7. Put upon him the coat. After the washing came the investiture of Aaron with the holy garments, his insignia of office. This also was a symbolic act; hence he was not permitted to clothe himself.
By this time Aaron must have felt completely helpless. Was there nothing he could do for himself? Must everything be done for him? Could he not even put on the miter himself? He could do that better than Moses. But no, Aaron must submit to the command of God. He must be made to feel his own insufficiency. He must learn that nothing he could do would be acceptable to God. He must learn the lesson of entire dependence. It was God who was fitting and preparing him for service. It was God who was clothing him with divine righteousness (Ps. 132:9).
Aaron was now fully clothed. He had on the long blue robe, with the bells and the pomegranates, the ephod with the names of the children of Israel engraved upon its 2 beautiful onyx stones, the breastplate with the 12 stones and the Urim and the Thummim, and the miter with its golden crown and the inscription, “Holiness to the Lord.”