Chaplain’s Corner – Jesus’ Promise: He Is Our Great High Priest Forever

“Now there have been many of those priests, since death prevented them from continuing in office; but because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood”(Hebrews 7:23-24).

Most of you probably will not understand this, but one of my primary requirements for medical professionals is youth. Not because I necessarily think that youth has more current knowledge (though they may have) or is more compassionate (though they may be). It is for the simple reason that I want them to outlast me. I do not want to keep on finding replacement doctors. I want to find the one I like and have them with me for the rest of my life.

Maybe this is something you do not concern yourself with now, or that you take for granted. But if you have a critical medical condition, regardless of your age, I bet you take comfort in the security of having a competent doctor and that he or she is walking along side you all the way.

Now think about this in the context of Jesus, our Savior. Jesus is our Great High Priest, meaning that he is our intercessor and mediator before God. He knows us fully and intimately. The High Priests of the old covenant only served to age 50, then they retired and ultimately died. Jesus is our eternal Great High Priest. It is such a relief to not have to start over again and again to develop a relationship with the One who holds our future.

This also brings to mind the situation one of my sons found himself in during his college years. He played college football. He worked really hard as a first-year student to earn his place on the team. Then the coach abruptly left at the end of the season, and my son realized he would have to start all over to prove himself worthy to the next head coach. It was quite discouraging. Most of us do not compete at that level, but perhaps we are in situations where we feel we must constantly prove our worth. Similarly, the Israelites before Jesus’s time were required to offer continual sacrifices because the sacrifices were not meant to be enduring. Also, the priests themselves had to offer continual sacrifices to purify themselves before God before they could offer sacrifices on behalf of others. That is really the way of the world. But Jesus atoned for our sin once and for all with His death on the cross. It is finished.

We must never take for granted that our most important status in life is already secured and cannot be lost, because it was secured by Jesus on our behalf. Jesus, the only God our Savior. Jesus, King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God. Jesus, Lord of Lords and King of Kings. You do not have to keep looking for another new priest, who has to continually purify himself. You do not have to keep proving your worth. All we have to do is accept Jesus. What a beautiful condition we find ourselves in, because of the grace of God, that we can be secure in our salvation.

As we prepare for the season of Advent, let us first look back with grateful praise for victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

“Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them” (Hebrews 7:25).

In Christ,

Judy