High Priest Forever

The types and shadows of the former covenant find their substance in the Son of God, his priesthood, sacrifice, and New Covenant – Hebrews 8:1-5. The eighth chapter of Hebrews highlights the incomparable benefits believers receive under the New Covenant inaugurated by Jesus. If the fulfillment of the promises arrived in him, especially in his Death and Resurrection, returning to the incomplete revelations of the past would mean embracing the glimpses and “ shadows ” of the “ coming good things ” rather than the substance we now have our “ Great High Priest .”

Having achieved the purification of sins, Jesus sat down at the right hand of God, where he now intercedes for us as our faithful High Priest . A key point of the  Letter to Hebrews  is Christ’s victory over sin for his people and his consequent exaltation to the “ right hand ” of God as their High Priest. Jesus secured what none of his predecessors could ever do. Through his “ once for all ” sacrifice, he “ achieved the purification of sins ” and “ sat down ” in the “ true and greater Tabernacle ” where he now intercedes for us.

God has spoken His decisive and superior “ word ” in His son, and He did so “ upon the last of these days .” This refers to the end of the period epitomized by the Levitical code with its priesthood and repeated animal sacrifices, a system of worship centered in the Tabernacle and the later Jerusalem Temple. With the appointment of Jesus as the High Priest “ after the order of Melchizedek ,” a new and final era of salvation commenced.