The Linen Garments: Part 1 - High Priest's Garments Series

The linen turban, tunic and undergarments.

Leviticus 16:3-5
3 “Thus Aaron shall come into the Holy Place: with the blood of a young bull as a sin offering, and of a ram as a burnt offering. 4 He shall put the holy LINEN tunic and the LINEN trousers on his body; he shall be girded with a LINEN sash, and with the LINEN turban he shall be attired. These are holy garments. Therefore he shall wash his body in water, and put them on. 5 And he shall take from the congregation of the children of Israel two kids of the goats as a sin offering, and one ram as a burnt offering."

Whenever you are studying anything in the Old Testament, especially the garments of the High Priest of ancient Israel, it is obvious what, or more to the point, "Who," was on God's mind:  His Beloved Son!  The Holy Spirit has described in the minutest detail every part of the tabernacle, the furnishings, implements and Aaron's priestly garments to show us more of the beauty of our altogether lovely Jesus!

The foundation of the garments of all the priests was LINEN fabric.  God specified not just linen but "fine linen."  This is not the kind of linen we have today.  In those days it was a VERY expensive commodity.  Only the ultra rich or royalty could even afford it.  

Why linen?  Because it is a very unique fabric which keeps the wearer cool in hot weather, and warm when it is cold, very practical qualities when you live in a hot climate.

God had a couple of other things in mind which also help explain why He chose linen.  On the mountain, Moses received VERY explicit instructions for every piece of clothing that the high priest would wear.  Every one of them has meaning and describes some aspect or attribute of our Lord Jesus, though of course He isn't dressed like that in heaven. These pictures serve as visual aids to teach us about our Great High Priest and are recorded for our learning and benefit.

Aaron, like as every high priest, wore a linen turban on his head and linen breeches under everything.  Yes, God invented underwear.  All the priests wore these linen breeches plus a long-sleeved, ankle-length tunic called a "kettoneth," again, all made of the finest white linen. Imagine the hefty price tag on that clothing line!  

For more on the topic of the kettoneth, follow the link below:

http://emmausrevelations.blogspot.com/2014/07/the-coat-of-many-colors.html

Attached to the front of Aaron's turban was a solid gold band with the words, "Kodesh leYahweh,"  [קֹ֖דֶשׁ לַֽיהוָֽה] which means, "Holiness to the LORD," in Hebrew.  He was to wear it at ALL times.  As long as the turban with the golden band was on his head, his thoughts were counted as holy before God was.  His thoughts were considered as representative of the thoughts of the entire nation and as the High Priest goes, so goes the nation.

White also speaks of purity and righteousness.  Every high priest was literally covered from head to toe in Jesus' purity and thus counted as pure by God.  Just as his thoughts were representative thoughts, so his representative righteousness was credited to the entire nation.

As it was then, so it is now except our High Priest, Jesus, lives FOREVER and actually IS pure, righteous and holy!  As our High Priest goes, so goes, the "nation:  the Church!"  His righteousness, purity and holiness are credited to us!  AMEN!  All Christans are kings and priests after the order of Melchizedek, just like our great High Priest, Jesus. 

The pure white garments of the priests are the very same as the pure white robes of the saints mentioned in the the book of Revelation; the white robes of righteousness given to every believer.  Though we are perfectly holy no righteous to God in our spirit, while we are in this unregenerate body, we sin from time to time.  But you and I have Jesus' covering on us so that our Father sees us IN Christ!  

As the Levites were priests of the old covenant, believers are ALL--every one of us--priests and kings not after the order of Levi, but after the order of Melchizedek; ministers of the New Covenant.  Melchizedek comes from two Hebrew words: melchi meaning "king," zedek meaning "righteousness." The King of Righteousness.  That's Jesus!

This quality of linen that keeps the wearer cool in hot weather, warm in colder temperatures is a message from God to those in ministry even today.  God wants His ministers to have cool heads--hence the turban, and cool passions--the purpose of the breeches.  In other words, He wants His ministers to be even-tempered.

But God had another very compelling reason why He chose linen found here in this curious passage in Ezekiel 44. I have capitalized a few word for emphasis.
Ezekiel 44:17 &18
"When they (the priests) come through the gates of the inner open space, they will be dressed in LINEN clothing. They must NOT wear any WOOL while they are serving inside the gates of the inner open space or in the house. 18 They will wear LINEN head-coverings (turbans) and LINEN underclothes. They must not dress in anything that makes their bodies wet with heat.(SWEAT)
God is concerned that His priests...US.....not sweat.  Why?  Because GOD HATES SWEAT!!!, or at least, what it represents. It was part of the curse from the garden.

God HATES sin, YES!....but He doesn't want to punish us; He wants to bless us. Unfortunately, under the old covenant, He had to curse more often than bless.  THAT'S WHY HE FOUND FAULT WITH THE TEN COMMANDMENTS, as it says in Hebrews 8. That is also why Jesus came and took ALL OUR PUNISHMENT for us; so Abba could have His heart's greatest desire: to bless and bless and bless and bless and bless!!!

It is quite possible to appear outwardly calm, cool and collected while, inside, your mind and emotions are racing and churning, your heart pounding with worry and fear.  Sweat represents human works, human effort, human reasoning, human striving, human worrying, etc.  God, FIRST AND FOREMOST, wants us to REST in Him. That's why we are "SEATED" in high places with Him.  Seated means we are at rest.

But HALLELUIA!!! When great drops of sinless blood mixed with the great drops of sweat of the second Adam, Jesus, in the second Garden, He redeemed OUR sweat--human works, human effort, human reasoning, striving, worrying, etc.--and bequeathed to us His rest and peace which He has bequeathed to us in this verse:
John 14:27
"My peace I leave with you; My peace I give you. Not as the world gives, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled; neither let it be afraid."

He wants above all for us NOT to be worried or afraid; to rest in Him and not "sweat;" to trust Him and be at rest.  And that, Church, is the picture the Holy Spirit was painting for us when He instructed Moses to record a full description of the Linen Garments of the High Priest.