Christ As High Priest Interceding Now

[mfblume]

Dan, and others,

Hebrews is full of truth about what itself calls the "MEAT" of the Word... and that Meat has to do with Christ as Priest after the Order of Melchisedek.

Practically speaking, it is entirely an issue of using our faith. The book spends chapters before it even GETS TO THE POINT of the present piresthood. And it is dealing with how we can have confidence in Him. The writer, let's say Paul (although we do not know who it was), spends so much writing solely on how much greater Jesus is than angels, prophets, Moses, Aaron and even Law! He speaks first a lot about how Christ defeated and destroyed the devil who had the power of death, and suffered so that we could more easily put trust and confidence in Him since we realize He knows what it is like to suffer as we do.

All this is necessary to lead up to the practical things we should do.

When you are convinced someone REALLY CARES for you, then you can put total confidence in them to help you. This is what Paul was doing in the first several chapters. And then he leads us into the thought of how there is a rest after salvation in whcih we can enter.

So, we are to believe that Christ has opened for us absolute victory over anything, and must never act like the Hebrews who doubted they could enter Canaan (read chapter 3). The book is attempting to rid all such doubt and low expectations from our hearts, so we can actually believe God to bless us with strength to enter into this state of victory and power right now.

Chapter 4 tells us to mix the word we heard with our faith. And this is the labour verse 11 talks about that will cause us to enter this kind of state of rest and faith.

Heb 4:11 KJV Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.

MANY PEOPLE HAVE NOT ENTERED THIS REST. Practical victory. Israel RESTED when they practically defeated the enemies of the land. The land was their's when they first left Egypt! We HAVE standing in Christ immediately upon salvation. BUT ENTERING THAT VICTORY and enjoying it is something else again.

As we look at God's offer for us to enter such a place of faith, many become scared like the Israelites at the borders of Canaan. They excuse themselves saying they simply do not have the faith yet. But God called that sort of thinking a wicked and evil heart of unbelief. We consider it a small thing and pass over such a claim from our own hearts without taking too much concern over it. But Hebrews says God does not look at it like that.

Heb 3:12-19 KJV Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. (13) But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. (14) For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end; (15) While it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation. (16) For some, when they had heard, did provoke: howbeit not all that came out of Egypt by Moses. (17) But with whom was he grieved forty years? was it not with them that had sinned, whose carcases fell in the wilderness? (18) And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not? (19) So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.

Practically speaking, the entire point is to believe we can have this victory, through gaining the confidence the book helps us have by speaking of how Christ is worthy of such confidence, and to rid ourselves of the carnal doubts that we simply cannot have this faith.

Hebrews is also stressing to us that ONLY THROUGH TOTAL OBEDIENCE and SELF SACRIFICE can we "follow" Jesus into this place of victory called the holiest of holies, while we still walk this earth. AGAIN, MANY PEOPLE ARE NOT THERE.

Jesus totally gave himself to ultimate obedience of sacrifice to become this high priest. And He is only effective, though, to those who LIKEWISE obey Him to the same degree.

Heb 5:8-9 KJV Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; (9) And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;

The ultimate experiences we can have in this life are only reserved for those who are fully self-sacrificial and totally obedient to the Lord. So, again, practically, we must TRULY let go of all lusts and loves for the world, and for self, and FOLLOW JESUS into this domain of what Hebrews calls the Holiest, which is a state of totaly victory.

IT IS ALL ABOUT HIS PRIESTHOOD beyond more than sitting there for 2,000 years and pointing a finger back to the cross. What kind of intercession is that? lol