Birthstone & Breastplate
I was born in October so my birthstone is Opal. I never really liked the color so when it came time to get a class ring, I chose September, which was my grandmother’s birth month, and the stone was Sapphire. I still have the ring because it’s special to me and it was very expensive in relative terms at the time. I remember my Mom asking for a “Mothers Ring”. This ring featured a birthstone from each of her kids’ birth month. My Mom had five living children and one stillborn. She could look at that ring and think of her children.
The Lord instructed His chosen people to create as part of the Priests garments a breastplate, which was nine inches square and contained 12 stones – one for each of the sons of Israel. I’m not sure if each of the stones represented a birth month. It was to be attached to the ephod and basically cover the heart. Check this out…
8 They fashioned the breast piece—the work of a skilled craftsman. They made it like the ephod: of gold, and of blue, purple and scarlet yarn, and of finely twisted linen. 9 It was square—a span long and a span wide—and folded double. 14 There were twelve stones, one for each of the names of the sons of Israel, each engraved like a seal with the name of one of the twelve tribes. (Exodus 39:8-9; 14 NIV)
I think it was neat that the Lord instructed the people to fashion a breastplate with 12 engraved stones. Every time it was seen, they couldn’t help but remember their ancestry. I think it’s also significant that the priest wore it next to his heart. I think it was a reminder to everyone about the significance of the lives of the original 12 sons of Israel. They were the founding fathers of what had become a nation of people.
I think it’s wise to connect the dots or the limbs and branches of the family tree. There was a dynamic inside the family that changes with time and there is history in that family that can’t be re-written. I looked back on the heritage of my family. My parents were both from a large family and they had a large family. I ended up with a large family, as did my sisters and brothers. I am where I am today because of the faith and love of my family. My family had and still has tremendous influence on me. I think it’s important to never forget that. I think the breastplate and the mothers rings scream out the influence of family.
Pressing On!
Dwayne