Earrings, Piercings, and Christians

There are many denominations that forbid earrings, some based upon 1 Timothy 2:9-10 or 1 Peter 3:3, and others on Leviticus 19:28. Is there any merit to this?

Introduction

As I was studying Moses' second address in Deuteronomy, I came across a passage about self disfigurement and for some reason, gauges, or "ear-stretching" came to my mind. I talked about this issue of self disfigurement in the post dedicated to that passage (found here), but it also made me think about piercings in general. There are quite a few denominations that forbid piercings, even earrings on women. It all stems back to Leviticus 19:28.

In today's society a lot of piercings that use to be taboo, are completely normal: nose rings, belly rings, multiple holes in the ear. Of course, these same piercings were quite normal amongst tribes before colonization... When people start piercing their eyebrows, tongue, and cheeks, society might start to label them edgy or alternative and people may begin getting a little uncomfortable. In a professional setting, many of these are still frowned upon, but simple earrings (1 hole) in each ear for women has never been a questionable thing. In fact, for the longest time I was the only girl in my grade who didn't have her ears pierced.

It took me 3 attempts to get my ears pierced: the first time they grew cysts and had an allergic reaction to the fake earrings, and the second time a store sold me one fake earring in a box with a real earring (they were both supposed to be real) which cause another allergic reaction and the holes closed. Now that I've had them pierced with no trouble for 6 years, here I am wondering if all this time God was telling me not to do it in the first place...
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Leviticus 19:28

Photocredit: FreeImages.com/Carlos Sillero

The verse that everyone against even the simplest and most modest earrings quotes is Leviticus 19:28.

Ye shall not make any cuttings in your flesh for the dead, nor print any marks upon you: I am the Lord.Leviticus 19:28 KJV

The logic they propose is that piercing your ear is the same as "cuttings in your flesh." Of course, it also says "for the dead" to which most people will say that they didn't pierce their ears for a dead person. In fact many girls probably had their ears pierced as a baby, before they were even capable of making the choice. To understand the verse, we have to understand both the context of verse and the history of piercings.
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Context

If one declares that piercings are cuts in the flesh, then one also has to agree that surgery of any form is definitely cutting the flesh. Should a mother turn down a C-Section when the doctor says the baby can't be born naturally? It all hinges on that phrase "for the dead." Much of the text in the books of law, commands the Israelites not to adopt the traditions of the surrounding cultures, especially not the traditions that included idol worship.

Likely, it was an Amorite tradition God was warning them to refrain from. The Israelites were to destroy the Amorites when they entered the promised land, which makes it even more likely that their tradition is being referenced in this verse. The Amorites cut their skin with razors or their nails any time someone died. It was even common for someone to cut off part of their ear! The Scythians, Carthaginians, Phoenicians, and even Romans (all pagan nations) followed this tradition as well.^[1]
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The History of Earrings

It's obvious that God's purpose for this command is to ward off paganism, so the next question is why did people start piercing themselves. Basically, do piercings have root in paganism?

Before diving into the history of piercings from the beginning I want to establish what Jewish law says about piercings—not because Jewish law is infallible, Jesus already proved that they weren't particularly good at interpreting the law each time He corrected the Pharisees, but because it is the closest tradition we have to God's law. Like with Christians, piercings are controversial in Jewish culture, however one Rabbi concludes that while they are not forbidden, the act does not reflect well upon Jewish values.^[2]

Now back to the question of how earrings began. I want to discuss earrings in the secular world, then earrings as they are mentioned in the Bible.
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In the Secular World

Today, piercing seems like a perfectly normal and harmless form of expression; while people may associate what they consider extreme or unusual piercings with the occult, piercing the ears is usually not associated with anything other than normalcy. Though the trend fell out fashion for a while, it's even normal for men to wear earrings now. Interestingly, the practice of wearing one earring used to be a sign of homosexuality.^[3][4][6] It is thought that this custom originated from the Pacific Islands.^[3] I see the arguments for not making an unintentional statement, however, I find this to be a weak example of why you should not wear earrings. God told us He put a rainbow in the sky as a reminder of His covenant with Noah, now more than 4,000 years later, the LGBT community is claiming the rainbow as one of their signs. Does that mean we have to shun all things rainbow? Of course not, God's creation of the rainbow holds the power. Now, you may have to think about how you display a rainbow or include text to avoid confusion, but there's no reason not enjoy the imagery of God's very first covenant with man. Similarly, I highly doubt God was warning the Israelites about some tradition going on in the Pacific Islands. It is known that the cultures in the Pacific Islands were likely around during Moses' era,^[5] so this tradition could have been in effect when God command the Israelites, but all of the other traditions God warns them about come from pagan cultures that were right at their doorsteps, which leads me to think that this is stretching a bit.

There definitely is an established basis of piercings relating to paganism, however. From the practice found in the Pacific Islands, to the practices found in the native tribes of Americas and Africa, the earliest piercings date to prehistoric times. Piercings were often parts of religious rituals and rites.^[7] There are also cultures in Southeast Asia that using piercings as a form of spiritual self-mortification.^[8] In India, there are religious festivals (particularly Thaipusam) in which the tongue and or cheek is pierced. Unlike the common tongue piercings of today, these piercings could disable the tongue from retracting back into the mouth!^[11][12]

Many sites state that lots of cultures believed that demons could enter the body through the ears, and that ears were pierced because the metallic properties of the earrings warded away the demons. They suggest that the it was rooted in the idea of magic.^[9][10] I haven't found a credible source to back up this thought; however, when you think about it, ear piercing is the only type of piercing that doesn't give anyone pause. The sight of heavily pierced people often give even non-believers a sense of discomfort. If you think about it, I'm sure you can name someone who thinks two holes in the ear is distasteful, you can probably name even more who think poorly of a simple stud in the nose. Once you start getting in to the eyebrows, tongues, cheeks, etc., you can probably name a lot of people who think this is in poor taste. People with such piercings are not often defined as beautiful and wholesome, but rebellious and wild. Where does this connotation come from if people have been piercing all manner of body parts since the being of civilization? Why are ears so different?
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In the Bible

The Bible actually mentions earrings multiple times, and very few of them are concretely positive.

Abraham Gives Rebekah Earrings

In Genesis, Abraham's servant gives Rebekah a nose ring as an engagement present. In fact, this earring is mentioned 3 times throughout Genesis 24 (once when Rebekah is given the earring, once when her brother sees the gift, and once when the servant relays the events to Abraham).

And I asked her, and said, Whose daughter art thou? And she said, the daughter of Bethuel, Nahor's son, whom Milcah bare unto him: and I put the earring upon her face, and the bracelets upon her hands.Genesis 24:47 KJV

God doesn't insert His opinion on the matter of giving Rebekah and earring. Abraham clearly sanctioned the action, and while Abraham's vice wasn't idolatry, he definitely wasn't perfect. If anything this says that the earring wasn't vile enough to anger God into revoking His covenant or raining down punishment. To me this indicates that it isn't a form a idolatry...
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Jacob's Family & Earrings

After a few of Jacob's sons carry out revenge on town for the rape of their sister, Jacob is instructed to take His family before God to be purified. Before doing this, he is instructed to leave behind the earrings with the idols they had with them.

And they gave unto Jacob all the strange gods which were in their hand, and all their earrings which were in their ears; and Jacob hid them under the oak which was by Shechem.Genesis 35:4 KJV

A few people link the mentioning of strange gods with the earrings to infer that the earrings were part of the idol worship.^[13] Moses calls the things in their hands "strange gods" but he calls the rings in their ears "earrings." If these were also false gods, why didn't Moses say "...and all the earrings of strange gods from their ears" or something of the sort? To me the verse doesn't conclusively state that earrings are idol worship. We know they had the idols because Rachel stole them from her father in Genesis 31. We are told that Rachel and Leah were angry that their father had treated them like strangers and basically sold them. Right after, Rachel takes the idols, which seems to be an act of revenge. It's never stated that Rachel or anyone in the family worshipped the idols, simply that she took them. It isn't until Jacob's sons commit murder that God instructs them to start anew, specifying that they leave the idols behind. Again, it seems unlikely that God would let them worship idols through images or jewelry for all that time without saying anything. Another possibility for removing the earrings is to humble themselves before God, as a sign of humility and a rejection of Earthly wealth.
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Earrings & the Exodus

The Israelites give earrings to be melted down to create the golden calf. It is quite obvious that the calf was an idol, but what of the earrings they used to make the idol? Only a few chapters later the Israelites are recorded as giving earrings as offerings to build the tabernacle.

And all the people brake off the golden earrings which were in their ears, and brought them unto Aaron.Exodus 32:3

And they came, both men and women, as many as were willing hearted, and brought bracelets, and earrings, and rings, and tablets, all jewels of gold: and every man that offered offered an offering of gold unto the Lord.Exodus 35:22

If the earrings were idols, why did God accept them to be used in building the tabernacle? He commanded the idols to be destroyed when they entered Canaan, the golden calf was destroyed and ground to powder, so why were the earrings acceptable? Further, after the incident with the golden calf, why didn't God say don't adorn yourself with earrings? He never condemns the practice of wearing earrings specifically, and His people are constantly described as wearing them. This implies He didn't have a problem with the earrings.
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Ishmaelites

In Judges, it seems that gold earrings are attributed to Ishmaelites.

And Gideon said unto them, I would desire a request of you, that ye would give me every man the earrings of his prey. (For they had golden earrings, because they were Ishmaelites.)Judges 8:24 KJV

Does the assumption of Ishmaelites having earrings stem from them being rich, or from idolatry? From vanity or from craft? Many commentaries suggest that earrings were popular among nomadic tribes. Most of these authors of these commentaries also believe that the "earring" mentioned is actually a nose ring.^[14] Of course, even the most modern translations refer to an earring as opposed to a nose ring in this verse so I'm not sure where or why these Bible scholars believe the ring in discussion is a nose ring. From this verse we can't really determine whether the earrings were "good" or "bad." They were common among Ishmaelites, though this commonness was not attributed to paganism. By reading the chapter, we can get a better context for this verse. We find that the earrings were given to Gideon after he lead the Israelites to victory over the nomadic tribes around them (which included the Ishmaelites). Gideon turns down being king, passing that responsibility to God, but asks for the earrings instead. The earrings are then used to make an ephod (perhaps similar to the one made for Aaron in Leviticus and Numbers). It is only after Gideon dies that the Israelites stray back toward idolatry. Thus, it doesn't seem that Gideon committed any error in God's eyes in repurposing the earrings. This may not sanction adorning yourself in earrings, but it does help prove that they were not considered symbols of paganism or false gods by God.
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Job

Righteous Job had earrings? In Job 42:11, we see that Job is given earrings by his guests in celebration. Again, neither God nor Job object to the gift; it seems to be a part of Gods blessings on Job. This does, however, leave it open to interpretation whether Job wore the earrings, allowed his females relatives to wear the jewelry, or used them as money.
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Jerusalem Given Earrings

In Ezekiel 16, God personifies Jerusalem and speaks of all the fine things He has given the city. Among things listed, in Ezekiel 16:12, God said He put earrings in her ears. This seems to be a positive for earrings. If God puts earrings in the city of Jerusalem's ears while they are being blessed, how can earrings be bad? If they were considered bad, wouldn't He have only mentioned the earrings in the next passage when He discusses Jerusalem turning her back on Him? God does mention that these jewels become instruments of idolatry because the Israelites didn't trust in their inner beauty. Again, in Hosea 2:16, Israel decks herself in earrings before going after Baal. Since we know that God is the one who gave them the earrings, we can conclude that they are trying to impress the false god with wealth and beauty that the real God has given them. Basically they are confused as to the source of their beauty, fortune, and wealth. We aren't to forget that God is first, that everything we have comes from Him and should glorify Him.
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Apostles Talk About Jewelry

In 1 Peter 3:3, Peter tells women not to be concerned with adorning themselves in gold. Of course, Peter is addressing married women, not single women. Then again, one could argue that even single women are married to God... Most scholars agree that in this verse, is discussing ornateness and vanity. Peter is telling the women not to let outward adornment be their sole focus.^[15][16] Time was not to be wasted in adorning the outer part of the body. Remember gold wasn't forbidden; God even commanded use of it in the creation of the tabernacle and priestly garments!^[17] Given this background on the verse, the questions becomes: is Peter talking about even basic studs (which may even be made of cheap materials), or is he only talking about ornate earrings? We are being informed not to go overboard, and not to become obsessed. There was a time when I felt naked without my earrings on; even if I was just putting on small studs, I felt more clothed. Perhaps this is the mentality God is telling us to avoid. We should never feel that we need these adornments to make ourselves worthy or beautiful. Fulfillment should always come from inside. Paul echoes this sentiment in 1 Timothy 2:9-10.
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To Wear or Not To Wear Earrings

One of the themes that is clearly present in the Bible when discussing earrings (or jewelry in general) is the temptation of idolatry. Inanimate objects can't really be good or bad, it's what people do with them. The sole purpose of earrings is to adorn someone, which is one step down the road to vanity. Some people may be able to wear earrings without ever taking another step down that road, while others may run full speed to the end of the road. Israel uses the earrings God gave them to worship false gods, just as people today use their God given talents for ungodly purposes. In the Bible, we can definitely see the message that we are not to let such a thing consume our lives, and there is evidence to support the idea that piercing the body was much more welcome in pagan circles (the devil encourages the worship of self and vanity so it's no surprise).

Golconda Diamond Earrings
Photocredit: Jewellery Magazine

The most expensive earrings in the world cost 9.3 million dollars! They're called the Golconda diamond earrings, and someone actually bought them for $9.3 million. Can you imagine what could have been done for humanity with that type of money? Homes could be built for the homeless, food could be provided for the hungry, clothes for the poor, clean water in remote locations... I highly doubt God approves of us spending that type of money on something to simply hang from our ear and look pretty. The 5 most expensive pairs of earrings in the world are the previously mentioned Golconda diamond earrings ($9.3 million), the Harry Winston earrings ($8.5 million), Colombian diamond earrings ($4.8 million), Swartz diamond earrings ($2.5 million), and Christie's auction diamond earrings ($2.3 million).^[18][19] I'm fairly certain somewhere in there is a point about coveting and lust (diamond lust that is). We definitely shouldn't be so concerned with our outward appearances that we spend millions of dollars on adornments.

The most expensive earrings I've ever worn were a gift from my parents and were about $100. Unlike the earrings mentioned above, they weren't ornate, they were simple pearl studs. At some point I lost one, and after losing so many earrings, I found it silly to replace them. As I mentioned earlier, I'm allergic to the metal used in fake earrings (or at least, my ear is sensitive to it since I've never had a problem with fake necklaces), so most of the earrings I've bought are about $20 because they're silver plated. Some are studs, others are medium sized hoops. Is this too ornate? Possibly.

Based on the descriptions of earrings in the Bible (gold or pearl), I would wager that the earrings the Israelites wore were probably in the price range of the ones my parents gave me since they were real gold. The catch for those of us who can't afford $9.3 million dollar earrings to even need to worry whether God approves of them or not, is where our hearts are when we buy our earrings. Are we trying to out do someone? To show our value? Are we going to have trouble paying our bills because we bought this? Or maybe it just goes well with everything in our closet. Peter and Paul tell us that we should be focused on our inward adornment; we shouldn't be concerned with buying the latest trends or looking hip. We should not buy something because the popular girls wear it or some celebrity made it cool.

So, what are we supposed to do? What should be our motivation? How much should we spend? No one can answer these questions specifically for you. It's something I believe you should be in conference with God about. My advice would be the simpler the better. I don't see where God condemns earrings or jewelry and I'm not convinced that Leviticus 19:28 is saying we can't pierce our ears, but I do see his warning for falling prey to idolizing said jewelry. I live by the principle that people shouldn't be so focused on my earrings that they can't see the light of God in me.
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References

1. "Leviticus 19:28". Bible Study Tools. 2016
2. Rabbi Alan Lucas. "Body Piercing In Jewish Law. My Jewish Learning. 2011
3. Cox, Wade. "The Origin of the Wearing of Earrings and Jewellery in Ancient Times". Christian Church of God. May 2011
4. "Right Earring Rule". Urban Dictionary. May 2011
5. Foster, Sophie. "Pacific Islands". Encyclopædia Britannica. 2015
6. "What is the meaning of an earring in the left ear?". Reference.com. 2016
7. Porterfield, Amanda. Gary Laderman and Luis D. Leon, eds. Religion and American Cultures: an Encyclopedia of Traditions, Diversity, and Popular Expressions. 2003
8. "Body Piercing". Wikipedia. 2016
9. Muniaswamy, Kasiraja. "Demonic Influences". For the Word of Truth. 2016
10. Diakonos. "Tattoos and Piercings: Graffiti or defacing God’s Image?". Deception in the Last Days: BC Ministries. June 2011
11. Prince. "10 Bizarre Indian Rituals". ListVerse. December 2012
12. Victor, Anucyia. "Extreme Thaipusam festival sees devout Hindus pierce their cheeks with spears and carry decorated altars weighing over 60lbs to celebrate their god of war". Daily Mail. September 2014
13. Subritzky, Bill. "Cutting the Flesh". Dove Ministries. 2016
14. "Judges 8:24 Commentaries". StudyLight. 2016
15. Gills, John. "1 Peter 3:3". Bible Study Tools. 2016
16. Henry, Matthew. "1 Peter 3:3". Bible Study Tools. 2016
17. "1 Peter 3:3 Commentaries". Bible Hub. 2016
18. Satarupa B. "5 Most Expensive Earrings in the World!". Ethnic Daily. January 2016
19. "Top Ten Most Expensive Oscars Jewelry". Jewels du Jour. February 2015
20. Anthony Jacobson. "The Pagan Ritual of Cutting or Tattooing at a Funeral". Synonym. September 29, 2017
21. Caroline McClatchey. "Ear stretching: Why is lobe "gauging" growing in popularity?". BBC News. November 21, 2011

Numbers 15: Reminders

God reminds the people of His expectations, but He also gives the people a way to remember His commandments.

Introduction

God instructs Moses to make celebratory offerings (burnt, freewill, etc.) as soon as they enter Canaan. These offerings were to include flour, oil, and wine in various quantities based upon the type of offering (of the herd/flock vs. a ram vs. bull). We see the common theme and emphasis put upon the offerings to God. During the post-Exodus but pre-Jesus era, God's people were constantly sacrificing animals to cleanse themselves. We commit too much sin for an animal to cover all our blemishes and too often to keep up with the sacrifices. This is why Jesus had to die for us.
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Uniform Laws

Yet again, God reminds the Israelites that they are to have one law for both the Israelites, as well as, strangers in the land. Presumably, the law applied to servants as well. God is telling us here that there were not to be exceptions. Just because you were from another land (say Egypt) and did not believe in God, did not mean you could work on the Sabbath in God's land. While it seems odd and overbearing in our overly tolerant society today, it makes perfect sense. God's law is not an easy law, it never was and it never will be. If believers saw non-believers engaging in easier lifestyles that were against God, it would bring about the temptation to join them. Similarly, if you have people killing and serving any type of animal, how could the Jews know if they have become unclean? Did you know that sometimes they use pork in cheese today?^[1] Ramen noodles are made in a factory with shellfish (see the backside of the label) and thus even chicken flavored ramen may be unclean. This is what happens when people are following different laws; it becomes much more difficult to determine what you can and cannot eat.

God gives us hope that those sin unknowingly can be forgiven. During Moses' era this required a sacrifice, today, we call on the blood of Jesus. However, when you sin knowingly, it is a different story. God says that those people were to be cut off from Israel. Purposefully disobeying God is the ultimate disrespect—it's like a slap in the face. When you sin knowingly, you say, "I know God doesn't want me to do this, but I don't care; I'm going to do it anyway." An example, before I learned that cheese could have pork in it, I didn't worry about what type of cheese I bought or ate. When I realized that I probably have been consuming pork unknowingly, I asked God for forgiveness and I know He forgave me. However, now that I know cheese is not necessarily vegetarian, I have to check before I eat it; I don't continue to just eat cheese on the assumption it is vegetarian because I know that it's possible it is not. (If you're confused about why I care that pork may be in my cheese, please see my post of the Christian diet). Now, I am responsible for what I know, and it is my duty to act such that I am in accordance with God's wishes.
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Failure to Uphold the Sabbath

The Israelites find a man gathering sticks on the Sabbath, so they take him to Moses and Aaron for judgment. We are not told why he is collecting sticks, possibly to build a fire, but it is confirmed that this was unacceptable Sabbath behavior. God condemns the man to death by stoning. This is a strong reminder of the importance of the Sabbath. Not only is the Sabbath one of the 10 commandment, it began in the garden of Eden while the world was still perfect. We do many things today that do not seem like work because we've always done them, or it's an easy task, but that doesn't mean God approved of them on the Sabbath. In the New Testament, Jesus shows us how to determine if something is acceptable for the Sabbath. If it is an emergency or pertaining to God, Jesus says it's ok. I would imagine if you woke up on the Sabbath to find the temperature had dropped below freezing and were forced to gather sticks for a fire because you didn't have heat, Jesus would be ok with that as it is an emergency. However, if you just wake up and decide you want to collect sticks because you don't like how they look in your yard, He may not be so happy about your behavior. I discuss the Sabbath in more detail in the post Keep the Sabbath Holy.
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Fringe

Photocredit: FreeImages.com/Laura Morariu

I once heard someone say that blue represented the law of God. The were pointing out that many churches neglect the color blue in their decor (red is probably the most common color seen inside the church), and referencing the fact that blue was supposed to remind us of the law. I couldn't figure out how they came to that conclusion at the time, but after rereading Numbers 15, I figured out their logic.

In this chapter, God instructs the Israelites to put fringe around their garments and place a blue ribbon on the fringe. This was meant to remind them of the commandments. Orthodox Jews still carry on this tradition.^[2] Blue is one of the colors featured in the adornments of the tabernacle as well.

Interestingly, blue is also the most popular (or most often cited as a favorite) color around the world.^[3] Are we drawn to blue because subconsciously we know that God's commands are best for us, or did God choose blue because He knew we would be drawn to it?
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References

1. "U.S. Products Made Without Pork (Porcine) Enzymes". Frito Lay. 2016
2. Holman Bible Publishers. Holman KJV Study Bible. pg. 259. 2014
3. Jordan, William. "Why is blue the world's favorite color?". You Gov. May 2015

Exodus 28-31: Priesthood

Aaron and his sons are called to the priesthood. In these chapters, we learn about the details of the priesthood which foreshadow the comping of Jesus Christ! We know that God designed the universe, but how often do we stop to think of Him as a fashion designer? He designed the priestly robes and all the details are laid out in the Bible for us. Have you ever wondered why certain colors are always present in the sanctuary? That's also covered in these chapters!

Introduction

Much of the Pentateuch gets overlooked as it includes tons of detail about things most Christians don't consider important. Many don't see the importance of learning information about the temple or the priesthood when we no longer need a temple or priests. However, there is a lot to be gleaned from these passages. The most important information to be understood from these passages is how it translates to Jesus, who takes the place of the sacrifice and the priest in the New Testament—a comparison and realization of this can only occur if one understands these passages. There are other tidbits of information that are interesting as well. For one, we find out what some of God's favorite colors are. We also get a vision of what He called His priests to look like as well as information on how they remained holy. It's interesting to note that in the Old Testament God set apart the priesthood, He called them to preach, and required specific tasks of the people He called. It is important to note the detail taken to describe their attire and installment so that it can be compared to the instructions for our time, found in the New Testament.

At the end of telling Moses the laws, how to build the tabernacle, and about the priesthood, God gives Moses the stone tablets containing all this information.
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Garments

Photocredit: Dave Dyet

When God calls Aaron, along with his four sons (Nadab, Abihu, Elazar, and Ithamar), to the priesthood, He also specifies how to make the holy garments that were to be their attire. The complete outfit was to include a breastplate, ephod, robe, embroidered coat, mitre, and girdle. Only those with a wise heart were to participate in the making of the garments, and the garments marked their position as God's chosen priests. Just as they were set apart, so were their clothes.
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The Ephod

The word "ephod" stems from a Hebrew word meaning "vest-like garment"^[1]. The ephod was to be made of blue, purple, gold, and scarlet fine twined linen and was to have "cunning work," which is to say skilled craftsmanship. The shoulder pieces were to be joined at the edges. Two onyx stones with the names of each tribe were to be set in filigree (ornamental wire); each stone was to contain six of the names. These stones were to be placed on top of the shoulders of the ephod. The stone engravings were to be like those of a signet and were to be set in ouches (or sockets^[2]) of gold with gold chains fastened to the ouches.
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The Girdle

The girdle went around the ephod. It, too, was to be made of blue, gold, scarlet and purple.
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Breastplate

In Exodus 28:16, dimensions of the breastplate are given . Twelve stones, each representing a tribe of Israel, were to be placed in a 4 x 3 grid on the breastplate. On the first row was to be sardis, topaz, and carbuncle. The second row was to contain an emerald, sapphire, and diamond. The third row had ligure, agate, and amethyst. The fourth and final row was to have beryl, onyx, and jasper. Each stone was to be engraved with the names of the tribes of Israel. The stones on the shoulders of the ephod were to be used to fasten the breastplate to the body. Accross Aaron's heart, inside the breastplate, they were to place the Urim and Thummim—it is unknown what these two objects were^[3].
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The Robe

The robe was to be made entirely of blue fabric and it's hem was to have pomegranates that were blue, gold, purple and scarlet. Alternating between the pomegranates were to be gold bells.
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The Mitre

A mitre is a tall headdress. The priestly mitre was to be inscribed with the words "Holiness to the Lord." Blue lace was to go on the forefront.
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Garments for Aaron's Sons

Like Aaron, the son's who would serve as priests as well, required garments. Their garments were not identical to Aaron's, signifying his rank above them. There uniform was to consist of coats, girdles, and bonnets.
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Anointing the Priest

To hallow Aaron and his sons for this appointment, God gives Moses specific instructions. The ceremony required 1 bull, 2 rams (without blemish), unleavened bread, cakes (unleavened) tempered with oil, and wafers (also unleavened and anointed with oil). The food was to go in a basket and be taken to the altar of the congregation along with the animals and the new priests. Aaron and his sons were to be washed, then their garments were to be placed on them starting with Aaron. Aaron was to have his head anointed with oil.
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The Bullock

Aaron and his sons were to place their hands on the bull's head, then to kill it before God. The blood was to be placed on the horns of the altar with Aaron's finger and what was left was to be poured beside the altar. Both the fat and the caul were to be burned on the altar, and the rest was to be burned outside the tabernacle camp. This was a sin offering (which is discussed in Leviticus). It is rather fitting that Aaron, who creates the golden calf, must sacrifice a male cow for as a sin offering.
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The First Ram

Like with the bull, Aaron and his sons where to put their hands on the first ram's head before killing it. They were to then sprinkle its blood around the altar. The ram was to be cut into pieces, the innards taken out and washed, then burned on the altar. This was a burnt offering (which is discussed in Leviticus).
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The Second Ram

The second ram was for anointing Aaron and his sons. Again, they were to place their hands upon its head before sacrificing it. The blood of this ram was to be place on their right ear, right thumb, and right big toe. The rest of the blood was to be sprinkled around the altar. The blood on the altar the anointing oil was to be sprinkled on the new priests and their garments.
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Wave Offering

After this, they were to each wave a load of bread, cake of oiled bread, and wafer before God. This was to be burned as a burnt offering. Moses was the wave the breast of the ram before God after this as well.
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Consecration

The second ram was to be cooked at the tabernacle and the new priests were to eat the bread left in the basket. This food was considered holy, therefore strangers were not to eat of it. Anything left over until the morning was to be burned. This ritual was to continue for 7 days.
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Continual Offerings

A bull was to be offered every day to atone for their sins. In addition, the altar was to be cleansed and anointed with oil each day. God tells them that everything that touches the altar will become holy. Also, they were to sacrifice two lambs still in their first year, every day. One was to be sacrificed in the morning, the other at night. A drink offering was to be prepared with the morning lamb. This was considered a burnt offering to please God. It is easy to see from this that even if people are not thankful for Jesus' sacrifice, the animals certainly must be.
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Incense Altar

The incense altar was to be mad of shittim wood (like the other things built for the tabernacle). Its dimensions were 1 cubit long, 1 cubit wide, and 2 cubits tall. Like the other altar, it was to have horns. The outer layer was be overlain with pure gold and matching staves were to be made so that it could be carried. The incense altar was to be place before the vail and mercy seat. At night, when Aaron lit the lamps, he was to burn the incense as well. All other offerings were to be made at the altar in the court.
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Atonement Offering

A census was to given, placing a ransom on each man's soul. Everyone above 20 was to give a half shekel; the rich could not give more and the poor could not give less. This was to be an atonement.
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The Brass Laver

A laver or basin was to be made of brass. There Aaron and his sons would wash their hands and feet before entering the tabernacle (you must be clean in the presence of God). This was to protect them from dying.
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Anointing Oil

The oil was to be made of 500 shekels of pure Myrrh (this would have been very costly^[4]), 250 shekels of cinnamon, 250 shekels of calamus, 500 shekels of cassia, and a hin of olive oil. The tabernacle, along with everything in it, was to be anointed with this oil (including Aaron). It could not go on the flesh of man and was not to be duplicated for other purposes.
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Sweet Incense

Like the anointing oil, the incense was not to be recreated for other purposes; anyone who did so was to be cut off from Israel. It was to be made of stacte, onycha, gallbanum, and frankincense.
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Tabernacle Staff

We are finally told that Bezaleel, son of Uri, of the tribe of Judah and Aholiab, son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan were called to be the tabernacle staff/builders. Bezaleel was filled with wisdom by God.
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References

1. Holman Bible Publishers. The Holman KJV Study Bible. pg 150. 2014
2. "Ouches". KingJamesBibleOnline.org. 2015
3. Hirsch, Emil G., Muss-Arnolt, W., Bacher, W., Blau, B. "Urim and Thummim. Jewish Encyclopedia. 2011
4. Willis, Vanessa U. "Gifts brought to the baby Jesus reveal he was accepted as a king by Gentiles, WFU professor says". December 2004