a. We now have direct access to the
throne of grace
For we have been duly admonished
saying; “For on the one hand there is an annulling of the former commandment
because of its weakness and un-profitableness, for the law made nothing
perfect; on the other hand, there is the bringing in of a better hope, through
which we draw near to God” (Hebrews 7:18-19).
And the Holy Spirit indicating
that, the way into the Holiest of All was not yet made manifest while the first
tabernacle was still standing. It was symbolic for the present time in which
both gifts and sacrifices are offered which cannot make him who performed the
service perfect in regard to the conscience ---concerned only with foods and
drinks, various washings, and fleshly ordinances imposed until the time of
reformation” (Hebrews 8:10).
Now, today with the reformation
we do not have an earthy tabernacle because, Jesus Christ came as High Priest
of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not
made with hands, that is, not of this creation. For Christ has not entered the holy places made with
hands, which are copies of the true, but into heaven itself, now to appear in
the presence of God for us; (Hebrew 9:11, 24).
b. We now have a perfect sacrifice
that can present us holy and perfect in the presence of the Father
And so, we have been duly
admonished saying; “For the law, having a shadow of the good things to come,
and not the very image of the things, can never with these same sacrifices,
which they offer continually year by year, make those who approach perfect. For
then would they not have ceased to be offered? For the worshipers, once
purified, would have had no more consciousness of sins. But in those sacrifices
there is a reminder of sins every year. For it is not possible that the blood
of bulls and goats could take away sins” (Hebrews 10:1-4).
But with the advent of Jesus
Christ we are told that; “When He came into the world, He said: "Sacrifice
and offering You did not desire, but a body You have prepared for Me. In burnt
offerings and sacrifices for sin You had no pleasure. Then I said, 'Behold, I
have come --- In the volume of the book it is written of Me --- To do Your
will, O God.'
Previously saying, "Sacrifice
and offering, burnt offerings, and offerings for sin You did not desire, nor
had pleasure in them" (which are offered according to the law), then He
said, "Behold, I have come to do Your will, O God." He takes away the
first that He may establish the second. By that will we have been sanctified
through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all” (Hebrews
10:5-10)
Some people have the wrong
perception of what this once and for all denotes, this once and for all denotes
that, once and for all there is now a perfect sacrifice and offering which the
Father desires, takes pleasure in and fulfills His will, just as He chose us in
Him (Jesus Christ) before the foundation
of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having
predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the
good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He
made us accepted in the Beloved” (Ephesians 1:4-6).
Therefore, the body and blood of
Jesus Christ in the form of the bread and wine is the perfect sacrifice which
was ordained before the foundation of the world for the salvation and
redemption of our souls. It is this sweet smelling aroma which satisfies the
will of the Father as we have been duly admonished saying; “Therefore be imitators
of God as dear children. And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and
given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling
aroma” (Ephesians 5:2).
The partaking of the body and
blood of Jesus Christ in the form of the bread and wine and having Jesus Christ
Himself as our High Priest interceding on our behalf is the wisdom of God in a
mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory, which
none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have
crucified the Lord of glory (1Corinthians 2:7-8).
c. We now have a perfect, sinless
and eternal High Priest
And so we are duly admonished
saying; “But Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come, with the
greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this
creation. Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He
entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption.’
“For if the blood of bulls and
goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the
purifying of the flesh, how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through
the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience
from dead works to serve the living God? And for this reason He is the Mediator
of the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the
transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive
the promise of the eternal inheritance” (Hebrews 9:11-15).
The priesthood has changed we are
no longer under the Levitical priesthood but rather under the Melchizedek
priesthood as we have been duly instructed saying; “For the priesthood being
changed, of necessity there is also a change of the law” (Hebrews 7:12).
The changes that took place is
the Priesthood and the sacrifices by which we can draw to God and so we have
been duly instructed 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."
For on the one hand there is an
annulling of the former commandment because of its weakness and un-profitableness,
for the law made nothing perfect; on the other hand, there is the bringing in
of a better hope, through which we draw near to God” (Hebrews 7:15-19).
The prescribed offering for the
order of the Melchizedek priesthood has been the same from the beginning and
remains forever for this is what we have been duly instructed saying; “Then
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; and blessed be God Most High, Who has
delivered your enemies into your hand." And to Jesus Christ it is
testified saying; “You are a priest forever according to the order of
Melchizedek" (Genesis 14:18-20; Hebrews 7:17).
Therefore, the appointed time stipulated
by the Lord to offer to Him the food for is offerings have not changed for this
is what the Lord said; “Command the children of Israel, and say to them, 'My
offering, My food for My offerings made by fire as a sweet aroma to Me, you
shall be careful to offer to Me at their appointed time” (Numbers 28:2).
So what the reformation brought
about was a change of venue, a change of food for the offerings and a change of
priesthood but the appointed times are left unchanged. Jesus in no uncertain
terms said to Thomas; “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to
the Father except through Me” (John 14:6).
But how literal and practical is
this statement?
To be continued
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With brotherly love
Lucius Joseph
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