Thoughts From Hebrews - Day 21

                                                   Hebrews 8:1-7

Now the main point of what we are saying is this: We do have such a high priest, who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, ² and who serves in the sanctuary, the true tabernacle set up by the Lord, not by a mere human being.
³ Every high priest is appointed to offer both gifts and sacrifices, and so it was necessary for this one also to have something to offer. ⁴ If he were on earth, he would not be a priest, for there are already priests who offer the gifts prescribed by the law. ⁵ They serve at a sanctuary that is a copy and shadow of what is in heaven. This is why Moses was warned when he was about to build the tabernacle: “See to it that you make everything according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.” ⁶ But in fact the ministry Jesus has received is as superior to theirs as the covenant of which he is mediator is superior to the old one, since the new covenant is established on better promises.
⁷ For if there had been nothing wrong with that first covenant, no place would have been sought for another.


            Jesus sat down. That in itself summarizes what is better about the New Covenant. If you look in Leviticus at the daily activities of the priest, especially in Leviticus 16, there was no time for sitting. Their shift was a flurry of activity offering gifts and sacrifices for the people who daily sinned and daily needed forgiveness. There were daily sin offerings, guilt offerings, fellowship, grain, and burnt offerings not to mention the once a year Day of Atonement. These were all temporary stop gaps till the day that sin would be completely paid for, once and for all. They were the swipes of a credit card to pay for sin, knowing that the credit card balance, a sum so large that no one could pay, would someday be paid by a better sacrifice. That was Jesus' blood. He paid for all sins for all time, past, present, and future. Then He sat down because no more sacrifices were needed. Yet the passage says "He serves", present tense, which means although He sat down, He is still serving. What does that mean?

       The Bible calls Jesus our mediator. Forgive my non-Trinitarian thinking, but I picture Jesus, sitting at the right hand of the Father, saying 24/7 (there is no 24/7 in Heaven) "Yes, Jim sinned again but remember, I paid for that sin. I have received the punishment for that sin and the Rock can't be struck twice. Forgive Him and restore Him." I believe that is the sitting, yet serving job that our perfect High priest is doing for us. What is the application of that for us? First of all, it should lead us to praise, worship, adoration that Someone would love us enough number one to die for us and number 2 to spend all His time interceding for our current sins although that function will end when we go to Heaven and sin is no more. Boy, if anyone should be looking forward to that day, it should be Jesus. What a terrible job He has. I guess you could say He is looking forward to retirement. Hey! Finally a Biblical precedent for retirement!

        Secondly, it should keep us from sin. How, you might ask, when we know that every sin we do is forgiven? Do you understand that every transgression you make, every sin you commit is projected on a big screen TV in Heaven and God the Father and God the Son see it in living color. Not exactly like that but you get the point. Aren't you embaressed? Don't you want Christ, like in the case of Job, to be saying "Have you seen my servant Jim? Isn't he awesome?" instead of, "Yes, He blew it again and I am ashamed of Him but yet I love him and forgive him". Which scenario do you want being played out in Heaven?

       Lastly, theologically speaking, I don't see how you can make a case for losing your salvation. Jesus can't die on the cross multiple times for your salvation. He did it once and for all and sat down. I don't need to be re-saved, I've been saved transformed by the indwelling Holy Spirit, adopted into God's family and I can't be un-adopted, un-transformed, and un-born again. What an amazing wonderful, patient, forgiving Savior I have!