Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Tuesday, January 31st

Today's passage from the Chronological Bible In a Year Reading Plan is Exodus 4-6
Today's scripture focus is Hebrews 8:1-6

1 The point of what we are saying is this: We do have such a high priest, who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, 2 and who serves in the sanctuary, the true tabernacle set up by the Lord, not by man. 3 Every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices, and so it was necessary for this one also to have something to offer. 4 If he were on earth, he would not be a priest, for there are already men who offer the gifts prescribed by the law. 5 They serve at a sanctuary that is a copy and shadow of what is in heaven. This is why Moses was warned when he was about to build the tabernacle: “See to it that you make everything according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.” 6 But the ministry Jesus has received is as superior to theirs as the covenant of which he is mediator is superior to the old one, and it is founded on better promises.

Jesus is the superior priest.  His priesthood is superior because it is of a different order, the order of Melchizedek, prophesied from the Psalms to replace the old Aaronic priesthood.

Jesus is a priest forever, instead of being bound by time.
Jesus' priesthood was confirmed by an oath from God, making it an eternal confirmation, instead the temporary priesthood of Aaron's line.
Jesus' priesthood was founded on His personal greatness, not based simply on racial heredity.
The priesthood of Christ cannot be interrupted by death, unlike the priesthood of Aaron (whose death was made very public by God in order to underscore that fact).
Jesus only needed to offer one sacrifice, instead of sacrifice after endless sacrifice.
Jesus did not need to first offer a sacrifice for His own sins, because He was sinless.  Unlike the Aaronic priests who first needed to atone for their own sin, before they could intercede for the people.
With the old priesthood there was always a veil separating man from the Holy of Holies.  But with Jesus, we gain full access to God.
Jesus' priesthood saves to the uttermost, totally and forever.
And even though He is superior in every way to any other priest who has ever lived, He is still compassionate towards us.
THAT is our high priest.  "We do have such a high priest".

And then the amazing words "who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven".  What's so amazing about that?  The priest never, ever sat down.  Because his work was never finished. The only seat in the temple was the Mercy Seat, which represented the throne of God, and it would have been utterly blasphemous to sit there!
Until Jesus.
He. sat. down.
A sacrifice so final, a work so finished, that He sat down.  And He didn't just sit down anywhere. He sat down at the right hand of God (the right hand being a symbol of power), on the throne of heaven.

As a side note, in the Sanhedrin, the scribe who wrote the acquittals sat on the right side, and the scribe that wrote the condemnations.  Cool, eh?!

And Revelation 3:21 says that not only does Jesus sit on that throne, but that we who put our faith in Jesus, will sit there too!  On the throne of God - us! That's amazing!

And that was just verse 1.

Very quick thoughts on v2-6...
But even though His redemptive work is complete (symbolized by His sitting down), His ministry to us is not.  He continues to intercede on our behalf, giving our gifts (of praise, dedication, etc) to God through Him.  And He serves in heaven, the real temple or sanctuary of God.  He has a better ministry, serving in the better temple as a better mediator of a better covenant, founded on better promises.


Tomorrow's scripture focus: Hebrews 8:7-9
Tomorrow's Bible In a Year Passage passage: Exodus 7-9

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