Jesus the Light 19: Christ our Priest
Since we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, But One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Therefore, let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, So that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need –Heb.4:14-16
Dear Listener, Heb.9:11-24 says: “When Christ appeared as a High Priest of the good things to come…through His own blood, He entered the holy place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption…now to appear in the presence of God for us.”
Christ has done what none other has or could ever do. He offered one sacrifice for sins, His own body and blood. That once for all settled the problem of sin. Heb.10:10-22 tells us: “We have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all…He offered one sacrifice for sins for all time…For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified.
“Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus…and since we have a great Priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith.”
Heb.7:21-28 continues by saying: “The Lord has sworn and will not change His mind: ‘You are a Priest forever.’ Jesus, because He continues forever, has an unchangeable priesthood. Therefore He is able to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.
“For it was fitting for us to have such a High Priest, holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners and exalted above the heavens; who does not need daily, like those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the sins of the people, because this He did once for all when He offered up Himself.
“For the Law appoints men as high priests who are weak, but the word of the oath, appoints a Son, made perfect forever.”
Yes, heaven is open to the least and weakest true believer. Christ is there to support, encourage, strengthen, and dispense mercy to meet every need of our hearts. He lives forever to represent each before the throne of grace with full acceptance in full affection.
Christ, the Living One, approved and appointed by the Majesty on High, is our Priest in the holiest of all, heaven itself. No man on earth is your priest. No man can secure everlasting access for you before the King of glory; Jesus alone can do that work. 1 Tim.2:5: “there is One Mediator between God and man, the Man, Christ Jesus.”
And He is full of sympathy for us in our weakness. He bears our every affliction and brings comfort for our every distress. Isa.53:4 tells us: “Surely our griefs He Himself bore, and our sorrows He carried.”
This is why we are repeatedly directed to “draw near to find help in time of need.” There we find our great High Priest who is full of grace and truth. Come to Jesus, and then come again to Him. Never weary of drawing near to Christ, for He never wearies of being your great Priest.
His supply for the distress of our hearts is endless, for He ever lives to intercede for us. He is able to save to the uttermost because He is a Priest forever. And He will never turn any away that His Father has given Him. No, welcome awaits any who will draw near to God through Him.
Yes, He is both merciful and He is faithful. He will not reject the least of His flock, and will never fail in His great work of representing His own people with uninterrupted acceptance.
Exodus 28 illustrates for us how this is done. There the high priest of Israel had glorious garments whereby He represented the people of God before the God of Glory. On his shoulders he carried 2 identical precious jewel stones. One had the names of 6 tribes engraved on them. The second had the names of the other 6 tribes.
Ex.28:12 says: “You shall put the two stones on the shoulder pieces as stones of memorial for the sons of Israel, and Aaron shall bear their names before the Lord on his two shoulders for a memorial.”
There they were carried about with full access and acceptance wherever the high priest moved in the presence of God. None were missing. No names were blotted out. None were carelessly cast to the ground.
On those strong shoulders each represented tribe had equal access, equal acceptance, equal grace, equal privilege before the Majesty in the heavens. The power and might of the high priest guaranteed their welcome without partiality.
Dear Listener, Christ supports each and every real believer continually in the presence of God. We are accepted because He is accepted. We are sustained because His power has gained us access and supply.
None have greater privilege. None have a superior portion of grace. The provision and power of Christ is available to one and all through our Great High Priest, the Lord Jesus Christ. But that is not all.
Israel’s high priest also wore a type of apron with a pocket at the front. Into this were placed 4 rows of different highly valuable jewels. Each precious stone had its own special value and characteristics. Each represented one tribe from Israel.
This apron was worn over his heart whenever he entered the presence of God. Ex.28:29 states: “Aaron shall carry the names of the sons of Israel in the Breastpiece of judgment over his heart when he enters the holy place, for a memorial before the Lord continually.”
Dear Listener, every believer in the Lord Jesus is valued by Him. He bears you in deepest affection and love upon His heart forevermore. With all your individual and peculiar qualities, you are loved by Christ.
And this memorial is before the eyes of the Almighty continually. Christ holds us, each one, in everlasting love as the security and guarantee that God the Father will never cast us out.
How could He? For we are upon the heart of Christ forevermore. Christ, raised and ascended, is our certainty of welcome in heaven. He is there, and He is standing in the place of each and every one of His followers.
The power of Christ is yours. The love of Christ is yours. The acceptance of Christ is yours. Draw near and abide there. You will not be denied. Christ died to secure this.
Heb.8:1,2: “Now the main point in what has been said is this: we have such a High Priest, who has taken His seat at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens.”
His name is Jesus, and He ever lives to make intercession for you. Heb.4:16: “Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”
Copyright Steve Phillips 2020