The reading plan I follow in my daily Bible reading had me in Ezekiel recently, and a few verses in chapter 44 caught my attention. The last 8 chapters of the book deal with visions of a new temple and instructions for Levitical priests who serve in that temple. Chapter 44 in particular contains specific rules for the priests, and one of the things I noticed concerned their garments: when they were leaving the holy place and entering the outer court where those who were not priests remained, the priests were to change their cloths “lest they communicate holiness to the people with their garments” (Ezekiel 44:19). So the ordinary people went to the temple to worship and to sacrifice, but were kept totally separate, not just from the holy place where the glory of God rested, but even from the clothes that had been worn in that place.
Contrast this with Jesus, our Great High Priest. All through the gospels, we see that Jesus never hesitated to rub elbows with the common and ordinary. Though the holiest of all priests, He engaged with the outcasts and socially unacceptable people without reservation. And through Him, we – ordinary, common sinners – can boldly approach the throne of grace and He who is seated upon that throne with confidence. We’re no longer segregated into the outer court, kept apart from the glory and presence of the Lord by our sinful humanity. We can confidently enter the holy place through the blood of Christ, and that is nothing short of a miracle. Truly, thanks be to God for this great gift.
For further reading on Jesus as our great high priest, see Hebrews, particularly chapters 4, 5, 7, 9, 10.
Your comments also reminded me of how the world looks at someone. They are more concerned with the “outer garments” than what is inside. Thankfully Jesus looks at the inside, our heart, not just how we are on the outside.