Normally a breastplate is for a warrior—and no one fights for His people like our Lord.
Whoever heard of a breastplate being made of cloth? What kind of protection would that be? The best kind! But the Lord doesn’t fight for Himself; He does battle for His people in the sanctuary! The ephod was like an apron, but hanging at both the front and back. The two straps over the shoulders each had an onyx stone fastened with a gold setting. Then gold chains were woven to secure these stones on the high priest’s shoulders. Also, “you shall engrave the two stones with the names of the sons of Israel” (Ex 28:11), with “six of their names on one stone, and six names on the other stone, in order of their birth” (v 10). Thus they all equally shared that elevated and safe place when “Aaron shall bear their names before the Lord” (v 12). What a picture of the secure relationship the believer has, borne on the shoulders of the One who, according to Isaiah 9:6, bears the government of the universe on just one shoulder! But then there was “the breastplate of judgment. Artistically woven according to the workmanship of the ephod…of gold, blue, purple, and scarlet thread, and fine woven linen…It shall be doubled into a square: a span shall be its length, and a span shall be its width” (vv 15-16). As a cubit was approximately the length from the elbow to the fingertips, so the span was the distance between the thumb and the little finger of a spread hand, about 9 inches. Here were also gems, each different and all bearing the name of individual tribes. This time the arrangement was according to the order of their walk on the journey. Thus some were closer to the heart than others. How solemn! Though God has no favorites, He does have intimates, those who draw close to Him. But everyone, jewel-like, is precious to Him!