Is God a fashion consultant? Yes! He wants to exchange our “filthy rags” for righteous robes.
Because Aaron is a prototype of our Lord Jesus, and his sons were to picture all of God’s people today, their clothes were both simple and eloquent. The phrase used by the Lord was, “You shall make holy garments…for glory and for beauty” (Ex 28:2). We might say that glory is the display of divine truth and beauty is the display of divine character. I hardly think it’s true that “clothes make the man,” but in this case it came close. Four articles of dress were prescribed for all the priests, and six more for the high priest. Those for the priests were as follows: “For Aaron’s sons you shall make tunics, and you shall make sashes for them. And you shall make hats for them, for glory and beauty.…And you shall make for them linen trousers…they shall reach from the waist to the thighs” (vv 40-42). Besides these, the high priest had “a breastplate, an ephod, a robe, a skillfully woven tunic, a turban, and a sash” (v 4). We will consider carefully the high priest’s outfit, but as far as the regular priests’ clothing is concerned, we can see the basic principle. Their outfits were all made of white linen, again clearly speaking of our righteous standing in Christ. “I will also clothe her priests with salvation,” He says in Psalm 132:16. When we see all God’s people in heaven—well, look at that—they’re dressed like these priests. No, wait! They’re dressed like a bride for her wedding day! “To her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints” (Rev 19:8). Do you see the connection? The Lord didn’t come to hire employees to work for Him; He came to woo a bride. Our service for Him is not to be from mere duty but from devotion. Holiness is a love relationship with Jesus!