WHAT JESUS IS DOING NOW -- Monday:
" For every high priest taken from among men is ordained for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins: Who can have compassion on the ignorant, and on them that are out of the way; for that he himself also is compassed with infirmity . . . So also Christ glorified not Himself to be made an high priest . . . though he were a Son, yet learned He obedience by the things which He suffered; and being made perfect, He became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey Him" (Heb 5:1-9).
There is a marked tendency in professed Christians to focus on this "present evil world." Unfortunately, this disposition has been nurtured by the contemporary church. Its programs and thrust do not require much from God, and thus people have concluded they can live in virtual absentia from the Lord. This is an imagination spawned in and nurtured by the power of darkness!
The present ministry of Jesus -- His High Priesthood -- has been established by God in order to the completion of our salvation. Without that indispensable ministry, there is no hope of anyone being saved. Whatever people may think of reaching the lost (and that is a most noble work), God has appointed our High Priest to provide mercy and grace for the saved! The focus of His priesthood will testify loudly to that fact. Saving the lost involves infinitely more than bringing them into Christ.
"For every high priest taken from among men is appointed on behalf of men." (Heb 5:1a, RSV). The concept of a high priest was introduced in the Levitical law. The guidelines for establishing the high priesthood were outlined by God to Moses in Exodus 28:1-14 and 29:1-37. The first high priest was Aaron, and he was taken "from among the sons of Israel" (Ex 28:1). Under the Law the type of Christ's priesthood was developed. A man would represent men! Angels were employed to deliver men (i.e., Lot -- 19:15, Israel--Ex 14:19), but God would not employ them to represent men before Him.
This foreshadowed our Lord's High Priesthood, or present ministry. He did not take hold of the nature of angels, but of men. In keeping with the Divinely appointed type, the representative must be taken "from among" -- the people. Thus it is written, "For verily He took not on Him the nature of angels; but He took on Him the seed of Abraham" (Heb 2:16). It is Christ's humanity that enables Him to save us.
The Father, knowing what was in men, and the immensity of the work of saving him, knew it would take a tender and empathetic (not merely sympathetic) High Priest to save them. It is my persuasion that the largeness of salvation is generally unknown because the extent of man's fall is not known. Men speak too glibly about salvation, as though it could be accomplished with a casual word. This is not so! God could speak the worlds into existence, but the salvation of man would require much more! The natural creation took only six days. The new creation has taken 6,000 years thus far, and is not yet completed.
An adequate High Priest must stand continually before God in the behalf of men, else they will not be saved! No wonder the Spirit moved Paul to speak of the Son's humiliation in such lofty and arresting language (Phil 2:5-11).
The high priesthood, which foreshadowed Christ's present work, exclusively concerned "things pertaining to God" (Heb 5:1-2). In salvation, God is not basically providing for man's temporal needs. Health, wealth, cohesive families, and stable governments are all nice, but that is not the reason for Christ's High Priesthood. Those who only look to Jesus to resolve their problems in this world severely limit themselves. Under the Law, the exclusive work of the high priest concerned man's relationship to God. That is the fundamental relationship, and all others are subordinate to it. It is essential that this be seen with a good degree of clarity.
The High Priest dealt exclusively with matters pertaining to God's dealings with men. He presided over them in the name of God, declaring His will to them, and blessing them in God's stead (Num 16:46-48; 18:1-3). He also dealt with matters in which men had to do with God. He appeared before God in their name, representing their persons, and offering their sacrifices to God (Ex 28:29; Lev 9:7). The people needed the High Priest to receive from God, and to give to God.
The purpose of the high priest was not to settle family disputes. He was not an arbiter between men, but someone standing between God and men. If there were no "things pertaining to God," there would have been no high priest.
Now our High Priest, Jesus Christ, is in heaven. Whatever may be said about the involvement of Jesus with the individual, He has no ministry unrelated to man's association with God. God needs Jesus to bless men, and men need Jesus to receive the blessing. This is the heart and core of the Christian religion. Apart from this, nothing is of any lasting significance. With it, everlasting consolation and good hope are brought to bear upon every facet of life. There is no aspect of living that is not sweetened by a firm persuasion of the effectiveness of Christ's present ministry.
PRAYER POINT: Father, I thank You through Jesus Christ for appointing an effective High Priest who is in Your presence -- one who effectively brings Your appointed benefits to me, and who represents me to You within the framework of love and grace.