WEARING A TURBAN AND A CROWN
The High Priest of Israel was to wear a turban. This turban was to hold a crown of pure gold. The scripture God gave to Moses reads like this: “And you shall make a crown of pure gold, and engrave upon it in the manner of a signet ring. “Holy To The Lord.” (Exodus 28:36)
This piece of pure gold that made up the crown was thin and flexible enough to arch across the forehead like a bow. The concept of the bow shape is interesting because the shape of a bow is the same as that of a rainbow; and a rainbow means that God always keeps His promises. God had promised Abraham to make Israel a holy nation. The words engraved across the crown were “Holy To The Lord.”
To achieve that place of actually becoming “holy to The LORD,” one must learn to be pure and flexible like the golden crown that fits into the shape of the priest’s forehead. One needs to know how to bend and shape into the person that God desires to serve Him on this earth..
INTRODUCTION
Welcome to today’s lesson for the COME AS A CHILD chronological bible study. We are taking today’s lesson information from Exodus, Chapter 28. If you are just now beginning to follow along with us, you may find the first three sections of this series called THE DRESS CODE OF GOD here: https://theinseasonlifestyle.com/robe-priest/, https://theinseasonlifestyle.com/understanding-ephod/, https://theinseasonlifestyle.com/clothes-of-the-ancient-priest/. We have a few sections to go in this series within the study of Exodus.
THE SEAL OF GOD ON THE FOREHEAD OF THE HIGH PRIEST
The letters of the crown were raised on the front of the crown. To achieve this the back side of the crown was pounded with the shapes of letters until the other (front) side formed raised places shaped like the letters which spelled out the words “Holy Unto The LORD.”
This “crown” served the same function that the signet ring of a king represented – ownership. God’s signature; His name, was written upon the crown. The crown spoke of God’s ownership and possession of His people.
Thin threads tied into holes in the crown kept the thin golden plate against the priest’s forehead. It was as if God had engraved His signet across the forehead of the priest of this nation.
A CONSTANT REMINDER OF GOD’S COMMANDMENTS
Later in the history of the nation of Israel, a space was left between the turban and the crown that enabled the priest to wear the tefillin; which was a small container with little scrolls of verses from the Torah.
These scrolls contained or summarized the commandments and served as a constant reminder that the priest was to always bind himself to the commandments.
The placement of the tefillin was also recognized as another symbolic gesture; as if God had written His words upon their foreheads.
THE SYMBOLS OF ATONEMENT
We have mentioned before that each garment symbolized some type of atonement. The turban represented atonement for haughtiness and the crown represented atonement for arrogance.
The turban and the crown seem to make good partners. Arrogant people are usually haughty and God abhors this behavior. These two parts of the garments of the high priest remind us that God atoned for these sins (even of the priest) through the blood of the sacrifices that were offered up.
Though pride and arrogance are even praised and placed high in the ways of the world; we serve a God who loves humility.
God made it clear to Moses that no priest serving God in the wilderness should give way to a place of arrogance and haughtiness inside his heart. These characteristics only belonged to those who placed themselves above God, which would be a form of idolatry.
The weighty reminder of the first commandment was forever upon the head of the High Priest in service. “Thou shalt have no other Gods before me.”
THE SHAPE OF THE TURBAN WAS SIGNIFICANT
The turban was made of white linen that was wrapped around the head many times. The turban of the regular priests came to a point and the turban of the high priest was flat.
The gold crown was fastened to the turban and tied in the back with a blue strap. On the crown were the words “Holy To The Lord.” This rested over the forehead.
TWO OPPOSITE REPRESENTATIONS; THE GOLD OF GOD AND THE HUMANITY OF MANKIND
The two items of the combination of the turban and the crown in the vicinity of the head spoke together of many facts.
The gold of the crown represented the purity of the heart and the linen of the turban represented the vegetable aspect of mankind; how man actually came from the dust of the ground and had no life until God breathed the breath of life into him.
THE TURBANS OF THE ORDINARY PRIEST WERE DIFFERENT
The ordinary priesthood represented mankind striving to reach God. Their turbans came to a point as if to say “I’m on my way up to meet God.” Life for the ordinary priest was a daily struggle to overcome.
THE TURBAN OF THE HIGH PRIEST REPRESENTED SPIRITUAL ATTAINMENT ACHIEVED
The High Priest represented humanity’s highest spiritual level. The turban of the High Priest was flat; representing the fact that he had reached the top of the spiritual levels of humanity.
The turban represented atonement for conceited thoughts. The High Priest should have mastered this concept in life before attaining his position among the people.
Many think the appearance of Aaron’s turban or mitre was similar to the one worn today by the Roman Catholic Pope. Actually, though the appearance was more like the turban traditionally worn by the Sikhs. There is no definite religious connections between the Israelites and the Sikhs; but the turban worn by Aaron was said to be very much like the one worn by the Sikhs.
THE HELMET OF SALVATION
The white turban and the golden crown remind us of the scripture found in Ephesians 6:17-20 which speaks of Paul’s description of “the helmet of salvation.”
This scripture says: “And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints – and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.
TAKING EVERY THOUGHT CAPTIVE
This serves as a reminder to the high priest as well as us, to be taking every thought captive to the obedience of Messiah.
We read of this in 2 Corinthians 10:5 which speaks to us of: “casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.”
A SEAL OF OWNERSHIP AND LOVE
By the words “Holy Unto The Lord” God seemed to be placing his seal of ownership and love upon the foreheads of the priest representing God’s people.
The seal of God is the most important thing an end-times Christian can have.
We read this in Revelations 9:4 which says: They were commanded not to harm the grass of the earth, or any green thing, or any tree, but only those men who DO NOT have the seal of God on their foreheads.
ANOTHER DAY IS COMING
We are just like the high priests of Israel who came into the presence of God. One day we too will have to come before Him. He will be looking for that seal that only He can place upon His people.
That seal is our way to stay protected and unharmed when all of the rest of the world is being destroyed and decaying away.
The Holy Seal of God is what makes us belong to Him. It is our label of passage into the Holy Kingdom where we can walk safely just as the High Priest who was righteous and obedient before God had done in the days of the Wilderness Tabernacle when he entered into The Holy Place.
Those words of God’s Seal upon our foreheads translate to mean our atonement. They speak of our helmet of salvation; Jesus Christ residing within our hearts.
MAKE SURE YOUR SEAL IS NOT COUNTERFEIT
Just as there were false priests who came later in the history of Israel; there are also false gods who wish for us to worship them. These are not true gods but demonic beings in disguise. There is only ONE true God.
The false priests of Israel could not stand before a Holy God nor could they make atonement for the people. They died when they entered The Holy Place and the nation suffered for a period of time for their sins.
All false gods will be sentenced to the bottomless pit, a dark abyss that is the address of a place of eternal torment. Therefore; we must stay alert and aware of the falsehoods of Satan. We never want to be following in his footsteps and we do not want to encounter the spiritual darkness that this encounter can bring.
Beware that the devil has a counterfeit seal. It will be placed on the foreheads of those who are rebellious against God during the times of the end. The foreheads of all will be marked, either for God or for Satan.
So I ask you today; how will you be dressed when that final day arrives?
What will your helmet look like?
Will you have the seal of God on your forehead and like the righteous High Priest be able to stand before God; or will you wear the seal of Satan and be counted among the lost?
It is something to consider.
Your answer has eternal consequences.
The dress code of God matters. It mattered in ancient times and it still matters today. You MUST be covered in the blood of Christ to enter the Wedding Feast of God. Those who are not properly clothed will be cast into outer darkness forever.