Morning Musings-Superior Ministry Part 2

   Morning Musings with the boys at breakfast...




We have been learning that Jesus is GREATER than angels, Moses, the Levitical high priests/priests, Abraham, Melchizedek, and that He has a superior ministry as compared, again, to the Old Testament (OT) covenant of the high priests/priests being mediator for the sins of the people.

It was ascertained that Jesus Christ was sent by God as "the chosen of Israel".   He was to be mankind's High Priest who offered Himself as the One true permanently perfect sacrifice for all people for all sin for all time and eternity.

Jump all the way back to the beginning of time and take a look at the first man, Adam.  We learn he sinned (Genesis 3).  Adam imputed* his sin into all mankind (Romans 5:17, 19).  Then Jesus came. Jesus is blameless and holy.  God imputed, and still imputes, His righteousness into all who believe in Jesus Christ as Savior (Romans 3:22; 1 Corinthians 1:30; Romans 10:4; Jeremiah 23:6).

In Hebrews 9:1-10 we read that the external regulations, such as all the laws no matter how perfectly a person can keep them,  will still fail, and the laws and regulations don't and won't change that sinful mind or heart.  They may train but they don't change a person in any intrinsic way.

In Part 1 of Superior Ministry, we saw that the OT covenant provides an illustration only, to illustrate all that came with the new covenant when Jesus Christ came as the High Priest for all mankind.  (Some scholars call this 'typology' meaning an OT picture of a person and work of Christ such as Melchizedek being 'like the Son of God' [Hebrews 7]).

Verse 8 shows us the Holy Spirit of God, although active even then in OT times, was showing the way in to the Most Holy Place where God's presence rested, but as yet free access to one and all of God's children had not been fully disclosed.  The visual aid, the curtain or veil, blocked the way into that sacred place and was symbolic that 'The Way', Jesus, had not yet come and completed His work.

We now know that at Jesus's death that that curtain was torn in two revealing that Jesus well and truly was, and still is, "the Way," "the Truth," and "the Life" (John 14:6).  He is The Way to God and a relationship with Him.  Amen, praise the Lord, hallelujah!

He SHALL reign and we shall be with Him in His kingdom of righteousness (Isaiah 32).

"Praise God from Whom all blessings flow Praise Him all people here below Praise Him, Father, Son and Holy Ghost.

                         Amen." 

                  (Author of song:  Anglican Bishop Thomas Ken; 1637-1711).



As contrast to the Aaronic high priests who had to bring the blood of animals, some for their own sins and some for the sins of the people to gain entrance into the Most Holy Place, Jesus, our High Priest entered "by His own blood" and that not for Himself but only for the people.  Read about it in Hebrews 9:11-28.  Jesus, Himself was  unblemished therefore didn't need any sacrificial blood for Himself.  That is why He was, and still is, that perfect sacrifice for our sins.

 Jesus made that "better sacrifice"--absolutely perfect sacrifice!  He was no proto-type, but the real thing.  And He did not enter a man-made Tabernacle BUT "entered heaven itself";  again, The Real Thing!  The real Most Holy Place--God's Home where all is perfect and Jesus did this "once for all to the end of the ages"; the last of the ages being everlasting!  

From all of these arguments and explanations the Hebrews should have been able to realize in a most definite way, that the 'old way' was no longer viable.  They should have been able to realize that God had brought them a new covenant that was ever so much GREATER than, ever so much more perfect than, any of their former way of life.  They should have been able to gratefully realize that Jesus was truly their High Priest with such a superior ministry that it would encompass them and all others of mankind with them.  Do you?

Thank-You, Jesus! 

*There are several connotations of the word "impute":  someone or something has or is guilty of something; represented as being done or caused; ascribed to someone by virtue of similar quality in another.    Synonym:  attribute or ascribe

                                                           ~ERC  2016~