Read: Numbers 29-31
Numbers 29:40 – Moses told the Israelites all that the Lord commanded him.
Jesus the High Priest, offered Himself as the permanent, once-and-for-all sacrifice to atone for the sins of all people, for all time.
Israel was now of the threshold of the Promised Land. And these chapters in the book of Numbers give a detailed account of the various kinds of sacrifices that the people of Israel were to offer to the Lord, as marks of their submission, surrender and honor to God. The most prominent animal of sacrifice was the lamb. This is an obvious prophetic reference to Jesus, who is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. (John 1:29)
The work of a priest in ancient Israel was no small task. The book of Leviticus outlines the extensive requirements for daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly sacrifices to be made by the priests on behalf of the people. The amount of blood, cutting, dismembering, cleaning, and burning that was required was no small feat. It was a demanding and exhausting job that required constant attention and care.
However, in contrast to this, we have the priesthood of Jesus Christ. Hebrews 10:11-12, says, ” Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God,”
The author of Hebrews points out the stark contrast between the work of the Levitical priests and the work of Jesus Christ. While the priests had to stand day after day and offer the same sacrifices over and over again, Jesus offered one sacrifice for sins that would last for all time. His sacrifice was not just a temporary solution, but a permanent one. It was able to take away sins, whereas the sacrifices of the Levitical priests could not.
Furthermore, the fact that Jesus sat down at the right hand of God after offering His sacrifice is significant. In the Old Testament, the priests never sat down because their work was never truly finished. They had to continually offer sacrifices for the sins of the people. However, Jesus was able to sit down because His work was complete. His sacrifice was sufficient to atone for the sins of all people for all time.
The priesthood of Jesus is remarkable because it was able to accomplish what the priesthood of the Levites could not. The work of the priests was never truly finished, but Jesus was able to offer one sacrifice that would last for all time. His work was complete, and He was able to sit down at the right hand of God. This is a testament to the power and efficacy of His sacrifice and the greatness of His priesthood.
What an amazing God, how deep is His love for us. Would you ask God to give you the faith and heart that surrenders and accepts the price that Jesus our High Priest paid for you and me?
Ponder
- How does the priesthood of Jesus Christ impact my faith and understanding of salvation?
- Do I fully comprehend the depth of God’s love and the significance of Jesus’ sacrifice?
- Am I grateful for the sacrifice of Jesus and the fact that His work is complete, or do I take it for granted?
Scripture Writing: Hebrews 10:11-12
Song: How Deep the Father’s Love For Us
For more daily devotions like this – At the Potter’s Wheel (Kindle)