Second establish will of God (contd)

3. Temporary Priests

 The third that was taken away in the second establish will of the Father was the temporary priesthood, and so we have been admonished saying," Also there were many priests, because they were prevented by death from continuing. But He, because He continues forever, has an unchangeable priesthood. Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them."

"For such a High Priest was fitting for us, who is holy, harmless, un-defiled, separate from sinners, and has become higher than the heavens; who does not need daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the people's, for this He did once for all when He offered up Himself. For the law appoints as high priests men who have weakness, but the word of the oath, which came after the law, appoints the Son who has been perfected forever" (Hebrews 7:23-28).

The third component of the second established will of God is the replacement of the Levitical priesthood with the priesthood of Melchizedek which in contrast states that, "every priest stands ministering daily and offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God, from that time waiting till His enemies are made His footstool. For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.

But the Holy Spirit also witnesses to us; for after He had said before, "this is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the LORD: I will put My laws into their hearts, and in their minds I will write them," then He adds, "Their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more" (Hebrews 10:11-17).

Again, in contrast to the Levitical priesthood we are admonished saying: "And it is yet far more evident if, in the likeness of Melchizedek, there arises another priest who has come, not according to the law of a fleshly commandment, but according to the power of an endless life. For He testifies: "You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek" (Hebrews 7:15-17).

So now, with the second established will of God we can now come boldly to the throne of grace, for we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need" (Hebrews 4:15-16).

And how are we to approach the throne of grace is there a protocol? Or is this something one does haphazardly? There is definitely a protocol by which one draws near to the Father and stated quite explicitly by the apostle Paul who wrote: "Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh, and having a High Priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching" (Hebrews 10:19-25).

This is synonymous and collaborates what Jesus said to His disciples when He said to them, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." (John 14:6).

The way to the Father is through the flesh of Jesus represented by the bread, the truth is Christ Himself the Word of God, who is seated at the right hand of the Father interceding on our behalf and the life is the blood of Jesus represented by the wine, for the life of every creature is in the blood and the Lord has given it to us upon the altar to make atonement for our souls; for it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul.

The offering of bread and wine has been the offering of the everlasting priesthood of Melchizedek from since the time of Abram, for it is stated clearly that, “Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; he was the priest of God Most High. And he blessed him and said: "Blessed be Abram of God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth” (Genesis 14:18-19).

It is our failure to follow the protocol by which one draws near to the Father that is the main contributing factor to the many fractions and divisions that exist in the body of Christ and principally, not offering the Lord the food for His offerings at the times He has ordained.

With brotherly love

Lucius Joseph