In the Bible, an ephod is a garment worn by people who are holy. It is made of two pieces of cloth, which are joined together at the shoulders and fall to the waist. The ephod also has two shoulder straps attached to it so that it can be worn over the shoulders like a sash. Besides its use as a garment, an Ephod was also used for oracular purposes, in conjunction with Urim and Thummim; the Books of Samuel imply that whenever Saul or David wished to question God via oracular methods, they asked a priest for the ephod.
The ephod was worn by priests and their wives during times when they were worshipping God in the temple. It was made with gold threads woven into linen fabric, and had pomegranates on its hem (Exodus 28:6). The pomegranates symbolized fertility, which was important because priests were supposed to be able to have children (Exodus 19:5). It also had girdles attached to it that went around each armhole of the ephod. These girdles were decorated with bells (Exodus 28:33-35). The bells would make noise when they moved around while going through their daily tasks. This would remind people that they were worshipping God so they wouldn’t forget!
Items required for the priestly ephod:
Fabric and decoration
– Gold threads
– Linen fabric
– Pomegranates
Girdles
– Bells
| Fabric and decoration | Girdles |
|---|---|
| Gold threads | Bells |
| Linen fabric | |
| Pomegranates |
The ephod was an important garment worn by priests and their wives during worship in the temple. Made with gold threads woven into linen fabric, it featured pomegranates on its hem symbolizing fertility. The ephod also had girdles attached with bells that would make noise as the priests moved around, serving as a reminder of their devotion to God.
What Is an Ephod?
Have you ever played Balderdash? It’s a party game where you compete against your friends to create plausible definitions for obscure words. Ephod could very easily be a word for Balderdash. Here are a few made up definitions, but the right one is in there too.
a. An ornamented rod or staff used by royalty as a sign of authority
b. A unit of measurement used in the Ancient Near-East
c. An upper garment worn by a priest
d. A seal or stamp used by a notary to signify the legality of a binding contract.
C is the correct answer. But what specifically was this upper garment worn by a priest? And are there other uses for an ephod? Did the ephod hold any significance?
The simplest explanation of an ephod is given to us in Exodus 28:6-8.
“And they shall make the ephod of gold, of blue and purple and scarlet yarns, and of fine twined linen, skillfully worked. It shall have two shoulder pieces attached to its two edges, so that it may be joined together. And the skillfully woven band on it shall be made like it and be of one piece with it, of gold, blue and purple and scarlet yarns, and fine twined linen.”
Even though we have such detail, there is still some debate about the actual appearance of the ephod. Some believe it was more like an apron which would cover the chest to the heel, other believe it would have been more like a skirt enveloping the body from the waist down but attached to the breastplate, and yet others view it as more like a jacket with the middle exposed to insert the breastplate.
It should be noted that this was not part of the attire for every individual priest, but was unique to the high priest, or at least this was the case early on. Scripture says that Samuel wore a linen ephod (1 Samuel 2:18) and David also wore one (2 Samuel 6:14).
For the Aaronic priesthood, the ephod was given elaborate detail. This attention to detail and its costly production is an indication that this was one of the most important items among the priestly garments. It was also attached to the breastplate which contained the Urim and Thummim. This made the ephod part of seeking divine counsel. We see this use in 1 Samuel 23 and 30, when David asked for the ephod to “inquire of the Lord.”
This could explain why ephod seems to have a different meaning in other places of Scripture. It’s symbolism, I believe, caused it to take on a bit different form.
What Does the Ephod Symbolize in the Bible?
Gideon is said to have “made an ephod of [gold thrown in the fire] and put it in the city, in Ophrah,” according to the verse found in Judges 8:27. And the entire nation of Israel began to pursue it there, and it eventually turned into a trap for Gideon and his family. That does not give the impression that an ephod is supposed to be a piece of clothing, does it? A situation quite similar to this one takes place in Judges 17 when Micah elected his sons to serve as priests and fashioned an ephod out of silver. He also ordained domestic gods.
There is a widespread belief that the word “ephod” in the Bible can be interpreted in two distinct ways. This is something that I can comprehend why it is claimed, as it does appear to be the case. On the other hand, I would argue that the Bible only contains a single interpretation of the word “ephod,” and that the idolatrous interpretation is a concoction that misrepresents the true meaning of the word. If you have an understanding of what the ephod was supposed to represent, then you will be able to comprehend the distortion.
Why was the ephod given such a rich amount of detail? It is not necessary to provide such specific information regarding the priest’s attire. What exactly is God concerned about when it comes to the clothing that the priest wears? One should take into consideration the role that a priest plays as a mediator between God and humanity. Each and every one of these decorations is intended to demonstrate not only the majesty of God but also the impossibility of humans returning to our Creator without the assistance of a mediator. Our sin has caused a rift between us and God. On the other hand, God has kindly made it possible for us to maintain our connection with one another.
In this context, what function does an ephod serve? One of the components of this mediation procedure was the ephod. In addition, the fact that it was connected to the Urim and Thummim conveys the message that it was an integral element of the contact with God. It is for this reason that we saw David requesting the ephod whenever he was looking for information. In addition, I believe that this is the reason why Gideon and Micah are shown preparing a “ephod.” It is true that at that point in time, they are not seeking to replicate an article of clothing; rather, they are attempting to establish a relationship with God (or the gods).
As a result, I would contend that the Bible contains only one ephod, rather than two of them. Both the means of access that are prescribed by God (in which an ephod plays a role) and the means by which mankind strives to seize control of connection with the divine are included in this category. Not only does this let us begin to see the significance of an ephod, but it also enables us to comprehend the reason why we no longer make use of one.
Why Is the Ephod So Significant?
When our first couple was in the Garden of Eden, they were able to freely speak with God. However, ever since they consumed the forbidden fruit, our communication with God and with each other has been broken. This has been the case since the beginning of time. In point of fact, we are able to trace the beginning of our communication breakdown back to the occasion when humanity listened to the serpent talk. It is helpful to have Paul Tripp here:
“Words that challenge the authority of God, lies, false interpretations of life, accusations and blame against God and man all have their origin in this moment of dramatic change,” the author writes. During the time that Adam and Eve are acting on the words that Satan has spoken, the world of discussion transforms into a world of trouble. We are no longer merely reflecting the image of God through the words that we speak; rather, we are also reflecting the image of the serpent. Instead of speaking up to the standard that God has set for us, we frequently speak down to the standard that the serpent has set. Our words no longer accurately portray the design that God has created; rather, they frequently portray the deception that Satan has. Communication is no longer simple or secure. In contrast, we live in a society in which falsehoods are used to manipulate, words of anger are used to wound, deception is used to ruin, slander is used to harm, condemnation is used to pull down, and words of disrespect are used to undermine the authorities that God has established (Tripp 26).
Our conversation has come to an end. But so is the way we listen to it. Unfortunately, the lines of communication between God and humanity have been severed. However, God mercifully established the means by which He would continue to converse with humankind all throughout eternity. It was the ephod that was one of these. Even the symbolism of it communicated with the people; it conveyed not only the fact that we are sinners but also the fact that God wants to continue communicating with humanity. Within its very being was a symbol that embodied both mercy and condemnation.
Therefore, it should not come as a surprise that a channel through which God would interact with people would once again be corrupted by sinful humans. In the aftermath of the fall, this is what transpired with Gideon, Micah, and every other human being. Instead of communicating with God on His terms, we would like to connect with him on our own terms. Our goal is to exert authority over heavenly communication. This is the way that the flesh operates.
To our great relief, the ephod itself was merely a pointer. God’s purpose for communicating with humanity does not include this particular method as the sole means of doing so. His Son would be the means by which he would ultimately speak with us. And the restoration of our communication with God would be accomplished through the person and work of Jesus Christ. It is for this reason that we do not continue to make use of materials such as an ephod (or cast lots). It is through His Son that God has communicated with us in a decisive manner.
Even today, an ephod is a sign that points to Jesus. Although it is a sign of the broken status of our contact with God, it also demonstrates that God desires to continue communicating with humanity. However, in the end, it demonstrates that it is nothing more than a shadow. This hints at the more profound communication that was going to take place through Christ. At this moment, Jesus acts as a door stop that cannot be moved upon entering the throne room of God. We are able to communicate with the Father as a result of the job that Jesus successfully completed. As a result of who Jesus is, we do not require an ephod. This is very encouraging news. Even in this day and age, God continues to communicate with us via Jesus.