The Plate of Gold

In this plate we get another mark of God’s grace toward His people. Only that which was suited to His presence could be accepted by Him. All that was offered must be stamped with holiness. The inscription on this plate — “HOLINESS TO THE LORD” — speaks of this (Ex. 28:36). Christ, as our High Priest, bears “the iniquity of the holy things” (precious thought, that even our failures in drawing near to God are met by Him!), and He Himself is holiness. Thus the worship of the Christian, presented through Him, is acceptable to God.
The plate of gold was placed on the miter which was made of fine twined linen, and which would speak of the purity that was necessary in one who would stand in the presence of God on behalf of others.
The service of Aaron and his sons, when it was a question of atonement, or putting away of sins on which God’s judgment must come, was conducted in the fine linen, or “holy garments.” The burnt offering which tells of the acceptance of the worshipper according to the sweet savor of the sacrifice, was a service of different character, and it would seem that Aaron in this service wore the garments “for glory and for beauty,” which, as we have been considering, represented the people, and therefore identified them with himself in glory and beauty. Thus is the believer now accepted before God, in Christ. When once a year the sins of the people were numbered and brought before God, Aaron laid aside his garments of glory and beauty and, robed in the garments of fine linen, entered the holiest. Spotless from head to foot in these “holy garments,” he presents a fitting picture of the One who stood in His own holiness before God, to make atonement for the sins of others.