Our Great High Priest

“Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an High Priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens; A Minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the LORD pitched and not man.  For every high priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices: wherefore it is of necessity that this Man have somewhat also to offer.”  Hebrews 8:1-3

All along in his essay, the writer of Hebrews has been making the point that Jesus is way far superior to those who had held and were currently holding the position of high priest in the line of the Jewish priesthood.  Their office was located in a temple or before that, a tabernacle, designed by God but built with human hands.  Historical evidence and scripture show us that the tabernacle was only a temporary structure, and that it was superseded by two temples, each of which was destroyed.  The first temple built by David’s son, Solomon (II Chronicles 3:1-2) in B.C. 949 was destroyed by the Babylonians in B.C. 587 when Jerusalem fell (II Kings 25:9).  After the Jews returned from Babylonian captivity, the second temple was built by Zerubbabel and completed in B.C. 516 (Ezra 6:15).  It later fell into disrepair, but was repaired by Herod the Great, beginning somewhere around B.C. 20 or 21.  This temple was destroyed by the Romans in A.D. 70.  All of this is to point out that earthly structures do not last.  Buildings that have been around a long time eventually get demolished to make way for a new structure, which, in time, will be torn down to make way for another new building and thus the cycle will continue.  Nothing on earth is permanent, not even this earth as we know it is permanent (Revelation 21:1).  Considering these facts, you might wonder what is permanent?  I’m glad you asked.

God has always existed and will exist for eternity.  His Son, Jesus Christ, also existed in the beginning (Genesis 1:26).  God’s home, whether in heaven or on the new earth (Revelation 21:1) is a permanent home for the Lord and all who are His family.  God’s throne is eternal.  Jesus’ position as High Priest seated at the right hand of the throne of God is also eternal.  The once-and-for-all sacrifice that Christ made is sufficient for all time, thus no need for any further sacrifices.  Jesus doesn’t need to leave the right hand of God and return to earth, suffer and die again, to reconcile man unto God.  He will return one day to claim His family and judge the world.

Until such time as He returns, He is now the “minister of the sanctuary”, the “true tabernacle”, the home of God built by God and not man.  As He awaits the time when God will send Him back to earth to judge and make all things right, He is our High Priest and Mediator who stands in our place before the Father, interceding on our behalf.  I thought about, as a student, trying to hide behind the student sitting in front of me when the teacher was calling on us to answer a question of which I did not know the answer.  Hey, we’ve all done that.  The thing is that student in front of me was absolutely no protection to me at all.  You can’t hide from a teacher.  We can’t hide from God, either, but it sure is good to know that Jesus covers for us when we don’t know the answer.

Jesus is also directing the world’s affairs, or as Adam Clarke’s Commentary puts it, “…both as Priest and Mediator, He transacts the business of the whole human race with God”.  The “true tabernacle” is where God dwells.  In the Old Testament, God directed His people to set up a tabernacle, His earthly dwelling place, which was a tent that was movable.  The “true tabernacle” was “pitched” or set up by God Himself.  Only God could create a home suitable for Himself.  God dwells within the heart of each believer but only after He has made us a suitable and clean vessel.  We cannot clean ourselves up in order to provide Him a home fit for His majesty and glory.  It is difficult to understand why He would choose a sinful and rebellious people in which to make His abode, but it shows how much He loves His creation that He was willing to bear the burden of fulfilling His own requirement for reconciliation of sinful man.

Every corporation or business enterprise has or should have a mission statement.  Every employment position in a business has a job description, a list of the duties that is required of the employee.  It was no different for the Jewish high priest.  His mission was to represent God to the people and intercede for the people to God.  His duties included offering gifts and sacrifices.  In line with these duties, it follows that Christ, as the eternal High Priest, was also required to offer a sacrifice which He did on Calvary’s cross.  His mission was to bring redemption and reconciliation of men to his Creator by His sacrifice.  Jesus’ mission now as Mediator is, like the Jewish priest, to represent God to His people and intercede to His Father on behalf of His followers, but on a much more personal level.  The Jewish priests could never attain that level of intimacy with God because of their own sinfulness just like we can’t on our own.  Even when sinners repent and place faith in Christ, they don’t do it on their own.  The Holy Spirit must be present.  Jesus said in John 6:44, “No man can come to Me, except the Father which hath sent Me draw him…”, and God does that through the Holy Spirit.  The sacrifices made in the earthly tabernacle could only bring a limited and temporary cleansing while the heavenly tabernacle is pure and eternal because of Christ’s blood that was shed on the cross.  How blessed that we are to have been born after the cross.