A GREAT HIGH PRIEST
His
All-Prevailing Intercession
By J.
C. Philpot
Chapter
Twelve from the book Meditations on the Sacred Humanity of The Blessed Redeemer
We are now led to another character of our
blessed Lord, as wearing our nature in the courts of heaven, for in the
prophecy of him just quoted, it is promised that "he shall be a priest upon his throne." The high priest under the law never sat
upon a throne. He was a servant, not a sovereign; for he "served unto the
example and shadow of heavenly things." #Heb 8:5.
But Jesus is a royal Priest, and as such was typified by Melchizedek, who
united in himself the two characters of priest and king, for he was "King
of Salem, and Priest of the most high God." #Heb 7:1.
This was "the order of Melchizedek," according to which Jesus was
made a high priest by virtue of the ancient oath: "The Lord hath sworn,
and will not repent. Thou art a priest for ever after the order of
Melchizedek." #Ps 110:4. There were three especial features in
the priesthood after the order of Melchizedek which distinguished it from the
Levitical order:
1. It was a royal
priesthood; for Melchisedec was "by interpretation King of righteousness
(that being the meaning of his name), and after that also King of Salem, which
is King of peace." #Heb
7:2.
2. It was made by an oath. "And inasmuch as not without an oath he was made priest;
(For those priests were made without an oath; but this with an oath by him that
said unto him. The Lord sware and will not repent. Thou art a priest for ever
after the order of Melchisedec.) By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better
testament." #Heb 7:20-22.
3. It was for ever,
for so ran the promise, "Thou art a Priest for ever." Jesus was,
therefore, not a temporary high priest, as the high priests under the law, whom
sickness struck and death removed, for "they truly were many priests,
because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death." #Heb 7:23. But Jesus being "made not after the law of a carnal
commandment," as was the high priest under the law. "but after the
power of an endless life," continueth ever, as having an unchangeable
priesthood. And in this consists much of the suitability and blessedness of his
priestly office as now carried on in heaven, as the apostle speaks:
"Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto
God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them." #Heb 7:25.
Let us, then, as the Lord may enable, now
take a view by faith of the Lord Jesus, as the high priest over the house of
God, and this may give us holy boldness to venture nigh. "Having
therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,
by a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the vail,
that is to say, his flesh." #Heb 10:19,20.
If thus enabled to draw near with a true heart, we may find a benefit in
meditating upon our blessed Lord in this relationship to his church and people.
The high priest, under the law, on the
great day of atonement, which occurred once a year, on the tenth day of the
seventh month, made a solemn atonement, first for the sins of himself and his
house, and then for the iniquities of the children of Israel. #Le 16:34. But this he did in two ways by offering a bullock as a
sin offering for himself, and a goat, upon which the Lord’s lot fell, as a sin
offering for the people; #Le
16:6,9,11; by taking a censer
full of burning coals from off the altar, and filling his hands with sweet
incense beaten small, and entering therewith into the most holy place. This was
that sacred spot called "the holy of holies" or "the holiest of
all" #Heb 9:3; which contained the ark of the covenant
on which, between the cherubim, was the Shechinah or visible manifestation of
the presence and glory of God. Into this holiest of all, the high priest never
entered but on the great day of atonement; and even on that day he was
forbidden, under the penalty of death, to come within the vail which separated
it from the holy place, unless he had washed his flesh, had put on the holy
linen garment, taken with him the blood of the sacrifice, and put the incense
upon the burning coals in the censer. All these things were highly typical of
Jesus as the great high priest. The washing of the flesh denoted his purity as
high priest; the holy linen garments, the holiness of his human nature; the
blood, his atoning blood shed upon the cross; and the incense, his meritorious
intercession. The most holy place was typical of heaven, and the vail typical
of the separation between God and us, and that "the way into the holiest
of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet
standing." #Heb 9:8. When Jesus died, this vail was rent in
twain from the top to the bottom #Mt 27:51; to
show that there was no longer a separating vail between God and his people.
But the high priest going within the vail,
with the blood and the incense, was a special type of Jesus, our risen High
Priest, entering into the courts of heaven. There was a connection between the
intercession of the high priest without, and within the vail. Outside the vail
the sacrifice was offered, but the blood was taken inside it. The brazen altar
was without the vail, but the ark of the covenant was within. The high priest
shed the blood without, but sprinkled it within. The burning coals were taken
from the brazen altar which stood in the open court; but the incense was put
upon them as he entered into the most holy place, that the cloud of its
fragrance might cover the mercy seat on and before which he sprinkled the blood
of the bullock, offered for his sins, and that of the goat, for the sins of the
people.
Thus our most blessed High Priest, after
he had offered his holy body and soul as a sacrifice for sin, rose from the
dead, and ascended up on high to enter into heaven in his pure and sacred
humanity, typified by the holy linen garments worn by Aaron, when he went
within the vail, that he might there fulfil that part of his priestly office—to
make intercession for us. This was beautifully typified, as
we have already hinted, by the high priest taking the incense beaten small
within the vail, together with the atoning blood. The incense was beaten
small—bruised, not cut, not only that the fragrance might more freely flow
forth when lighted by the coals, but as typical of the sufferings and sorrows
of our agonising High Priest. "It pleased the Lord to bruise him." #Isa 53:10. "He was wounded for our transgressions; he was
bruised for our iniquities." The coals from off the brazen altar typified
the wrath of God, for the tire on the brazen altar, kindled in the first
instance by the Lord himself, #Le
9:24, was never put out; and
on it were burnt not only all the whole burnt-offerings, but every part of the
other sacrifices, as the fat of the sin-offering, which was laid thereon for
that express purpose. The cloud of incense which filled the most holy place,
and covered the mercy seat, represented the fragrances of the present
intercession of our great and glorious High Priest in heaven. And the blood,
sprinkled on and before the mercy seat, typified "the blood of sprinkling
which speaketh better things than that of Abel;" #Heb 12:24; even that precious blood "which cleanseth from all
sin;" which he took with him into heaven when he entered there in his holy
humanity, and the efficacy of which to purge a guilty conscience from filth,
guilt, and dead works, to serve a living God, he still makes manifest when the
Holy Spirit takes of the things of Christ, and reveals them to the soul with
his own divine power.
A believing view of Christ, as typified by
the high priest under the law entering within the vail, on the great day of
atonement, will prepare our minds more clearly and fully to contemplate him as
now carrying on his priestly office in the glorious temple above; for he
"is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the
figures of the true, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of
God for us." #Heb 9:24. The entering in of the high priest
within the vail was one special part of his sacred office, by which he was
distinguished from his priestly brethren, who might offer the ordinary
sacrifices, #Le 1:5, but not go into the most holy place with
the blood of the bullock and the goat. #Le 16:1. Thus
part of his priestly office was without, and part within the vail; and yet the
two parts were continuous, connected, and inseparable.
So it is with our great and glorious High
Priest now within the vail — hidden, indeed, from mortal eyes, as the high
priest was from the children of Israel by the vail of the tabernacle, but as
really and truly still ministering in our nature there as Aaron ministered in
the holy of holies, when he sprinkled the blood on and before the mercy-seat,
and filled the place with the smoke and fragrance of the incense. We have
already traced a connection between the blood of the sacrifice shed without the
vail and the same blood carried within, and a similar connection between the
coals taken from the brazen altar and the incense beaten small, the smoke of
which covered the mercy-seat. So there is a necessary and most blessed
connection between the blood-shedding and sacrifice of Christ on earth and his
intercession in heaven. The fragrance of his intercession rises from the altar
of his sacrifice, as typically from the burnt offering of Noah "a sweet
smelling savour" ascended up to the Lord; and as he is ever presenting his
blood-shedding and death on behalf of his people here below, he, in this sense,
"ever liveth to make intercession for them." #Heb 7:25.
We need not suppose, therefore, that the
intercession of our blessed High Priest is a vocal intercession, carried on by
actual prayers and supplications. In the typical intercession of the high
priest, on the great day of atonement, it was not his vocal prayers which
prevailed with God, for of them no mention was made or commandment given, but
the blood of the sacrifice and the smoke of the incense. Thus his office is
described by the apostle: "For every high priest taken from among men is
ordained for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and
sacrifices for sins." #Heb
5:1. And as a remarkable
illustration of this we may instance what occurred when the congregation of the
children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron, and the Lord was about to
consume them as in a moment: "And Moses said unto Aaron, Take a censer,
and put fire therein from off the altar, and put on incense, and go quickly
unto the congregation, and make an atonement for them; for there is wrath gone
out from the Lord; the plague is begun. And Aaron took as Moses commanded, and
ran into the midst of the congregation; and, behold, the plague was begun among
the people; and he put on incense, and made an atonement for the people." #Nu 16:46,47. Moses did not bid Aaron pray for the people, but make an
atonement for them; so that it was not the prayers of Aaron, as the interceding
high priest and typical mediator, but the incense lighted with fire from the
brazen altar, which prevailed with the Lord, and stayed the plague which had
already begun. #Nu 16:45-48.
So it is the presence of Jesus in heaven
in our nature, and the continual presentation of his blood-shedding and
sacrifice on earth before the eyes of his Father in which the power and
prevalence of his intercession consist. Thus he is represented as "clothed
with a vesture dipped in blood;" #Re 19:13; and
John had a view of him in the courts of heaven as a slaughtered lamb, for he
says, "And I beheld, and lo! in the midst of the throne and of the four
beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been
slain." #Re 5:6. His office as an interceding High Priest
was thus represented, for as "a lamb as it had been slain" is a type of his sacrifice for sin, so his standing as a slain lamb in the midst of the throne denotes that
his precious blood, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot, #1Pe 1:19, yea, of "the Lamb slain from the foundation of the
world," in the predestinating counsels and purposes of God, #Re 13:8, now continually avails for the salvation of the redeemed,
and is ever presented before the eyes of the Father.
The present intercession of our great High
Priest at the right hand of the Father, as viewed by the eye of faith, is full of
encouragement and consolation to every believing heart. There are but few of
the Lord’s living family who do not at various times and seasons sigh and groan
under a load of sin and sorrow. Now there are two especial features in the
intercession of Jesus within the vail which meet this twofold burden: the
prevalency of his intercession; the sympathy and compassion of his loving
heart. The former suits the burden of their sins; the latter that of their
sorrows. We will, with God’s help and blessing, consider these two points
separately.
Let us first, then, take a glance at the
prevalency of his intercession, and see how suitable it is to relieve the soul
under a burden of sin. "If any man sin," says John, "we have an
Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous." #1Joh 2:1. What can we do with our sins?—their burden, their guilt,
their filth, and their power? Nothing, absolutely nothing, but to sink under
them; for we can neither put them away nor subdue them. But Jesus can do both,
for he "of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and
sanctification, and redemption." #1Co 1:30. To
him, then, a poor, guilty, miserable, sinking sinner may look to plead his
case, for in him he has "an Advocate with the Father," one of God’s
own appointing, and therefore sure of the ear of the Judge, a wonderful
Counsellor, #Isa 9:6, who can stand up in the court of heaven
on his behalf; one who never lost a cause, rejected a humble petition, or
disappointed a client.
But the power and prevalency of this advocacy
in heaven rest on his atoning sacrifice offered on earth; for John immediately
adds, "And he is the propitiation for our sins." It is because
"he has put away sin by the sacrifice of himself," and "was once
offered to bear the sins of many," #Heb 9:26,28; it
is because he "blotted out the handwriting of ordinances that was against
us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his
cross;" #Col 2:14; it is because his is a finished work; #Joh 17:4 19:30; and he has made peace through the blood
of his cross, #Col 1:21, that he is now our prevailing Advocate
and successful Intercessor in heaven, where the cause is heard and decided.
We are very apt to lose sight of these
most blessed truths, and that we have such a Friend above. We believe them,
indeed, firmly and fully, anchor in them, and have no hope but what is
connected with and springs out of them. But in seasons of darkness and
distress, when guilt from repeated backslidings lies hard and heavy on the
conscience; when the mists and fogs of unbelief gather over the foundations of
our hope; when our evidences are beclouded and our signs but dimly seen, then
we want a living Advocate who can plead our cause, we being unable to do it
ourselves, and by presenting on our behalf his blood and obedience, his
sufferings, sacrifice, and death, may bring us off more than conquerors against
every accusing plea and every opposing adversary. As Satan stood at the right
hand of Joshua the high priest, to resist him; #Zec 3:1;
as the accuser of the brethren accuses them before God day and night; #Re 12:10; and neither Joshua nor the brethren could plead a word in
their own defence, and yet both came off conquerors by the help of the Lord and
the blood of the Lamb; so poor guilty sinners now prevail through the power of
their heavenly Advocate. It is, then, because we feel the weight and burden of
sin, yet see by faith that our great High Priest has passed within the vail,
that our eyes, hands, and hearts are all up unto him.
As thus realised by faith, there is a
peculiar power in this believing view of our heavenly Advocate, which draws
desire and supplication out of the soul unto and after him. Nay, it is this
living and daily intercourse with Jesus in heaven in which the very life and
power of godliness consist. "Because I live, ye shall live also." #Joh 14:19. He, as exalted above all principality and power, is the
church’s glorious Head, #Eph
1:22, "from which all
the body, by joints and bands, having nourishment ministered, and knit together,
increaseth with the increase of God." #Col 2:19. This
union with him as a living Head brings about communion with him; for as he
communicates grace out of his own fulness, there springs up in the soul a sweet
and sacred fellowship with him, as viewed by faith on his throne of grace as
the Mediator between God and man. And these communications of divine light and
life out of his fulness, enlightening the eyes of the understanding, and being
attended by the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him #Eph 1:17,18, there arises in the heart a gracious view of his beauty
and blessedness, of his grace and his glory. #Ps 112:4 Isa 33:17 Lu 1:78,79 2Pe 1:19. This is drinking at the fountain of life
and seeing light in God’s light; #Ps 36:9; and is
the very "light of life," which the Lord gives to those that follow
him. #Joh 8:12.
As, then, the soul walks in the light of
these gracious teachings, the blood of Jesus is seen as a fountain of infinite
value and unspeakable efficacy for sin and uncleanness; his righteousness as a
most blessed covering for all its shame and nakedness; his bleeding, dying love
as a most healing balm for a wounded conscience, and a heavenly cordial for a
fainting spirit. It is by these teachings that the reality of true religion and
of vital godliness is learnt; and in no other way. No truly exercised soul can
be satisfied with seeing salvation as a mere doctrine of the gospel — a fixed
and certain truth that shines in the inspired page. Glad, indeed, he is that
the way of salvation is so clearly revealed in the word of truth; and that
there is the light, and life, and power of the Spirit within to bear his inward
witness to the truth and certainty of the written testimony; but all this light
and knowledge in the letter of truth falls short of a salvation revealed and
manifested to his own heart and conscience.
Here, then, comes in the blessedness of an
ever-living Advocate and Intercessor at the right hand of the Father, who, by
applying his blood and love with power, says to the soul, "I am thy
salvation." It is therefore said of him, "Wherefore he is able also
to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth
to make intercession for them." Who shall describe, as who shall limit
God’s "uttermost?" David, "from the ends of the earth;" #Ps 61:2; Heman, when "laid’in the lowest pit, in darkness, in
the deeps;" #Ps 88:6; Hezekiah, "from the gates of the
grave and the pit of corruption;" #Isa 38:16,17;
Jeremiah, "out of the low dungeon," where "the waters flowed
over his head, and he said, I am cut off;" #La 3:54,55;
Jonah, "out of the belly of hell;" #Jon 2:2;
all these deeply-taught and deeply-tried saints of God knew both man’s
uttermost and God’s uttermost, and that man’s uttermost was sin, hell, and
despair; and God’s uttermost was mercy, salvation, and heaven. Never is the
prevalency of our Great High Priest’s intercession so proved as when it thus
saves to the uttermost. And who that knows anything of himself as a sinner, or
in whose heart the fountains of the great deep have in any measure been broken
up; who that has ever had a view of sin as seen in the light of God’s infinite
purity and holiness, and trembled before him; who that has ever felt the guilt
of backslidings, the pangs of slips and falls, and his own miserable
helplessness, not only in the hour of temptation but to remove the load of
transgression off his conscience who of all these but has his
"uttermost," if not really so deep and desperate as Heman’s and
Jonah’s, yet, in his own feelings, such an uttermost as none can save him from
but that High Priest and Advocate who liveth at God’s right hand to make
intercession for him?
It is here we prove the experimental reality and felt
blessedness of having such an Advocate with the Father, against whom and before
whom we have sinned. The Lord enables us to commit our cause into his hand,
however deep or desperate, and wait and watch for him to appear and save.
Please direct your comments to Mike
Krall.