Scripture Reading: Exodus 19:5-6, Hebrews 4-10
Review: The verses in today's Scripture Reading provide additional information about the Virgin-born deliverer God promised in Genesis 3:15 as part of His plan to restore the earth as a place where His rule is fully honored and obeyed. Because the Deliverer will come to the earth through the agency of God rather than man, we understand Him to be a Deliverer-King. After all, God Himself is a King, so it follows that the One that comes through His agency will have His nature (as the well as that of the woman). The verses in today's reading reveal that, in addition to King, the promised Deliverer will also be both Priest and Prophet.
The role of Priest can be surmised from the covenant God offered to Israel when He formed them into a nation directly under His rule: "you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation." God clearly intended for everyone in Israel to fulfill a priestly role in relation to all other nations. Since the promised Deliverer would be the King of Israel, it follows that He too would be a Priest.
As it turns out, of course, Jesus is the promised Virgin-born, Deliverer-King. He is also our High Priest, One who even now intercedes for us at the right hand of the Father (Hebrews 7:24-25).
Much is written in Hebrews about Jesus as our High Priest (see Hebrews 4-10). He is the One we go through to gain access to God the Father. We go through Jesus for payment to be made for our sin. We go through Him for confession and cleansing. And we go through Him to obtain mercy and find grace to help in times of need. He truly is our High Priest! No one else even comes close to fulfilling this role in relation to God's plan to restore the earth as a place where His rule is fully honored and obeyed.
More tomorrow on Jesus as Prophet.
Reflection Questions: To whom do other people turn for access to God the Father, for payment for sin, for confession and cleansing, etc? How would you describe the advantages and blessings of trusting Jesus alone for fulfilling the role of Priest in your life? Which verses from Hebrews 4-10 stand out to you the most? Why?
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