WEBVTT 00:00:00.840 --> 00:00:03.580 In continuing our Advent series and looking at 00:00:03.580 --> 00:00:06.200 the prophecies of Jesus in the Old Testament 00:00:06.200 --> 00:00:09.320 and seeing their fulfillment in the New, we come 00:00:09.320 --> 00:00:14.480 today to the prophecies of Jesus as a priest, 00:00:14.880 --> 00:00:18.679 a priest. Our text is first of all from Psalm 00:00:18.679 --> 00:00:21.719 110, and then we're going to turn over to Hebrews 00:00:21.719 --> 00:00:25.699 9, verses 11 through 28. Hear the word of the 00:00:25.699 --> 00:00:29.620 Lord from Psalm 110. The Lord said to my Lord, 00:00:29.980 --> 00:00:32.820 Sit at my right hand till I make your enemies 00:00:32.820 --> 00:00:35.820 your footstool. The Lord shall send the rod of 00:00:35.820 --> 00:00:38.640 your strength out of Zion. Rule in the midst 00:00:38.640 --> 00:00:41.840 of your enemies. Your people shall be volunteers 00:00:41.840 --> 00:00:45.060 in the day of your power. In the beauties of 00:00:45.060 --> 00:00:48.179 holiness. From the womb of the morning you have 00:00:48.179 --> 00:00:52.420 the dew of your youth. The Lord has sworn and 00:00:52.420 --> 00:00:58.570 will not relent. You are a priest forever. according 00:00:58.570 --> 00:01:02.929 to the order of Melchizedek. The Lord is at your 00:01:02.929 --> 00:01:07.030 right hand. He shall execute kings in the day 00:01:07.030 --> 00:01:09.950 of his wrath. He shall judge among the nations. 00:01:10.310 --> 00:01:13.989 He shall fill the places with dead bodies. He 00:01:13.989 --> 00:01:17.069 shall execute the heads of many countries. He 00:01:17.069 --> 00:01:20.370 shall drink of the brook by the wayside. Therefore, 00:01:20.569 --> 00:01:25.510 he shall lift up the head. Now turn over to the 00:01:25.510 --> 00:01:34.590 book of Hebrews. Chapter 9, verse 11. But Christ 00:01:34.590 --> 00:01:37.310 came as high priest of the good things to come. 00:01:37.569 --> 00:01:40.510 With the greater and more perfect tabernacle 00:01:40.510 --> 00:01:44.390 not made with hands, that is, not of this creation. 00:01:45.069 --> 00:01:48.530 Not with the blood of bulls and calves, but with 00:01:48.530 --> 00:01:52.430 his own blood, he entered the most holy place 00:01:52.430 --> 00:01:56.840 once for all. Having obtained eternal redemption. 00:01:57.280 --> 00:02:00.079 For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes 00:02:00.079 --> 00:02:03.319 of a heifer. Sprinkling the unclean sanctifies 00:02:03.319 --> 00:02:07.840 for the purifying of the flesh. How much more 00:02:07.840 --> 00:02:10.819 shall the blood of Christ. Who through the eternal 00:02:10.819 --> 00:02:15.120 spirit offered himself without spot to God. Cleanse 00:02:15.120 --> 00:02:17.840 your conscience from dead works. to serve the 00:02:17.840 --> 00:02:21.439 living God. And for this reason, he is the mediator 00:02:21.439 --> 00:02:24.180 of the new covenant by means of death for the 00:02:24.180 --> 00:02:26.819 redemption of the transgressions under the first 00:02:26.819 --> 00:02:29.740 covenant, that those who are called may receive 00:02:29.740 --> 00:02:32.840 the promise of the internal inheritance. For 00:02:32.840 --> 00:02:35.120 where there is a testament, there must also of 00:02:35.120 --> 00:02:38.939 necessity be the death of the testator. For a 00:02:38.939 --> 00:02:41.780 testament is in force after men are dead, since 00:02:41.780 --> 00:02:44.599 it has no power at all while the testator lives. 00:02:44.919 --> 00:02:47.520 Therefore not even the first covenant was dedicated 00:02:47.520 --> 00:02:51.120 without blood. For when Moses had spoken every 00:02:51.120 --> 00:02:53.780 precept to all the people according to the law, 00:02:53.960 --> 00:02:57.289 he took the blood of calves and goats. with water, 00:02:57.409 --> 00:03:00.729 scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both 00:03:00.729 --> 00:03:03.590 the book itself and all the people, saying, This 00:03:03.590 --> 00:03:05.770 is the blood of the covenant which God has commanded 00:03:05.770 --> 00:03:08.830 you. Then likewise he sprinkled with blood both 00:03:08.830 --> 00:03:11.590 the tabernacle and all the vessels of the ministry. 00:03:11.849 --> 00:03:14.849 And according to the law, almost all things are 00:03:14.849 --> 00:03:17.409 purified with blood, and without shedding of 00:03:17.409 --> 00:03:21.849 blood there is no remission. Therefore it was 00:03:21.849 --> 00:03:25.699 necessary that the copies Of the things in the 00:03:25.699 --> 00:03:29.319 heavens should be purified with these. But the 00:03:29.319 --> 00:03:33.139 heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices 00:03:33.139 --> 00:03:36.780 than these. For Christ has not entered the holy 00:03:36.780 --> 00:03:39.919 places made with hands. Which are copies of the 00:03:39.919 --> 00:03:44.360 true. But into heaven itself. Now to appear in 00:03:44.360 --> 00:03:47.740 the presence of God for us. Not that he should 00:03:47.740 --> 00:03:50.819 offer himself often. As the high priest enters 00:03:50.819 --> 00:03:53.340 the most holy place every year with blood of 00:03:53.340 --> 00:03:55.919 another. He would then have had to suffer more 00:03:55.919 --> 00:03:59.879 often since the foundation of the world. But 00:03:59.879 --> 00:04:03.280 now, once at the end of the ages, he has appeared 00:04:03.280 --> 00:04:06.699 to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. 00:04:07.539 --> 00:04:10.680 And as it is appointed for men to die once, but 00:04:10.680 --> 00:04:13.699 after this the judgment, so Christ was offered 00:04:13.699 --> 00:04:18.500 once to bear the sins of many. To those who eagerly 00:04:18.500 --> 00:04:21.459 wait for him, he will appear a second time apart 00:04:21.459 --> 00:04:25.600 from sin. For salvation. Let's ask God's blessing 00:04:25.600 --> 00:04:28.759 again. In this time. Father there is so much 00:04:28.759 --> 00:04:31.819 richness. In this word and today. We can only 00:04:31.819 --> 00:04:33.839 just scratch at a portion of it. We can only 00:04:33.839 --> 00:04:37.220 just see a little bit. But Lord this is truly 00:04:37.220 --> 00:04:41.040 amazing. And wondrous. That Jesus Christ came. 00:04:41.759 --> 00:04:45.660 He was the new priest. The better priest. And 00:04:45.660 --> 00:04:48.959 he offered a perfect sacrifice. That is his own. 00:04:49.360 --> 00:04:53.360 Sinless life. We pray that today as we study 00:04:53.360 --> 00:04:56.680 this understanding, we pray, Lord, that you would 00:04:56.680 --> 00:04:59.180 open up our hearts and minds, that you would 00:04:59.180 --> 00:05:02.439 give us words to hear, words that understand, 00:05:02.660 --> 00:05:05.040 Lord. And I pray that you would ignite within 00:05:05.040 --> 00:05:10.060 us a passion of service to you and of worship 00:05:10.060 --> 00:05:13.500 for our high priest. We pray this in Jesus' name. 00:05:13.680 --> 00:05:19.550 Amen. As we look at some of the prophecies in 00:05:19.550 --> 00:05:22.629 the Old Testament about this coming Messiah who 00:05:22.629 --> 00:05:25.389 would be a priest, we understand that this would 00:05:25.389 --> 00:05:29.329 be a kingly priest. He would build the temple 00:05:29.329 --> 00:05:31.889 of the Lord, as Zechariah tells us in chapter 00:05:31.889 --> 00:05:35.569 6, which we'll read in a moment, and he would 00:05:35.569 --> 00:05:41.790 bring reconciliation between God and man. To 00:05:41.790 --> 00:05:44.550 understand the significance of this, we first 00:05:44.550 --> 00:05:48.399 need to know why priests were needed. Why did 00:05:48.399 --> 00:05:51.199 God command that there would be priests? What 00:05:51.199 --> 00:05:53.480 was their function? And how was their office 00:05:53.480 --> 00:05:57.319 necessary in order to worship God rightly? A 00:05:57.319 --> 00:06:03.439 priest is an appointed mediator who stands between 00:06:03.439 --> 00:06:09.220 God and man. He is one who brings peace and reconciliation 00:06:09.220 --> 00:06:18.079 between two who have been separated. and sinful 00:06:18.079 --> 00:06:22.699 mankind. Brother Ty taught us this morning about 00:06:22.699 --> 00:06:26.660 the holiness of God. And so we see him in his 00:06:26.660 --> 00:06:30.139 holiness, but we understand that without God, 00:06:30.199 --> 00:06:32.699 without Christ and his atonement, we are not 00:06:32.699 --> 00:06:36.819 holy. In our natural state, we are not holy. 00:06:37.100 --> 00:06:40.860 And so how can we be brought together? Isaiah 00:06:40.860 --> 00:06:45.720 59 verse 2 says, but your iniquities have separated 00:06:45.720 --> 00:06:51.600 you from your God and your sins have hidden his 00:06:51.600 --> 00:06:58.079 face from you so that he will not hear. A priest, 00:06:58.240 --> 00:07:04.519 a mediator is necessary. in order to do two things. 00:07:04.800 --> 00:07:10.720 One, to represent humanity before God in offering 00:07:10.720 --> 00:07:15.579 sacrifices for sin, in bringing prayers and intercession 00:07:15.579 --> 00:07:19.699 and worship on behalf of the people, and to bear 00:07:19.699 --> 00:07:21.959 their names in the needs of the people before 00:07:21.959 --> 00:07:26.000 God, as Aaron did in Exodus chapter 28, where 00:07:26.000 --> 00:07:29.439 he had the names of the tribes on his shoulders 00:07:29.439 --> 00:07:33.600 and over his heart. But then a priest is also 00:07:33.600 --> 00:07:38.160 to represent God to mankind by declaring God's 00:07:38.160 --> 00:07:41.879 blessing, God's forgiveness, and God's will to 00:07:41.879 --> 00:07:46.000 the people by teaching God's law and by consecrating 00:07:46.000 --> 00:07:50.560 and sanctifying both people but also things as 00:07:50.560 --> 00:07:55.399 we just read in Hebrews 9. In the Old Testament, 00:07:55.600 --> 00:07:59.720 two priestly lines are spoken about. First is 00:07:59.720 --> 00:08:02.439 the order of Melchizedek. which we just read 00:08:02.439 --> 00:08:06.120 in Genesis 14. And then there's the order of 00:08:06.120 --> 00:08:10.399 Aaron and his successors. Now, Aaron was of the 00:08:10.399 --> 00:08:13.540 tribe of Levi. Aaron was appointed to be high 00:08:13.540 --> 00:08:16.839 priest, and then high priests all descended from 00:08:16.839 --> 00:08:20.839 his line. Levites also served in the temple in 00:08:20.839 --> 00:08:24.540 the worship of God, and they were the only ones 00:08:24.540 --> 00:08:27.639 who were to do that. They were set apart for 00:08:27.639 --> 00:08:30.279 this. So there's the order of Aaron and of the 00:08:30.279 --> 00:08:33.100 Levites and the order of Melchizedek. Now Melchizedek 00:08:33.100 --> 00:08:37.179 is a mysterious and an enigmatic figure. He appeared 00:08:37.179 --> 00:08:39.399 to Abram before the laws the first time we hear 00:08:39.399 --> 00:08:42.779 of him in the Bible. He appears to Abram before 00:08:42.779 --> 00:08:45.179 the full institution of tabernacle and temple 00:08:45.179 --> 00:08:48.279 worship at Mount Sinai with Aaron and the Levites. 00:08:48.500 --> 00:08:51.299 This man was both a king of Salem, that is a 00:08:51.299 --> 00:08:54.539 king of peace, and he was a priest. Of the most 00:08:54.539 --> 00:08:58.700 high God. And he comes to Abram. After Abram 00:08:58.700 --> 00:09:01.259 rescued his nephew Lot. By defeating these four 00:09:01.259 --> 00:09:03.840 kings. Who had fought against Sodom. And captured 00:09:03.840 --> 00:09:08.340 Lot. And Abram goes and he fights. And he gets 00:09:08.340 --> 00:09:11.740 Lot back. He frees him. And then Melchizedek 00:09:11.740 --> 00:09:14.480 meets him. He brings bread and wine to Abram. 00:09:14.500 --> 00:09:18.159 He blesses him in God's name. And he receives 00:09:18.159 --> 00:09:22.480 tithes of Abraham. Now this line of Aaron and 00:09:22.480 --> 00:09:25.919 the Levites came over 400 years later after this 00:09:25.919 --> 00:09:30.919 event. And this line, the prophetic and the priestly 00:09:30.919 --> 00:09:34.759 gifts are explained in much greater detail in 00:09:34.759 --> 00:09:37.679 the books of Exodus and Leviticus and also Numbers. 00:09:38.220 --> 00:09:41.080 And out of that priestly line, one was chosen 00:09:41.080 --> 00:09:43.940 then to serve as high priest. And it is he alone 00:09:43.940 --> 00:09:48.080 who once a year would go into the Holy of Holies, 00:09:48.080 --> 00:09:50.679 where the Ark of the Covenant was in the tabernacle 00:09:50.679 --> 00:09:53.419 and then in the temple, and he would make atonement 00:09:53.419 --> 00:09:57.080 for the people of God. He alone could do this. 00:09:57.539 --> 00:10:01.820 So why then, if all of this was set up, why was 00:10:01.820 --> 00:10:05.700 an eternal priest both promised and longed for? 00:10:06.789 --> 00:10:10.009 Well, it's because the law appointed priests 00:10:10.009 --> 00:10:14.509 who were themselves sinful men, and thus they 00:10:14.509 --> 00:10:17.350 had weakness. The high priests of the Levitical 00:10:17.350 --> 00:10:21.509 line had to offer up sacrifices for their own 00:10:21.509 --> 00:10:24.669 sins first, and only then could they make sacrifices 00:10:24.669 --> 00:10:29.330 for the people. This is explained in Hebrews 00:10:29.330 --> 00:10:34.090 7, verse 26 to 28. Therefore, the sacrifices 00:10:34.090 --> 00:10:38.350 had to be done over and over and over and over 00:10:38.350 --> 00:10:41.889 for years upon years and generations and generation 00:10:41.889 --> 00:10:45.909 and generation. They continued. The sacrifices 00:10:45.909 --> 00:10:50.549 had to be done. The blood of bulls and goats 00:10:50.549 --> 00:10:54.600 could not take away sin. The offerings were animals. 00:10:54.700 --> 00:10:57.360 They were sacrificed by sinful men who could 00:10:57.360 --> 00:10:59.919 only be a type of mediator. And they were not 00:10:59.919 --> 00:11:03.419 a perfect and a pure mediator. The high priest 00:11:03.419 --> 00:11:06.720 alone could go into the Holy of Holies once a 00:11:06.720 --> 00:11:09.399 year to make atonement at the mercy seat. And 00:11:09.399 --> 00:11:12.740 if he entered improperly, he would be struck 00:11:12.740 --> 00:11:16.740 dead. If he offered, if he entered it improperly 00:11:16.740 --> 00:11:19.299 and he did not bring a right offering. This is 00:11:19.299 --> 00:11:23.110 in Leviticus 16 verse 2. Now, we who are on this 00:11:23.110 --> 00:11:26.309 side of the cross, believers in Jesus and seeing 00:11:26.309 --> 00:11:29.460 the perfect sacrifice. We so often do not fully 00:11:29.460 --> 00:11:32.299 comprehend what all went into the worship of 00:11:32.299 --> 00:11:36.080 God. The sacrifices for sin that needed to occur 00:11:36.080 --> 00:11:38.840 before Christ. The many animals that would be 00:11:38.840 --> 00:11:42.299 brought for the slaughter. If you read and understand 00:11:42.299 --> 00:11:44.460 the temple more, it actually was structured in 00:11:44.460 --> 00:11:46.919 some ways like a slaughterhouse with places for 00:11:46.919 --> 00:11:50.059 the blood to run down and the continual smell 00:11:50.059 --> 00:11:53.519 of the offerings going up. And of course, when 00:11:53.519 --> 00:11:57.320 it was a whole burnt offering, it was not necessarily... 00:11:57.519 --> 00:11:59.720 a good smell to us you know because of the skin 00:11:59.720 --> 00:12:04.019 and everything so anyway all of those things 00:12:04.019 --> 00:12:07.600 it was it was hard work this is why a levite 00:12:07.600 --> 00:12:10.220 who helped with the offerings had to be 30 years 00:12:10.220 --> 00:12:12.259 old and he had to quit when he was 50 he had 00:12:12.259 --> 00:12:16.240 20 years of service in the really hard work of 00:12:16.240 --> 00:12:18.559 all of this slaughtering. Then there was the 00:12:18.559 --> 00:12:20.820 various washings. There were the robes and the 00:12:20.820 --> 00:12:23.460 ceremonies, the precise order. Now, all of these 00:12:23.460 --> 00:12:26.580 were instituted by God, but they pointed to Christ 00:12:26.580 --> 00:12:29.259 who was yet to come. The priests carried all 00:12:29.259 --> 00:12:31.840 of this out. But in the midst of this, during 00:12:31.840 --> 00:12:34.440 the time from Abraham to Jesus, from Genesis 00:12:34.440 --> 00:12:37.840 to Revelation, there were prophecies about a 00:12:37.840 --> 00:12:40.620 coming priest who would be different from all 00:12:40.620 --> 00:12:43.279 of the rest. And now we'll take a quick look 00:12:43.279 --> 00:12:47.779 at a few of these. The first Old Testament prophecy 00:12:47.779 --> 00:12:51.960 is that the Lord Adonai, the Messiah, was not 00:12:51.960 --> 00:12:54.820 of the Levitical line, but it was of the order 00:12:54.820 --> 00:12:58.879 of Melchizedek. And this we read in Psalm 110. 00:12:59.100 --> 00:13:01.759 This is a prophecy of Christ. It's prophesied 00:13:01.759 --> 00:13:06.899 by David, a Psalm of David. And it was that the 00:13:06.899 --> 00:13:10.639 Lord had sworn, and there's two lords in the 00:13:10.639 --> 00:13:13.580 English language, okay? But one is the Lord Jehovah, 00:13:13.639 --> 00:13:16.070 and the other is the Lord Adonai. So speaking 00:13:16.070 --> 00:13:20.250 of God the Father and God the Son in two persons 00:13:20.250 --> 00:13:24.490 of the Trinity. So the Lord said to my Lord, 00:13:24.750 --> 00:13:26.850 sit at my right hand till I make your enemies 00:13:26.850 --> 00:13:29.129 your footstool. And then he goes on and again 00:13:29.129 --> 00:13:32.330 says, the Lord, that is the Lord Jehovah, the 00:13:32.330 --> 00:13:35.950 God the Father has sworn he will not relent that 00:13:35.950 --> 00:13:40.350 the Lord Adonai, that is Jesus, you are a priest 00:13:40.350 --> 00:13:44.049 forever according to the order of Melchizedek. 00:13:44.559 --> 00:13:49.279 Now, why Melchizedek and not Aaron? Why not of 00:13:49.279 --> 00:13:51.639 the order of Aaron? Well, first of all, Aaron 00:13:51.639 --> 00:13:54.500 was of a different line and there was all sorts 00:13:54.500 --> 00:13:57.240 of things associated with him. And there was 00:13:57.240 --> 00:13:59.899 a priest who died and then the next ones came 00:13:59.899 --> 00:14:03.559 after and the next ones. But Melchizedek instead 00:14:03.559 --> 00:14:08.139 is a priestly king. He did not come from a line 00:14:08.139 --> 00:14:11.159 of priests and there were no priests who descended 00:14:11.159 --> 00:14:14.190 from him. This description is given to us in 00:14:14.190 --> 00:14:17.850 the book of Hebrews chapter 7. For this Melchizedek, 00:14:17.929 --> 00:14:21.450 king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, who 00:14:21.450 --> 00:14:24.129 met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the 00:14:24.129 --> 00:14:27.730 kings and blessed him, to whom also Abraham gave 00:14:27.730 --> 00:14:31.049 a tenth part of all, first being translated king 00:14:31.049 --> 00:14:34.090 of righteousness and then also king of Salem. 00:14:34.559 --> 00:14:37.559 meaning king of peace, without father, without 00:14:37.559 --> 00:14:40.860 mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning 00:14:40.860 --> 00:14:43.360 of days nor end of life, but made like the Son 00:14:43.360 --> 00:14:47.580 of God, remains a priest continually. Now consider 00:14:47.580 --> 00:14:51.080 how great this man was, to whom even the patriarch 00:14:51.080 --> 00:14:54.700 Abraham gave a tenth of the spoils. Now I do 00:14:54.700 --> 00:14:58.940 not have time today to go into all of the understanding 00:14:58.940 --> 00:15:02.659 about Melchizedek. As I mentioned, he's somewhat 00:15:02.659 --> 00:15:06.389 mysterious. I think what Hebrews is talking about 00:15:06.389 --> 00:15:08.970 here without mother or father is simply that 00:15:08.970 --> 00:15:12.309 we don't have his ancestry and we don't have 00:15:12.309 --> 00:15:15.389 record of his descendants. He stands as a priest 00:15:15.389 --> 00:15:19.169 alone and his priesthood continues and would 00:15:19.169 --> 00:15:22.370 be continued with Jesus Christ because he would 00:15:22.370 --> 00:15:26.990 be a priest after the order of Melchizedek. And 00:15:26.990 --> 00:15:28.970 that's all I'm going to say about Melchizedek 00:15:28.970 --> 00:15:32.190 in that specific way. But Jesus is prophesied 00:15:32.190 --> 00:15:36.029 to be of his order. Why is this? Alfred Barnes 00:15:36.029 --> 00:15:39.110 lists several reasons. One is that he who was 00:15:39.110 --> 00:15:41.549 spoken of would be in the proper sense of priest. 00:15:41.809 --> 00:15:44.370 That is, the one to come would be a priest. He 00:15:44.370 --> 00:15:46.750 would have, number two, a perpetual or permanent 00:15:46.750 --> 00:15:50.149 priesthood. It would be forever. Number three, 00:15:50.309 --> 00:15:52.830 he would not be of the established line of priests 00:15:52.830 --> 00:15:55.629 in the tribe of Levi, but his appointment would 00:15:55.629 --> 00:16:00.120 be unusual and extraordinary. Number four, the 00:16:00.120 --> 00:16:02.779 appointment would come directly from God. It 00:16:02.779 --> 00:16:05.360 would not be derived from those who went before 00:16:05.360 --> 00:16:09.340 him. As a priest, number five, he would resemble 00:16:09.340 --> 00:16:12.460 Melchizedek, according to the record found in 00:16:12.460 --> 00:16:15.919 the book of Genesis. Number six, this Melchizedek 00:16:15.919 --> 00:16:19.120 was a priest of the Most High God, so also would 00:16:19.120 --> 00:16:22.860 be the priest to come. Number seven, Melchizedek 00:16:22.860 --> 00:16:25.679 combined in himself the functions of both a priest 00:16:25.679 --> 00:16:29.720 and a king. So also these would be found in the 00:16:29.720 --> 00:16:34.000 coming one. And finally, as Melchizedek had no 00:16:34.000 --> 00:16:37.059 successors in office, neither would the coming 00:16:37.059 --> 00:16:40.100 priest. So there's just a whole number of similarities 00:16:40.100 --> 00:16:44.100 between Jesus and Melchizedek. Now this central 00:16:44.100 --> 00:16:49.320 text in Psalm 110 is quoted repeatedly in the 00:16:49.320 --> 00:16:52.820 book of Hebrews. Speaking about the better, the 00:16:52.820 --> 00:16:56.240 non -Levitical priesthood of Jesus. Hebrews 5, 00:16:56.399 --> 00:17:00.019 verses 6 and 10. Hebrews 6, verse 20. And Hebrews 00:17:00.019 --> 00:17:06.019 7, verses 17 and 21. This is the one major prophecy 00:17:06.019 --> 00:17:08.980 of the priesthood of Jesus that is in the Old 00:17:08.980 --> 00:17:13.460 Testament. Psalm 110, verse 4. A later prophecy 00:17:13.460 --> 00:17:16.140 was then also given by the prophet Zechariah. 00:17:16.359 --> 00:17:19.880 Thus says the Lord of hosts, saying, Behold the 00:17:19.880 --> 00:17:23.519 man whose name is the branch. From his place 00:17:23.519 --> 00:17:28.680 he shall branch out and he shall build the temple 00:17:28.680 --> 00:17:32.259 of the Lord. Yes, he shall build the temple of 00:17:32.259 --> 00:17:35.880 the Lord. He shall bear the glory and he shall 00:17:35.880 --> 00:17:39.599 sit and rule on his throne. So he shall be a 00:17:39.599 --> 00:17:45.440 priest on his throne and the council of peace 00:17:45.440 --> 00:17:48.779 shall be between them both. This again points 00:17:48.779 --> 00:17:53.400 to Jesus that he would be both a priestly king 00:17:53.400 --> 00:17:57.039 and a kingly priest. In other words, the two 00:17:57.039 --> 00:18:00.900 offices are very similar, just like it was with 00:18:00.900 --> 00:18:03.779 Melchizedek. He was the king of peace and he 00:18:03.779 --> 00:18:06.500 was also a priest of the most high God. So also 00:18:06.500 --> 00:18:10.099 would this coming one, the one who would build 00:18:10.099 --> 00:18:13.519 the temple of the Lord and rule and sit on his 00:18:13.519 --> 00:18:16.990 throne. Then we have a prophecy in Isaiah chapter 00:18:16.990 --> 00:18:21.109 53, verses 4 through 12. I'm not going to read 00:18:21.109 --> 00:18:23.910 all of this, but in this, the prophet Isaiah 00:18:23.910 --> 00:18:26.970 speaks of the suffering servant. He would be 00:18:26.970 --> 00:18:30.490 bruised. He would be put to grief. His grave 00:18:30.490 --> 00:18:35.029 would be made with the wicked. But in doing so, 00:18:35.170 --> 00:18:40.119 he would then justify many. He would bear their 00:18:40.119 --> 00:18:43.819 iniquities and sins and he would make intercession 00:18:43.819 --> 00:18:47.400 for the transgressors. While Isaiah does not 00:18:47.400 --> 00:18:50.180 use the word priest, he uses the terminology 00:18:50.180 --> 00:18:56.319 and the description of priestly activity in Isaiah 00:18:56.319 --> 00:19:00.279 53. And then lastly, in the Old Testament, the 00:19:00.279 --> 00:19:04.039 prophet Daniel also spoke of the coming Messiah. 00:19:04.670 --> 00:19:07.630 how that he would make an end of sins, he would 00:19:07.630 --> 00:19:10.789 make reconciliation for iniquity, and he would 00:19:10.789 --> 00:19:13.910 bring in everlasting righteousness. And in so 00:19:13.910 --> 00:19:18.890 doing, he would be cut off. This is, again, priestly 00:19:18.890 --> 00:19:22.410 language applied to the coming Messiah in Daniel 00:19:22.410 --> 00:19:27.549 chapter 9, verse 24 through 27. These four are 00:19:27.549 --> 00:19:32.150 prophecies of Jesus coming as priest. Well now, 00:19:32.230 --> 00:19:34.230 let's look a little bit further. What are the 00:19:34.230 --> 00:19:36.910 shortcomings of the former priesthood? Why was 00:19:36.910 --> 00:19:40.809 a new priest needed? Hebrews 7 gives us several 00:19:40.809 --> 00:19:43.509 explanations. And I'm going to move through these 00:19:43.509 --> 00:19:47.029 fairly rapidly because of time. The priests, 00:19:47.130 --> 00:19:49.609 number one, were sinners. They were in need of 00:19:49.609 --> 00:19:51.690 atonement themselves, as I mentioned before. 00:19:52.390 --> 00:19:56.549 Verse 27 and 28. Those high priests needed to 00:19:56.549 --> 00:19:59.309 offer up sacrifices, first for his own sins and 00:19:59.309 --> 00:20:02.339 then for the people's. For the law appoints as 00:20:02.339 --> 00:20:06.720 high priest men who have weakness. Hebrews 7, 00:20:06.839 --> 00:20:11.940 27 and 28. Number two, the law made nothing perfect. 00:20:12.079 --> 00:20:16.839 It had no ability to justify or to make righteous. 00:20:17.140 --> 00:20:20.140 It was the standard of righteousness, but it 00:20:20.140 --> 00:20:22.910 could not make one righteous. It is given as 00:20:22.910 --> 00:20:25.890 a standard, a mirror to show us our sin and the 00:20:25.890 --> 00:20:29.069 holiness of God. Hebrews 7, verse 18 and 19. 00:20:29.309 --> 00:20:31.650 For on the one hand, there is an annulling of 00:20:31.650 --> 00:20:33.730 the former commandment because of its weakness 00:20:33.730 --> 00:20:37.450 and unprofitableness. For the law made nothing 00:20:37.450 --> 00:20:40.250 perfect. On the other hand, there is the bringing 00:20:40.250 --> 00:20:42.670 in of a better hope through which we draw near 00:20:42.670 --> 00:20:46.250 to God. To the contrast between the two priesthoods. 00:20:46.670 --> 00:20:49.950 In the one, the annulling of the former commandment, 00:20:49.950 --> 00:20:53.109 that is the law of sacrifices, what we call the 00:20:53.109 --> 00:20:56.349 ceremonial law, it was weak, it was unprofitable 00:20:56.349 --> 00:21:00.049 because it could not make anyone perfect. Number 00:21:00.049 --> 00:21:03.390 three, the third shortcoming in Hebrews 7, the 00:21:03.390 --> 00:21:06.549 priests died and their descendants followed on 00:21:06.549 --> 00:21:09.589 after them. There were many of them because the 00:21:09.589 --> 00:21:13.769 power of death was on them. Verse 23, also there 00:21:13.769 --> 00:21:16.009 were many priests because they were prevented 00:21:16.009 --> 00:21:19.269 by death from continuing. So it was a continual 00:21:19.269 --> 00:21:22.450 change with new people coming on because of death. 00:21:22.750 --> 00:21:26.150 And number four, they could only offer animals. 00:21:26.230 --> 00:21:31.190 And they did so year after year, which could 00:21:31.190 --> 00:21:35.390 never take away sin. They could cover, but they 00:21:35.390 --> 00:21:39.089 could not take away sin. For the law, in chapter 00:21:39.089 --> 00:21:42.880 10, one through four, Of Hebrews, for the law 00:21:42.880 --> 00:21:45.940 having a shadow of the good things to come and 00:21:45.940 --> 00:21:49.259 not the very image of these things can never 00:21:49.259 --> 00:21:53.279 with these same sacrifices which they offer continually 00:21:53.279 --> 00:21:56.579 year by year make those who approach perfect. 00:21:56.880 --> 00:21:59.440 For then would they not have ceased to be offered. 00:21:59.599 --> 00:22:02.700 For the worshipers once purified would have had 00:22:02.700 --> 00:22:07.259 no more consciousness of sin. But in those sacrifices 00:22:07.259 --> 00:22:11.549 there is a reminder of sins. Every year, for 00:22:11.549 --> 00:22:15.349 it is not possible that the blood of bulls and 00:22:15.349 --> 00:22:19.470 of goats could take away sin. Number three, then, 00:22:19.569 --> 00:22:25.049 how is Jesus a better high priest? And were these 00:22:25.049 --> 00:22:28.809 prophecies fulfilled that were spoken of him? 00:22:29.349 --> 00:22:32.869 Where shall we begin? There are many that we 00:22:32.869 --> 00:22:35.250 could go, but I'm going to give you a few to 00:22:35.250 --> 00:22:40.299 start. How is Jesus a better high priest, a better 00:22:40.299 --> 00:22:44.660 priest? Well, first of all, Jesus offered himself 00:22:44.660 --> 00:22:51.839 once for all. Once for all. Because he was a 00:22:51.839 --> 00:22:56.220 perfect man. He was not descended from Adam. 00:22:56.890 --> 00:22:59.710 He came to his life and he did not bear the sin 00:22:59.710 --> 00:23:03.890 of Adam because he was born of a woman who was 00:23:03.890 --> 00:23:07.470 conceived by the Holy Spirit. And so he was the 00:23:07.470 --> 00:23:12.670 God man. He was perfect. He did not sin. And 00:23:12.670 --> 00:23:16.509 therefore he was able to offer himself once. 00:23:17.210 --> 00:23:21.170 Hebrews again, Hebrews 7, 26 and 27. For such 00:23:21.170 --> 00:23:24.670 a high priest was fitting for us. Hear how Jesus 00:23:24.670 --> 00:23:28.750 is superior. He is holy, harmless, undefiled, 00:23:28.809 --> 00:23:31.750 separate from sinners, and has become higher 00:23:31.750 --> 00:23:34.730 than the heavens. Who does not need daily as 00:23:34.730 --> 00:23:37.730 those high priests to offer up sacrifices, first 00:23:37.730 --> 00:23:39.990 for his own sins and then for the people's. For 00:23:39.990 --> 00:23:42.490 in this he did once for all when he offered up 00:23:42.490 --> 00:23:46.720 himself. He was the perfect sacrifice. and thereby 00:23:46.720 --> 00:23:52.779 he suffered once for all. This is how he's a 00:23:52.779 --> 00:23:56.559 better priest. Number two, Jesus has not entered 00:23:56.559 --> 00:23:59.920 into the holy of holies in the temple. He has 00:23:59.920 --> 00:24:03.859 gone into heaven himself. For Christ has not 00:24:03.859 --> 00:24:06.859 entered the holy places made with hands, which 00:24:06.859 --> 00:24:10.839 are copies of the true, but into heaven itself. 00:24:11.079 --> 00:24:15.299 He now appears in the presence of God for us. 00:24:15.880 --> 00:24:18.279 Not that he should offer himself often as the 00:24:18.279 --> 00:24:20.220 high priest entered the most holy place every 00:24:20.220 --> 00:24:22.839 year with the blood of another, but he wants 00:24:22.839 --> 00:24:26.619 at the end of the ages has appeared to put away 00:24:26.619 --> 00:24:32.680 sin by the sacrifice of himself. Number three, 00:24:32.720 --> 00:24:38.539 this priesthood now is unchangeable for Christ 00:24:38.539 --> 00:24:41.500 does not appear from time to time to make intercession 00:24:41.500 --> 00:24:45.940 for us, but he lives, he lives forever. And in 00:24:45.940 --> 00:24:49.720 his living forever, he lives, he always lives, 00:24:49.799 --> 00:24:52.220 the scripture says, to make intercession for 00:24:52.220 --> 00:24:55.579 us. See, a priest would intercede before a holy 00:24:55.579 --> 00:24:59.759 God on behalf of the people. Jesus lives and 00:24:59.759 --> 00:25:02.339 he doesn't approach through the holy of holies 00:25:02.339 --> 00:25:04.980 in the tabernacle or the temple. He appeals to 00:25:04.980 --> 00:25:08.279 God the Father directly. He appears before him 00:25:08.279 --> 00:25:12.900 and he continually intercedes for us, for his 00:25:12.900 --> 00:25:17.839 people. Hebrews 7, again, verse 24 and 25. But 00:25:17.839 --> 00:25:21.059 he, because he continues forever, has an unchangeable 00:25:21.059 --> 00:25:24.500 priesthood. Therefore, he is also able to save 00:25:24.500 --> 00:25:27.980 to the uttermost those who come to God through 00:25:27.980 --> 00:25:31.319 him, since he always lives to make intercession 00:25:31.319 --> 00:25:36.200 for them. This is what brings peace and goodwill 00:25:36.200 --> 00:25:40.789 to men. For Christ was born for this. Christ 00:25:40.789 --> 00:25:43.170 came to the earth so that this would happen, 00:25:43.269 --> 00:25:46.829 so that he would accomplish this. Like the second 00:25:46.829 --> 00:25:50.990 verse of good Christian men rejoice puts a verse. 00:25:51.049 --> 00:25:54.289 He says, good Christian men rejoice with heart 00:25:54.289 --> 00:25:57.829 and soul and voice. Now you hear of endless bliss, 00:25:58.069 --> 00:26:02.759 joy, joy. Jesus Christ was born for this. He 00:26:02.759 --> 00:26:06.940 has opened heaven's door and man is blessed forevermore. 00:26:07.079 --> 00:26:10.700 Christ was born for this. Christ was born for 00:26:10.700 --> 00:26:18.180 this. This is our beloved Jesus Christ. Well, 00:26:18.200 --> 00:26:20.380 I'm going to close with a few applications. What 00:26:20.380 --> 00:26:22.480 does this mean for you as a Christian believer? 00:26:23.619 --> 00:26:29.049 First of all, we need atonement. We can never 00:26:29.049 --> 00:26:32.069 atone for Adam's sin that passed upon all and 00:26:32.069 --> 00:26:35.430 we can certainly not atone for our own sins. 00:26:35.730 --> 00:26:40.029 They stand against us. They condemn us and they 00:26:40.029 --> 00:26:44.309 judge us because we are unholy and unrighteous 00:26:44.309 --> 00:26:47.410 in ourselves. In our natural and fallen state, 00:26:47.569 --> 00:26:52.049 there is no health in us, but Christ is our high 00:26:52.049 --> 00:26:55.289 priest. He has gone into the holy of holies and 00:26:55.289 --> 00:26:58.589 has made atonement. Through himself. The perfect 00:26:58.589 --> 00:27:02.890 man who is God. Hebrews 9 verse 11. But Christ 00:27:02.890 --> 00:27:05.430 came as high priest of the good things to come. 00:27:05.589 --> 00:27:08.069 With the greater and more perfect tabernacle. 00:27:08.069 --> 00:27:10.849 Not made with hands. That is not of this creation. 00:27:11.190 --> 00:27:14.170 Not with the blood of goats and calves. But with 00:27:14.170 --> 00:27:16.890 his own blood. He entered the most holy place 00:27:16.890 --> 00:27:20.049 once for all. Having obtained eternal redemption. 00:27:20.390 --> 00:27:24.680 This is because we need atonement. And so we 00:27:24.680 --> 00:27:27.980 must understand it is not by our works that we're 00:27:27.980 --> 00:27:31.980 saved. There is no way possible can we be saved 00:27:31.980 --> 00:27:36.519 by our own good deeds. We are to do good deeds, 00:27:36.680 --> 00:27:41.180 but they're a fruit of salvation and the atonement. 00:27:41.220 --> 00:27:45.829 They are not the cause of it. We cannot. Save 00:27:45.829 --> 00:27:49.369 ourselves. We need atonement. Number two, we 00:27:49.369 --> 00:27:52.869 need Christ as priest. We need him as our intercessor. 00:27:53.069 --> 00:27:56.410 We need one to stand before the Father and to 00:27:56.410 --> 00:28:02.130 plead for us. Job said in Job 16 verse 21, Oh, 00:28:02.150 --> 00:28:05.069 that one might plead for a man with God as a 00:28:05.069 --> 00:28:09.029 man pleads for his neighbor. Jesus is that one 00:28:09.029 --> 00:28:13.769 who pleads. He is the intercessory for who shall 00:28:13.769 --> 00:28:17.950 bring a charge against God's elect. Romans 8 00:28:17.950 --> 00:28:22.390 verse 33 and 34. It is God who justifies. Who 00:28:22.390 --> 00:28:26.809 is he that condemns? It is Christ who died and 00:28:26.809 --> 00:28:30.150 furthermore is also risen who is even at the 00:28:30.150 --> 00:28:33.950 right hand of God who makes intercession for 00:28:33.950 --> 00:28:37.670 us. Dear brother, dear sister, dear person in 00:28:37.670 --> 00:28:42.789 Christ, Jesus is interceding for you. As you're 00:28:42.789 --> 00:28:46.109 going through the difficult time, as you're faced 00:28:46.109 --> 00:28:50.890 with besetting sins, as you fail once again, 00:28:50.950 --> 00:28:58.170 Jesus is interceding for you. Get that deep in 00:28:58.170 --> 00:29:01.529 your heart and thank God for it, that we have 00:29:01.529 --> 00:29:09.130 one who intercedes. For us. But then also. Thirdly. 00:29:09.710 --> 00:29:17.170 God has then. In an amazing way. He has entrusted 00:29:17.170 --> 00:29:23.809 us. With the ministry. Of reconciliation. Second 00:29:23.809 --> 00:29:28.369 Corinthians 5. Verse 17. Therefore if anyone 00:29:28.369 --> 00:29:34.390 is in Christ. He is a new creation. Old things 00:29:34.390 --> 00:29:38.890 have passed away. Behold, all things become new. 00:29:39.529 --> 00:29:43.910 Now, all things are of God who has reconciled 00:29:43.910 --> 00:29:49.430 us to himself through Jesus Christ and has given 00:29:49.430 --> 00:29:54.430 us the ministry of reconciliation. That is, that 00:29:54.430 --> 00:29:57.750 God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself, 00:29:58.049 --> 00:30:01.049 not imputing their trespasses to them and has 00:30:01.049 --> 00:30:04.069 committed to us. That is to us human beings. 00:30:04.130 --> 00:30:07.289 To us sinful creatures who have been made and 00:30:07.289 --> 00:30:09.690 brought nigh before Christ. To us who have been 00:30:09.690 --> 00:30:12.450 washed in the blood of Christ. For whom Christ 00:30:12.450 --> 00:30:15.390 has suffered and died and made atonement. For 00:30:15.390 --> 00:30:21.769 us, we now have been committed the word of reconciliation. 00:30:22.470 --> 00:30:27.230 Paul continues. Now then, we are ambassadors 00:30:27.230 --> 00:30:32.700 for Christ. As though God. We're pleading through 00:30:32.700 --> 00:30:36.960 us. We implore you in Christ's stead, in Christ's 00:30:36.960 --> 00:30:42.460 behalf, be reconciled to God. For he made him 00:30:42.460 --> 00:30:46.299 who knew no sin to be sin for us that we might 00:30:46.299 --> 00:30:49.119 become the righteousness of God in him. We are 00:30:49.119 --> 00:30:52.430 agents, brothers and sisters, of God. reconciliation. 00:30:52.450 --> 00:30:55.829 We are to be involved in the ministry of reconciliation. 00:30:56.130 --> 00:30:59.349 This is why we bring good news. This is why we 00:30:59.349 --> 00:31:01.970 should shout the loudest at Christmas time that 00:31:01.970 --> 00:31:05.490 Jesus Christ was born for this. We know the truth. 00:31:05.710 --> 00:31:08.970 This is not just some sentimental value. No, 00:31:09.069 --> 00:31:12.349 it is a glorious truth that Christ was born for 00:31:12.349 --> 00:31:16.400 this and he brings reconciliation, and we speak 00:31:16.400 --> 00:31:19.819 that reconciliation to others who are around 00:31:19.819 --> 00:31:24.259 us. We are ministers of reconciliation. Now, 00:31:24.299 --> 00:31:26.319 if you are not reconciled to God through Jesus 00:31:26.319 --> 00:31:29.619 Christ, the second person of the Trinity, I urge 00:31:29.619 --> 00:31:32.900 you to repent and believe, to be reconciled unto 00:31:32.900 --> 00:31:36.859 God even now, to cry out for mercy, to run to 00:31:36.859 --> 00:31:40.299 Christ, to trust in him and receive the forgiveness 00:31:40.299 --> 00:31:44.420 of sins. But to all of you who believe, The word 00:31:44.420 --> 00:31:49.400 is this. Go, go out and be agents of that reconciliation. 00:31:49.980 --> 00:31:55.539 For God has committed to you these words of reconciliation. 00:31:55.920 --> 00:32:00.859 Go then and be ambassadors for Christ. Let's 00:32:00.859 --> 00:32:00.980 pray.