Shoulder To Shoulder #1286 -- 4/11/22 ----"Our Greatest Asset (part one) -- Priests Before the Lord" (A)
Posted by: lifeunlimited <lifeunlimited@...>
SHOULDER TO SHOULDER is a weekly letter of encouragement Bob has written since 1997, covering many topics selected to
motivate people to be strong students of the Word and courageous witnesses of Jesus Christ. It is a personal letter of
encouragement to you, written solely to help "lift up hands that hang down".
"The world will not be destroyed by those who do evil, but by those who watch them without doing anything." -- Albert Einstein
“There is a common, worldly kind of Christianity in this day, which many have, and think they have -- a cheap Christianity which offends nobody,
and requires no sacrifice, which costs nothing, -- and is worth nothing.” – J. C. Ryle
Shoulder To Shoulder #1286 -- 4/11/22
Title:
"Our Greatest Asset (part one) -- Priests Before the Lord" (A)My Dear Friend and Co-Laborer with Christ:
While our formal services at Chapel de Oro concluded the end of March, a small group of 15 to 20 of us have continued meeting for informal fellowship, worship, and Bible study in our home here in "The Foothills" of Yuma. We will conclude those gatherings next Sunday as we celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus together. Following that we will wait and see how many still remain in town. It is always hard to shut the seasonal chapels down, but we must begin preparation for the Summer at Greer Chapel up in the White Mountains of eastern AZ.
In the meantime, we are looking forward to the arrival of our daughter, Cheri, and husband, Bob, as they arrive next Sunday night and take up occupancy of their new house right next door to us. There's no telling what might happen to us after they get here. Bob will have one more week of work and then will be officially a retired man.
In the meantime, this week appears to be a cooler week, so I hope to get some work done outside preparing the pad for an additional storage shed (to arrive in a couple of weeks) and our "new" JennAire gas grill.
I have commented often about our praise team here at Chapel de Oro, and thought you might like to check it out. When we first arrived in Yuma in 2017, the team consisted of nine members -- five guitars, a piano, a bass, a ukulele, and a harmonica. As in all seasonal ministries, things are usually in total flux, and the praise team has not been exempt. Due to health issues, deaths, and moves, the past two or three years have been challenging.
This year, however, things really began to fall into place once again. With the most recent addition of lead guitarist and lead singer Michael Orzio, we are back up to seven members. Diane (from Alaska) leads our pre-service "sing-along". Then Michael takes the baton and leads us into our primary service. Michael, Donna (piano), and Diane select the music. Together with Gene on vocal and guitar (absent in this video clip), LeRoy on bass and banjo, and Carolyn on fiddle, we have a wonderful time every services singing a broad genre' of music ranging from contemporary, to southern Gospel, to praise chorus, and favorite hymns. So, hopefully, you'll enjoy "71 Minutes of Praise and Worship" with Chapel de Oro, taped on March 6th of this year.
So, if you're in for a bunch of "old folks" singing and making praise to the Lord, you might want to go to https://drive.google.com/file/d/1dv_Ft_9g1MjmEOwR3Q1qOtOrtC0-BphZ/view
THIS 'N' THAT:
+ National Day of Prayer May 5th: We have many reasons for increasing and intensifying our praying for our nation and other situations around the world. Make plans to participate in the National Day of Prayer coming up in a few weeks. Rather than one nationwide event as in the past, many regional and local events are being planned, and events on Social Media are being scheduled. For details, go to https://www.nationaldayofprayer.org/ .
+ Updates on Russian Invasion: You obviously understand why Jo Ann and I have such an interest in Putin's invasion into Ukraine. Many of our friends remain in the country, often at great risk; and others now outside the country are doing more than just escaping and surviving -- they are heavily involved in providing humanitarian and Gospel aid to refugees. It is estimated that as many as six million Ukrainians have been displaced by the war. We pray constantly -- literally in an unending spirit of prayer all our waking hours -- that our friends will be safe, that Ukraine will rise to the occasion, and that Putin's hordes will be soundly defeated in this latest attempt to devour territories of other nations. Literally scores of documents and reports come to me every day. Some are trustworthy; others are not. Three that I have found to be very reliable are the Kiev Post, the Financial Times, and the Euromaidan Press. The second gives very good assessments and the third gives "official" detailed information "from the field". Here are two reports from the last two or three days:
> https://www.ft.com/content/e87fdc60-0d5e-4d39-93c6-7cfd22f770e8?list=intlhomepage
> https://euromaidanpress.com/2022/04/12/russo-ukrainian-war-chemical-attack-in-mariupol/?swcfpc=1
> https://euromaidanpress.com/2022/04/13/russo-ukrainian-war-day-49-more-airstrikes-on-mariupol-russian-tank-column-destroyed-near-kharkiv/?swcfpc=1&__cf_chl_tk=bRO4.TO28LcYNS7syYvaHyE3KPvJeSykLVlU5XkihyY-1649860577-0-gaNycGzNCGU
You can also subscribe to EuromaidanPress via e-mail at [email protected].
+ Giving To Ukraine: So far, people have given over $10,000 to our ministry (Life Unlimited Ministries) to help care for the many needs that Ukrainians have as a result of Putin's invasion. Because of our many personal connections with people "on the ground", we are able to give quickly and directly. Currently we have already given over $7,000 toward the following:
> Food and lodging for 200 people being housed at Ukraine Baptist Seminary in Lviv,
> Fuel for drivers risking their lives driving into the heart of the war zones with food and other supplies,
> Beds for refugee children,
> Ten families holed up in a large house in a small village up in the Carpathian Mountains still carrying on the business for our dear friends, "M" and Ira,
> Medicine for children waiting for kidney transplants,
> A woman and her husband holed up in the root cellar of their dacha (summer garden shed),
> Two ministries working with Convoy of Hope and Samaritan's Purse receiving, sorting, packing, and sending supplies to churches in the Kyiv Oblast including Irpin, Bucha, Obolon, Hostomel, and Brovary,
> A pastor friend, his coworkers and other pastors in the Brusilov area as they provide medicine, food, and clothing to some of the 5,000 families whose homes were damaged or destroyed in the area,
> As of today, our dear friends and former members of the first church I pastored in Ukraine, Lena Kolomiets, her children Loshya and Lydia, and her husband, who are sending thousands of armor vests, helmets, and medical kits to the many volunteer military units fighting in the war.
If you would like more information or would like to give, Life Unlimited Ministries is a tax exempt 501(c)3 ministry. Email me at [email protected] for details. And, take time to watch this video that was just posted by our friend, Elena, on Facebook today. These friends are so special! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QREf0U4ATZ4&feature=share .
+ An Overview of Ukrainian History: -- Here is an excellent overview of the history of Ukraine and the centuries of invasions, tensions, and conflict over who is going to rule Ukraine or whether Ukraine will return to its own independence. For 31 minutes this history professor explains in concise form what has brought Ukraine to this moment in history. It takes a very long time, and often numerous generations, for a nation to become truly free. It took the U.S. some 150 years. We were living in Kyiv at the time of the Orange Revolution. Go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l1WL2VJOn2A .
OUR GREATEST ASSET:
Sometimes it has been hard to figure out ---- determining those times when I'm simply physically tired, times when I am discouraged, and times when I just "don't want to do this anymore".
Have you ever been there?
While I have no interest whatsoever in "throwing in the towel" when it comes to preaching, ministering, and writing, there are times when I've wondered about whether or not to continue writing this weekly "Shoulder To Shoulder" letter. After all, I'm in the 25th year of writing -- and there are times when I struggle with writing it. Sometimes it's a struggle with "What" to say; other times it s the struggle with "Which" to say; and at other times it is the struggle with whether or not to say anything at all.
Then, about the time I feel pretty much "spent", God puts in my heart some things I feel need to be shared with you. Hopefully, I don't bore you too often with meanderings that are either utterly confusing or simply have no benefit to you. I still remember years ago when I thought, "Well, when I reach 1,000 letters, I'll probably stop writing them." Obviously, that didn't happen, because I hit the 1,000 mark way back in 2016, and here I am six years still pecking away.
Today I'm actually writing what is close to the 1,500th letter, even though this one is listed as #1286. First, I began writing in December, 1997, but didn't start using Glen's wonderful emailing service until the following February. Second, at first I would keep a particular number throughout a given series, numbering them the same, and using a, b, c, etc. until the series was concluded. So, today is actually the 1,422nd letter I've written using Glen's service -- not counting the eight or ten written prior to that.
Looking back over those numerous occasions when I questioned the importance of my letters, there seems to be one common factor that triggered such thoughts -- a sense of an oppressive wearisome burden over some matter.
Today that burden essentially consists of three elements -- 1) the hardships Jo Ann and I see among the people we love and serve in the two seasonal chapels I pastor, 2) the outlandish depraved condition of our nation and its governing bodies, and 3) the heartbreaking situation between Ukraine and Russia -- two nations where we have many dear friends whom we love deeply.
Last Sunday about fifteen of our Chapel de Oro members still in town met in our home for informal fellowship, worship, and Bible study. I knew it was Palm Sunday, but didn't have a particular "Palm-Sundayish" thing in mind to share. That is, until I began thinking about what happened to Jesus just a few days following His triumphal entry into Jerusalem. Tradition and extra-biblical evidence indicates that He actually entered the city on what was the "Choose the lamb for Passover" Day when people would select that special lamb that would be killed in preparation for the Passover celebration.
As you probably have already recognized, my mind bounces back and forth like a ping pong ball sometimes, and such was the case then. I started thinking about Jesus, as both our Lamb (John 1:29; Mt 26:22-23; etc.) and our Great High Priest (Heb 5:2-10; Heb 3:1; Heb 4:14-15; Heb 9:12; etc.). That triggered my thoughts about Aaron, Israel's first high priest (Exod 28:1-38), and the subsequent lineage of the priesthood that led all the way up to Jesus.
And, believe it or not, that long lineage led me up to that amazing story of Zacharias and Elizabeth in Luke 1 when he learned that their life-long prayers for a successor had not gone unheeded. They would have a son who would succeed Zacharias, but in a most extraordinary way, totally unlike most priests before him. He would actually become the one who would introduce that Great High Priest and Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world (Jn 1:29).
Yes, I know this may be a stretch for many -- perhaps even you -- but at my age the dots seem to be closer together when I try to connect them. So, I want to take a cursory look at four things today: ---- 1) Aaron and what happened to him, 2) Zacharias and what happened to him, 3) Jesus and what happened to Him, and 4) how those three priests paved the way for what happened to you and me, as priests unto the Lord who can also have direct access to God Himself -- to worship, to serve, and to intercede (Rev 5:9-14; Rev 20:1-4; I Pet 2:1-5; Rom 12:1-2; etc.)
So, let's jump in to "Letter A" on the topic and look at . . .
AARON -- BACKGROUND ON THE PRIESTHOOD:
In the Bible we find three distinct people who were consistently endued with power and authority that influenced people -- even nations. They were the prophets, the priests, and the kings. In those biblically identified roles, the prophet was one who stood before the people in God's behalf. He told the people what God wanted them to hear. The priest, in a sense, had a reverse role as one who stood before God in the people's behalf, making intercession for their sins, appealing to God to pour out His justice, compassion, mercy, goodness, and blessing on them. The King was one who represented God's rule over the people, and was to guide, fight, and protect them based on God's order of justice and righteousness.
Clearly I can't detail each of those roles other than to say that if we followed God's order of things today, we'd be far better off than we are at this time in our history. So, in light of limited time and space, we'll focus on the priesthood. In the Bible there are priests, and then there are priests.
Unfortunately, that role has been significantly neglected in some circles and greatly distorted in others. The role of the priest was neither to pass laws nor to forgive sins -- only God can forgive sins. Nor was it even to create and/or protect "the system", as they were prone to do in Jesus' day. However, the priest's fundamental duty of all others was to intercede before God in behalf of the people. He was not administrator, and he was not even a preacher or teacher as we know the role today. He had two main jobs, not many jobs, such as we often see today.
The levitical order of priesthood had numerous responsibilities, but those responsibilities were separate from each other. As we'll see when we look at Zacharias' experience in Luke 1 shortly, the levitical priesthood was divided into three orders if priests, each one named after one of Aaron's three sons -- Gershon, Kohath, and Merari. From those three men, the priesthood was divided into twenty-four separate groups, each group with a responsibility and a tenure. Among the various duties those groups carried out some were musicians, some were shepherds of special flocks of sheep, some were warriors, some were incense burners, and so forth.
As the tribe of Levi grew, the number of priests grew as well. As a result, each priest would serve in a specific way at a specific time in the rotation. Before the temple was built, sacrifices and worship were still observed in the tabernacle, and the levitical priesthood lived in specially designated cities and towns God had designated among the twelve tribal territories so that they were always accessible to minister to the people. However, as the population grew and more towns and villages were established, Levitical priests lived there as well. Scripture tells us that: . . .
"“Now if a Levite comes from any of your towns throughout Israel where he resides, and comes whenever he desires to the place which the LORD chooses, then he shall serve in the name of the LORD his God, like all his fellow Levites who stand there before the LORD.” (Deut 18:6-7).
After the temple was built in Jerusalem, the Levites continued that practice. When a priest was not ministering, he went back to the village or town that had been set aside specifically for the Levites. When it was time for him to serve, he would do so and then return to his family. This is illustrated from the very earliest days of Israel when God appointed Aaron.
Keep in mind the differentiation between prophet and priest. The prophet stood before the people in God's behalf; the priest stood before God in the people's behalf. That means that the primary roles of the priest were those of offering sacrifices and prayers of intercession. If you understand this biblical pattern, much of the New Testament teachings begin to make far more sense. With this picture in mind, for example, Consider Paul's instruction in Romans 12:1-2:
"1. Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. 2. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect."
So, because of these priestly aspects of sacrifice (confession) and prayer (intercession), it behooves us to actually consider what was involved in being a priest. We see this in Aaron, Israel's first high priest. We see his Apparel, his Authentication, and his Authority. We will better understand these elements when we get to the priest, Zacharias. An excellent diagram and rather comprehensive article about the Levitical Priesthood can be found at https://www.bible.ca/archeology/archeology-exodus-route-sinai-levitical-priesthood-levi-gershomites-kohathites-merarites-aaronic-zadok-asaph-heman-ethan-abiathar-eli-sadducees-annas-caiaphas-ananias.htm if you have a mind for further digging.
> The priest's Attire: -- You see, every part of the priest's garments (see Ex 28:2-4) symbolized five very important things righteousness, holiness, sanctification, access to God, and intercession before Him. I said this would be a "cursory" look, so do your own research throughout the entirety of Ex 28. For now, notice what he wore, and why.
"2. You shall make holy garments for Aaron your brother, for glory and for beauty. 3. You shall speak to all the skillful persons whom I have endowed with the spirit of wisdom, that they make Aaron's garments to consecrate him, that he may minister as priest to Me. 4. These are the garments which they shall make: a breastpiece and an ephod and a robe and a tunic of checkered work, a turban and a sash, and they shall make holy garments for Aaron your brother and his sons, that he may minister as priest to Me."
The rest of the chapter will help fill in the blanks as to the structure, purpose, and symbolism of each item. As a quick example, the two stones on each shoulder of the Ephod carried the names of the twelve tribes. Every time Aaron came before God in the tabernacle, he bore the sins and needs of all of Israel, interceding in their behalf.
The breastplate with its twelve stones, the ephod with its two stones, the robe, the tunic, the turban, and the sash -- they all symbolized some aspect of righteousness, holiness, sanctification, and preparation. Even the use of linen as opposed to wool is explained -- so that the priests won't sweat as they minister before the Lord. You see, sweat was the result of sin when Adam and Eve chose independence toward God rather than obedient and intimate fellowship. As a result, . . .
"By the sweat of your face You will eat bread, Till you return to the ground, Because from it you were taken; For you are dust, And to dust you shall return." (Gen 3:19).
In fact, the insistence that the priest not sweat was so significant that God emphasized it to Ezekiel in one of his visions. It reads (God speaking . . .) . . .
"15. But the Levitical priests, the sons of Zadok, who kept charge of My sanctuary when the sons of Israel went astray from Me, shall come near to Me to minister to Me; and they shall stand before Me to offer Me the fat and the blood," declares the Lord GOD. 16. They shall enter My sanctuary; they shall come near to My table to minister to Me and keep My charge. 17. It shall be that when they enter at the gates of the inner court, they shall be clothed with linen garments; and wool shall not be on them while they are ministering in the gates of the inner court and in the house. 18. Linen turbans shall be on their heads and linen undergarments shall be on their loins; they shall not gird themselves with anything which makes them sweat." (Ezek 44:15-`8).
Sweating was an indication of sin, and was a symbol of the energy of the flesh. The word appears only three times in the entire Bible, two of which I've just mentioned. The only other time it is used in scripture is in Luke 22:44 when Jesus was dying on the cross. It reads, . . .
"And being in agony He was praying very fervently; and His sweat became like drops of blood, falling down upon the ground."
Contrast this description, if you will, with the commands to the priesthood. The priests could not sweat, but they did shed blood. Jesus shed blood by sweating. The secret is found in the first part of that verse --
Finally, compare the priest's attire with Paul's description of the believer's armor listed in Ephesians 6:10-19). This is not just "uncanny" or "coincidental". It is divine instruction as to the significance, expectations, and qualifications of priestly intercession for people -- and nations.
> The priest's Appointment: -- Throughout the Bible the primary means of someone being appointed to a specific assignment or task was ceremonially authenticated by pouring oil on their heads and laying hands upon them. This was called "anointing" someone, thus setting them aside and sending them someplace. Aaron is the first of many we find in the Bible who were anointed for special purposes.
Maybe I'm mincing words, but I see the difference between just an "assignment" and an "appointment". An assignment to me is merely something assigned that needs to be done -- something like having a homework assignment that may or may not be done, and if done, perhaps in a not-so-good way. Or maybe my father telling me that he wanted me to mow the grass, with probably no specific time frame or quality of outcome. This is illustrated I think in Jesus' parable of the good and bad servants (Mt 25:14-30). An appointment, however, is something to which a person has been officially instructed to carry out.
For the most part, appointments -- or the act of anointing with oil -- was performed in order to picture two things, both to the "anointer", the "anointed", and the "audience". First, this person -- a prophet, a priest, a king, or someone in need (the sick, the blind, the lame, etc.) -- was being appointed by God to either do something or receive something. Second, his life would thereafter give evidence of the presence and power of the Holy Spirit. The pouring out of oil almost always represented the Holy Spirit's authorization upon a person's life. It was a supernatural and divine act where the purposes of God and the willingness of man merged into a divine act of oneness -- of unity -- as portrayed in Psalm 133: --
"1. Behold, how good and how pleasant it is For brothers to dwell together in unity! 2. It is like the precious oil upon the head, Coming down upon the beard, Even Aaron's beard, Coming down upon the edge of his robes."
In this case (Exod 28), Aaron was being set aside, authenticated, and then sent into God's presence in the tabernacle. Not just in the tabernacle, but into that most special place -- the "inner sanctum", the "intimate private sanctuary" to meet with God. He was to meet with God in behalf of others -- sometimes individuals, sometimes families, sometimes tribes, and sometimes in behalf of the entire nation. We need such intercessors today, don't we!
> The priest's Authority: -- with the role – the authenticating -- comes authority to act within that role. Aaron was given the authority to enter into such a sacred place -- in the presence of God. That authority to be in God's presence was so profound that whenever Aaron or Moses entered that "tent of meeting", people knew they had such authority -- first as they went in, and second, as they came out. When they entered, God's presence hovered over the tabernacle as a cloud in the day and as fire at night. Why is that so important? Because God wanted the people to know He was with them, 24/7.
When they came out of that tent of intercession, people consistently saw the evidence. Repeatedly the faces of Moses and Aaron shown after they had met with God. When someone truly meets with God in His presence, the evidence shows.
As "priests unto the Lord", we have such authority. We have been properly attired, we have been appointed and authenticated, and we have been given authority. We have been called, we have been compelled, we have been confirmed.
(IN PASSING -- EXAMPLES OF THE PRIESTLY-TYPE INTERCESSION):
There are scores of occasions throughout the Bible where God called someone to be an intercessor -- for a person,for a people, to face a problem, to engage in a cause. Not all of them were of the levitical priesthood, but they understood what it meant to "stand in the gap" -- not as a mediator, but as an intercessor. So, intercessory prayer is a special category of praying that is unique in every way from all other forms of prayer . . . that is, praise, thanksgiving, repentance, requests, petitions. We see many examples in the Bible, such as . . . .
+ Abraham’s Prayer for Sodom -- Gen 18:20-33
+ Moses Prayer, Interceding For Israel -- Exod 32:11-13
+ Moses Interceding For Israel Once Again -- Exod 32:31-32
+ Ezra’s Prayer Over The Sins Of His People -- Ezra 9:6-15
+ Nehemiah Prays for Jews in Jerusalem – Neh 1:3-11
+ Elijah Asks God to Reveal Himself -- I Kings 18:36-37
+ Daniel’s Prayer Over Israel’s Sins -- Dan 9:4-19
+ Jesus’ intercession for His followers -- Jn 17:6-26
+ Stephen’s Dying Prayer For His Murderers -- Acts 7:60
+ Paul's short but potent prayer for Israel's salvation -- Rom 9:1-5
+ Paul’s 1st Intercession for the Ephesians – Eph 1:15-23
+ Paul’s 2nd Intercession For The Ephesians -- Eph 3:14-20
+ Paul’s Intercession For The Philippians -- Phil 1:9-11
+ Paul’s Intercession For The Colossians -- Col 1:9-12
Obviously I'm not going to address any of those, so here's a little assignment -- I've listed only fourteen out of the many. For the next fourteen weeks, take one of those experiences a week, read the account over and over, read the background setting found before and following the text, think about what it must have been like to be the intercessor who prayed like that, and then ask God to teach you something from it.
Whatever else you may learn, you should learn how important it is that you become an intercessor.
ZACHARIAS THE STUNNED WORSHIPER:
Have you ever considered what actually might have happened to Zacharias that day an angel appeared to him in the temple with a very special message? It's really pretty shocking, actually. See if you can put yourself in this story -- perhaps even change his name to your own. Or, maybe like Isaiah did in Chapter six of his book, put it in the first person -- "I". Here's the account (we'll look at it more closely in my next letter).
5 In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zacharias, of the division of Abijah; and he had a wife from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. 6 They were both righteous in the sight of God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments & requirements of the Lord. 7 But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both advanced in years.
8 Now it happened that while he was performing his priestly service before God in the appointed order of his division, 9 according to the custom of the priestly office, he was chosen by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense. 10 And the whole multitude of the people were in prayer outside at the hour of the incense offering.
11 And an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the altar of incense. 12 Zacharias was troubled when he saw the angel, and fear gripped him.
13 But the angel said to him, "Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your petition has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will give him the name John. 14 You will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth. 15 For he will be great in the sight of the Lord; and he will drink no wine or liquor, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit while yet in his mother's womb. 16 And he will turn many of the sons of Israel back to the Lord their God. 17 It is he who will go as a forerunner before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, TO TURN THE HEARTS OF THE FATHERS BACK TO THE CHILDREN, and the disobedient to the attitude of the righteous, so as to make ready a people prepared for the Lord."
18 Zacharias said to the angel, "How will I know this for certain? For I am an old man and my wife is advanced in years."
19 The angel answered and said to him, "I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. 20 And behold, you shall be silent and unable to speak until the day when these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their proper time."
21 The people were waiting for Zacharias, and were wondering at his delay in the temple. 22 But when he came out, he was unable to speak to them; and they realized that he had seen a vision in the temple; and he kept making signs to them, and remained mute. 23 When the days of his priestly service were ended, he went back home.
24 After these days Elizabeth his wife became pregnant, and she kept herself in seclusion for five months, saying, 25 "This is the way the Lord has dealt with me in the days when He looked with favor upon me, to take away my disgrace among men."
Now, it's important to look at this story in light of what we've already seen in the role of Aaron, Israel's first High Priest. Remember, now that both Zacharias and his wife, Elizabeth, were in the direct lineage of Aaron himself. So, let's first take a quick look at her before we look at Zacharias.
ELIZABETH: --
1. Her Heritage: -- I've already noted that she was a direct descendant of Aaron, Israel's very first high priest. She even carried the same name as Aaron's wife (Exod 6:23), meaning "the oath of God" or "God is my oath". Though a woman, she may have been one of the original "Promise Keepers" insofar as her name implies that God is the One and only covenant keeping God Who keeps His promises. From her very birth, she lived with a heritage where, for some 1400 years every man in her family had been involved in the Aaronic priesthood in some capacity.
So, she certainly had the pedigree to be a great woman ---- an influential woman ---- an easily recognized woman. Some people have suggested that if there ever was such a Proverbs 31 woman, Elizabeth would have certainly been one of the first choices.
2. Her Holiness: -- Elizabeth is also described in Luke 1:6 as being "righteous in the sight of God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and requirements of the Lord." When God looked at her, He declared, "Elizabeth is righteous ---- she is completely rightly related with Me." Her Character was impeccable.
Not only was she rightly related to God in her Character, but also in her Conduct ---- she walked "blamelessly" in All (not just some, but All) the commandments and requirements of God. Sometimes, in our focus on her husband, Zacharias, or on other women of the Christmas story such as Anna or Mary, we forget about Elizabeth and her godly life.
3. Her Heartache: -- But, there was an emptiness -- and probably a bit of anxiety -- in her heart. A very short statement in Luke 1:7 allows us to peek through the keyhole into the inner recesses of her heart, and, in so doing, we discover a very deep sorrow. Even as I read that verse just now, my heart was filled with sadness over the three concise and somewhat blunt statements that describe her circumstance: 1) "They had no child.", 2) "Elizabeth was barren.", and 3) "they were both advanced in years."
Look at those statements. They are powerful in their simple content. This was a major issue for Zacharias and Elizabeth. It was as significant to them as was the condition of Abraham and Sarah when God had told them that he would be the father of many nations and from his descendants would come someone who would bless the nations. So it was with Zacharias and Elizabeth -- if the godly priestly lineage was to continue beyond Zacharias, they had to have a son. They had none. Look at those three statements: --
1) The first is a statement of Fact ---- they had no child. The worst thing to happen to a family in the Aaronic lineage was to have no son to carry on the line of priestly service. It automatically disqualified any direct future generations from ever serving in that capacity. The first statement, "they had no child", would have created a sad reminder in the deepest recesses of her spirit. It was a statement of Fact, accompanied by a Feeling of Sorrow. Their Levitical future was gone, like chaff in the wind, like dew in the morning, like vapor in a desert.
2) The second is a statement of Failure ---- "Because Elizabeth was barren." What a horrible thought ---- it's all Elizabeth's fault, because she can't have kids. That was likely the attitude of many folks in town. Even relatives must have had an occasional slip of the tongue that cut Elizabeth to the heart like a plunging knife. So imagine what might have gone through her mind when she learned that her teen-aged unmarried second cousin, Mary, was pregnant! The second statement, "because Elizabeth was barren", a statement of implied Failure, certainly made her vulnerable for a Flood of Shame sweeping over her soul. "I'm to blame for the shame brought on our family, and for the unspoken grief I see in the empty eyes of my dear husband."
3) The third is a statement of Futility ---- they are both too old. Talk about hopelessness! Even if modern medicine had been available as it is today, their biological clocks had stopped ticking long ago. The final statement, "they were both advanced in years", with the hopeless mark of Futility all over it, could have easily set her up for Attacks of Sarcasm ---- either from the cynical stirring of the flesh within herself, or from the judgemental gossips of her community.
Put yourself in Elizabeth's shoes. I wonder how many times she heard the neighbors' snide remarks. I wonder how many times she has thought them herself. The more I think about Elizabeth's longing for a son, a longing she had carried I'm sure from her childhood (after all, she knew early on what her destiny should be), and the growing awareness year by year that the likelihood of it becoming a reality was growing dimmer by the year, the greater my respect and appreciation for this incredible woman.
4. Her Horror: As if that unbearable pain was not enough, her husband, Zacharias, has some kind of an encounter with God in the temple, and he reportedly came out white as a ghost, totally speechless, and making gestures and writing notes as if he'd lost his mind. That's all she needed! It's bad enough to live with her own blight, but now to have to deal with a husband who is known for having had some type of supernatural experience that nobody understands and that she can't identify with, and she has had just about all she can handle.
On top of that, Zacharias is making these claims that Elizabeth is going to get pregnant, and her emotional responses must have really gone into orbit. Can you sense her thoughts? I mean, really feel them? The claim must have totally embarrassed her -- first for the intimacy of the idea, and second for the absurdity of the idea. On the one hand, she's saying, ---- "Yeah ---- Right! You're out of your gourd, old man!" And yet, deep within her innermost being that almost dead hope must have quivered as a hint of new life is injected. Talk about an emotional roller coaster ride, ---- she must have had it.
Then imagine her reaction when she realized that by now this whole episode was probably the talk of the town ---- the joke of the town. Humiliation piled upon humiliation! But it didn't stop there. She still had to deal with a husband who couldn't talk, and kept walking around with this funny look on his face like he drank over-fermented wine while he was at the temple.
Then, as if she needed something else to pile on her, ---- she began to find herself feeling nauseated in the mornings, and remembered some of the women telling her that was a sign of pregnancy. Then, not too far down the road, it became pretty obvious to everyone, at least to the other women, that she was indeed pregnant. And, just about the time her horror began to turn to hallelujah, she learned that her little teen-aged cousin, Mary, was also pregnant ---- but not married!
What a nightmare!!!
5. Her Hope: Now, I don't want to over emphasize this element too much, because we must also keep in mind the spiritual perception that Elizabeth obviously had learned from her own generational heritage and her personal heart for God. So, I can only imagine what happened to her as she rehearsed in her mind and as she and Zacharias "talked" with each other over and over again -- through scribbled notes, facial expressions and hand gestures, of all things -- about what the angel had told him that day in the temple. "What was it again that the angel said, Zacharias? Tell me again! Are you sure? He said . . . I'm going to have a son??? And we'll call him . . . . John? Are you sure? Absolutely certain? Not Zacharias after you as the custom is?
"And we will have joy and gladness? Real joy and gladness? And many will rejoice at his birth? Is he really going to be that important, Zacharias? Don't toy with my emotions! Is all this really true? And . . . and . . . and he will be great ---- Great??? ---- in God's sight? And he'll be like a Nazarite? A WHAT??? Really??? And ---- I can't believe the angel really said this ---- he will be actually filled with the Holy Spirit before he ever leaves my body and is born into this world? You've got to be kidding! That's unbelievable!
"But, Oh, Zacharias! Can my heart contain this thought ---- he will be used of God to turn back many of the sons of Israel to the Lord their God??? Oh, what a son he must be! And . . . . and . . . Zacharias, this is just totally beyond belief! The angel said ---- he actually said ---- that our son, John, would be a forerunner of the Messiah??? The One we've longed for for so many years? So many decades? CENTURIES??? And that he would operate in the spirit and power of Elijah, and that he would turn the hearts of the fathers back toward their children, and disobedient people would again have a hunger for righteousness??? Oh, Zacharias! This is more than I can bear! I am beside myself! I am overwhelmed! Praise be to our God!"
Dear friend ---- Hope DOES spring eternal!!!
6. Her Happiness: -- Oh, it is true, my friend! "Weeping may last through the night, but Joy comes in the morning!" Hallelujah! Praise His Name! Elizabeth said it this way. "This is the way the Lord has dealt with me in the days when He looked with favor upon me, to take away my disgrace among men." (Luke 1:25)
My friend, as I ponder the possibilities of such thoughts, emotions, and conversations that might have transpired with Elizabeth and Zacharias, I am awed at the miracle of this story.
But that isn't the end. There is so much more. (This is awesome!)
ZACHARIAS: --
There is no doubt that Zacharias was a priest -- an important one, in fact. But, was he a "High Priest" like Aaron -- or was he a priest of a lower order? Actually, there should be no question about this. The fact that he was in the temple on the Day of Atonement would indicate that he was, indeed, a High Priest. In addition, he was offering incense in the holy of holies. And, based on the biblical record and the clearly defined order of temple worship, he had to be behind the veil separating the holy of holies from the rest of the temple complex. Only a high priest went there and did that.
We also have extra-biblical testimony to that fact. Early Church fathers, along with the "Protoevangelium of James" also say Zacharias was a High Priest. Origen, Chrysostom, Augustine, Ambrose, Theodoret, Dionysius the Areopagite, Theophylact, and even The Venerable Bede all indicate that he was a High Priest. This may not seem important to you, but hopefully it will.
But, before he became a High Priest, Zacharias was born and raised in a faithfully religious family, with a long multi-generational heritage of vocational ministry ---- not just generations, but for centuries. As far back as he could remember, at least on his father's side of the family, there had been someone in every generation involved in serving God in the levitical priesthood. It was almost as if he had been born to serve God.
I understand a little of that type of heritage. The American portion of my own genealogy goes back to Robert Taliferro who followed two brothers and a sister to the New World in the early 1600's. They had previously arrived on these shores sometime before 1638. Settling in Jamestown, the beneficiary of a 6300 acre land grant, Robert married Sara Grimes, a preacher's daughter. They had five sons and two daughters.
Many preachers and missionaries came out of that beginning during the ensuing eleven generations leading to my own birth and ministry. On my mother's side, one of my great-grandfathers five generations removed was personal priest to one of the Czar's of Russia. He was banished to Siberia when he got on the Czar's case for immoral living, but escaped on the way to Siberia with him family and fled by night to Hungary.
As we'll see in a moment, Zacharias' wife, Elizabeth, also came from a similar religious background ---- generations of ministers as well. So does my wife. Her father was the last of a significant number of ministers through the generations; he and his wife helped begin more than thirteen new churches in southern Arizona.
There is often an enormous pressure placed on those in ministry, especially if they have a long history of Christian ministry in past generations. They recognize the integrity and honor of the past, they want to live up to the good name they have inherited, they don't want to disappoint those around them, and they often feel trapped by the traditions of the past, be they family or denominational.
Let's take a quick look at Zacharias as a man and as a high priest. --
1. The Qualities of His Life: -- In reading the story and some historical background from various sources I am struck by some of the qualities of this man's life and his family. I think he's the kind of guy you and I would like to emulate.
1) Zacharias' character was impeccable ---- According to the text in Luke chapter one, there was nothing for which he could be blamed in either his personal, family, or ministerial life. Both he and Elizabeth could be described as moral, ethical, pleasing to God, without blame in conduct, demeanor, and duty. No quality or ability is more vital than an impeccable character. We may sometimes feel there is a double standard for those who wear the attire of vocational ministry ---- and There IS! And why Not? If there is no higher calling than that of ministry, as we so often declare, why should there Not also be a loftier standard of conduct and integrity?
2) His ministry performance was faithful ---- for years he could be trusted to minister in keeping with his "job description". His assigned duties, though varied from time to time, were diligently carried out. I sometimes wonder if I could have done what he did for so many years, knowing that it was before a God who had seemingly not answered his most fervent prayer -- to have a son who would carry on after him. He had every reason to neglect his duties -- or at least not do them well, or take a little time off for himself. After all, . . .
A. He had no control over the fact that he was part of a system he had inherited ---- all designated specific duties had been determined for him long before he assumed his role of ministry. It had remained so ever since, for hundreds of years.
B. He performed a daily routine that could quickly have lost its glamour. Much of what he did was somewhat nondescript -- so routine, so repetitive, so daily -- and so "unseen". There wasn't very much he did that would bring the "ooh's" and "ah's" from impressed people.
C. He seldom received any expressions of appreciation for what he did. After all, it was so "expected:. In fact, most of the people probably didn't even remember that it was Zacharias that day, and didn't know he was even there, much less what he did that was so essential to the ongoing effectiveness of God's work. Only a handful of other priests would have known, except for periodic occasions, he wasn't even in the view of the public.
D. He did something that had possibly lost its spiritual significance and had become a custom ---- a pattern ---- a habit ---- a tradition. Not only did it, for the most part, go unnoticed by the people around him, but it had perhaps lost its challenge and meaning even to Zacharias himself. He found himself settling deeper and deeper into the tradition. And, tradition, if not bathed in our heart-hunger and God's revelatory grace, easily becomes traditionalism.
E. Through it all, though, he apparently never complained, but, rather, relished his ministry, though often routine and mundane. Somehow Zacharias never allowed the "dailiness" of his ministry to rob him of it's thrill, joy, and honor. Why do I believe that? Because otherwise he could not have been described in the material I read as "moral, ethical, pleasing to God, without blame in conduct, demeanor, and duty" (to quote myself above).
F. Finally, he never lost sight of the significance of his ministry to the people, and how his diligence in carrying it out would directly impact those waiting "outside". This is amazing to me ---- maybe because I have so often failed in the past to keep that fact before the very eyes of my heart. You see, while his duties changed, he recognized their individual importance to the overall purposes of God for the people. If he didn't faithfully do his assigned tasks as it was customary, the people would be affected. Even more amazing, is that his duties varied almost every time it came his turn to serve.
What was it that kept such a man going? Was it his lineage? Was it his duties? Was it his own ego? I think it was his calling. He knew that, as high priest, he stood before God in behalf of the people every single time he carried out his tasks of worship, sacrifices, and intercession -- all in behalf of the people. He knew that, his genealogy notwithstanding, he had been called by God. Maybe we need to refresh our minds that there is a difference between a calling and a duty. It may be that our boredom or restlessness with our duties is the result of having forgotten our calling.
3) Both Zacharias' calling and his duties placed him in the most intimate proximity to a holy and righteous God possible this side of heaven itself ---- entering into the presence of God through intercessory prayer. Whether it was the replenishing of the candles and making sure the furnishings were positioned properly, or actually entering into intercessory prayer itself, it mattered not to him. He was in the "Holy of Holies" ---- as far as he was concerned, that's what was important. How others judged his work didn't matter. He met regularly ---- with God! No, not just regularly, not even daily ---- but Twice daily!
What an honor! What a blessing! To know that through the blood of the Lamb we have access to God! To know we have the Authority to do so! To know we Will find grace to help in time of need when we do! And many people thought such a task was secondary! Not so! Nothing is higher! Nothing!
4) However, his deepest heart's desire, next to serving God and loving his wife, was still unfulfilled after many years of marriage and service ---- he wanted a son. That was also a part of his own lineage ---- most of the families all had boys. He ached for a son ---- someone to love, to shape and mold, to influence, to disciple ---- with the hope and prayer that perhaps someday he, too, would be called of God to serve Him vocationally.
I can identify with his desire. My own father, a minister, has a son ---- me ---- in the ministry. One of my own "Timothy's" also has a son in the ministry. I know of a family in Illinois who has seven consecutive generations of ministers.
I remember my father saying at my ordination back in 1969, "for years Bob's mother and I were afraid God wouldn't call him to preach; then, after some experiences we had ourselves, we were afraid He would." People laughed long and loud, of course. That notwithstanding, there is something special about knowing you come from a history of ministry; and that motivates you to pray for a successor to yours.
2. The Lonely Emptiness In His Heart:
Often we Christians may feel it is a terrible sin to acknowledge there are deep desires of the heart yet unfulfilled. It is at this point so often that we can inadvertently slide into the "rut" of ritualism ---- when we continue to serve and serve and serve, when we are faithful day in and day out ---- and yet some of our own deepest cries of the heart remain muffled in our mouths by our own hands of denial or feelings of undeservedness or selfishness.
But, just as in Zacharias' case, ---- God knows! He knows. That's why it is an exercise in futility to try to keep them inside.
I love the following passage of scripture ---- Luke 1:5-25, 57-80. There is far more in it than I can ever comprehend or discuss. Look at some of these thoughts: "Now it came about, while he was performing his priestly service before God in the appointed order of his division, according to the custom of the priestly office, he was chosen by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense" (vs 8-9).
1) "It came about" ---- isn't that just like God? He always acts exactly in the right way at just the right time. Paul reminded us in Phil 4:4, "In the fullness of time . . ." In other words, at just the right time" . . . "right on time."
2) "While he was performing his priestly service" ---- even through the emptiness of his own heart's desire, he remained faithful to the calling of His God and the needs of his people.
3) "Before God" ---- I believe this was the one thing that kept him going ---- that kept him from becoming just another religious performer robed in clerical garb.
4) "In the appointed order of his division according to the custom of the priestly office" ---- I'm confident Zacharias already knew that not everything he did would be enjoyable and fulfilling. But, he also knew that there were things that had to be done, and he would be called on at the appropriate time to take his turn at them. The priestly caste of the Levites rotated duties in the temple in Jerusalem, and also rotated in and out of the city from wherever they happened to live throughout the nation. Both Hebron and Ein Kerem were not all that far from Jerusalem . . . or from Bethlehem, incidentally.
5) "He was chosen by lot to enter the temple of the Lord to burn incense" ---- Was this what he had been anxiously waiting for with great anticipation? Or was he seeing it as "just another day at the office"? Or did his mind perhaps envision that duty as the highest possible function he could ever perform as a priest at the Jerusalem temple? The fact that it was done by "lot" leads me to suspect that at the very least there was a sense of uncertainty and anticipation (or perhaps dread) that went through his mind.
3. A Fresh Encounter With God:
Whatever may have been the actual conversation between Zacharias and Elizabeth, we have no way of knowing. But, it is certain that he was indeed chosen to burn incense before the Lord while all the people were in prayer outside at that very occasion. He had been chosen by God for a special time in history. While faithfully carrying out his assignment, he had an extraordinary surprise ---- an angel showed up! How often does an angel show up when you're ministering? I can't remember a single time in my ministry, unless they were so disguised in some human form that I didn't see them.
You know the rest of the story well. Even though the following verses (10-25) are explosive with great word and phrase studies to examine, space doesn't allow me to elaborate any further, because I want to conclude our look at this aged and weary priest with some practical observations. I believe it has some significant things to say to us about our own encounters with God in prayer. I want to save our look at Zacharias' conversation with Gabriel until the next letter.
In the meantime, little did Zacharias realize what Gabriel's message would mean to him personally. He and Elizabeth were going to be the parents of the man who would announce the ultimate glorious message of redemption. Thirty-one years later, the man they were told to name John, would point his weathered finger at a lone figure walking toward him and declare, "Look!!! The Lamb of God Who takes away the sins of the world!!!!!" (John 1:29).
This was the One Who would be . . . .
OUR GREAT HIGH PRIEST:
From the very beginning of God dealing with Moses and the Children of Israel, the Levitical priesthood was to be a bridge between its institution at Mt. Sinai through Moses to the fulfillment of prophecy when Christ would satisfy the full demands of the sacrificial Law of Moses by being the eternal "once for all" Lamb on the cross (Rom 6:10; I Pet 3:18). Most of us have a good grasp of the fact that Jesus died for our sins, and therefore there is no further need for either annual or daily sacrifices on an alter in Jerusalem's temple. That's a wonderful truth -- especially since there is no temple in which to offer such a sacrifice.
But, there's another factor involved in the story, and it is that Jesus not only died for us, but actually entered Himself into the "holy of holies" behind that sacred veil and served both as sacrificial Lamb AND our Great High Priest Who sacrificed Himself in our behalf. Perhaps the thing that makes the Book of Hebrews like a crown sitting atop the Book of Romans is its description of Jesus Christ as our Great High Priest. Romans describes in detail "The Road To Redemption" while Hebrews describes "Our Regent of Redemption". Both books focus on the necessity of our faith accepting both (Romans 4 and 5, and Hebrews 11). Look at what it says: --
"Therefore He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them. For it was fitting for us to have such a high priest, holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners and exalted above the heavens; who does not need daily, like those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the sins of the people, because this He did once for all when He offered up Himself." (Heb 7:25-27).
Or this declaration: --
" But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things to come, He entered through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation; and not through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood, He entered the holy place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling those who have been defiled sanctify for the cleansing of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?" (Heb 9:11-14).
Or how about this? --
"By this will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all." (Heb 10:10).
Everything that Aaron's Attire represented, everything that his Appointment encompassed, everything that his Authority guaranteed, AND everything that Zacharias so faithfully administered was consummated in one divine act of redemption by the Lord Jesus Christ when He assumed the role of both Lamb and High Priest. Just think of this! When Jesus entered that holy place, He entered with the full intent to die.
". . . although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus EVERY KNEE WILL BOW, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Phil 2:6-11).
I cannot think of a more profound and inexplicable truth in the Bible other than the fact that through Christ our sins can be forgiven and we can be made righteous before God, have eternal life, and spend an eternity with Him in heaven. All of that is the message and the miracle. But, Christ being both our sacrificial Lamb and our Great High Priest at the same time is the method by which the message is delivered and the miracle enacted. The whole idea is absolutely mind blowing.
But it doesn't stop there! There is still more to the story! Not only did Jesus satisfy all the requirements of the Law given to Moses and enacted by Aaron, and not only did Jesus fulfill every detail of what Gabriel had told that faithful old high priest, Zacharias, AND not only did Jesus Himself become both our sacrificial Lamb and our Great High priest, but He also made us to be so we are . . . .
OUR OWN PRIESTS:
Notice that He did NOT make us to be our own sacrificial lambs whereby we must ourselves be slain for our own sins. No, we were ALREADY dead in our trespasses and our sins (Eph 2:5). He retained His position as the slain Lamb. However, when He split the veil of the temple from top to bottom -- not from bottom to top as a mere man would have done -- He entered the most Holy of Holies, fulfilled thoroughly the requirements of the law, and then invited us into God's very presence through salvation to be our own priests before our Holy God -- no longer depending on any human priest to make further sacrifices, require additional action, or intercede for us.
No man or woman can ever do that for us, nor do they need to do that for us. It has been done. We are our own priests. The entirety of the Gospel is built on the idea that we have only One mediator between God and man -- Jesus Christ, the righteous.
"For there is one God, and ONE Mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, Who gave Himself as a ransom for all, the testimony given at the proper time." (I Tim 2:5-6).
When the Apostle John began the book, The Revelation of the Lord Jesus Christ, he both began and ended it with statements that set the tone for the real message of the book. While most people focus on the prophecies of the book, the real message underlying all the prophecies are found in these verses:
He began the book, stating early in it . . .
“John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace be unto you, and peace, from Him which Is, and which Was, and which Is To Come; and from the seven Spirits which are before his throne; And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto Him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and has made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to Him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.” (Rev 1:4-6)
Later, John lets us look into the future to see a bit of heaven where the elders are gathered around the throne in worship, . . .
"And they *sang a new song, saying, 'Worthy are You to take the book and to break its seals; for You were slain, and purchased for God with Your blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation. You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God; and they will reign upon the earth'." (Rev 5:9-10).
He concluded near the end of the book, writing, . . .
“And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshiped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be PRIESTS of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.” (Rec 20:4).
In those three texts John painted with a sweeping brush spanning from the death and resurrection of Christ all the way into our distant future beyond infinity's point this inexplicable reality -- Christ has made us priests before God, needing no mediator other than Himself! This means that you and I have, this very day, total and full access to God -- to worship Him uninhibited, serve Him unhindered, and beseech Him unflinchingly for both our needs and others.
FINALLY:
I don't know if you've thought about this or not -- but the priesthood that began with Aaron, carried through the ages with people like Zacharias, fulfilled in Jesus Christ, is now your assignment. When Christ satisfied all the demands of the Old Covenant under the Mosaic Law and introduced His New Covenant, He set you and me free from the demands of all the Old Covenant's laws and provided for us a way -- the ONLY way -- by which we can live holy, righteous, victorious lives by His Spirit.
After Paul thoroughly explained the consequences of sin, and the miracle of being made "justified" (just-if-I'd never sinned) by our faith in Christ, he then shouted, "NO LONGER CONDEMNED!!!" (Rom 8:1), and then continued, . . .
"For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit." (Rom 8:3-4).
This, my friend, gives us good cause to live constantly under the control of the Holy Spirit, so we can express life in Christ as Peter instructed: . . .
"So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation— if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good. As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ." (I Pet 2:1-5),
For you and me to live such lives before God and before men, we must never forget our Great High Priest.
"Since then we have a Great High Priest Who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need." (Heb 8:1-13)
In His Bond, By His Grace, and for His Kingdom,
Bob Tolliver -- Romans 1:11
"Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness,
examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so." -- Dr. Luke (Acts 17:11)
"A fire kept burning on the hearthstone of my heart, and I took up the burden of the day with fresh courage and hope." -- Charles F. McKoy
Life Unlimited Ministries
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Copyright April, 2022
"If Jesus had preached the same message that many ministers preach today, He would never have been crucified." -- Leonard Ravenhill
"The time will come when instead of shepherds feeding the sheep, the Church will have clowns entertaining the goats." -- Charles H. Spurgeon
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