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Our High Priest
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Jesus Christ is our High Priest.
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For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took
on him the seed of Abraham. Wherefore in all things it behoved him
to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and
faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation
for the sins of the people. For in that he himself hath suffered being
tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.
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(Hebrews 2:16-18)
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He is eligible to be our High Priest because He was a man of flesh and
blood, knowing temptation and death, and He is our Covenant Representative
because He became the Spiritual Sacrificial Lamb. Jesus Christ is therefore
our Spokesman to Father God as well as being the Way to the Father.
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Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all
things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have
to do. Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into
the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.
For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling
of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet
without sin.
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(Hebrews 4:13-15)
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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. And by
reason hereof he ought, as for the people, so also for himself, to offer
for sins. And no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called
of God, as was Aaron. So also Christ glorified not himself to be
made an high priest; but he that said unto him, Thou art my Son, to day
have I begotten thee. As he saith also in another place, Thou art
a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec. Who in the days of his
flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying
and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard
in that he feared; 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; Called of God an high
priest after the order of Melchisedec.
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(Hebrews 5:1-10)
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We are also the brethren of our Lord Jesus Christ
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But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering
of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should
taste death for every man. For it became him, for whom are all things,
and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to
make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. For both
he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one:
for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren, Saying, I will
declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing
praise unto thee. And again, I will put my trust in him. And again, Behold
I and the children which God hath given me. Forasmuch then as the children
are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of
the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of
death, that is, the devil;
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(Hebrews 2:9-14)
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Jesus Christ is our brother if we try and follow our spiritual destiny1
to the best of our ability on this present earth:
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Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the
Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus; Who was faithful
to him that appointed him, as also Moses was faithful in all his
house. For this man was counted worthy of more glory than Moses,
inasmuch as he who hath builded the house hath more honour than the house.
For every house is builded by some man; but he that built all things
is God. And Moses verily was faithful in all his house, as
a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken after;
But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold
fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end. Wherefore
(as the Holy Ghost saith, To day if ye will hear his voice, Harden not
your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness:
When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years.
Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do alway err
in their heart; and they have not known my ways. So I sware in my
wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.) Take heed, brethren, lest there
be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living
God.
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(Hebrews 3:1-12)
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This destiny includes paying spiritual tithes to our High Priest, just
as the Children of Israel paid tithes to the Levitical priesthood:
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And here men that die receive tithes; but there he receiveth them,
of whom it is witnessed that he liveth. And as I may so say, Levi also,
who receiveth tithes, payed tithes in Abraham. For he was yet in the loins
of his father, when Melchisedec met him.
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(Hebrews 7:8-10)
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Christ Jesus is also not just a high priest like Aaron was, to the Children
of Israel for forty years in the desert. There will be no golden calf.
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Our High Priest is the Son of the Living God, who already sits on the right
hand of the Majesty on high:
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God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto
the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by
his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also
he made the worlds; Who being the brightness of his glory, and the
express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his
power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand
of the Majesty on high;
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(Hebrews 1:1-3)
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Our High Priest is likened unto one who was the king of Salem (Jeru-salem)2
, as well as High Priest. He also lives forever.
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For this Melchisedec, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met
Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him; To
whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all; first being by interpretation
King of righteousness, and after that also King of Salem, which is, King
of peace; Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither
beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God;
abideth a priest continually. Now consider how great this man was,
unto whom even the patriarch Abraham gave the tenth of the spoils. And
verily they that are of the sons of Levi, who receive the office of the
priesthood, have a commandment to take tithes of the people according to
the law, that is, of their brethren, though they come out of the loins
of Abraham: But he whose descent is not counted from them received tithes
of Abraham, and blessed him that had the promises. And without all contradiction
the less is blessed of the better. And here men that die receive tithes;
but there he receiveth them, of whom it is witnessed that he liveth.
And as I may so say, Levi also, who receiveth tithes, payed tithes in Abraham.
For he was yet in the loins of his father, when Melchisedec met him. If
therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, (for under it the
people received the law,) what further need was there that another
priest should rise after the order of Melchisedec, and not be called after
the order of Aaron? For the priesthood being changed, there is made of
necessity a change also of the law. For he of whom these things are spoken
pertaineth to another tribe, of which no man gave attendance at the altar.
For it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Juda; of which tribe
Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood. And it is yet far more evident:
for that after the similitude of Melchisedec there ariseth another priest,
Who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power
of an endless life. For he testifieth, Thou art a priest for ever
after the order of Melchisedec. For there is verily a disannulling of the
commandment going before for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof.
For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope
did; by the which we draw nigh unto God. And inasmuch as not without
an oath he was made priest: (For those priests were made without
an oath; but this with an oath by him that said unto him, The Lord sware
and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order
of Melchisedec:) By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament.
And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue
by reason of death: But this man, because he continueth ever, hath
an unchangeable priesthood. Wherefore he is able also to save them to the
uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession
for them. For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless,
undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; Who
needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first
for his own sins, and then for the people's: for this he did once, when
he offered up himself. For the law maketh men high priests which have infirmity;
but the word of the oath, which was since the law, maketh the Son,
who is consecrated for evermore.
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(Hebrews 7:1-28)
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Not only will He do His best for us, being High Priest and God at the same
time, He shall do the best that there is - now and forever
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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. For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should
no place have been sought for the second. 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: 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. 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:
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(Hebrews 8:6-10)
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For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the
very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered
year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect. For then would
they not have ceased to be offered? because that the worshippers once purged
should have had no more conscience of sins. But in those sacrifices
there is a remembrance again made of sins every year. For it
is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away
sins. Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and
offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me: In burnt
offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure. Then
said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to
do thy will, O God. Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt
offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst
pleasure therein; which are offered by the law; Then said he, Lo,
I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish
the second. By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of
the body of Jesus Christ once for all. And every priest standeth
daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can
never take away sins: But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice
for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;
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(Hebrews 10:1-12)
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Jesus saith unto him, I am the way,
the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
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(John 14:6)
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We, His people, are so blessed!
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Are we thankful enough?
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1 You Have a Destiny in Christ Jesus.
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2 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem.
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