Our Sympathetic High Priest

INTRODUCTION

Imagine you are an Israelite.

You were born in Egypt. Your parents were slaves. You grew up as a slave, long hours in the hot sun making bricks for Egyptian building projects.

Moses came to Pharaoh with a message from God, “Let my people go!”

You lived through the plagues – judgments from God on the Egyptian deities.

When the time came to leave Egypt, you killed a lamb, and put its blood on your doorposts, so the destroying angel would pass over your house and not kill your firstborn.

You walked through the Red Sea on dry ground, protected by a pillar of cloud between you and the Egyptian army.

You were there at Mount Sinai. Thunder, lightning, a thick cloud on the mountain, the loud trumpet, an earthquake, and black smoke like a furnace. God spoke the 10 commandments. And you promised to obey.

You were there at the sanctuary dedication. You saw the cloud cover the tent of meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.

And now, after all that, you have sinned against God. You did not keep your promise. Your guilt weighs heavily on you. God is holy and mighty. How can your relationship with God be restored? How can you rid yourself of your guilt?

But there is a process. You need a lamb. You walk to the outskirts of the camp, and buy a lamb from a shepherd. A lamb with no defects.

And leading the lamb, you walk toward the pillar of cloud over the sanctuary. Past the tents. Women look up from grinding manna. Children pause in their play. More tents. Then crossing the wide, open area around the sanctuary, and finally to the entrance to the sanctuary courtyard. Just you, your guilt, and a lamb.

How can you approach a mighty and holy God? You are not qualified to enter the sanctuary, to cleanse your own sin.

Who will bridge the gulf? Do they understand what you are going through? How will you be received?

APPROACH

Hebrews 4:14 Seeing then that 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 cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.

We are well acquainted with the role of the High Priest in the Day of Atonement, how it typifies the cleansing of the sanctuary in heaven. But I’m the one who needs cleansing. Where is the sympathy there?

Desire of Ages p. 165 “The priesthood was established to represent the mediatorial character and work of Christ.”

Not just the high priest. Not just the ordinary priests. The whole priesthood. Every priest represented Christ. When you brought an offering to the sanctuary, the priest who met you at the veil was your mediator, representing the character and work of Christ.

The ordinary priests wore white linen tunics as they performed their daily services. The high priest wore special garments, but they were over the linen tunic as worn by the ordinary priests. Thus the high priest could assist in the daily services, but was also consecrated for a special role. The high priest can handle any priestly work.

How does Jesus sympathize with our weaknesses?

By personal Creation

Gen 2:7 And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life.

Psalm 103:14 For He knows our frame, He remembers that we are dust.

Jesus created humanity. That should be enough to sympathize with us.

Knows our thoughts

Psalm 139:1-4 O Lord, You have searched me and known me, You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thought afar off. You comprehend my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways. For there is not a word on my tongue, but behold, O Lord, You know it altogether.

Knows me perfectly

That should be enough to sympathize with us.

Became human

At Christmas, we remember Jesus’ incarnation

John 1:14 And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us.

Hebrews 2:14 Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared the same.

Jesus had to be human become a sacrifice for us. But Jesus has two primary roles in the plan of salvation, the perfect sacrifice, and a priest / mediator.

It should be enough that Jesus was human, to remember what it was like, to be able to sympathize with us.

Still human

Does Jesus still have a human body now?

Luke 24:36 (after resurrection) Now as they said these things, Jesus Himself stood in the midst of them, and said to them, “Peace to you.” But they were terrified and frightened, and supposed they had seen a spirit. And He said to them, “Why are you troubled? And why do doubts arise in your hearts? Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I Myself. Handle Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have.”