Replay: Jesus is the Great High Priest
Six years ago, I wrote a post called “Jesus is the Great High Priest.” He is called “the great high priest” in the book of Hebrews, and when we start to examine what that author says about Jesus as priest, it is amazing. I enjoyed working through the various passages and determining the promises and presence that we have through our high priest. I learned so much from this exercise; I hope you find it beneficial as well.
———————————-
Jesus is the Great High Priest
I was tagged by Bryan at “Charis Shalom” to post five things I dig about Jesus. Besides the fact that I have never used the word “dig” in this context, I enjoyed thinking through this meme (it was groovy). In fact, I’ve decided to blog about each of my five things. The first thing that I dig is that Jesus is the Great High Priest.
I’ve grown to love the book of Hebrews. I love the way the author of Hebrews shows that the way of Jesus is far superior to the way of the law and ritual. In fact, Hebrews argues that Jesus is not only superior, but that the “former things” were mere shadows of the real things, which were initiated by Jesus himself.
One of the comparisons made by the author of Hebrews is between Jesus as High Priest and the priestly system that began with Aaron. The priest was responsible for offering bulls or goats as sacrifices, which were actually ineffective at removing sins. (Heb 9:13; 10:4) The priest was appointed to act as a mediator between God and man, but he had to offer sacrifices for himself and for his sins first, then he could enter the holy place in the tabernacle or temple. (Heb 5:1-3; 9:1-4) These ritualistic sacrifices had to be carried out continuously. (Heb 7:27) But, if these rituals were ineffective, then why did God command that they be carried out? Because they were a shadow (an imitation) of what was to come through Jesus Christ! (Heb 8:5; 10:1)
Jesus Christ, our Great High Priest, has now come. He has offered the perfect sacrifice (himself) once for all. (Heb 9:11-14) He does not need to offer this sacrifice continuously, because his death is sufficient. (Heb 7:27; 9:27-28) Now, Christ has entered into the very holy place – that is, into the presence of God himself. (Heb 9:24)
But, beyond what Christ did for us, Jesus as our Great High Priest continues to work on our behalf. Our Great High Priest does not die as other priests, but he lives forever! First, he mediates between us and God. (Heb 9:15; 12:22-24) Jesus intercedes on our behalf. (Heb 7:25) Finally, Jesus prepares the way for us to enter into the presence of God with him. (Heb 10:19-22)
Also, Jesus is not a high priest who is cold and distant. He is a high priest who came to us, who identifies with us, who suffered and was tempted as we are, and who is compassionate and sympathetic toward us! (Heb 4:15) This is the Great High Priest who ushers us into God’s presence, presenting our petitions when words fail us, mediating when we fail, lifting us when we fall, carrying us when we are too weak. This is the Great High Priest who will reign forever!
What does it mean for Jesus to be my Great High Priest? When someone tells me, “You can’t do that,” I just smile inside and remember the Great High Priest. When someone whispers, “God will not like you if you do that,” I nod and recognize that Jesus is mediating for me. When someone points out my sin and reminds me that I’m a loser, I remember that Jesus cleansed me of my sin and won on my behalf. When God seems distant because I have wandered far away from him, I remember that Jesus prepared a new and living way into the very presence of God, and He has given me permission to enter.
And, when I remember that I can’t do enough, and I can’t think enough, and I can’t say enough, and I can’t love enough, and I can’t serve enough… the Great High Priest reminds me that he did it all – once for all – and there’s nothing left for me to do, except to enter his rest – to abide with him.
This is the Great High Priest – the better priest who offered the better sacrifice in the better sanctuary to establish a better covenant over a better house. The shadows are no longer necessary because the light of the Son – our Great High Priest – has come and has conquered and is here.
Alan,
Thanks for the message. Probably I will post it in Hungarian on my blog.
Sándor
I loved your perspective!!!
The same two things neglected by the children of Israel are the same two things neglected by the body of Christ today; The Covenant and the Priesthood!
If the Body of Christ really, really wants an explosion of a pure and enduring Jesus movement revival, we need to understand and respond to the OBVIOUS call of our Priesthood. This nameless faceless grassroots revival will be firmly rooted in the potency of our Priesthood revelation.
There was no greater privilege God would grant to people under the old covenant than allow them to MINISTER TO HIM IN THE INNER COURT. What was granted to a select group of people in the old covenant has been granted freely to every single believer in our Savior and Lord Jesus Christ. We were made priests unto God, new creations in Jesus’ name at the very moment we became born again Christians.
There is profound transforming power in ministering unto the Lord. The potential for true worldwide revival is completely dependent on the church understanding and responding to the present day calling out of the Priesthood under the revelation knowledge of the new covenant we have been born again into.
Ministering unto the Lord is our first ministry and our ultimate destiny. It’s the best kept secret of the Christian life. We must teach and practice ministering unto the Lord if we really want a true and pure revival. While ministering unto the Lord we experience God’s presence and have firm faith in our calling as a Kingdom of Priests’
As regenerated believers our ministry to God personally in worship, in time spent in stillness before Him, in quality time with and for our Savior comes first. Theres’ a clear line of demarcation between that which ministers to man and that, which ministers to God (inner court vs outer court). And there is something that happens to us when we regularly, purely minister unto God. Its’ part of the transforming work in the life of a believer.
Our highest, purest, most crystallized form of being a believer is our priesthood to the Lord. We submit to Gods’ will and hearts desire when we set time to regularly minister to Him.This ties directly into our honestly beholding Him, into our being able to perceive into what Hes’ doing in our lives; into our hearing His voice; ministering purely unto God, solely unto God is the richest thing God can bless His children with, and the richest thing we, as His children can bless God with.
Ministerin unto the lord is our eternal identity, our testimony to the world and our authentic call to service. God is presently granting the revelation to the Body of Christ the pre-eminent value and awesome privilege of our Priesthood unto the Lord under the prophesized, blood bought and and glorious New Covenant of grace we have been born again into.
Adopting a Priesthood mentality is more a mater of being. We have been made somebody special (ie Royal). Theres’ an anointing, There’s an office. There’s a vision. There’s a robe. When one walks in the calling of their Priesthood there is intimacy with God, a stronger Christ centered identity, along with a nerw vision and a prophetic power to be a living witness of the Resurrection power of Christ. We naturally reflect the presence of God as we spend time near the showbread of Gods presence and the almond budded lampstand of the light of Christ!!
As we minister unto the Lord as Hid holy Priesthood, worshipping and pouring out our hearts and love to God, purely for who He is and what He has done, we continually “see” the excellencies of Him. The more we behold His excellencies, the more we are transformed by God’s excellencies, and the more we proclaim God’s to this world.
What purpose could be better for a believer than to spend HEARTFELT MAGNIFICATION AND ADORATION OF CHRIST and then going forth under prophetic anointing to declare His excellencies. Our Priesthood unto the Lord is our eternal identity, part and parcel of our salvation. We need to be “lit up” with God to be salt of the earth, light of the world. Ministering unto the Lord is how this happens.
Ministering unto the Lord is authentic Christianity/ The growing awareness of the REVELATION OF OUR PRIESTHOOD comes to us while ministering to Him in the inner court or “inner room.” Nothing will draw us closer to our true identity in Christ than ministering unto the Lord. NOTHING BRINGS THE LOGHT OF CHRIST TRUER AND PURER INTO THE CHURCH AND OUR TESTIMONY TO THE WORLD THAN MINISTERING UNTO THE LORD. And there is nothing that could be a higher and holier way to be called ino ministry than through ministering unto the Lord. (Barnabas and Saul)
Sandor,
Please feel free to post anything you’d like from my blog.
John,
Thank you for the thoughtful comment.
-Alan