Jesus our High Priest
26 April 2021
Every religion in the world has a priestly class. They act as mediators between God and man. These priests inform the followers of their religion, the requirements that need to be met to win the favor of god. What needs to be done to appease god’s wrath. In the tribal villages of Maharashtra , such priests are called “bhagats”. The tribals run to the “bhagats” every time they face any kind of trouble in their life. For they believe that every trouble they face – sickness, financial problems, accidents etc – are the result of the wrath of god. And it is only the bhagat, who has the power to appease the gods. So, for a certain sum of money, the bhagat performs some rituals . The satisfied tribals return hoping the gods are appeased only to find they have to part with more of their money to the “bhagats”.
There was a man in the hill country of Ephraim, whose name was Micah.Jdg 17:1 His mother took 200 pieces of silver and gave it to the silversmith, who made it into a carved image and a metal image.Jdg 17:4 And it was placed in the house of Micah. There was a Levite from Bethlehem who was looking for a place to stay. Micah invited this Levite to “be my father and priest, and I’ll give you ten shekels of silver a year, your clothes and your food.” Jdg 17:10 So the Levite became the high priest of the house of Micah. And this was the expectation of Micah of the priest “Now I know that the LORD will prosper me, because I have a Levite as priest.”Jdg 17:13
So there we see, everyone wants a priest who will set them free from the troubles of this world and prosper them in this world. But who will set us free from the eternal wrath of a Holy God. Who will be that High Priest who can appease the wrath of a God and save us from eternal death – being “thrown into hell where their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched for eternity.” Mar 9:47-48 Can ten shekels of silver and a coat buy for us such a priest?
No, our High Priest was sold for thirty pieces of silver and was disrobed of his coat and nailed naked on a cruel cross . “Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery. Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.”Heb 2:14-15 Jesus met every requirement of God in His life so that we can have the favour of God. Jesus on the Cross took on our sins and bore the wrath of God and quenched God’s wrath once and for all so that we will not have to face the wrath of God. Jesus by His resurrection “has passed through the heavens” Heb 4:14 so that He can be our High priest before God. “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.Heb 4:15 “The former priests were many in number, because they were prevented by death from continuing in office, but Jesus holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues forever. Consequently, Jesus is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them. For it was indeed fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens. Jesus has no need, like those high priests, to offer sacrifices daily, first for his own sins and then for those of the people, since he did this once for all when he offered up himself.Heb 7:23-26
Before the throne of God above
I have a strong, a perfect plea;
A great High Priest, whose Name is Love,
Who ever lives and pleads for me.
When Satan tempts me to despair,
And tells me of the guilt within,
Upward I look, and see Him there
Who made an end of all my sin.
C.L.Bancroft