In Exodus 39, we’re given very detailed information about what the high priest wore, and it can be tempting to skim over these passages, believing that there’s nothing we can learn from them. But there are no insignificant details in the Bible. When we look at the description of the breastplate worn by Israel’s high priest, we see how precious we are in God’s eyes as His redeemed children. There were twelve stones on it, each with the name of one of the twelve tribes. These were precious stones. God didn’t use common rocks and pebbles found in abundance in Israel. Instead, He chose the most expensive, rare, and precious gems such as sapphire, topaz, emerald, amethyst, diamond, onyx, and jasper. And as Jesus is our High Priest (Hebrews 4:14), the stones that were used to represent the twelve tribes of Israel, also represent us. Just as those stones were precious, so are we. The Bible says we are ‘precious and honoured’ in God’s sight (Isaiah 43:4 NIVUK). It also says that we were redeemed with the ‘precious’ blood of Jesus (take a look at 1 Peter 1:18-19). This is something we need to remember when Satan is trying to condemn us and make us forget who we are in Christ. God knows everything we’ve done, and everything we’re going to do, and there’s nothing we can do that will undo our redemption. It is done. God loves us so much that He sent His Son to redeem us. He can see our value, even when we can’t. He thinks we’re precious.