“If perfection could have been attained through the Levitical priesthood—and indeed the law given to the people established that priesthood—why was there still need for another Priest to come, one in the order of Melchizedek, not in the order of Aaron? For when the priesthood is changed, the law must be changed also. He of whom these things are said belonged to a different tribe, and no one from that tribe has ever served at the altar. For it is clear that our Lord descended from Judah, and in regard to that tribe Moses said nothing about priests. And what we have said is even more clear if another Priest like Melchizedek appears, One who has become a Priest not on the basis of a regulation as to His ancestry but on the basis of the power of an indestructible life. For it is declared: “You are a Priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.” The former regulation is set aside because it was weak and useless (for the law made nothing perfect), and a better Hope is introduced, by which we draw near to God. And it was not without an oath! Others became priests without any oath, but He became a Priest with an oath when God said to Him: “The Lord has sworn and will not change His mind: ‘You are a Priest forever.’ ” Because of this oath, Jesus has become the guarantor of a better covenant. 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. Therefore He is able to save completely those who come to God through Him , because He always lives to intercede for them. Such a High Priest truly meets our need—One who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens. Unlike the other high priests, He does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for His own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when He offered Himself. For the law appoints as high priests men in all their weakness; but the oath, which came after the law, appointed the Son, who has been made perfect forever.”
Hebrews 7:11-28 NIV
(See also Leviticus 8 & 9)
Are you breathing a sigh of relief and gratitude after reading the verses above? You should be. As a matter of fact cartwheels are in order. What a promise! He has sacrificed for our sins ONCE and FOR ALL! when...He offered HIMSELF. No earthly priest ever did nor ever will offer themselves for us, nor can they. They are weak and ladened with sin just as we are. But He, Jesus, our forever eternal High Priest, paid our sin debt in full, sat down at the right hand of the Father, and ever lives eternally interceding for us. Those are shouting words!!
The old order of priesthood has been done away with. The new has come. Death prevented earthly sinful priest from continuously serving, and, they had to offer sacrifices for their own sins before they could offer sacrifices to God for others. Writing that makes me tired 😓. Thank God! He replaced that covenant with one better. Aaron had no power to forgive sins since he himself was sinful. The Pope or the priests have no power to forgive sins. I don’t care how many times they make the sign of the cross over you, I don’t care how many times you go to confession, empty hands over empty heads still leave you in your sin.
Jesus our High Priest, sinlessly perfect, has entered into the inner sanctuary, the Holy of Holies with His own untainted blood, to declare that He alone has the power to forgive sins. We no longer need a middleman on earth. We have the true Source, Jesus, who replaced the earthly priesthood because God found fault with His own earthly system of priesthood, declared it useless to redeem sinful man. He rendered the first priesthood null and void. And has fully accepted what Jesus has done through His death, burial, resurrection and ascension, to redeem us once for all.
I’m so excited to be reminded by these verses, that my slate has been wiped clean. Not by confessing to an earthly priest, but by Jesus’ daily intercession for me. Not by any earthly sacrifices of men, but by the sacrifice of Jesus the Son of the living God. Go back and re-read the entire chapter of Hebrews 7. If earthly priests were sufficient, why the need for another? Answer: It was imperfect and powerless to redeem us. This is why I encourage you my readers, to get into the Word for yourselves. Don’t just take what others say blindly- No matter their high positions. Become a Berean (Acts 17:11), search the scriptures to see if what you’re hearing or adhering to is scripturally based. We have been given the Holy Spirit for that purpose.
Jesus is our High Priest forever. He cannot die. He did that once for the purpose of tasting death (like us in the flesh) but rising to defeat it removing the fear of it.
“Since the children have flesh and blood, He too shared in their humanity so that by His death He might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil—”
Hebrews 2:14 NIV
All earthly priests will die, why confess your sins to someone who is imperfect? I repeat. God has replaced the earthly priesthood with a better covenant established upon better promises. Jesus our great High Priest is all we need. Under the old levitical priesthood, there was a yearly reminder of sin, animal blood was used as a substitution for the Lamb of God. But like the current Pope, priest, Jewry priestly system of works, it’s not enough. They, like Aaron the original earthly high priest, were imperfect and had to offer sacrifices for their own sin. Sinful people cannot forgive sinful people.
God knew this, even as He set the system in place as a foreshadowing of better things to come. As the scriptures says, If the first was good, why was there a need for a second? Please take the time to read Hebrews chapters 1-10 to fully grasp what I’m trying to convey. The substitution has been replaced by the better. The better covenant than that of Moses and Aaron. The copy has been replaced by the Original. You have access. You can approach the throne of God with confidence. Jesus our forever High Priest, intercedes for us. He has died once. Unlike the yearly sacrifices of unblemished animals, His blood forever washes and makes us clean. There’s no redoing. When He cried “FINISHED!” Heaven responded with a resounding “MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!”
Saints of God, Our striving is over. Won’t you accept what our High Priest has done? Walk with confidence that you’re forgiven once for all. When you blow it, our High Priest is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9. No earthly priest can do that for us. He, Jesus, ever lives, interceding for us. Settle that truth in your hearts today.
It’s time to pray.....Our High Priest is waiting.
Written by permission of the Holy Spirit
W. Tennant