THE LIVES OF THE PATRIARCHS #160 | THE LIFE OF MOSES #141
Pastor Christopher Choo
Lesson 3846
THE LIVES OF THE PATRIARCHS #160
THE LIFE OF MOSES #141
MOSES AT MT. SINAI #40
THE TRANSFORMING GLORY OF GOD #24
THE ARK OF THE COVENANT ( Part 16 )
THE HIGH PRIEST
Once a year, on the Day of Atonement, or Yom Kippur, the high priest entered the Holy of Holies to make amends for the people's sins.
Entry to this most sacred place was restricted to the high priest and allowed only on one day out of the year.
It was separated from the other chamber in the tent of meeting by a colorful veil.
Inside the Holy of Holies was the Ark of the Covenant. This is where the high priest acted as the mediator between the people and God, who was present in a cloud and pillar of fire on the mercy seat of the Ark.
Of all the elements of the wilderness tabernacle, the office of high priest was one of the strongest promises of the coming Savior, Jesus Christ.
While the tabernacle high priest was the mediator of the Old Covenant, Jesus became the high priest and mediator of the New Covenant, interceding for humanity with God.
Christ's role as high priest is spelled out in the book of Hebrews 4:14 to 10:18.
As the sinless son of God, He is uniquely qualified to be the mediator and yet has compassion with human sin:
"For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are — yet was without sin." (Hebrews 4:15, NIV)
Jesus' priesthood is superior to that of Aaron because, through his resurrection, Christ has an eternal priesthood:
"For it is declared, You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek." (Hebrews 7:17, NIV)
Melchizedek was the priest and king of Salem, to whom Abraham
gave tithes (Hebrews 7:2). Because Scripture does not record Melchizedek's death, Hebrews says he "remains a priest forever."
"High Priest" is only one of the many titles applied to Jesus: Messiah, Savior, Son of God, Son of Man, Friend of Sinners, etc.
Each one focuses on a particular aspect of who He is and what that means for us.
In the book of Hebrews, Jesus is called a High Priest (Hebrews 2:17; 4:14). The word “priest” carries a couple of primary meanings.
First, it means one who mediates in religious services.
It also means one who is holy or set apart to perform those services.
The first place we find the word used in the Bible is in Genesis 14. Abraham, the friend of God, entered into battle to rescue his nephew Lot, who had been captured by the army of Elam. On his return, Abraham was met by Melchizedek, King of Salem and priest of the Most High God. This man, whose name means the “king of righteousness,” blessed Abraham and the Most High God who gave victory to Abraham. In return for this blessing, Abraham gave a tithe (10 percent) of all the spoils of war to Melchizedek. By this act, Abraham acknowledged Melchizedek’s high position as the priest of God.
Years later, Abraham’s great-grandson Levi was singled out by God to be the father of the priestly tribe.
When the Law was given on Mount Sinai, the Levites were identified as the servants of the Tabernacle, with the family of Aaron becoming the priests.
The priests were responsible for making intercession to God for the people by offering the many sacrifices that the law required.
Among the priests, one was selected as the High Priest, and he entered into the Most Holy Place once a year on the Day of Atonement to place the blood of the sacrifice on the Ark of the Covenant (Hebrews 9:7).
By these daily and yearly sacrifices, the sins of the people were temporarily covered until the Messiah came to take away their sins.
When Jesus is called our High Priest, it is with reference to both of these previous priesthoods. Like Melchizedek, He is ordained as a priest apart from the Law given on Mount Sinai (Hebrews 5:6). Like the Levitical priests, Jesus offered a sacrifice to satisfy the Law of God when He offered Himself for our sins (Hebrews 7:26-27).
Unlike the Levitical priests, who had to continually offer sacrifices, Jesus only had to offer His sacrifice once, gaining eternal redemption for all who come to God through Him (Hebrews 9:12).
One other important point about Jesus’ priesthood—every priest is appointed from among men. Jesus, though God from eternity, became a man in order to suffer death and serve as our High Priest (Hebrews 2:9).
As a man, He was subject to all the weaknesses and temptations that we are, so that He could personally relate to us in our struggles (Hebrews 4:15). Jesus is greater than any other priest, so He is called our “Great High Priest” in Hebrews 4:14, and that gives us the boldness to come “unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16 KJV).
Thus the office of the High Priest of the Old Testament finds its ultimate fulfilment in Christ as our Great High Priest in the New Testament.
He still remains as a Mediator between the One New Man in Christ (whether Jew or Gentile ) and God our Heavenly Father - forever making intercession on our behalf.
Hebrews 7:25
"Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them."
