Our Indestructible High Priest

Pause:

Before you start reading this devotional, take a moment to stop what you’re doing, slow down and focus on Jesus.

Pray and ask him to open your eyes to see as you read the scriptures, and to open your ears to hear as you wait on the leading of the Spirit.

Read:

Hebrews 6:19-20: “We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure. It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain. 20 Jesus has entered there on our behalf as a forerunner, because he has become a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.”

Going Deeper:

The letter to the Hebrews puts a spotlight on Jesus being our high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek. What does that mean and what significance might it have for our lives?

In Israel, the priests were representatives of the people before God. They stood in the gap caused by human brokenness and offered gifts and sacrifices for sin. The priesthood was a sign of God’s kindness and mercy as it indicated God’s desire to forgive and restore relationship with His people. However, the priests were just like everyone else and had to offer sacrifices for their own sin. Ultimately, the priesthood could not truly close the gap through their offerings and sacrifices. The continual sacrifices highlighted the need for a better sacrifice that could deal with sin once and for all.

Now, the priests in Israel were from the tribe of Levi, the family line of Moses and Aaron. However, the high priest Melchizedek curiously has no genealogy, even though he appears in Genesis which is a genealogical record. There’s a sense in which he has no start or end to his life and he therefore remains a priest forever. As you might expect, Melchizedek paved the way for Jesus whose priesthood is based not on being born into a particular tribe of Israel but rather on the power of His indestructible life.

Why is this important? For sinners, it makes all the difference in the world to know that in Jesus we have a priest who’s made a final sacrifice (Himself!) and will represent us before God forever. I want to encourage you to savor these words describing Jesus’ work on our behalf and invite God to speak to you through them:

• “Because he remains forever, he holds his priesthood permanently. Therefore, he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, since he always lives to intercede for them.” Hebrews 7:24-25
• "For Christ did not enter a sanctuary made with hands (only a model of the true one) but into heaven itself, so that he might now appear in the presence of God for us.” Hebrews 9:24
• "He has appeared one time, at the end of the ages, for the removal of sin by the sacrifice of himself.” Hebrews 9:26
• “We have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all time.” Hebrews 10:10
• “For by one offering he has perfected forever those who are sanctified.” Hebrews 10:14

The book of Hebrews show us that our wonderful high priest Jesus has come to meet us in our brokenness. How do you need Him to meet you today?

Pray:

Respond to God in prayer by speaking to Him about what stood out to you from this passage this morning.

Listen:

What is the Holy Spirit saying to you this morning?

Apply:

What are you going to do in response to what God is saying to you from the text and by the Spirit?