Back in the days before Jesus was crucified, high priests were a very important part of God’s work on earth, especially when it came to God’s tabernacle. They were the ones in the times of that would enter the holy of holies once a year on the day of atonement, to burn incense and to kill the animals and to sprinkle their blood on the alter. This was for the their own sins and for the people of Israel. It was until Jesus’s sacrifice on the cross, where their role on earth was no longer needed. 1It is because, once the veil was torn in the holy of holies, after the Lord gave up the ghost, everyone could now enter into the presence of God. And the role of the high priest was no longer needed but only for Jesus to take on. As Hebrews teaches, Jesus is now our high priest. 2We no longer have temples made with hands, since God does not dwell in them any longer. 3This is because we are God’s temple and He is able to live inside of each of us now. Speaking of Jesus, Paul said, 4“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.” As you can see, God’s tabernacle is no longer made with human hands but is in heaven. This is based on a 4“more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises.”
In this new covenant with God, Jesus is the last high priest and earthly high priests no longer exist. Therefore, as believers in Christ, we 5“are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.” We have been set free from the bondage of sin and are set apart for God and what He can do for each of our lives. So what this priesthood means for every believer now is that we are under our Lord Jesus, our high priest. We are also 5“as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.” This is the way of a Christian. It is not our place to take the place of the high priest role any more, but to give the Lord God His glory. The animal sacrifices have stopped, as Jesus is the lamb of God. Therefore, this duty of an earthly high priest has ended and now we all act similarly but in a spiritual manner. Our sacrifices and offerings to the Lord are from a humble and loving heart, in order to please Him. Our desires to live up to God’s standards and allow the Holy Spirit to work in our lives is an acceptable sacrifice for Him. We may not be part of Israel but we are grafted into this covenant and have mercy. Therefore, rejoice, for as called God’s people, there is much in store for you in this life and in heaven.
Let us pray:
Lord, I pray that every person in the faith will realize how wonderful it is to be a part of Your royal priesthood. Surely, You are our high priest and being under You gives us so much peace and joy. Because You are the Lamb of God and suffered for our sins on the cross, animal sacrifices are done and away with and we have hope in You. We no longer have to go to an earthly person to do a sacrifice for us, for we can come to You now in prayer. You have opened the doors to us all, since the veil was ripped in half, as You gave up the ghost on the cross. This was when everything was stopped for the earthly high priest and switched over to a spiritual offering instead. Because You were our sacrifice, it is our duties Lord to serve You and to give You everything we have. These spiritual sacrifices I now do is because of my great love for You Lord. I want less of me and more of You in my life. May my old ways never return, that this new life will come to life. You are my King and my Lord. I give You my heart, my mind and my eyes. May my life give You praise in everything I do. So keep me on Your path, oh Lord. Help me to be a light to this darken generation and to resist temptation. I want more people to know You and to understand what You’ve done for them on the cross. Surely, if I have found mercy in Your sight, anyone can. I say these things Lord, in thy Holy Name, Jesus. Amen.
Let us read the Bible:
Note: Any Numbered References, found above, are listed below.
1Matthew 27:45-51 (KJV)
45 Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour.
46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?
47 Some of them that stood there, when they heard that, said, This man calleth for Elias.
48 And straightway one of them ran, and took a spunge, and filled it with vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink.
49 The rest said, Let be, let us see whether Elias will come to save him.
50 Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost.
51 And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;
2Acts 7:44-54 (KJV)
44 Our fathers had the tabernacle of witness in the wilderness, as he had appointed, speaking unto Moses, that he should make it according to the fashion that he had seen.
45 Which also our fathers that came after brought in with Jesus into the possession of the Gentiles, whom God drave out before the face of our fathers, unto the days of David;
46 Who found favour before God, and desired to find a tabernacle for the God of Jacob.
47 But Solomon built him an house.
48 Howbeit the most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands; as saith the prophet,
49 Heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool: what house will ye build me? saith the Lord: or what is the place of my rest?
50 Hath not my hand made all these things?
51 Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye.
52 Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers:
53 Who have received the law by the disposition of angels, and have not kept it.
54 When they heard these things, they were cut to the heart, and they gnashed on him with their teeth.
32 Corinthians 6:14-18 (KJV)
14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?
15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?
16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you.
18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.
4Hebrews 8 (KJV)
1 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;
2 A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man.
3 For every high priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices: wherefore it is of necessity that this man have somewhat also to offer.
4 For if he were on earth, he should not be a priest, seeing that there are priests that offer gifts according to the law:
5 Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount.
6 But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises.
7 For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second.
8 For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah:
9 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord.
10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:
11 And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest.
12 For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.
13 In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away.
51 Peter 2:1-10 (KJV)
1 Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings,
2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:
3 If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.
4 To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious,
5 Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.
6 Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded.
7 Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner,
8 And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.
9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light;
10 Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.
