Read the Bible in a Year (19DEC19)

DAILY REMINDER – Today, December 19’s Bible reading is Hebrews 7-10.

NEXT DAY REMINDER – Tomorrow, December 20’s Bible reading is Hebrews 11-13. May God bless you with the reading of His WORD.

HEBREWS MOMENT – (19DEC19) “If perfection could have been attained through the Levitical priesthood—and indeed the law given to the people established that priesthood—why was there still need for another priest to come, one in the order of Melchizedek, not in the order of Aaron? For when the priesthood is changed, the law must be changed also” (Hebrews 7:11-12). The author of Hebrews wrote of Jesus being the High Priest of all times and ending the first covenant to establish the new. During the days of Moses, God established the first covenant of blood sacrifices and offerings for the people to atone for their sins. Aaron, being the first High Priest had to not only offer sacrifices and offerings for the people, but he had to do so for himself as well. Jesus, however, did not have to atone for any sins because He was perfect, but His blood made atonement for the whole world. He came in the order of King Melchizedek whom Abraham gave a tithe to, for he was a priest of the Most High. When the Bible speaks of him not having a genealogy, it is referring to his origins being unknown, but with Jesus, He was before all things began. Therefore, when He came, the first covenant had to be put aside so that the new one would manifest. There was a changing of the guard with Jesus’ arrival. 

The previous covenant that consisted of strict observances and blood sacrifices could not wash away our sins as Jesus’ blood did. His sacrifice was done once and for all – unlike the old covenant where yearly sacrifices had to be done. The observances of old were a prelude to what was to come in the new. The old covenant did not replace nor could it be a permanent solution for the work that Jesus would do for those who believe to have salvation. Therefore, because Christ became the sacrifice and is now our High Priest, we do not have to have an earthly priest to confess our sins to, but we can go straight to the mercy seat through Jesus Christ who mediates on our behalf before the Father. The Holy Spirit has placed the laws of God on our hearts and minds, for He helps us to know what is right and wrong. The Bible says: “And where these have been forgiven, sacrifice for sin is no longer necessary” (Hebrews 10:18). God found fault with the first covenant which could not save us. We have been blessed with a High Priest, who through His blood as the sacrificial Lamb, made atonement on our behalf where we can get forgiveness through Him. Therefore, there is only one way through which we can be saved and that is through Jesus Christ and Him alone. The Bible says: “Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me’ ” (John 14:6). Some people make the mistake of thinking that there are multiple ways to God, but that would make Jesus out to be a lie, and in Him, there is only Truth.

 

Because of Jesus, we are able to have faith in our salvation as long as we endure to the end. The Bible says: “If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God” (Hebrews 10:26-27). Jesus suffered too much for us to take for granted the work that He did and continue to live in sin as if we never knew Him. Those who choose to live this way have only themselves to blame when in the end, the due punishment will be given. Nevertheless, we cannot be perfect within our own works, but Jesus has made it possible that even when we fail, we can receive forgiveness simply by repenting of our sins to Him. The Bible says: “For though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again, but the wicked stumble when calamity strikes” (Proverbs 24:16). We are not to stay down when we fall and revel in our sins. We are to get back up because Jesus reigns on the throne and because He was victorious, we are never defeated, without hope, nor condemned to death. The Hebrews author wrote: “But we do not belong to those who shrink back and are destroyed, but to those who have faith and are saved” (Hebrews 10:39). Something to ponder….