They made the ephod of gold, and of blue, purple and scarlet yarn, and of finely twisted linen. – Exodus 39:2

Today’s Scripture Reading (September 18, 2018): Exodus 39

I don’t like uniforms. I have worked with people who came to work every day wearing a suit and tie that often identified them and their position. That was their uniform. I am much more likely to show up at work wearing a sweatshirt and track pants, especially if I am not expecting to meet with anyone. If I have a board meeting or a denominational meeting, then sometimes, a real emphasis on sometimes, I grab a shirt and tie out of my closet in the morning. But if left to my preferences, a sweatshirt and pair of track pants work fine for me.

Having said that, while I am moving away from any kind of uniform or standard of dress, our culture is beginning to shift towards it, especially for non-profits. The problem is one of identification. When I am walking down the street, I tend to blend in with the rest of humanity. I am very comfortable being one of the masses. So when I stop and talk to that elderly lady out cutting her grass, or joke with a senior out on his walk, or high five with that teenager excited about passing an exam, I am not wearing a clerical collar, and there is nothing that identifies me outwardly as a pastor. And for insurance purposes, that is a problem. The easiest solution is wearing name tags, which I am also not that fond of, but it is becoming a necessary evil. In practice, this is becoming essential for those people on the front lines meeting the visitor as they enter the building.

The Ephod was a kind of uniform. It eventually came to identify a priest who was actively ministering before God. It was also used for inquiring of God about future events. But the ephod was not a form of complete clothing. It was usually worn with something else under it. In this, it was almost more of a name tag. It, worn over other clothes, identified someone working on behalf of God.

And so, when David danced wearing an ephod as the Ark of the Covenant was brought into Jerusalem, and his wife complained that he was dancing “half-naked” (2 Samuel 6:20). Often I have heard this incident described as “David dancing in his underwear,” but that isn’t quite right.  It seems likely that David was dancing with just the ephod on, this partial outer garment, not caring about who was watching. In the mind of David, the others really didn’t matter. His attention was focused solely on his God.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Exodus 40