Bells Are Ringing

Bells Are Ringing

Bible Blast: Read Exodus 28:31-35

Aaron will wear this robe whenever he ministers before the LORD, and the bells will tinkle. Exodus 28:35

On days you’re having a hard time figuring out what to wear, your mom might tell you, “Honey, it’s not a matter of life or death.” Well, in the case of Aaron—Moses’ brother who was the priest of Israel—it totally was a matter of life or death! If he didn’t wear every piece of clothing that God had called him to wear to do his work at a certain time, he would die. What on earth was he wearing anyway?

The clothes Aaron was instructed to wear for worship and sacrifices were made “with fine linen cloth, gold thread, and blue, purple, and scarlet thread” (Exodus 28:5). The chest piece had actual gemstones, like emerald, turquoise, blue lapis, moonstone, amethyst, and onyx, all set in gold. These are the kinds of things modern women wear on their fingers in rings. Verse 36 describes a gold medallion that had “HOLY TO THE LORD” inscribed in it. The medallion was worn on Aaron’s forehead over his turban.

Perhaps most interesting is the hem of Aaron’s garment. Verses 31-35 say that the hem of Aaron’s robe had two things attached to it—embroidered pomegranates and bells. The pomegranate tassels were made out of blue, purple, and red yarn, and a gold bell hung between each of the pomegranates. So if you were an Israelite relaxing in your tent, you would know when Aaron was going to do his priestly job because you would hear the tintinnabulation of the bells on his garment.

Tintann—what? That’s a cool new word I learned. Tintinnabulation is the sound produced by the ringing of a bell—and Aaron’s hem was full of them! Why? Some Bible scholars believe the bells were necessary so that the people of Israel could hear him walking through the camp and know that he was about to go into the presence of God. The bells called out to remind the people to pray for Aaron.

Today, our church leaders don’t wear bells on the hems of their garments, but we are still called to pray for them in humility. Have you been praying for your church leaders?

Girl Gab: Do you have any objects that produce tintinnabulation in your house? Go ahead and ring them for a moment before you pray for your pastor, children’s ministry director, or other church leaders.