Tag: Hebrews 4:14-16
Our Witness in Heaven!
Scripture reading for August 17: Job 16:19-21 “Even now, behold, my Witness is in heaven, and He Who testifies for me is on high. My friends scorn me; my eye pours out tears to God, that He would argue the case of a man with God, as a son of man does with his neighbor.”
Hebrews 4:14-16 “Since then we have a great High Priest Who passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but One Who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”
Job next testifies of his faith in God’s ability to help him by a Witness in heaven. Just like a son of man would vouch for his neighbor, so God would provide a Mediator to argue Job’s case in heaven. Job’s neighbors and friends were not helping him as they should. Satan was using them to bring scorn and accusation against Job that he had hidden sins and deserved more punishment than he was getting. They were ‘miserable comforters’ to Job. But Job again focused on the unseen realm of Heaven and God’s justice for those trusting in Him.
The writer of Hebrews mirrors Job’s statement of trust under the New Covenant of grace through Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ became all believers great “High Priest” and the only Mediator between God and man. He had identified with sinful man and experienced all our temptations and weaknesses, but without sin. We can come boldly with confidence to God’s throne to find grace to help us in any time of need. Our ‘Witness’, one like a Son of Man, the Son of God, is in heaven seated at God’s right hand and interceding for those who believe!
Prayer: Father God, thank You for showing us mercy through Jesus Christ our Great High Priest. I come confidently today because Jesus is my Mediator and has argued my case successfully. He testifies that His blood has redeemed me and by His stripes I am healed. (1 Peter 2:24) Amen.
Anchoring our thought life
Scripture reading for December 11: Hebrews 3-5
“Therefore, holy brothers, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, the Apostle and High Priest whom we confess. He was faithful to the One Who appointed Him, just as Moses was faithful in all God’s house. Jesus has been found worthy of greater honor that Moses, just as the builder of a house has greater honor than the house itself.” Hebrews 3:1-3
How we need to fix our thoughts today! There is so much confusion from this world bombarding us with it’s worries, demands, and fears. The Bible is clear about where to anchor our thoughts–on Jesus Christ! By focusing on Jesus we can have rest from worry, fear, and religious works that try to gain God’s favor. We can rest in the finished work of Jesus Christ to bring us into God’s glorious rest!
Jesus is the Apostle and High Priest that we confess. Jesus is the One sent by God to this earth to bring Good News. He is the Good News from the Father! He rose from the dead and became a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek. (Hebrews 5:8-10) His perfect obedience enabled Him to be made perfect through suffering death on a cross for our sins. He is a great High Priest who knows what we are going through and how to come to our aid! (Hebrews 4:14-16) He lives forever and never sleeps. His priestly ministry is always available and we have been given access to His throne by His own blood!
Jesus is greater than Moses, who led the people out of Egypt and gave them the law of God. Moses was supposed to lead the people into the promised land, but the people rebelled. Because they refused to believe and obey, their unbelief kept them from their inheritance! (Hebrews 3:19)
Jesus is greater than Joshua who also failed to lead God’s people to the full conquest of the promised land. Jesus ushers each of us into a new day–today! (Hebrews 4:6-7) We can enter the rest by faith in Him! As we hear His voice and respond in faithful obedience to His Word, we rest from our religious works and place our full trust on God’s provision through Jesus Christ!
This theme of rest is one of my favorites! I have been programmed to work for everything all my life. I must be diligent to enter this rest by placing my faith in Christ’s work for me. It takes humility and respect for God’s sovereign plan to enter in. Today is the day to enter and share this rest with someone close to you!
Abundant grace and mercy!
Scripture reading for February 21st: Leviticus 8-11, Psalm 110, Hebrews 4
Hebrews 4:14-16 “Since then we have a great high priest Who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest Who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but One Who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”
Under the Law in Leviticus, the priests had to offer sacrifices first for their own sins and then for the sins of the people. The only sacrifice acceptable was a spotless animal who gave up his life to cover the sin. But we have a new High Priest, Jesus Christ, Son of God Who after visiting earth as a man and then dying on a cross, offering His own blood as the atoning sacrifice for the sins of the world. He is seated at God’s right hand, able to sympathize with our weakness, and intercedes for us granting a cleansing from sin, not just a covering, to all who come in faith. Jesus is not of the lineage of the Levites and Aaron but of the order of Melchizedek, the priest of the Most High God and King of Salem (Jerusalem). He is a type of an eternal priesthood because there is no record of his birth or his death. Jesus, like him, lives forever and is able to meet our every need for help. He is God’s appointed High Priest!
Leviticus 9:7-8 “Then Moses said to Aaron, “Draw near to the altar and offer your sin offering and your burnt offering and make atonement for yourself and for the people, and bring the offering of the people and make atonement for them as the Lord has commanded.” So Aaron drew near to the altar and killed the calf of the sin offering which was for himself.”
Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for being appointed our High Priest forever! I am comforted to know that You are able to sympathize with my weakness and come to my aid with grace and mercy. Thank You for cleansing me from sin and sin’s power.
Psalm 110:4 “The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind, “You are a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.”
Confidence before God’s Throne
Scripture reading for October 17th: Isaiah 57-59, Hebrews 4
Key Scriptures: Hebrews 4:14-16 “Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”
Jesus Christ is our great “High Priest” Who is our Intercessor before God. Jesus understands us perfectly and is able to represent us before God because He was tempted as a man but overcame and returned to heaven to help us through His priestly intercession. We can draw near in confidence! Amen.
Isaiah 59:16 “He saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no one to intercede; then His own arm brought Him salvation, and His righteousness upheld Him.”
Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for coming to earth as a human and identifying with us. Thank You for Your victory over sin and death and the confidence we can now have to approach You for help in times of need. Amen.