The central and ultimate point of the priesthood, and the central item of the priestly garments was the breastplate of judgement (see Exo. 28:15-30). As priests to God today we need to see what this breastplate signifies and how can it be applied to our Christian life.
The breastplate of judgement was made of gold, in which precious stones were set; three rows of four precious stones, each having the name of a tribe inscribed on it. The breastplate was attached to the ephod (the priestly vest) with rings of gold to the shoulder, and the main purpose of this breastplate was for God to give people a message, a divine revelation, and His leading.
Even though this breastplate is not mentioned in Paul’s writings in the New Testament, the spiritual significance of the breastplate of judgement is opened to us by the entire Bible. Today we would like to see what is the significance of the precious stones built into the breastplate; these show us that the believers are in the process of transformation and building up into the Triune God to become one entity, the building of God.
The Breastplate with the Twelve Stones set in Gold Symbolizes the Saints Transformed and Built Up as the Church
The twelve precious stones set in gold on the breastplate (Exo. 28:17-20) symbolize the saints as transformed precious stones being built together in the divine nature of Christ to become one entity – the church as the Body of Christ!
Precious stones signify transformation: they are not natural but are produced through hard pressure, lengthy time, flowing water, wind, and all kinds of elements. As believers in Christ we are in the process of being transformed from clay into precious stones; we were created of dust (Gen. 2:7) but we are being transformed in our human nature by and with the divine nature through the working of the Spirit (2 Cor. 3:3, 18) so that we may become precious stones for God’s eternal building (Matt. 16:18; John 1:42; 1 Pet. 2:5; Rev. 21:18-21).
As we go through all kinds of situations, sufferings, troubles, and pressures, we need to turn to the Lord, behold Him face to face, and enjoy His constant inward life supply so that we may be transformed into the same image as Christ from glory to glory, even as from the Lord Spirit.
The Christian life is a life of transformation: daily God is seeking to transform us by the renewing of our mind (Rom. 12:2-3) so that as our outer man is decaying, our inner man would be renewed day by day (2 Co. 4:16). The Lord Spirit is constantly adding Himself to our being day by day as glory, and we are becoming precious stones fit for God’s building (as signified by the breastplate).
The result of this transformation is that we do not think more highly of ourselves than we ought to think but consider others’ portion of faith, as allotted by God, and we seek to be built up with them.
Precious stones are not created but are formed by the transforming of created things; the church is produced not of created beings but of the redeemed people who are being transformed into precious stones for God’s building.
The breastplate is a miniature of the building up of God’s people: it indicates that the believers in Christ are distinct individuals (just as the precious stones are distinct) but they are not divided (just as the precious stones were set in gold).
We who are many are one Body in Christ and individually members one of another; we are distinct individuals but not separated, divided, or scattered but built up in the divine nature of God (Rev. 21:18-20; Rom. 12:5; 1 Cor. 12:27).
The fact that the names of the twelve tribes were inscribed on the precious stones signifies that all the redeemed and transformed people of God are being built up together into the church, the building of God. God’s goal is His building, His corporate expression, and for this we must be redeemed and transformed and built up.
The Lord is working to transform us from natural men into God-men, precious stones, and He is building us together in the divine nature of Christ to become one entity, the Body of Christ.
We need to cooperate with the Lord and build up the church with gold (the Father in His divine nature), silver (the Son in His redeeming work), and precious stones (the Spirit in His transforming work), and we should not mar God’s building by trying to build up the church with wood (our natural man), grass (our flesh), and stubble (lifelessness).
Lord Jesus, keep us in the process of being transformed from clay into precious stones suitable for Your building. We give ourselves to You to enjoy You, be filled with You, and behold You every day so that little by little we would be transformed into the same image from glory to glory even as from the Lord Spirit. Lord, transform us and build us up in Your divine nature for us to be the church, the Body of Christ, the building of God! Lord Jesus, we want to build up the church with the Father in His divine nature (gold), the Son in His redemptive work (silver) and with the Spirit in His transforming work (precious stones). Save us from trying to build up the church with our natural man (wood), our flesh (grass), or lifelessness (stubble)!
The Transformed Believers are Mingled with God and Built together in Christ’s Divine Nature
On the breastplate of judgement there were four rows of three precious stones; the number twelve composed of four (the creatures) times three (the Triune God in resurrection) signifies the mingling of the Triune God with His creature, man, for the complete and perfect carrying out of God’s administration eternally (see Rev. 21:12-13).
The number twelve is seen everywhere in the New Jerusalem, which is something eternal; the fact that there were twelve stones set in gold symbolizes that the church is looked at in an eternal sense. Four rows with three stones in each row indicates that the believers are not only transformed (precious stones) but also mingled with the Triune God. We are not only being transformed, but as we are being transformed into Christ’s image, we are being mingled with God!
The setting of stones in gold (Exo. 28:20) signifies that the transformed and mingled believers are built in the divine nature of Christ into one entity (2 Pet. 1:4). We partake of the divine nature for our enjoyment, and the more we partake, the more we escape the corruption which is in the world by lust.
The divine nature is what God is: He is Spirit, love, and light:
- We enjoy God as Spirit (the nature of God’s person) by exercising our spirit to contact God as Spirit and by worshipping Him in truthfulness.
- We enjoy God as love (the nature of God’s essence) by being in the fellowship of the divine life so that we may spontaneously love the Lord and the saints.
- We enjoy God as light (the nature of God’s expression) by being in the fellowship of life to be saturated and soaked with life and thus live and walk in the light. Hallelujah, we are being transformed, mingled, and built up in God!
These people (signified by number 12), complete the eternal purpose of God and become the administration of the divine government in the universe. One of the most precious things about the breastplate was that it was the span of a hand; in God’s eternal plan and according to His eternal view, the church is borne on Christ’s heart and held in the span of His loving care.
We may go through problems and difficulties, but in reality we are part of the church, held in Christ’s hand and no one can snatch us out (Exo. 28:16; John 10:28). The church is borne on Christ’s heart (just as the breastplate was borne on the breast of the high priest into God’s presence); He gives us eternal life, loves us with an everlasting love, and cares for us dearly – nothing and no one will snatch us out of His hand!
Christ’s love and care for us, the men who are transformed, mingled, and built up with God, is unlimited and immeasurable! Praise the Lord!
Lord Jesus, mingle Yourself more with us today as we go through the process of transformation to be built up as Your spiritual house, the church as the Body of Christ. We want to escape the corruption which is in the world by lust and partake of the divine nature so that we may be mingled with God and built up with the saints into the Triune God. Lord, thank You for bearing us on Your heart of love and holding us in the span of Your loving care. Praise the Lord, nothing and no one can snatch us out of Christ’s loving hands!
References and Hymns on this Topic
- Inspiration: the Word of God, my Christian experience, bro. Ed Marks’ sharing in the message for this week, and portions from, Life-study of Exodus, msgs. 124-125, by Witness Lee, as quoted in the Holy Word for Morning Revival on, The Recovery of the Priesthood or God’s Building, week 7 / msg 7, The Central and Ultimate Point of the Priesthood.
- All Bible verses are taken from, Holy Bible Recovery Version.
- Hymns on this topic to strengthen this burden:
# Moving in me day by day, / Mingling with me all the way, / All my steps He regulates, / Every part He saturates…. / Transformation is my need, / To be broken more indeed, / That the clay may change in form, / To the treasure to conform. (Hymns #548)
# But we all with unveiled face, / Beholding and reflecting like a mirror / The glory of the Lord, are being transformed / Into the same image / From glory to glory, / Even as from the Lord Spirit. / From glory to glory, / Even as from the Lord Spirit. (Song on 2 Cor. 3:17-18)
# Cause us to grow in life divine each day / That we may be transformed and built by Thee / Into a body to express Thyself, / That Thou in us Thy Church and Kingdom see. (Hymns #829)
The breastplate on the ephod signifies the church as the building together of God’s redeemed people upon Christ. The twelve precious stones set in gold (Exo. 28:17-20) symbolize the saints as transformed precious stones built together in the divine nature of Christ to become one entity, the church as Christ’s Body (1 Cor. 3:10-12a; Eph. 1:22-23). Therefore, the breastplate is a miniature of the building up of God’s people (see footnote 1 on Gen. 2:12), indicating that the believers in Christ are distinct individuals but are not divided (Rom. 12:5; 1 Cor. 12:27). The entire ephod with its shoulder pieces and the breastplate are a marvelous portrait of Christ with the church. (Exo. 28:15, footnote 1, Recovery Version Bible)