Tag: permanent priesthood
Separated to God Alone!
Scripture reading for February 25th: Leviticus 19-20, Hebrews 7
Key Scriptures: Hebrews 7:22-26 “This makes Jesus the guarantor of a better covenant. The former priests were many in number, because they were prevented by death from continuing in office, but He holds His priesthood permanently, because He continues forever. Consequently, He is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.”
God declared on oath that His Son, Jesus Christ, would be a Priest forever. Since He rose from the dead, He is alive and will live forever. This sets Him apart from the Levitical priesthood. They were sinful men who died and were buried, thus unable to continue as priests. When anyone turns to Jesus as their Priest, they are eternally secure in Him and His intercession for them with His own blood. Praise the Lord!
Faith Confession and Prayer: I have strong confidence in my salvation and inheritance because God’s Word promises me that I possess it through faith in Jesus Christ, my ‘forever Priest!’ Help me today with holy separation from the world and separation to You alone!
Leviticus 20:24, 26 “But I have said to you, ‘You shall inherit their land, and I will give it to you to possess, a land flowing with milk and honey.’ I am the Lord your God, who has separated you from the peoples.” . . . .You shall be holy to Me, for I the Lord am holy and have separated you from the peoples, that you should be mine.”
Jesus: Priest of the New Covenant
Scripture reading for October 23rd: Hebrews 8
“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, and who serves in the sanctuary, the true tabernacle, set up by the Lord, not by man.” (Hebrews 8:1-2)
Jesus was a High Priest of the Order of Melchizedek. He is alive and seated at the throne of heaven at God’s right hand, a place of eternal honor. He now serves, not in a humanly constructed sanctuary or temple, but in the actual Tabernacle in Heaven. He offered one sacrifice–His own blood and body–for the sins of all men and women and sat down, his work of sacrifice now finished!
In contrast, the High Priests of the Order of Aaron were men who offered gifts and sacrifices prescribed by the law of God. The did this in a copy of the heavenly temple given to Moses on the Mount Sinai when he received the Ten Commandments, part of the Old Covenant. Under this Old Covenant, the people were obligated to keep or obey God’s law and offer sacrifices of blood when they failed unintentionally. The problem with this covenant was that the people disobeyed and broke the covenant. The Law could only reveal sin, it could not deliver men from sin! The blood sacrifices could only cover sin, not cleanse the inner man from sin and guilt.
But now, Jesus Christ is the mediator of the New Covenant. By faith in Him and His Blood, all who believe will be saved from sin’s penalty: death! We can know God personally and have His law written inside. “For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.” (Hebrews 8:12)
Jesus saves completely!
Reading for Saturday December 13th, 2014
Today’s reading to help us finish on time comes from Hebrews 5-7. Here are a few of my favorite scriptures from this section. May they inspire joy on this day.
“During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, He offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the One who could save Him from death, and He was heard because of His reverent submission. Although He was a son, He learned obedience from what He suffered and , once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey Him and was designated by God to be high priest in the order of Melchizedek.” Hebrews 5:7-10
“God did this so that by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to take hold of the hope offered to us may be greatly encouraged. We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, where Jesus, who went before us, has entered on our behalf. He has become a high priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.” Hebrews 6:18-20
“Now there have been many of those priests, since death prevented them from continuing in office; but because Jesus lives forever, He has a permanent priesthood. Therefore He is able to save completely those who come to God through Him, because He always lives to intercede for them.” Hebrews 7:23-25.
Jesus saves completely!
Scripture reading for November 6th: Hebrews 7:18-28
Do you ever wonder if you are really saved? Do you sometimes think that maybe you are not quite saved, but are missing something? Feelings can play tricks on us. We are mortal and our flesh has insecurities and our enemy loves to make accusations. The writer of Hebrews wants to reassure the believers of the completeness of their salvation!
God appointed Jesus to be a priest forever by using an oath. “And it was not without an oath! Others became priests without any oath, but He became a priest with an oath when God said to Him: “The Lord has sworn and will not change His mind: ‘You are a priest forever.'” (Hebrews 7:20-21) When Jesus became a priest, He was superior to the Levitical priesthood and had a better covenant as well.
“Not there have been many of those priests, since death prevented them from continuing in office; but because Jesus lives forever, He has a permanent priesthood. Therefore He is able to save completely those who come to God through Him, because He always lives to intercede for them.” (Hebrews 7:23-25) There is no more need for another priest! This Jesus will always be there any time we have a need. We can call on Him and know He will pray and has already sacrificed His body and blood on our behalf!
“Such a High Priest meets our need–One who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens. Unlike other 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 7:26-27) Jesus is set apart from sinners like us. He is completely holy and pure. He was sinless and is now exalted above the heavens. He has already offered the perfect sacrifice and has been made perfect.
We are so blessed to have this wonderful High Priest! We don’t need another and never will. He faithfully intercedes for us and will come back to receive us to Himself. We can be assured of complete salvation: forgiveness of our sins now, power to live a holy life, and a glorified body enabling us to live in God’s presence forever! That’s something to boast about and shout joyfully to the One who paid it all!