Hebrews 5:1-14

October 14, 2012 Fear to follow the example of the Israelites who disobeyed God in the desert because His word is alive and powerful and dangerously sharp. Everything in creation will be laid bare before Him when its time to settle accounts, so cling to Jesus, our great high priest and come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. Now, how do we know this is true? Lets contrast Jesus with the priests of the Old Testament: 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: What can a sinner do with his guilt? Theres no way he can even stand before God let alone make a case for his innocence. And so, God established a system whereby someone can intercede: these men are called priests, and (1) they are taken from among men, (2) they are ordained by God for men, and (3) they offer gifts and sacrifices. The priests come from mentheyre of the same stock as their brethren, and its easy to see the comparison to Christ. The Word became flesh and dwelt among us: For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham (Heb. 2:16). These priests are ordainedthat is, they are appointed to this position by God. A man couldnt just walk into the most holy place, and he couldnt pretend to be a priest. Read II Chronicles 26:16-21: But when [Uzziah] was strong, his heart was lifted up to his destruction: for he transgressed against the LORD his God, and went into the temple of the LORD to burn incense upon the altar of incense. 17And Azariah the priest went in after him, and with him fourscore priests of the LORD, that were valiant men: 18And they withstood Uzziah the king, and said unto him, It appertaineth not unto thee, Uzziah, to burn incense unto the LORD, but to the priests the sons of Aaron, that are consecrated to burn incense: go out of the sanctuary; for thou hast trespassed; neither shall it be for thine honour from the LORD God. 19Then Uzziah was wroth, and had a censer in his hand to burn incense: and while he was wroth with the priests, the leprosy even rose up in his forehead before the priests in the house of the LORD, from beside the incense altar. 20And Azariah the chief priest, and all the priests, looked upon him, and, behold, he was leprous in his forehead, and they thrust him out from thence; yea, himself hasted also to go out, because the LORD had smitten him. 21And Uzziah the king was a leper unto the day of his death, and dwelt in a several house, being a leper;

for he was cut off from the house of the LORD: and Jotham his son was over the kings house, judging the people of the land. They offer gifts and sacrifices for sinsthey did something no one else on earth could do. But we have to take note of their frailty:
2Who

can have compassion on the ignorant, and on them that are out of the way; for that he himself also is compassed with infirmity. They had a personal connection with people who sinned in ignorance and with people who willingly rebelled because they were guilty of the same things! Their very first priest led them to make golden calves as false gods (Ex. 32)!
3And

by reason hereof he ought, as for the people, so also for himself, to offer for

sins. How ironic that the one who would stand before God has to offer something for His own sins as well as the sins of the people. It would be like going to court and watching your lawyer pay his own fines before pleading your case.
4And

no man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron. No man assumes the position, but rather he has to be born into it. He has to be a son of Aarondont miss this point!
5So

also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest;

Christ didnt take the honor of priest for Himself, but he that said unto him, Thou art my Son, to day have I begotten thee. 6As he saith also in another place, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec. Jesus is Gods only begotten Son! He has the right to be Gods priest, and He is ordained to be (Ps. 110:4), but His priesthood is different than that of the sons of Aaron. (1) His priesthood is forever! He might have taken on the seed of Abraham, but He defeated death, and He ever lives. (2) It is according to the order of Melchisedec. Im not going to get into this comparison much today because well spend a lot of time on it in chapter seven. For now, lets just go back and read the story so youll be familiar with it: There was a war between several kings, and Abrahams nephew, Lot, was living in one of the places that lost the war. Back then,

when your town was conquered you could count on either being killed or taken into slavery: And they took Lot, Abrams brothers son, who dwelt in Sodom, and his goods, and departed. 13And there came one that had escaped, and told Abram the Hebrew; for he dwelt in the plain of Mamre the Amorite, brother of Eshcol, and brother of Aner: and these were confederate with Abram. 14And when Abram heard that his brother was taken captive, he armed his trained servants, born in his own house, three hundred and eighteen, and pursued them unto Dan. 15And he divided himself against them, he and his servants, by night, and smote them, and pursued them unto Hobah, which is on the left hand of Damascus. 16And he brought back all the goods, and also brought again his brother Lot, and his goods, and the women also, and the people. 17And the king of Sodom went out to meet him after his return from the slaughter of Chedorlaomer, and of the kings that were with him, at the valley of Shaveh, which is the kings dale. 18And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God. 19And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth: 20And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all. 21And the king of Sodom said unto Abram, Give me the persons, and take the goods to thyself. 22And Abram said to the king of Sodom, I have lift up mine hand unto the LORD, the most high God, the possessor of heaven and earth, 23That I will not take from a thread even to a shoelatchet, and that I will not take any thing that is thine, lest thou shouldest say, I have made Abram rich: 24Save only that which the young men have eaten, and the portion of the men which went with me, Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre; let them take their portion (Gen. 14:12-24). This order existed before the time of Aaron and so has Christs Priesthood.
7Who

in the days of his flesh,

While He was on earth, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared; 8Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; Look at a few statements here: (1) He prayed to God, (2) He was grieved, (3) His prayers concerned death, (4) He feared God, (5) He learned obedience, and (6) He suffered. The main point being made here is that we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin (Heb. 4:15). Think back to His time in the garden (Lk. 22:41-43) and His time on the cross. He suffered there and learned (experienced firsthand) all the hardship of spiritual warfare and pain.

He learned obedience: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross (Phil. 2:8). He said, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done (Lk. 22:42). Have you ever thought about the magnitude of these statements? How can this be said about God? How can He learn and submit and suffer? And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory (I Tim. 3:16). Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, the Word in the flesh cried out to the Father and submitted Himself to His will and to death:
9And

being made perfect,

By finishing His work, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him; When He finished His work it became very clear that He is the author of our eternal salvation. It became very clear that the Israelites and their disobedience was a shadow of what God would do through His Son. It became very clear that His voice is more authoritative and He is worthy of more honor than Moses. Dont let go of your faith in Him because He is the only ever-living Priest and King and Prophet and Son, and He is far better than anything in creation, and He will be the one to bring an end to all things! Obey him!
10Called

of God an high priest after the order of Melchisedec. 11Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing. 12For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat. 13For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe. 14But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil. This little rebuke encourages the reader to pay closer attention to whats being said of Christthose who pay attention will mature and wont be thrown off so easily by these lies that are being told to keep them from entering into rest. http://newgracebaptist.blogspot.com/