#DailyDevotion Jesus’ Priesthood Is Better. It Is Eternal.
Heb. 7 20When those men were made priests, there was no oath. 21But when Jesus was appointed, God swore as He said to Him: “The Lord has sworn and will not change His mind: You are a priest forever!?” Swearing to it 22made the agreement Jesus guarantees so much the better. 230nce many were made priests because death didn’t let them continue as priests. 24But because Jesus lives forever, He will always be the Priest. 25And so He can forever save those who come to God by Him, because He always lives to pray for them.
We continue the theme-Jesus is better than the Levitical priesthood. The men who serve as priests in the Temple made with human hands are all temporary. They are born into the vocation. They are not made priests by any oath God makes for each one of them. Jesus’ priesthood is greater than theirs because it is established with an oath God the Father made to Him, “You are a priest forever.” He reasons because God has sworn it, it makes Jesus’ priesthood greater.
Also, since God has sworn Jesus would be a priest forever, the covenant His blood inaugurated and its guarantee is so much better. The Levitical priesthood, without an oath from the LORD, comes to an end. The covenant which was made with the blood of bulls and goats comes to an end as well. Their blood is not superior to the blood of the Son of God. When His blood is shed a superior covenant is made. Since His priesthood is forever, His covenant is forever. Jesus Himself is the guarantee of a better and greater covenant. The previous covenant was fulfilled by Him by life, death and resurrection. The New Testament, in His blood supersedes the Old. It is just as it was prophesied in Jeremiah 31. The whole of the Old Covenant is abrogated by the New, just as the Articles of Confederation (the first US government) is abrogated by the Constitution (the second US government). Jesus’ covenant tells us our sins are forgiven by the shedding of His blood. The Father calls us to be His holy people through faith in Jesus. Faith in Jesus gives us eternal life. It promises us the resurrection to eternal life through faith in Jesus. Since we have God’s oath Jesus is our Priest forever, Jesus’ pledge of His life is better than any priest who dies and cannot raise themselves back to immortality.
These Levitical priests all die. Jesus died but rose again never to die again. Death prevents the Levites from continuing as priests. Jesus’ resurrection to immortality makes Him a Priest forever. Because Jesus is a priest forever, He forever intercedes for us at the right hand of God the Father. His Priesthood is unchangeable. Jesus is able to save entirely those who come to the Father through Him. He continually lives to make intercession for us by His blood to the Father. His blood speaks grace, mercy, peace, kindness, steadfast love and forgiveness all the time for us. We may approach the Father at any time because of His constant, enduring intercession and prayers for us. This makes Him a better Priest than the Levitical ones who continually do die and pass away. Their intercession for us is limited by their earthly life. They only have the blood of bulls and goats which cannot take away our sins. Jesus has His own innocent and precious blood to put before the Father day and night for us.
Heavenly Father, may we always put our faith in Jesus and Your promise He is our High Priest before you so we may always approach You with boldness and confidence, trusting His blood makes us acceptable to You. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.