My hope is that this series will offer my readers a chance to consider the names, characteristics and descriptions of our God in the Word.
The remaining Names of God in this series might be considered descriptors, or characteristics of the Lord. We have reviewed the three primary Names of God, along with nineteen compound Names of God in our previous posts. As we venture through these descriptors of our God, I hope we will recognize all the many characteristics of our God that we tend to take for granted.
The Word is truly rich with descriptions of the Living God, and this effort of searching in the Word was quite illuminating. He truly is the ultimate subject of the Word, and His revelation of self-descriptions, or the accolades offered Him by His priests, prophets, kings apostles and faithful truly is a blessing.
May the Name of the Lord be praised, and by thinking on His name, may you have a blessed day.
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| GREAT PRIEST |
| Hebrews 10:21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, |
| For the New Testament believer, we have one Great Priest. The book of Hebrews is full of descriptions of our Messiah as a priest, usually spoken of as a high priest, but in this one instance, throughout the Word of God, He is called a Great Priest. Granted, Hebrews 4:14 modifies the Name of God we are considering this morning as our Great “High” Priest. Hebrews 4:14Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. But for this morning, let us consider our Great Priest, and seek to cull a truth out of the context we find it in. Our first question to consider. Why did our author use this particular name for this verse in his discussion of the glories of Jesus as our priest. I would remind my reader that the context of this passage is speaking of the new and living way Jesus has opened up for the believer, to find access through the curtain. It is interesting that the author likens the curtain to His flesh. The typology of the curtain being torn speaks of access to the very holy of Holies. As our Great Priest, Jesus has not only proven His freedom and right to enter the presence of God, but if we are found in Him, we actually enter the presence of God also. As our Great Priest, He has authority over the house of God, the Temple of God, the Church, the Body of Christ. He is the One who is not only the Head of the Church, but also the Great Priest, the One who has not only become the eternal sacrifice, but willingly gave His own Body on the cross as the sacrifice. He was the Priest offering His Body on the cross as the sacrifice. This morning as I was taking my walk in my favorite parking garage, I looked to the morning sky, prior to any sunrise, and was impressed with the knowledge of all that I don’t know. Yes, it should come as no surprise that we sinners are incredibly ignorant. Sure, I comfort myself in knowing I can add and subtract, communicate (if I take my time), and continue to learn about earthly things, but when I consider the skies, the vastness of space, the depth and quietness of the skies, the immensity of this creation, I confess I am but an ignorant sinner caught by the grace of God. But more importantly, Jesus is the One who is all knowing, all powerful, all wise and eternal. Consider that just in the topic of knowledge, He knows all secrets, facts, motivations and hidden thoughts. All those things that I don’t know, and they are many, He is in complete control of each fact and piece of knowledge. He has all knowledge and has all authority, even over the house of God. And because He is the Great Priest, our author of Hebrews is telling me that Jesus was the One who performed the sacrifice. He had the knowledge of the coming sacrifice, and drove the circumstances of His surroundings and His own Body to the cross. Yes He was the sacrifice, but in this passage, I suggest the action of sacrifice is the emphasis. And to what end my friend? That we (poor simple sinners, washed in the blood of the Lamb) may draw near with a true heart. Hebrews 10:22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. He is the Living Way, the truth and the Way of Life. As this verse describes Him as the Great Priest we are reminded He was not an unwilling victim, but the motivating will to make the eternal sacrifice to provide us entrance with Him before the throne. May His Name, our Great Priest, be honored in our lives. |
I would love to hear of your favorite name, characteristic or description of the Living God. Please leave me a comment, and I will include it in the list!
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