Our Eternal High Priest

I previously spoke of the “eternal rest” awaiting those who are faithful and obedient to God. The children of Israel who departed Egypt were unable to enter their rest, that being the promised land, because of unbelief and disobedience to their calling. Their example has been given to us as a warning lest any of us should fall short of reaching the soon-coming rest that awaits us at the end of days. We have been admonished to make our calling and election sure. However, we are all sinners and have fallen woefully short of the glory of God. We cannot obtain his mercy and grace by our own efforts. How then can we make our calling and election sure?

We are more than able, through faith in our savior, who has paved the way for us with his blood, having paid the penalty for our sins, and who now sits at the right hand of the majesty on high as our eternal high priest. He daily makes intercession before his father on our behalf. Hebrews 4:14-16 “Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”

He knows our weaknesses, our faults, and the temptations that bombard us on a daily basis. He laid aside his heavenly robe in exchange for a fleshly body such as ours and tabernacled among us. He can be merciful because he has experienced our physical journey and knows the path laid out before us.

There are many today that feel unworthy to approach that throne of grace. False religion has made them believe that an earthly intercessor is still necessary, be it a minister or priest as a go-between, someone “worthy” enough to approach God’s heavenly throne. Many are encouraged to confess their sins to this earthly intercessor, who will pray for them. This is not what scripture teaches us.

Yeshua, at his crucifixion, broke down the barrier between God and man. During the time he walked the earth, this barrier was the holy of holies in the temple at Jerusalem. It housed the ark of the covenant, a representation of the throne of God, and could only be accessed once a year by the high priest on the Day of Atonement, when he made intercession first for his own sins and then for the nation as a whole.

Upon Yeshua‘s sacrifice, the veil that covered that most holy place was rent in two from top to bottom, symbolically providing direct access for every believer to God’s throne. We no longer need an earthly priest to intercede for us. Our eternal high priest has provided the way to God’s throne, where our prayers are received.

Don’t ever let anyone tell you that you are not worthy to pray directly to your heavenly father. Yeshua shed his blood to open up the way for the believer to humbly and reverently approach our God in heaven. We can go to him anytime, anywhere and know that he hears us. However, we must approach him in faith, coupled with obedience. Hebrew 11:6 tells us, “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him”.