'm not, but I may feel that
way. You may feel unloved at times,
or ignored. No, don't worry. If you know
Christ, He bears your name before God continually, continually. Oh, I like that. What's it say? Right now he's seated at the
right hand of the majesty on high, but that's not all. He ever liveth to make intercession
for us, for his people. Oh, I like that. And there wrote
upon his heart, Oh, I like the engraved. You understand, his
people are on his heart always, always. You understand? And what the Lord knows, he has
always known. Is that, I mean, this is God
we're talking about here. But I'll tell you this, 2 Timothy
2 and 19 says this, nevertheless, one of my favorite words, nevertheless,
the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, what?
The Lord knoweth them that are his. They're written on his heart. They're written on his heart.
He knows everyone. And I call my sheep by name.
and they follow me. Why? Because they know my voice,
and a stranger they will not follow. Oh, I like that. The
Lord knoweth them that are his, and let everyone that nameth
the name of Christ depart from iniquity. You understand? And the reason I love that word
nevertheless, there in front, because I'm gonna tell you something.
It doesn't matter what you've done. It doesn't matter what
you're going to do. It doesn't matter what you're
doing now. Nevertheless, the foundation's not with you. It's
with God. And that's where you want it.
It's where I want it. I don't want any kind of foundation
to have to lay with me. It's him. And it's got this seal. The Lord knoweth them that are
his. Got him on his heart and he's
carried him on his shoulders. Continually, continually, continually. Oh, I like that, oh. He knows
us by name, he calls us by name, and he carries us by name on
his heart and on his shoulders. He carries us on his heart in
the place of love. Oh, there is no end. to the love of Christ for his
people. I don't care what anybody says.
There's no end to the love of Christ for his people, and he
knows who they are. You don't know, I don't know,
nobody else knows except God, the Father, and the Son, and
the Spirit. Oh my. Now the third thing. This is in Exodus 28 verse 36. This is the third thing of the
words on the high priest. And thou shalt make a plate of
pure gold and grave upon it like the engravings of a signet. Holiness
to the Lord. I'm gonna say that again. I like that. Holiness to the
Lord. And thou shalt put it on a blue
lace, that it may be upon the mitre, which is the hat. Upon
the forefront of the mitre it shall be. And, here it is, it
shall be upon Aaron's forehead. that Aaron may bear the iniquity
of the holy things which the children of Israel shall hallow
in all their holy gifts and it shall always, excuse me, it shall
be always upon his forehead that they may be accepted before the
Lord. That's some good stuff right
there. This is the third thing written on the high priest. Now, the first two were sets
of precious stones. Two on the shoulders, 12 on the
heart, okay? On the breastplate. Okay. But this is on a plate of pure
gold. Oh, I'm gonna tell you something.
Deity. Divineness. Perfection, pure
gold, pure gold, and also engraved. Like a signet, engraved, carved
in this plate of pure gold are those words, holiness to the
Lord. Oh, oh my. And it's attached by blue lace
to the binder. and you put it on Aaron's head
during those days, and that piece, that plate is upon the forehead. Now we've seen the place of strength,
we've seen the place of love, well here's the place of thoughts.
The place of thoughts, the forehead. And understand this, the forehead
is above the shoulders and the heart. Above the names on the
heart above the names on the shoulder is holiness to the Lord. I Like that I do Oh And here's the thing that
holiness to the Lord There's no name on that plate There's
no name on that plate That plate goes on that miter for the high
priest and the high priest alone. He's the picture of holiness
unto the Lord. Yes, he carries the names on
his shoulder. Yes, he carries the names on his heart, but the
holiness is unto the Lord. It's from the high priest alone.
That's Jesus Christ. That's Jesus Christ. Oh, I like
that. It's placed above the stones
on the breastplate. It's placed above the shoulders. Why? Without the holiness to
the Lord, those names on the shoulders and those names on
the breastplate aren't gonna have any good. It's not gonna
be any good. without a perfect, great high
priest to carry those names with holiness to the Lord, oh, in
his thoughts, every thought. I can't imagine perfect thoughts.
I can't. I'm so corrupt. My mind is so
easily distracted. My mind is so easily disturbed. And sometimes my mind is just
easily depressed. I can't imagine holiness. Oh,
but I believe it. I believe it of Jesus Christ.
Oh my, because without his holiness, without the holiness of the great
high priest, there is no children of God. There are none without
his holiness, without him. into the true holy place made
without hands, bringing his own precious blood, his foremost
thought is holiness to the Lord. That's wonderful. That's wonderful. I'm gonna tell you something,
folks. And we, I love this part, and we, what? It shall be upon
Aaron's forehead that Aaron may bear the iniquity of the holy
things which the children of Israel shall hallow in all their
gifts, and it shall be always upon his forehead. That's the
thought of Christ right now, holiness to the Lord. What does
it say? That for the express purpose
that they may be what? Accepted before the Lord. Hold on, I'm gonna tell you something.
Under his holiness is us. It's the children of God, his
believers, the elect. Under his holiness is where we
need to be. It's where I wanna be. I've got
no holiness of myself. Let's be nice, you ain't got
none either. None of us do. Oh, but we have
his. That's the thing. It's on his
forehead. It's not on my forehead, it's
on his forehead. And we are accepted under his
holiness, in him. We are accepted, what? Before
the Lord. And that's capital L, capital
O, capital R, capital D. That's Jehovah, that's Yahweh. Always, always, it shall always
be upon the forehead of Aaron when he's doing the high priest
business, when he's doing the high priest job. Holiness will
always be there and that means we shall always be accepted before
the Lord under his holiness. Oh, I like that, I do. We, his
people, believers, are accepted by the Lord because he bears
us, he carries us in his heart in love, and his holy, righteous,
and perfect sacrifice he gave to the Father. His blood was
shed for us. He bore in his own body on the
tree our sins. And he paid the price. He paid
the price. The thoughts of the great high
priest are perfect holiness unto the Lord. They are pure, they
are true, they are right. And folks, they are good. They are good. In a way we don't
understand. We can't understand. Oh my. He bore us in his high priestly
work, upon his heart and upon his shoulders. But here's the
thing, it's his thoughts that matter, not yours. Holiness of
the Lord, that's on the high priest. It's not on you, thank
God. It's not on me. It's his thoughts
that matter. Don't trust your own, trust the
Christ of God. Oh, now. Last thing on this. I do want you to, just to see
this, because I just noticed this yesterday or the day before
when I was studying this. When you look at verse 12, talking
about the two stones on the shoulder, it says, Aaron shall bear the
names before the Lord upon his two shoulders for a memorial. For a memorial, right? And then
you look at verse 29, talking about The stones on the breastplate,
the plate of judgment upon his heart when he goeth into the
holy place, says, for a memorial. For a memorial before the Lord
continually, but still it says for a memorial. You look at this
thing where it says putting this plate of holiness under the Lord,
it's not for a memorial, folks. It's for the real deal. These
are the thoughts of Jesus Christ written down here. Now they were
placed on that mitre, and I know Aaron was not perfect. We have
ample evidence in the scriptures. But in that job of high priest,
he is a picture of Jesus Christ. That's not for a memorial. It
says it shall be upon Aaron's forehead that Aaron may bear
the iniquity of the holy things. And then it says it shall always,
be always upon his forehead. And it doesn't say for a memorial.
that they may be accepted before the Lord. You understand? Jesus
Christ is holiness to the Lord. Right now. Forever. That never ends. That never ends. and we're in his heart, and he
bears us on his shoulders, and he is going to bring us to God.
Why? Because we, in him, are accepted
before the Lord. Before the Lord. Oh, I like that. Understand, nothing good comes
from our flesh or our thoughts. Everything good comes from the
holiness of Jesus Christ. Oh, understand, all our walk
in the spirit, all our walk in good work is due to him. It's
due to him and his holiness. Oh. Leviticus 20 and verse 26 says
this, and Ye shall be holy unto me. These are the words of the Lord. Ye shall be holy unto me, for
I, the Lord, am holy. And here's the thing, and have
severed you from other people, that you should be mine. What did I preach a few weeks
back? The Lord divided the light from the darkness. You're gonna be holy, you know
why? Because your great high priest still has it on his forehead,
holiness to the Lord. You're gonna be holy, you shall
be holy in him. And in him, in Jesus Christ,
You are holy and accepted before the Lord. Oh, I like that, I
do. You understand, you shall be
holy for you do really good. You're walking. No, you're gonna
be holy because I'm holy. That's what God says. You shall
be holy because I am holy. That's a world of difference
from somebody talking about walking for Jesus. No. I need him so I can walk. I need, folks, you need him so
you can believe. We believe according to the working
of his mighty power. Oh my. Not because of what you do, but
because of what Christ did and who Jesus Christ is. He is holiness
unto the Lord. And he carries his people on
his heart and upon his shoulders always. What does he say? Even unto the end of the world. I will raise them up again at
the last day. I'll raise them up at the last
day. Why? Because at the last day,
we're still here, and we're still here. We're on his heart and
love, and he's carrying us on his shoulders, and it still says
holiness to the Lord. Now, he's gonna come back with
more writing on him, it says down his legs, it says king of
kings and Lord of lords, but that's another sermon. This is
talking about the words on the high priest. the names of his
people on his hearts and his shoulders, and holiness to the
Lord upon his forehead, in his thoughts, permeating his thoughts. Oh, I like that. What is it? And of his fullness, we receive. What? And of his fullness, have
all we. received, and grace for grace. Oh, I like that, I like that.
Our Heavenly Father, we are thankful again for this time, this place,
most of all for you. Lord, you sent your Son, and he took on the form of a servant,
took on the form of sinful flesh, sinful flesh, but the likeness
of sinful flesh. And he gave himself for his sheep,
for his people, for the elect that you've chosen in him before
the foundation of the world. And you have given to us this
knowledge, this faith, this life in Christ. Thank you, Lord. Be with Paul as he comes to preach,
be with Walter as he holds forth in Ohio. Lord, be with all your
men preaching your message wherever they may be. In Christ's name
we pray, amen.