The institution of the priesthood is a direct extension of the Tabernacle. The previous chapter describes the vestments that Aaron and his sons were to wear in their service, garments made from the same materials and colors as the Tabernacle. As Exodus 29:43 indicates, the Tabernacle and the priesthood are given to meet a need:

God provides the priesthood to meet our need for relationship with him in Christ.

1. The priesthood was beautiful. The special clothing was “for beauty and glory” (v. 40). The High Priest wore an ephod with 12 stones for each of the tribes of Israel over his heart. His turban was inscribed with “holy to the Lord.”
2. The priesthood was inadequate. Aaron and his sons had to be sanctified through washing and atoned through sacrifice before offering sacrifices for the people. The sacrifices were always only temporary until the next interval. The priests were mortal, so their sons had to keep replacing them.
3. Jesus’ priesthood was that of a different order and better covenant (Read Hebrews 8:21-28). Jesus is without sin and offered himself, once for all, as the Lamb of God. He entered heaven directly, not the Temple, when he atoned for our sins. The Temple curtain was torn, indicating a new kind of access into God’s presence.
4. The priesthood of all believers now belongs to the church. We are called a “holy priesthood” in 1 Peter 2:5. Our job, under Jesus as our High Priest, is to offer a “sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving” to the Lord for all he has given us.

Taking It Home: Under the New Covenant in Christ, we can approach God the Father directly with boldness. Be bold in confessing your sins and asking him to transform you.