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Pastor Nathaniel's Blog August 7, 2024
"Our Human Divine High Priest"
The Bible often emphasizes Jesus' humanity as our high priest. But the question remains as to why this is a good and beneficial thing for us. What is so important about a divine-human high priest who ministers on our behalf? Is it not enough that God has designed and fulfilled his plan to save us? Is it not enough to recognize that Jesus is our king? These are legitimate questions, but thankfully the Bible provides an answer to why we need a human high priest who is also God.
Hebrews 8:1-2 says, "Now the main point of what we are saying is this: 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" (NIV). Hebrews 8:1-2 picks up where Hebrews 7 left off: that Jesus, fully human, is the God who saves us by the sacrifice of himself for us and by the priestly service he renders in heaven on our behalf. Hebrews 7 made it clear that we need a merciful high priest who doesn't simply represent us before God, but who can also sympathize with us in our difficulties. And Hebrews 8:1-2 maintains that we do, indeed, have this kind of high priest in Jesus. But did you notice the phrase "who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven?" We already know that Jesus died for us, has ascended into heaven, and ministers as our high priest - so why is his ascension and reign in heaven emphasized with imagery about him sitting at the right hand of "the Majesty in heaven?"
The reason this phrase is used is because it is a quotation from Daniel 7. In Daniel 7:9, it states that "thrones were set in place, and the Ancient of Days took his seat" (NIV). Then, in Daniel 7:13-14, it claims that one like the Son of Man was "coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence" (NIV), with the result being that this Son of Man received the same authority, glory, sovereign power, worship, and dominion as the Ancient of Days. Hebrews 8:1-2 stresses that Jesus has fulfilled Daniel 7 by being the one who sits with the Majesty in heaven and reigns with him as the royal and priestly God-man.
Friends, the reason it is good to have a divine-human high priest in Jesus is because his very divinity and humanity show him to be the one who fulfills all messianic prophecies on our behalf.
God bless,
Pastor Nathaniel Gamble
