MEMORY VERSE: 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: Hebrews 5:1
BIBLE IN ONE YEAR: Psalms 146-150, Proverbs 30
High priest is one of the many titles of our Lord Jesus Christ. Hebrews 4:14 says this: “Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.” To appreciate His title - High priest, we must get some basic understanding of a thing or two. Who is a priest? It is someone who mediates i.e. stands between God and the people, in religious services. He takes sacrifices from people, and offer them up to God (Leviticus 4:20, 26, 31 & Hebrews 8:4). He intercedes on behalf of the people before God (Leviticus 9:22-24 & Numbers 6:22-27). In addition, he inquires of God for the nation (Exodus 28:30). Among the priests, one is selected as the High Priest, and he enters into the Most Holy Place once a year on the Day of Atonement to place the blood of the sacrifice on the Ark of the covenant (Hebrews 9:7). He represents the whole nation before God (Exodus 28:12).
According to Hebrews 5:1, every high priest is taken from among the people. This is because he, the high priest, understands the challenges and weakness of the people. Therefore, if someone brings his sin offering to him, he does not insult him or break out into anger and indignation but pities him, and sympathizes with him. Jesus, so that He might serve as our Great High Priest before God, became man and suffered death. As a man, He was subject to all the weakness and temptations that we are, so He could personally relate to us in our struggles (Hebrews 4:15). Whatever you are going through now, Jesus went through them or something similar when He was on earth. This is why, He is able to relate to you in that challenges you are facing. Are you hungry? Jesus knows what it is to be hungry. He was hungry after forty days and forty night of fasting (Matthew 4:2). Are you facing rejection? He faced it too from His own people. John 1:11 says this: “He came unto his own, and his own received him not.” Are you sad because a friend betrayed you? Jesus’ friend and disciple, Judas Iscariot, betrayed Him and sold Him to His enemies (Luke 22:48). Are you down because you have just lost something valuable? In John 11:33-36, Jesus lost His beloved friend – Lazarus. Are you emotionally and physically tired? Jesus was so tired in Mark 4:36-38 that He slept during a storm. Are you facing shame? Have you not read that He was crucified like a criminal for a sin He did not commit? Have you become frustrated after several attempts with nothing to show for it? Jesus was so frustrated that He said this: “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!” (Matthew 23:37). The bible is able to say this, “cast your care upon Him, for He cares for you” (1 Peter 5:7), because He understands all the emotions you are going through. You are unhappy because your wife is not submissive, well Jesus understands the feeling. How many of His children truly submit to Him? Very few. As a wife, you are unhappy because your husband does not appreciate you enough, Jesus understands. How many of us wake up every morning and say “thank you Jesus for keeping me alive? Very few too. Jesus knows how you feel and will not leave you in that current situation without helping you.
THOUGHTS OF THE DAY: Jesus understands your pain because He tasted pain whilst on earth.
PRAYER POINT: Father, please heal me of every pain in my life.
twitter@BroOluwatoki
Bro Samuel | Reaching the world for Jesus.
