Weeping With Those Who Weep

Weeping With Those Who Weep

Last week a young homosexual Muslim man pledged his alliance to the Islamic state and begin to murder as many people as he could in a gay night club that he frequented. In the hours before the police stopped him (one officer taking a bullet to to the front of his kevlar helmet), he callously killed 49 people, and wounded more than 50, 

The Christian response should be obvious: sorrow over the loss of life and compassion for the loved ones of the victim. As Paul clearly instructed, “Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.” (Rom. 12:15).

Yet some believers are hindered from doing this because the sins of the victims are clearly known. Are we hindered from grief because alcohol, drugs or some other wrong preceded an untimely death? But what did God say? “I have no pleasure in the death of anyone who dies,” declares the Lord GOD. “Therefore, repent and live.”” (Ezek. 18:12, also Ezek. 18:23; 33:11) God is not pleased with their deaths, nor the death of any sinner. Would He have been pleased with our death before the time of our repentance? The average age of those who died was 29, the youngest just 18. How many who are saints today were fully ready for judgment at those young ages? 

Others are hindered in sharing their grief by charges of hypocrisy leveled by those using this tragedy and the sympathy rightly flowing from it for political gain. Christians cannot and do not celebrate the lifestyle of those who were terribly murdered. We do not take pride it in or anything associated with it (Eph. 5:11). But not celebrating and encouraging a sinful life is not a hinderance mourning a tragic passing, or in this cases, scores of them. Our understanding of the spiritual component of this should make the tragedy sting all the more, not be a reason for caring less. 

Whenever there is a tragic lose of life we are reminded of Jesus’ reaction to multi-death tragedies and atrocities in His day:

“Now on the same occasion there were some present who reported to Him about the Galileans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And He answered and said to them, “Do you suppose that these Galileans were greater sinners than all other Galileans, because they suffered this fate? “I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. “Or do you suppose that those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them, were worse culprits than all the men who live in Jerusalem?  “I tell you, no, but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.” (Luke 13:1-5)

When tragedies cause souls to perish, Jesus warned that considering how the victims might or might not morally compare to others is pointless. What mattered was each person realizing their own sin and the need of humility and repentance before God.

It is also a reminder to us of the need to pray.

“First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, for kings and all who are in authority, in order that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. (1 Tim. 2:1-4)

We need to pray those around the world withfor quiet and tranquil lives. We could all use more quietness and tranquility as we, like God, desire the salvation of all..

Be Strong And Courageous

The Book of Deuteronomy was Moses’ last great public act in Israel. When it concluded, he would passed the leadership of the people to Joshua and they will go from his tutelage in the wildness to possess the promised land. At this time of great transition, one of the repeated encouragements for both Joshua and the people is to “be strong and courageous.” 

Deut 11:8“You shall therefore keep every commandment which I am commanding you today, so that you may be strong and go in and possess the land into which you are about to cross to possess it”

“Be strong and courageous” will occur again in Deuteronomy in 31:6 & 7 and 31:23.  Then again inJoshua 1:6,7,9 & 18, and 10:25. 

As the people go from facing every challenge together as a whole group with a leader who had face to face communication with God, to 12 tribes each comfortably distant from each other to allow for a great national growth and the leadership of a faithful man, but not one who is the great deliverer and law giver, they will need to be assured and act confidently. They will need more courage than wandering in the wilderness ever demanded.  Since they would need a confident faith, Moses and God Himself supplied them with as much encouragement as possible.

Live Long And Prosper

In our reading this week, I ran across a passage that seemed to have a familiar ring to it. It was at the end of Deuteronomy 5, the warnings and blessings the that people were reminded of after the ten commandments.  

Duet. 5:33 “Follow the whole instruction the Lord your God has commanded you, so that you may live, prosper, and have a long life in the land you will possess.” (HCSB)

“Live, prosper and have a good life” sure sounds like the signature line of my of my favorite sci-fi character: Spock. This connection may be slightly hidden from most English Bible readers since the word “prosper” is rendered as “that it may go well with you” in nearly all English Bibles. 

But Leonard Nimoy, the originator of the famous phrase, wasn’t influenced by the King James or other standard translations. He was paraphrasing the English translation from Hebrew that he had heard from the synagogue rabbi that he remembered from his boyhood. 

It turns out this was not the only thing he remembered from his boyhood rabbi. The Vulcan split finger hand sign was drawn from a similar sign the rabbi made with two hands symbolizing a Hebrewletter (shin). That sign is sometimes made while reading the blessing of the priests found in Numbers 6:24-26. 

So ironically, one of the most enduring memories from the very secular world of Star Trek is based directly on the hope of a good life that God offered to His people if they would faithful follow His instructions. Living long and prospering is not fiction, but a hope accomplished by faithfulness to God.

The Majority Chose The Wrong Side

In one of the most organized threats to the God given order and leadership of Israel, Korah, the leader of a large family of Levites, and other men of renown in Israel, challenged Moses right to lead the people.

Numb. 16:1-3 “Now Korah the son of Izhar, the son of Kohath, the son of Levi, with Dathan and Abiram, the sons of Eliab, and On the son of Peleth, sons of Reuben, took action,  2 and they rose up before Moses, together with some of the sons of Israel, two hundred and fifty leaders of the congregation, chosen in the assembly, men of renown.  3 And they assembled together against Moses and Aaron, and said to them, “You have gone far enough, for all the congregation are holy, every one of them, and the LORD is in their midst; so why do you exalt yourselves above the assembly of the LORD?”

This rebellion was one of most dangerous that Israel faced because 1.) of the great influence that these leaders had over the people, and 2.) the success of their propaganda. Even after God destroyed the leading rebels by having the earth swallow them, and rest by fire directly by His hand, the people still sided with them. The leaders of rebellion were selfish (as Moses insightfully asked Korah, “And are you seeking for the priesthood also?” (vs. 20)), but they completely fooled the people. “All the congregation of the sons of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron, saying, ‘You are the ones who have caused the death of the LORD’S people.’” (vs. 41) even after God directly destroyed them.  Korah and his men were obviously very popular, even after their execution. But popularacclaim didn’t save them or their followers, or make them right.

A Discouraging Word

Living here as we do on near the edge of the great western cattle country, we all can recall the words of the cowboy’s optimistic song, “Where seldom is heard a discouraging word, And the skies are not cloudy all day.”  How wonderful that people and nature seems to be for us. When we feel that way, it seems nothing can be against us. 

But this week in our reading of the history of Israel, the time came when it was exactly the opposite. 

Numb. 13:31,32 “But the men who had gone up with him said, “We are not able to go up against the people, for they are too strong for us.” 32  So they gave out to the sons of Israel a bad report of the land which they had spied out, saying, “The land through which we have gone, in spying it out, is a land that devours its inhabitants; and all the people whom we saw in it are men of great size.” 14:1,2  “Then all the congregation lifted up their voices and cried, and the people wept that night. 2  And all the sons of Israel grumbled against Moses and Aaron; and the whole congregation said to them, “Would that we had died in the land of Egypt! Or would that we had died in this wilderness!”

Behold the power of discouraging words!!  Israel failed even though God was with them. We know God would have been with them, but they didn’t believe it, in part because of the unfaithful words of the spies.

What about us today? Do we speak the words that encourage and build? Or do we speak the words the help people be doubtful and hesitant? Look at the ends of the 10 spies (14:37) and the faithful two.

Slaves Of God Alone

Towards the end of Leviticus, after the well known sections about sins and sacrifice, and clean and unclean things, there is a section of the Law of Moses instructing Israel to be different from the nations around them, to not be like the pagans. 

In Leviticus 25, this themes is developed in regard to Israel and slavery:

Lev. 25:39-55 “And if a countryman of yours becomes so poor with regard to you that he sells himself to you, you shall not subject him to a slave’s service.

40  ‘He shall be with you as a hired man, as if he were a sojourner; he shall serve with you until the year of jubilee.

55 ‘For the sons of Israel are My servants; they are My servants[slaves] whom I brought out from the land of Egypt. I am the LORD your God.”

No one in Israel was to make another Israelite their slave. They could be-come an indentured servant, a dependent servant, for a time. Foreigners and sojourners could fall into permanent slavery, but not those of Israel. The twice stated reason (vss. 42 and 55) is that God had already brought Israel out of slavery and they were His slaves/servants already.

This same truth, that God’s people are His own slaves is taught in the New Testament. (Ref. 1 Cor. 6:20, Rom. 6:18). This is the reason that Christians were not to become slaves. Just like Israel, we belong wholly to God. We cannot belong to another. 

1 Cor. 7:23“You were bought with a price; do not become slaves of men.”

Unintentional Sin

The fourth and fifth chapters of Leviticus have a regulations for offerings in cases of “unintentional sins.”

Lev. 4:2 “Speak to the sons of Israel, saying, ‘If a person sins unintentionally in any of the things which the LORD has commanded not to be done, and commits any of them,

4:13  “Now if the whole congregation of Israel commits error, and the matter escapes the notice of the assembly”

4:22 “When a leader sins and unintentionally…”

4:27 “Now if anyone of the common people sins unintentionally…

5:15 “If a person acts unfaithfully and sins unintentionally …

5:18 “…So the priest shall make atonement for him concerning his error in which he sinned unintentionally and did not know it, and it shall be forgiven him.”

Learn:

• Anyone can become guilty of this type of sin: “a person,” “a leader,” “anyone.” We’d like to that that we, or those in charge, are above such things. Experience shows us that we are not. Only pride, naiveté, or both, makes us think so.
• Unintentional sin can be done singularly, or in groups: “the whole community.”
• While the Bible has 17 passages referring to the forgiving on unintentional sins, it does not have any telling about forgiveness of intentional sin. 

A Law Is Given

In Exodus 20 an amazing thing begins to occur. God given as law to His people. Not just a few pointers (like make sure you worship me and remember that I’m your God—although that is in there), but a systematic set of regulations that cover religious duties (sacrifices, priests, worship, a tabernacle, etc.) moral and ethical considerations (treatment of—and attitudes—towards family, neighbors, employees, foreigners, business dealings etc.) and all manner of other things that might not normally seem to men as as things worthy of divine consideration such dietary restrictions, disease control, hygiene issues. 

But on the whole, this system of laws so far beyond the other legal systems at the time, and so universally beneficial and helpful for those that followed out that many can’t grasp that it was given for only one nation, and only until Christ came. But it was. For its greatest purpose was to bring people to Christ. The law itself said as much in Deut. 1:18,19. 

Many have taken the precepts and principles of this law and applied them to all many of social interactions and even health crises (like the plague of leprosy in western Europe of the 11th century, or the practice of washing one’s hands after touching unclean things or before meals) to the benefit of all involved. The law of Moses has helpful and healthful benefits on every page, but that was not its main purpose.

The New Testament clearly states that the Law of Moses was a “tutor to lead us to Christ.” (Gal. 3:34). While acknowledging the myriads of good in the Law, let us always remember to put the main one first.

The _____ Of God

In this week’s reading the phrase “_insert things here_ of God” occurred in two conspicuous places. 

This construction was first found when Moses was on the “mountain of God” when God appeared to him in the burning bush. (3:1) This struck me as a bit odd since nothing had yet happened on this mountain. The same description is used4:27 when Aaron meets Moses there. But the meaning of this seems fully revealed in Ex. 24:13, when Moses and Joshua went up on the “mountain of God” to receive the Law. 

And also the term “staff of God” occurs in our reading (Ex. 4:20) and will occur once more (Ex. 17:9). Of course we know a lot more about this staff than just these two verses since Moses staff mentioned 19 times in Exodus. With it he turned the water of the Nile to blood (7:15-20), summoned the frogs (8:5) and gnats (8:16), brought the thunder and hail (9:23),  the locust (10:13), parted the Red Sea (Ex. 14:16), and finally was raised to give victory of the Amalekites (17:9). 

When I looked into “_insert things here_ of God” I found that this construction occurs over 850 in the Bible. It always denotes a thing especially dedicated to, or belonging to God. It is very thought provoking to consider the things belonging to or dedicated to God:

House of God, 78

Man of God, 73

Kingdom of God, 65

Word of God, 47

Son of God, 43

Ark of God, 33

Spirit of God, 24

Will of God, 23

Grace of God, 20

Wrath of God, 12

Love of God, 11

Children of God, 10

Gospel of God, 8

Church of God, 8

Fear of God, 7

Angels of God, 7

Throne of God, 6

Salvation of God, 3

Don’t Take Your Idols To The House Of God

As Jacob was headed to Laban’s house to seek a wife (and flee his brother Esau’s wrath), he met God at a place he would call “Beth-el” (“Beth” meaning house and “el” meaning God). “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven”…And he called the name of that place Bethel” (Gen. 28:17,19)

Twenty five or so years later, when Jacob and his family needed to leave Shechem because of the actions of his sons, he was called by God to go back to that place. “Then God said to Jacob, ‘Arise, go up to Bethel, and live there; and make an altar there to God, who appeared to you when you fled from your brother Esau.’” (Gen. 35:1)

Before going to the place of God, Jacob knew that his family had some things to correct. Over the years they had become too much like the world in their religion and their actions. “So Jacob said to his household and to all who were with him, “Put away the foreign gods which are among you, and purify yourselves, and change your garments; and let us arise and go up to Bethel; and I will make an altar there to God, who answered me in the day of my distress, and has been with me wherever I have gone.” (Gen. 35:2,3)

They had many things that they needed to leave behind in Shechem and not take to the house of God. They needed to leave the idols Rachel took from her father’s house and the duplicity they had practiced their neighbors. They need to “change their clothes” and go worship God. 

It is fitting that later Joshua chose Shechem to give his rousing “Choose you this day” speech against idolatry.  (Josh. 24) In every generation, we need to leave some things in Shechem and go to Bethel.

God’s 4 Chapter Speech To Job

The later chapters of Job are striking to me for two reasons. First, and most obviously, it is by far the longest speech that God Himself makes in the entire Bible, and not be a little bit, but by a lot.

 In the New Testament the direct speeches from God are just the brief announcements of Jesus as His beloved son at His baptism and transfiguration. In the Old Testament direct speech from God is recorded more often, such as speaking to Moses in the burning bush, giving the Ten Commandments in His own voice the very first time they are given and a conversation with Elijah in 1 Kings 19 about the 7,000 who have not bowed to Baal.  But still, any direct speech from God is extraordinary, especially since there is nothing else near this length.

In this long speech (Ch. 38-41) God doesn’t give Job the answer He seeks.  He rebukes Job for his insolence and then He gives him reason to trust God 

38:4,5“Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell Me, if you have understanding, Who set its measurements, since you know? Or who stretched the line on it?“

God goes on to ask about the stars, the sea, the clouds, the sunrise, the snow, hail, rain, the constellations, the beasts: goat, ostrich, horse and hawk, the Behemoth and Leviathan. Was any man there to set that up with God?  If no, and obviously it is no, then why ask how He governs the world and does it wrongly. The answer God gave did not tell Job why he suffered, but that a great and wise God knew about it and was ruling the world in a marvelous manner. That the answer Job got, and its one for all of us to remember.

The Book Of Job

The entirety of our daily Bible reading was entirely in Job this week, and it will be until Thursday, when we get back to the life of Abraham in Gen. 12. This long trip through such a difficult book to begin the Bible reading program was main reason why we almost didn’t do a chronological program. But, if we want to read the whole Bible, we have to approach it some time, and it is a rewarding study for those who do it. 

Job is the first book in what is often called the “Books of Poetry” or the “Wisdom Literature” of the Old Testament. Oswald Chambers offered this summary of these five books:

• Job - How to suffer

• Psalms - How to pray

• Proverbs - How to act

• Ecclesiastes - How to enjoy  

• Song of Solomon - How to love

In reading Job, remember this inspired summary of it in the New Testament: “You have heard of the endurance of Job and have seen the outcome of the Lord’s dealings, that the Lord is full of compassion and is merciful.” (Jas 5:11b)

What Job and his friends seemed to never contemplate was the Satan was an actor in the affairs of men as well as God was. Terrible, terrible things happened to Job. But God was gracious to him, especially in the end. Satan was intentionally, and repeatedly evil and harsh in his dealings.

Job’s Children

Our Bible reading this week took us into Job.  Since our reading plan is chronological, we are reading the earliest events first. The exact time of Job's life is unknown, but most believe that he was a contemporary of, or came not long before, Abraham. That’s why our plan has us reading about him just before the story of Abraham. 

Job's children are mentioned in chapter 1. We find all ten of them old enough to have houses of their own, which they generously open up to one another in a wonderful example of sibling sharing. 

The harmonious relationship that they had with one another seems to have been the same kind relationship that they had with their parents. 

Job 1:5 states “And it came about, when the days of feasting had completed their cycle, that Job would send and consecrate them, rising up early in the morning and offering burnt offerings according to the number of them all; for Job said, “Perhaps my sons have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.” Thus Job did continually”  From this it can be very clearly inferred that they were very outwardly righteous and devout, and gave Job no obvious cause for concern. His concern for them was for secret sins of the heart, which no man can know. He would not have been concerned for such sin if the more common and obvious sins were alive among them.

These children enjoyed as good a life as one could have, right up until Satan took it from them for his own selfish purposes. Surely the great and just God who dealt so right with Job received these kindly as well.

More Blessed To Give Than Receive

Acts 20:33-35“I have coveted no one’s silver or gold or clothes. 34“You yourselves know that these hands ministered to my own needs and to the men who were with me.35“In everything I showed you that by working hard in this manner you must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He Himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”

Worldly minded people seldom understand the spiritual words of the Savior, and none are more misunderstood or maligned than the word’s that Paul reminds us of here. 

We don’t know when Jesus spoke these words since they are not recorded or referenced in the gospels. We only know that His inspired apostle attests to these words, and used them to teach the church the proper view of material things: Sharing, not coveting and hoarding.

It is more blessed to give than to receive because Christians view life and possessions are as things to do good with, not to seek for the accumulation or use of them for our own pleasures.

It is more blessed to give than receive because the spiritual is more important than the material. 

It is more blessed to give than to receive because the ability to give means that we have been first blessed to have enough of something to share.

It is more blessed to give than to receive because we follow the example and pattern of the Father. 

Let us seek every opportunity to give important things, both physical and spiritualIt is the blessed way.

Lost But Saved

This past week [Nov. 2013], many in the brotherhood have followed the travails of the Smelser family as one of their sons, Adam aged 25, was lost by accidental drowning while swimming in a river in Kentucky. He drowned on Sunday and his body was found by local authorities Thursday after days of diligent search. Some observations:

The good in social media. The prayers and concern that brethren were able to show and share in with a family in Pennsylvania concerning a son in Kentucky were greatly helped by the connections that we are able to maintain electronically. The smart phones, tablets and computers that instantly present to us all the information in the world are great and powerful tools for either good or evil. Let us use them for good, prayers and brotherly love as they were used this week. 

The dependability of a truly faithful persons habits. Within hours of Adam’s disappearance, days before the authorities found and identified his body, his family and friends the knew in their hearts that it was him. They knew by the location of his truck and his personal effects and by the fact that he was not a church that Sunday evening. He simply didn’t miss any church services. When he missed an evening assembly without cause, the best explanation for it was that he was dead. 

The difference in heavenly and earthly perspective. For the four days Adam was missing to us, Jesus had him all along. We searched for him diligently since he was lost, but in reality he was already fully saved.

If we had such concern for the spiritually lost as the physically lost. The authorities searched for Adam so long and hard that his father told them to go home and rest the day before he was found. Those who recognize the values of lost souls should seek the lost with such devotion.

Consider Jesus: I Am

Let us continue to “consider Jesus.” (Heb. 3:1) 

What a person says about themselves is of great importance. To get to know about a person that you have never met you can use two sources to find out about him.  You examine what he says and/or what others say about him. But only in what they themselves say are you assured that you can know their inner thoughts and views. 

Jesus, especially in the gospel of John, said many things about Himself.  Some of those things are:

I am the resurrection and the life   Jn. 11:1-4

I am the Son of GodJn. 5

I am the bread of lifeJn. 6

I am from HimJn. 7:14-30  

I am the light of the world   Jn. 9:1-5; 8:12

I am the Door of the Sheep   Jn. 10:1-10

I am the good shepherdJn. 10:17,18

I am the way, the truth, and the life   Jn. 14:6

I am in the FatherJn. 14:6-11

I am the vine Jn 15

I am king Jn. 18:37

As important to us as all great truths that things are, we should also consider one great “I am” statement in Matthew. Jesus assures us that “For where two or three have gathered together in My name, there I am in their midst.” (Matt. 18:20)

Consider Jesus: Horn of Salvation

Let us continue to “consider Jesus.” (Heb. 3:1) 

At the birth of John the Baptist, his father, the priest Zacharias, prophesied about what was coming and what his son, the prophet was preparing for. Jesus is called to the “horn of salvation” in the house of David.

Luke 1:68“Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, For He has visited us and accomplished redemption for His people,  69  And has raised up a horn of salvation for us In the house of David His servant—  70As He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from of old—  71Salvation from our enemies. And from the hand of all who hate us;  72  To show mercy toward our fathers, And to remember His holy covenant,  73 The oath which He swore to Abraham our father”

This the third time in scriptures that the phrase “horn of salvation” occurs. The other two times it occurs are actually the same song of David, the great song of deliverance recorded in the opening of 2 Sam. 22 and Ps. 18.  “The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, My God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.”  

The salvation that Jehovah God was to David, Zacharias foresees coming as coming again in the work that Christ would do. For both David and Zacharias the deliverance that they sought was the work of God, and it was ultimately fulfilled in the person and work of Christ.

Consider Jesus: Our Hope

Let us continue to “consider Jesus.” (Heb. 3:1) 

People viscerally know that earthly existence is ultimately unsatisfying and that true contentment and fulfillment escape us even when worldly circumstances are favorable. Those without faith, and a worldview diminished by selfishness, look to a change of fortune or circumstances to find fulfillment. Others have a spiritual hope, but false spiritual hopes, such as reincarnation or universalism, are weak and unsatisfactory. 

Compared to this is the great bright hope of Christianity believing in “God our Savior, and…Christ Jesus, who is our hope.” (1 Tim. 1:1)

Such hope was present in the Old Testament, “For Thou art my hope; O Lord GOD, Thou art my confidence from my youth.” (Ps. 71:5) And “I have hope in Him.” (Lam. 3:24) Now this “hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised long ages ago,” (Tit. 1:2) is realized in Jesus. 

Jesus, the embodiment of our hope, is the one who came from Heaven to show us the way back there by reconciled us to God and our brothers along the way. This is much better than hoping in riches (1 Tim. 6:17) or any of the vain things of this world.

This hope enlivens everything we do 1 Tim. 4:10 “For it is for this we labor and strive, because we have fixed our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of believers.”, knowing that it will all go well for us if we do. “Looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus” (Tit. 2:13) 

So “Fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” (1 Pet. 1:13)

Consider Jesus: The Holy One

Let us continue to “consider Jesus.” (Heb. 3:1) 

From the beginning to end, Jesus was the holy one of God.  Before His birth, He was “the holy Child [that] shall be called the Son of God.”  (Luke 1:35) and so at his birth, he was the “holy child” conceived by the Holy Spirit. (Matt. 1:18-20) 

In the beginning of his ministry, he was acknowledged by the frightened demons as “Jesus of Nazareth…I know who You are—the Holy One of God!” (Mark 1:24 and Luke 4:34) 

His truest friends acknowledged the same thing. “Simon Peter answered Him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have words of eternal life. We have believed and have come to know that You are the Holy One of God.”” (Jn. 6:68,69)

Peter would later pray to God, twice acknowledging Jesus as “Your holy servant Jesus.” (Acts 4:27,30) He was preached as the God’s “HOLY ONE” who would not “UNDERGO DECAY” (Acts 2:26,17; 13:35)   

In the epistle who are taught to the priesthood and blessings of Him as the holy one. “For it was fitting for us to have such a high priest, holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners and exalted above the heavens” (Heb. 7:26) “But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you all know.” (1 Jn. 2:20)

And finally, He gave this testimony of Himself in His message to the church in Philadelphia: “He who is holy, who is true…” (Rev. 3:7)

Consider Jesus: High Priest

Let us continue to “consider Jesus.” (Heb. 3:1) 

Heb. 4:14-16“Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15  For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. 16  Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

The promise of the Psalm (110:4) was that the Messiah would be a priest forever, not of the linage of Levi, but of Melchizedek. In Him, and not the Levitical priesthood of the was, is the hope of one who would bring salvation. (Heb. 5:9) 

Jesus did met all the priestly qualification. He was called by God to His post. (Heb. 5:4-6) He offered acceptable sacrifice, in His case, He was both sacrifice and the officiant. (Heb. 7:27; Jn. 10:17,18) And then he interceded with God for man. (1 Tim. 3:15).

Also, being a High Priest, it is clear that He is a head of a class of priests. He has made His followers to be priests (Rev. 1:6) and to service in His temple, the church. (1 Pet. 2:9)

So Jesus is our head priest (and the sacrifice also) who stands near to God for for us and “He is able to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them” (Heb. 7:25).