Our High Priest (Heb. 7:25)
The apostle had been saying a host of things in the first chapters of Hebrews about angels and their status, about Moses and his wilderness experience, about Joshua and the land of Canaan, about the prophets and Abraham and Melchizedek. But as he reaches chapter 8, verse 1, he abruptly calls us back to focus:
Read Hebrews 8:1, 2. What is the main point of all that the apostle was saying up to these verses?
Within the physical layout of the ancient Israelite camp, the ordinary Israelite worshipper stood several barriers removed from the sanctuary's innermost sanctum. To gain physical access, it would have been necessary to get by the buffer of priests and Levites and no-go areas surrounding the sacred enclosure. But now, says the author of Hebrews, Christ, our heavenly priest-mediator, has opened a door of unlimited access to the heavenly sanctuary itself, the throne room of the living God. "Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence," says the sacred writer, "so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need" (Heb. 4:16, NIV). Jesus is our intercessor in heaven.
Though we do not know the exact form of Jesus' intercession for us, Scripture offers examples of the idea, albeit from a human standpoint. Two of these occurred in the life of Moses, in connection with the rebellion at Kadesh (Num. 14:10-20), and in connection with the golden calf affair (Exod. 32:9-14, 30-32). These are powerful passages. "But now," Moses pled with God in that last reference, "please forgive their sin—but if not, then blot me out of the book you have written" (vs. 32, NIV). We also witness such forms of priestly intercession in Daniel (Dan. 9) and in Jesus' great prayer before His passion (John 17).
Examine the following key passages from Hebrews as examples of what our heavenly High Priest does for us: Heb. 2:18; 7:25; 8:3-10; 9:11-14; 10:11-17. Most important, ask yourself: How can I personally be benefitted in my walk with the Lord by knowing that Jesus is doing these things for me? How can I apply these promises in my life?
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