Hebrews 8:1-6

Hebrews 8:1-6

The writer gives a summation of all that has been said. As Christians, we have a high priest who sits down at God's right hand, and from there He ministers. The idea of “seated” is an important point. In the Tabernacle and later in the temple, the Ark of the Covenant was in the Holy of Holies. It was also called the Mercy Seat. It was the very presence of God on Earth. Also, it was the only seat in the temple. The priest never sat down in the temple to do their ministry. Here the author presents Jesus as sitting in the temple, the real ultimate temple, the one after which the earthly temple and tabernacle were patterned. What was the only seat in the temple? It was “The Mercy Seat.” The implication of this description is colossal. Our Lord occupies this seat next to God, the only seat, and from it He ministers.

The author is battling for the faith of these Jewish Christians, and he points to the grandeur of Christ’s high priesthood. Christians have no priests on Earth, but we do have one in heaven. We do not have a priest who enters the temple yearly but one who remains in the real temple. We do not have a priest who approaches God, but is God the Son seated with God the Father? We do not have a priest that came to the holy of holies with the blood of an animal annually, but once and for all with his own blood. The summation of the discussion of the priesthood of Jesus is “Where is He at and what has He done and continues to do?”

“Lord, thank You that You are seated with the Father and ministering on our behalf. AMEN”