The Great High Priest

YOU HAVE A GREAT HIGH PRIEST WHO HAS GONE INTO THE VERY PRESENCE OF GOD---JESUS, THE SON OF GOD. Hebrews 4.14.

The first time I read from the book of Hebrews that “we have a great High Priest who has gone into the very presence of God---Jesus, the Son of God”, it didn’t mean much to me. Those of us who belong to the Evangelical churches have ‘never seen’ a priest, let alone a bishop or Archbishop or the Pope. Hence it is difficult and even impossible for us to think of Jesus as our Great High Priest!

As for the Jewish converts to whom the epistle of Hebrews was written, they had no problem in understanding this and seeing Jesus as their ‘new Great High Priest’. They were surrounded by priests in their temples. The priests accepted the sacrifices and offered them to God on the altar on behalf of the people. The priests spoke to the people the words of God. They also had the High Priest who entered the ‘holy of holies’ and offered the sacrifice of Atonement once a year.

You need to grasp the Person and the Position of Jesus Christ as our 'Great High Priest'. Only then can you begin to receive the full blessings of His ‘God-ordained’ office of the High Priest (Heb 5.6). Knowing Jesus as our Great High Priest in heaven before God is very different from knowing Jesus as our Saviour and Lord. We need to know that it is actually Jesus as our High Priest who presents our petitions to God! We need to know Him as our High Priest who has spoken God’s Word to us! The apostle Paul explains the priesthood of Jesus in these words, “there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” (1 Tim 2.5).

When we pray and make our petition to God, we always end up saying, “all this we ask in Jesus’ name!” Have you ever thought why the Lord Jesus asked us to do so? For one thing, Jesus knew that He only is our mediator and High Priest. He taught us to present our prayers to Him or to the Father in His name. He would then, offer our prayers to His Father. Jesus knew that our standing with God and acceptance were always in Him, through His righteousness. He was ‘the Son in whom the Father was well pleased’. His prayers Jesus said, "the Father always hears” (Jn 11.42).

Remember the times you have gone to some pastor or leader for prayer because ‘your own prayers’ were not answered? It is all right for they too are our ‘mediators’ before God, only they are human. Indeed, we all are repeatedly exhorted to intercede and mediate to God on behalf of each other. But Jesus, the Son of God is our only 'High Priest and Mediator between God and us. The next time, and why not every time, not only you pray in Jesus' name but also ask Him to pray for you. The Bible says, He is already doing it without our asking because He knows our needs. “He lives in heaven today to make intercession for us” (Heb 7.25).

Dear believer, before you go to any special pastor or leader for prayer for your needs next time, remember to go to your own High Priest who is greater than all pastors and priests. Jesus understands every weakness of yours, because he was tempted in every way that we are (Heb 4.15).

Pray and practise with me: Dear Lord, help me to know You as my Great High Priest. May I have the confidence to approach God's throne through You. There I will receive mercy and find grace to help me just when I need it. Amen.