"Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: who, being in the form of God, thought not equality with God a prize to be grasped: but emptied Himself, and took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: and being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross." [Phil 2:5-8]
Regarding Jesus’ glorious and victorious work upon earth, the most awe-inspiring accomplishment of our Savior was the cross. The cross, “the power of God, and the wisdom of God,” [1 Cor 1:24] is the most blessed work of God, that which was prepared before time began and around which all of history has revolved. But more than the cross, the man upon the cross; for without Christ Jesus, it is but a piece of wood, and as Hezekiah said regarding the bronze serpent which does signify the cross, so too we could say it, “he called it Nehushtan, [that is, being interpreted, ‘a thing of brass.’].” [2 Ki 18:4] Truly, it is Jesus Christ which makes the cross so important of a symbol to us: the fact that The Son of God Himself died upon that cursed tree, “being made a curse for us,” [Gal 3:13] offering Himself up “an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling fragrance,” [Eph 5:1] that we might be saved. Yes, a thousand praises be to our God for accomplishing such a victory for us.
Thus, it is to the cross where we turn our eyes today, and specifically, to a passage in Philippians. For it is here that we learn an astonishing truth, that Jesus “emptied Himself.” In His descent to earth, taking upon Himself “the form of a servant…being found in fashion as a man,” Jesus “emptied Himself.” He did not sit in heaven, a lofty and aloof king, looking down sternly upon his subjects; no, but in tender and glorious love, for His great love wherewith He loved us, Jesus descended, not thinking “equality with God, [which He fully enjoyed], a prize to be grasped.” But what does it mean that Jesus emptied Himself? Emptied of what? And how? Let us venture to answer this if but only in part – for who has known the mind of The LORD? Who can plumb the great depths of this unspeakable work which God has accomplished? It is “high as heaven,” and “deeper than hell;” [Job 11:8] the great work which Christ wrought when He came down and paid for our sins is beyond comprehension. The breadth, length, depth, and height of Jesus’ love is boundless and supreme. And so, we may feebly attempt to write but a jot and tittle as it were in the great volume that may be written regarding The King of Glory’s victory.
In the law, God said regarding the tabernacle,
“But unto the place which The LORD your God shall choose out of all your tribes to put His name there, even unto His habitation shall ye seek, and thither thou shalt come: and thither ye shall bring your…offerings…” [Deut 12:5, 6]
The tabernacle was a holy place, a special place: a location set apart. And why is that? Because God had chosen to place His name there. But there is yet another reason. Reading in Exodus, God says, “and there will I meet with the children of Israel, and the tabernacle shall be sanctified by my glory.” [Ex 29:43] And in fulfillment of that word, it came to pass that “a cloud covered the tent of the congregation, and the glory of The LORD filled the tabernacle.” [Ex 40:34] The tabernacle did not just have God in name, but God in reality; it was not just that God had said, “this is a special place, I quite like it;” but more than that, The LORD Himself abode in it and upon it, that sacred place bearing witness to such a fact through the cloud and the fire.
We see plainly that the tabernacle was chosen and set apart, marked out by God’s presence. But let us also see how Israel was chosen and set apart. For it is written,
“Thou art an holy people unto The LORD thy God: The LORD thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto Himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth.” [Deut 7:6; 14:2]
And as God said, so it is true, even to this day: Israel is His chosen and holy people. Yes, even today, for “as touching the election, they are beloved for the father’s sakes. For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance;” [Rom 11:28-29] and again, as touching the fact that “blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in,” it is written, “in that day will I raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen…and I will build it as in the days of old.” [Rom 11:25, Amo 9:11, Acts 15:13-17]
It is evident; Israel is holy unto The LORD, chosen and marked out, “above all the nations that are upon the earth.” [Deut 14:2] And may we indicate, dear reader, another holy participant in God’s righteous plan: the high priest. For we read in Hebrews regarding that position, of which only a man from the tribe of Levi could hold, (for it is written, “the priests the sons of Levi shall come near; for them The LORD thy God hath chosen to minister unto Him.” [Deut 21:5]), “and no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron.” [Heb 5:4] Do notice that not only was the position holy, in that one must needs be chosen by God, but also holy because only men from the tribe of Levi were acceptable. Thus, the position is doubly holy.
Having this knowledge, let us now read regarding the Day of Atonement. It was to be, “in the seventh month, on the tenth day of the month,” [Lev 16:29] that Israel was commanded to observe the festival. It was a somber time, as God said, “ye shall afflict your souls, and do no work at all,” [Lev 16:29] and, “whatsoever soul it be that shall not be afflicted in that same day, he shall be cut off from among his people.” [Lev 23:29] This day was instituted by God to be accomplished once every year, for that purpose to which God said:
“For on that day shall the priest make an atonement for you, to cleanse you, that ye may be clean from all your sins before The LORD…and he shall make an atonement for the holy sanctuary, and he shall make an atonement for the tabernacle of the congregation, and for the altar, and he shall make an atonement for the priests, and for all the people of the congregation. And this shall be an everlasting statute unto you, to make an atonement for the children of Israel for all their sins once a year.” [Lev 16:30, 33-34]
But what was so special and unique about this day was not so much the atonement, but who was performing it and where; for atonement was continually being performed throughout the year, albeit in far less extraordinary fashion. But here, on this particular day, and only this day, the high priest was to be the one carrying out these things; yes, and him alone – for God says, “and there shall be no man in the tabernacle of the congregation when he goeth in to make an atonement in the holy place, until he come out…” [Lev 16:27] And further, upon this sacred day, and only this day, the high priest was to enter into the holy of holies, as it was commanded of God, “speak unto Aaron thy brother, that he come not at all times into the holy place within the vail before the mercy seat…[but on this day] thus shall Aaron come into the holy place;” [Lev 16:2, 3] and, “but into the [Holiest of all] went the high priest alone once every year.” [Heb 9:7] And so it was ordained of God that on this holy Day of Atonement, the high priest would enter into the holy of holies and perform that which was written. Now it was that upon this day, in the service of this rigorous day, The LORD commanded regarding the high priest,
“He shall put on the holy linen coat, and he shall have the linen breeches upon his flesh, and he shall be girded with a linen girdle, and with the linen mitre shall he be attired.” [Lev 16:4]
What is peculiar about this, is that these were not the normal high priestly garments. No, for his normal garments were much more ornate, having many jewels and colors, being of very great expense. But on this day he wore but simple, linen garb: there was not much to look at upon this day. This truth in particular is where we shall draw our focus today. For we see almost a contradiction; that is, if we were to view things after the flesh and after the wisdom of this world. For in this world, men wear ornate and wealthy garments on days which are much set apart – but on this holiest of days in the holiest of places by the holiest of men, it was quite the opposite.
Now, If this truth has not struck you quite yet, do as Mary did, who “pondered [those sayings regarding Jesus] in her heart,” [Lk 2:19] for we shall soon come to a conclusion regarding these things.
Let us summarize thus far and place our Lord Jesus square in the center of our understanding of these things; for in so doing we shall reap some encouragement. First, the tabernacle was chosen and set apart, made holy by God’s name and God’s presence. Second, Israel was chosen and set apart, made holy by God’s free and voluntary choice. Third, the high priest was only to be of the tribe of Levi, those chosen specifically to minister to The LORD. Fourth, the high priest could only have been chosen by God. Sixth, once a year, and only once a year, upon a set day, the Day of Atonement was to take place. Seventh, during the Day of Atonement, the high priest was allowed into that most holy place – this being the only allowable time and person in which such a thing could be carried out. And finally, eighth, upon this day the high priest was wearing normal, linen garments instead of his ornate high priestly ones.
We have taken great efforts to come to this place. Many words have been spent in an attempt to display the holiness of this act which took place on the Day of Atonement. It was in the holiest place in all of creation. In God’s chosen country and God’s chosen people; in God’s chosen city; in God’s chosen building; in God’s chosen space; in God’s chosen day; by God’s chosen priest, taken out from among God’s chosen tribe – yes in this fashion, the high priest adorned himself with linen garments and wrought atonement for Israel.
Let us remember how we started: that Jesus “emptied Himself” when He came down to earth, taking upon Himself a human body to make atonement for sin. Herein we see one aspect of that truth: that Jesus disrobed Himself of glory. Remember how we have shown that the high priest upon the Day of Atonement, (a day which no doubt displays and foreshadows Jesus’ atonement upon the cross), wore only linen garments. The high priest did not wear his normal garments, for again, after most all was accomplished, The LORD says, “and Aaron…shall put off the linen garments…and put on his garments.” [Lev 16:23-24] In this we see how that in the same manner that the high priest put off the high priestly and beautiful garments at first, to put on normal, linen garments, so too Jesus disrobed of his glorious body, taking upon Himself “the likeness of sinful flesh.” [Rom 8:3] And to the truth that Jesus enjoyed a far more spectacular body than when He came to earth, it is evident. For when Ezekiel saw a heavenly vision of God’s throne, he caught a glimpse of Christ, and wrote,
“And above the firmament that was over their heads was the likeness of a throne, as the appearance of a sapphire stone: and upon the likeness of the throne was the likeness as the appearance of a man above upon it. And I saw as the color of amber, as the appearance of fire round about within it, from the appearance of His loins even upward, and from the appearance of His loins even downward, I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and it had brightness round about. As the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness round about. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of The LORD. And when I saw it, I fell upon my face, and I heard a voice of one that spake.” [Ezek 1:26-28]
And again, Isaiah,
“In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also The Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and the flowing skirt of His robe filled the temple. Above it stood the seraphim: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly. And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is The LORD of Hosts: the whole earth is full of His glory. And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke. Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen The King, The LORD of Hosts.” [Isa 6:1-5]
Our Lord Jesus, before He came to earth and took upon Himself a body of a man, was clothed in excellent glory. He was surrounded by angels and constant praise; He was high and lifted up, and so awesome and wonderful was the sight of His body, that with two of their wings, each angel “covered his face,” and both Ezekiel and Isaiah fell down as dead. And He, sitting upon the throne, clothed in glory, high and lifted up, of whom it says, “who humbleth Himself to behold the things that are in heaven, and in the earth,” [Psa 113:6] did not esteem that position as something to cling to, but willingly, mercifully, graciously gave it up so that He might come and dwell with us, and that He might, “by the blood of [His] covenant,” save us “out of the pit wherein is no water.” [Zech 9:11] Our Lord Jesus emptied Himself of His glory. But Jesus did not just take upon Himself any body, He took upon Himself a normal, unassuming body. For in Isaiah we read, “He hath no beautiful form nor decoration; and when we shall see Him, there is no appearance that we should delight in Him.” [Isa 53:2] Like the high priest wore undecorated clothing, so too Jesus, when He disrobed of His infinite glory and took upon Himself flesh. And let us go further and see that though the Day of Atonement was so holy, so set apart, so absolutely special, the high priest yet wore very normal clothes. In this world, among men, this is backwards; for the men of this world, on special days, love to dress up and show off their wealth. However, it was not so on that solemn festival. Nor yet was it with Christ, who came to fight and war and conquer all our enemies, dashing them to pieces through the work of His cross. For if the Day of Atonement is holy, much more the day upon which Jesus died. So let us stare up at Christ, let us do as we are exhorted and “behold the man!” [Zech 6:12, Jn 19:5] let us gaze upon such glory, that though Jesus came to do so magnificent a work, so holy a work, yet He did it in such a normal and dull body. May His glory and reward be multiplied a thousand-fold through our praises of such things; for our King’s meekness and so humility go beyond the expression of words.
Click here to see more posts in Daily Meditations on Jesus’ Glory, Vol III