Good Morning Friends,
“When Christ came as high priest of the good
things that are already here, he went through the greater and more perfect
tabernacle that is not man-made, that is to say, not a part of this creation. He
did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the
Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, having obtained eternal
redemption. The blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on
those who are ceremonially unclean sanctify them so that they are outwardly
clean. How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal
Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts
that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!” (Hebrews 9:11-14)
Jesus is a greater high priest. He is not a high priest appointed because of
who his ancestors were, but God’s own Son. He was appointed because of His
relationship with the Father. He is a better high priest because of who He is,
and a better high priest because of what He did. He lived a perfect, sinless
life. There never had been and never could be another high priest like Jesus.
Jesus serves in a greater tabernacle. The
Jewish high priests entered a tabernacle made by human hands, using the
materials that they were commanded to use. Those materials were all found here
in this physical world. Those who made the tabernacle had nothing else with
which to work. The tabernacle was made according to design, but it was limited to
what they had to work with. And when the temple replaced the tabernacle, the
same thing could be said. It was a beautiful building, but it was still just a
building made with wood, stone, and precious metals. But the tabernacle in
which Jesus serves as high priest does not have the same limitations. It is not
made with human hands, but by God Himself, so it does not have the
imperfections of every human creation. It is not made with physical materials,
limited to what is available on earth. It has been made from heavenly
materials, created by the mind of God just for the tabernacle.
Jesus offered a greater sacrifice. The blood
of bulls and goats was all the high priest could carry into the Most Holy
Place. There was no other sacrifice to be made. But those sacrifices weren’t
adequate to take away sin, they just covered it over. But Jesus carried a
greater sacrifice into the heavenly tabernacle. He carried His own blood. That
was a far more costly sacrifice. That was a far more powerful and effective
sacrifice. That was a far more acceptable sacrifice to the Father. It is
adequate not for covering over sin, but for totally and completely and
eternally removing it.
We have the perfect high priest. He serves in
the perfect tabernacle. He offered the
perfect sacrifice.
His, by Grace,
Steve
No comments:
Post a Comment