I gotta have my orange juice.

The Levitical laws of uncleanness (Leviticus 16, etc.) generally have to do with the exposure of the “innermost man” to the outside world, especially in the context of participating in worship. The man who is walking in the flesh—the man who is lacking clean hands or a pure heart—is unwelcome in God’s house.

It is well known that the tabernacle-temple is a model of the human body. It is less well known that the high priest is a model of the tabernacle-temple, but Peter Leithart, James Jordan, and others observe this. The high priest’s garments are a sort of inside-out representation of the tabernacle-temple; starting with the ornate breastpiece, which appears to be a model of the ark. In fact, in 1 Sam 14:18, there is some uncertainty or equivocation between ephod and ark. Moreover, the ephod has two stones in it, just like the ark. As you move inward, the priest’s clothing can be said to correspond to the holy place and then to the courtyard.

What I find interesting here is the contrast between the inside-out of the high priest’s garments, and the inside-out of bodily discharges. You could say that the laws of purification are meant to teach what kind of inner life is forbidden to God’s people: a fleshly inner life. By the same token, the priest’s garments are meant to display what kind of inner life is prescribe for God’s people: an inner life of glory and beauty; an inner life that has a “heart of stone,” a heart that is tutored by God’s word and law. It is interesting, in this light, to consider that God wishes to replace our hearts of stone-law with hearts of flesh. God intends to transform our flesh to his purposes rather than to sinful purposes.