Jesus the high priest  

Since the beginning, God had always made plans for us that we might not perish before his just wrath. When Adam and Eve sinned before the Lord, and covered themselves with fig leaves, God made a garments of skins and clothed them.

When Abraham was asked of God to take his only son and offer himself up, God makes a provision there and gives a ram instead. When the terrible plague was to descend upon the people of Egypt, God makes a provision that any house which has an unblemished lamb’s blood smeared on it’s door post will not be touched.

Other provisions of God include a city of refuge so that the murderers can go and wait for a reasonable trial. And for some there existed a blessing, “Blessed is a man to whom the Lord imputes not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile.”

These were all an imagery of Christ.

Mosaic law demanded shedding of blood. It demanded many things, wave offerings, peace offering, guilt offerings and trespass offering. Whereas the priesthood of Jesus dwells more on giving.

Melchizedek, an archetype of Jesus Christ, meets Abraham returning from the defeat of Kings, and gives him bread and wine. Thus symbolizing a new order of priesthood where the priest gives something instead of demanding something.

We all know Christ as our Friend, Comforter, Prince of peace, God with us. But we rarely talk about his role as an high priest who lives and intercedes on our behalf. This was God’s final provision for mankind. That anyone who believes in the name of our Lord will be saved.

The holiness of God, which caused men to die upon touching the cart carrying the ark, contained itself in a man who could be touched by a woman with an issue of blood and be healed.

God who punished Miriam with leprosy for speaking against his servant Moses, would stand by silently while his Own would be beaten and stripped.

Jesus as a high priest means a lot to us. The veil that separated the Holy of Holies from the rest of the tabernacle, was torn into two. Finally, the presence of God which was admissible only once a year to the High Priest, was accessible to all through Christ. Both, the one who makes the people Holy and those who are made Holy are of the same family, so Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers.

In an increasingly unholy world, which does not regard God or Jesus, we are to look upon Jesus who poured himself up for us, so that we might, by his holiness and righteousness, come near the throne of God. Jesus is our fore runner. A high priest who was tempted in every way we are tempted yet remained sinless, but not impartial to our temptations. A high priest who sympathizes.

When Christ came into the world, he said: “Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me; with burnt offerings and sin offerings you were not pleased. Then I said, ‘Here I am—it is written about me in the scroll— I have come to do your will, my God.’” First he said, “Sacrifices and offerings, burnt offerings and sin offerings you did not desire, nor were you pleased with them”—though they were offered in accordance with the law. Then he said, “Here I am, I have come to do your will.” He sets aside the first to establish the second. And by that will, we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. The God who made us holy.

There are lots to be learned from the priesthood of Jesus Christ. But the summary is this, God has made us holy, not because of our thought or deeds but because of his Son that we might enter the Holy of Holies with boldness, dependant on the blood of Christ.

May God bless you.

Bro Gideon Paul Rufus R

God’s Love Missions Family