Hebrews 8 - 5.13.26
Scripture
We do have such a high priest, who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, and who serves in the sanctuary, the true tabernacle set up by the Lord, not by a mere human being. (Heb 8:1-2)
Observation
This verse talks about Jesus our God, who sat down at the right hand of God the Father, and is serving as our high priest. The gospel of Mark concludes the narrative about resurrection this way - “After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up into heaven and he sat at the right hand of God.” (Mark 16:19).
Jesus is God the Son, who took the form of man, suffered and died and rose again, and ascended into heaven and sat down at the highest place of honor above all. There, He continues to be our high priest. The job of a high priest is to continually make intercession before God for the people. Jesus does that for us all the time. He is interceding for us before the Father. He is the one mediator we have between God and mankind (1 Tim 2:5).
Our only confidence in approaching God is that Jesus is our High Priest. As we read in Hebrews, we have a great high priest, who has gone into heaven, and he is Jesus the Son of God. This is why we must firmly hold on to our faith. Jesus understands every weakness of ours, because he was tempted in every way as we are. But he did not sin. So we can approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and grace in our time of need. (Heb 4:14-16).
Application
Jesus is our everything. He is our confidence to approach God in prayer. All things were created through Him and for Him (Col 1:16). From him and through him and to him are all things (Rom 11:36). We can do nothing without Him (John 15:5). Our help comes from Him (Ps 121:2). He is our confidence and keeps our foot from getting caught (Prov 3:26). He is our strength (Ps 46:1). He is the lifter of our head (Ps 3:3). He is our defence (Ps 62:2). He is our rock (Ps 18;2). He is our hope (1 Tim 1:1). We are more than conquerors through Him (Rom 8:37). He carries us (Is 46:4) on eagles’ wings (Ex 19:4). He goes before us (Is 45:2). He daily bears our burdens (Ps 68:19). He performs all things for us (Ps 57:2). He has inscribed us in the palm of his hand (Is 49:16). He has hedged us from before and behind (Ps 139:5). He is the author and finisher of our faith (Heb 12:2). He is the A (alpha) and the Z (omega) - the beginning and the end (Rev 22:13). Everything starts with Him, and ends with Him. He holds the keys of David - what He opens no one can close, and what He closes, no one can open (Rev 3:7).
The only way to live a Godly life is to walk with Him. The Bible instructs us to “put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts” (Rom 13:14, NKJV). I was confused by this verse when I was young, and asked the Lord, “Lord, What does it mean to wear you? How can I wear you, like I wear a shirt?” Then a few days after that many years ago, I came across this verse in the Contemporary English Version (CEV) which made it very clear - “Let the Lord Jesus Christ be as near to you as the clothes you wear. Then you won't try to satisfy your selfish desires” (Rom 13:14, CEV).
How can we keep Jesus as close to us as the clothes we wear? We do that by meditating on His Word. Jesus and His Word are the same. Jesus is the Word that became flesh (John 1:14). We should read the Word, and meditate on the Word. Christian meditation is not the same as the meditation that the world teaches. The popular concept of meditation talks about emptying your mind, and focusing inside - this comes from Hinduism (Eastern Mysticism) and is a Yoga (New Age) practice. Christian meditation that the Bible teaches is focusing your mind on God’s Word. The Bible commands us to “meditate on the law day and night” (Josh 1:8). In Psalms 1, we see the blessed man whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night (Ps 1:2). There are numerous other verses which command us to meditate on the word (Ps 119:15, 23, 48, 78, 97, 148). In addition to spending time in prayer and Bible-reading, keep thinking about God’s word as you go through the day. Just as a cow chews cud, and returns again and again to what it has eaten, we should return to God’s Word throughout the day, thinking about it, and let it renew our minds (Rom 12:2). That is how we become rooted and grounded in Him (Eph 3:17).
Prayer
Dear Father, thank you for sending Jesus. Lord Jesus, I thank you because you are my everything. I thank you because you are my high priest and you are continually making intercession for me before the Father. Thank you because I can run to the throne of grace with confidence in times of need, because of you. I praise you. I worship you. I hope in you. You are my confidence. You are my provider. You are the one who holds my future. I trust in you. I rest in you. Help me to meditate on your Word, and intentionally focus on you as I go through the busyness of life each day. Help me to serve you. Help me to please you. Help me to live each day of my life according to your will. Make my life a living sacrifice holy and acceptable to you (Rom 12:1). In Jesus’s name, I pray. Amen.
- Asha Chacko Geroge
