The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, and
majestic in his radiant splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of
him today and what came to my heart and mind in Hebrews 8:1-2,
"Now the main 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, and who serves in the sanctuary, the true
tabernacle set up by the Lord, not by a mere human being."
Under God's previous covenant with the nation of Israel, a tabernacle
was to be built with a priesthood that was to serve there. The work of
the priests (from the tribe of Levi) was to offer gifts and sacrifices
for the sins of the people. Here the writer of Hebrews makes a point,
the "main point". The tabernacle with its accouterments, the
priesthood and service performed there was only a shadow or symbol of
what exists in heaven. The main point being that Jesus Christ is the
high priest of that heavenly reality!
"They [the Levitical priesthood] 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.'" Hebrews 8:5.
The heavenly reality of what the earthly sanctuary (with its Levitical
priesthood) was a copy or shadow of, is where our great high priest,
Jesus Christ serves. Unlike the earthly sanctuary, where the priests
continually offered sacrifices for sins, Jesus' sacrifice was a once
for all eternity sacrifice for sins, "Unlike the other high priests,
he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own
sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their
sins once for all when he offered himself." Hebrews 7:27. How
important the cross of Jesus Christ is!
In the passage above we are told that Jesus Christ, our "high priest",
took his position at the "right hand of the throne of the Majesty in
heaven" and now serves in the heavenly sanctuary. Since his sacrifice
for the sins of all mankind for all time was a "once for all"
sacrifice, what comprises his serving there?
One thing we can be certain of, and it is an amazing and exciting
thing to contemplate, is that he intercedes for us believers with God
the Father, "Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to
life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us."
Romans 8:34b. This he does along with the Holy Spirit on behalf of us
believers! "In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We
do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself
intercedes for us through wordless groans. And he who searches our
hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for
God's people in accordance with the will of God." Romans 8:26-27.
It is just astounding to think that among the three persons of the
Trinity, the Holy Spirit and the Son of God intercede for you and for
me with God the Father! On our behalf! This is an astonishing thing to
contemplate! Will your name or my name come before God the Father from
our great high priest, Jesus Christ, or our advocate (John 14:26), the
Holy Spirit today?
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share
what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to
hear from you!
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