July 9 - The Great High Priest

July 9 - Hebrews 4:14-5:10 - The Great High Priest

A friend told me about going before a judge, accused of something he hadn't done. But, the accuser pushed things until they stood before this woman. As my friend looked at her, he realized that she had gone to law school with him and they had been very good friends during those years. She knew him, his character and his behavior. She knew that he could not have done the things that the accuser laid out. Since there was no real evidence, she recognized that this was a petty accusation and set it aside.

That's the type of friend that stands before the throne of grace with us. Jesus knows what it is like to be us. He came to earth to stand with us, he faced temptations that we face and though he is without sin, He understands what we deal with every day.

With this great high priest standing before us, we know that we will receive mercy and grace at God's throne. (Hebrews 4:14-16)

The high priest system that had been in place since the time of Aaron had been set forth to represent the Israelites before God. The high priest knew his people and cared for them. He brought their gifts and sacrifices before God and also because of His own weakness, had to offer sacrifices for his own sins. The high priest couldn't just become that on a whim, but had to be called by God. (Hebrews 5:1-4)

Even Christ did not proclaim Himself as high priest, but God called Him to the position. (Hebrews 5:5-6)

While Jesus was on earth, His offerings were made up of the prayers and petitions that He cried out to God. In Revelation 8:3-5, the prayers of the saints fill the golden altar in heaven. Our prayers are the offerings that God craves, Jesus' prayers while He was on earth were the offerings that He could best give to the Creator.

He willingly became the source of eternal salvation through suffering and obedience to the Father. He offers this salvation to us who willingly obey Him.

These first few chapters of Hebrews emphasize the importance of eternity in our lives and what it takes on our parts to be there. We can enter God's rest, we can find eternal salvation through faith and obedience.