Purpose of Divine Equipment in Biblical Context
Divine equipment in the biblical context serves various purposes, primarily related to worship, priestly functions, and spiritual warfare. The Old Testament provides numerous examples of specially designated items, from priestly garments to tabernacle furnishings, each with a specific role in Israel's relationship with God.
The "holy garments" for Aaron and his sons, described in Exodus, were essential for their priestly office [1, 2, 3]. These garments were not inherently holy but were set apart for sacred functions, symbolizing the solemnity and distinction of the priests' duties [9]. Their design was intended for "glory and for beauty," reflecting the grandeur appropriate for the tabernacle, which was adapted to the early stages of the church [9].
Beyond priestly attire, the tabernacle itself contained numerous items of divine equipment. The cherubim, for instance, were symbolic figures associated with God's presence and abode, first appearing at the expulsion from Eden and later on the ark of the covenant in the tabernacle [6]. All the vessels and tools for the tabernacle, including its pegs, were specified to be made of brass or copper, indicating their designated use in the construction and maintenance of the sacred space [11]. The overall design of the tabernacle and its contents, including the court, emphasized the sacredness of Israel as the congregation of the Lord [11, 12].
In the New Testament, the concept of divine equipment shifts from physical objects to spiritual metaphors, particularly in the context of spiritual warfare. Paul's description of the "armor of God" in Ephesians 6:14-17 uses the imagery of a Roman soldier's equipment to represent the spiritual provisions given to believers. This spiritual armor, which includes God's righteousness, is primarily for defense, enabling believers to stand firm against spiritual adversaries [7]. The focus is not on the precise function of each piece of armor but on God's gifts that provide protection and the ability to maintain one's ground [7].
The sacrificial system, a central element of Old Testament worship, is also considered a divine institution, appointed by God as the means for guilty humanity to offer acceptable worship [5]. The book of Hebrews explains that the Old Testament sacrifices and tabernacle rituals were "copies of the things in the heavens," necessitating their cleansing. However, heavenly things themselves required "better sacrifices" [4], which Adam Clarke interprets as referring to Christ's role as the high priest who entered the sanctuary "by his own blood" to obtain eternal redemption [8]. John Gill further emphasizes the necessity of these Old Testament types to correspond to the Messiah, who is the substance of all types [10].
Sources
- Exodus “the finely worked garments for ministering in the holy place, the holy garments for Aaron the priest, and the garments of his sons, to minister in the priest’s office. -- Exodus 39:41”
- Exodus “the finely worked garments, for ministering in the holy place, the holy garments for Aaron the priest, and the garments of his sons, to minister in the priest’s office.’” -- Exodus 35:19”
- Exodus “the finely worked garments—the holy garments for Aaron the priest—the garments of his sons to minister in the priest’s office, -- Exodus 31:10”
- Hebrews “It was necessary therefore that the copies of the things in the heavens should be cleansed with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. -- Hebrews 9:23”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Sacrifice — The offering up of sacrifices is to be regarded as a divine institution. It did not originate with man. God himself appointed it as the mode in which acceptable worship was to be offered to him by guilty man. The language and the idea of sacrifice pervade the whole Bible. Sacrifices were offered in the ante-diluvian age. The Lord clothed Adam and Eve with the skins of animals, which in all probability had been offered in sacrifice (Gen. 3:21). Abel offered a sacrifice "of the firstlings of his flock" (4:4; Heb. 11:4). A distinction also was made between c”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Cherub — Plural cherubim, the name of certain symbolical figures frequently mentioned in Scripture. They are first mentioned in connection with the expulsion of our first parents from Eden (Gen. 3:24). There is no intimation given of their shape or form. They are next mentioned when Moses was commanded to provide furniture for the tabernacle (Ex. 25:17-20; 26:1, 31). God promised to commune with Moses "from between the cherubim" (25:22). This expression was afterwards used to denote the Divine abode and presence (Num. 7:89; 1 Sam. 4:4; Isa. 37:16; Ps. 80:1; 99:1). In”
- Ephesians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Ephesians 6:14: 6:14-17 Paul uses the physical armor worn by Roman soldiers as imagery for spiritual armor used by believers. Most of this equipment is to defend, not to attack. Paul’s focus is not on the precise functions of each piece but on God’s gifts. Grounding in Christ and Scripture provides protection and ability to stand your ground (cp. Jas 4:7; 1 Pet 5:8-9). 6:14 God’s righteousness: Either the righteousness God credits to those who believe in Christ, or the righteous way of life brought about by the transforming work of the Spirit of God in believers’ lives. The on”
- Hebrews (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Hebrews 9:11: But Christ being come a high priest of good things - I think this and the succeeding verses not happily translated: indeed, the division of them has led to a wrong translation; therefore they must be taken together, thus: But the Christ, the high priest of those good things (or services) which were to come, through a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is, not of the same workmanship, entered once for all into the sanctuary; having obtained eternal redemption for us, not by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood, Heb 9:13. Fo”
- Exodus (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on Exodus 28:2: holy garments--No inherent holiness belonged either to the material or the workmanship. But they are called "holy" simply because they were not worn on ordinary occasions, but assumed in the discharge of the sacred functions (Eze 44:19). for glory and for beauty--It was a grand and sumptuous attire. In material, elaborate embroidery, and color, it had an imposing splendor. The tabernacle being adapted to the infantine aid of the church, it was right and necessary that the priests' garments should be of such superb and dazzling appearance, that the pe”
- Hebrews (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Hebrews 9:23: It was therefore necessary,.... On account of the divine appointment, and that types and antitypes might correspond; and especially it was necessary with respect to the Messiah, the substance and body of all types. So Jonathan ben Uzziel paraphrases the text in Exo 40:9, "and thou shalt take the anointing oil, and thou shalt anoint the tabernacle, and all that is in it; and thou shall sanctify it, because of the crown of the kingdom of the house of Judah, and the King Messiah, who shall redeem Israel in the latter days.'' Upon his account it was necessary, that”
- Exodus (Lutheran) “Keil & Delitzsch on Exodus 27:19: "All the vessels of the dwelling in all the work thereof (i.e., all the tools needed for the tabernacle), and all its pegs, and all the pegs of the court, (shall be of) brass or copper." The vessels of the dwelling are not the things required for the performance of worship, but the tools used in setting up the tabernacle and taking it down again. If we inquire still further into the design and meaning of the court, the erection of a court surrounding the dwelling on all four sides is to be traced to the same circumstance as that which rendered it necessary to ”
- Deuteronomy (Lutheran) “Keil & Delitzsch on Deuteronomy 23:9: Preservation of the Purity of the Camp in Time of War. - The bodily appearance of the people was also to correspond to the sacredness of Israel as the congregation of the Lord, especially when they gathered in hosts around their God. "When thou marchest out as a camp against thine enemies, beware of every evil thing." What is meant by an "evil thing" is stated in Deu 23:10-13, viz., uncleanness, and uncleanliness of the body. Deu 23:10-11 The person who had become unclean through a nightly occurrence, was to go out of the camp and remain there till he had ”