+DEV+ A Permanent Priest

Date: November 9, 2011 1:29 AM
Topic: +DEV+ A Permanent Priest

A Permanent Priest

"The former priests were prevented by death from continuing in office, but he holds his priesthood permanently." (HEBREWS 7:23-24 ESV)
Scripture Focus: Leviticus 16, Hebrews 7:11-28

I sometimes wonder what it would have been like to be an Old Testament Israelite. Clearly, there are the obvious drawbacks that come from living in a pre-industrial age: no refrigeration, no automobiles, no healthcare, etc. But perhaps the biggest downside that does not often come to mind is having to worship God through impermanent priests. Think about it. The one in charge of representing you before God could never guarantee he would be there tomorrow, or the next day, or the next, when you might have really needed him. His mortality made him ultimately unreliable.

But things have changed. A permanent priest who will never fail to represent His people perfectly in God's presence has replaced the impermanent priests. When we sin, His blood always intercedes. When we pray, He always hears. When we are tempted, He always helps. And, best of all, He will never die, because He already has died and received an indestructible life in return. In a world that is passing, Jesus gives us permanence.

Insight: "Before The Throne My Surety Stands/Before The Throne My Surety Stands/My Name Is Written On His Hands!" (Charles Wesley, 1707-1788)