Our Great High Priest.

I've been reading through the Pentateuch lately and currently I'm in Leviticus. I have to say, Exodus was a lot better than I remembered it being. Moses is a rockstar... and I can relate to him a lot. Not that I'm a rockstar, but I can relate to a lot of his insecurities earlier in his life.... but anyway, that's not what I'm writing about tonight.

In Leviticus, I've been going through the 5 offerings: The guilt offering, the grain offering, the sin offering, the burnt offering and the fellowship offering. As I've been reading these, and the regulations that the Lord required for the priests too, all I can think is that I am SO thankful I didn't live in this time... I would need so many goats!! But only two of these offerings are mandatory, three are voluntary; The sin and guilt offering are compulsory.

In ch 5 v 17 it says "if a person sins and does what is forbidden in any of the Lord's commands, even though he does not know it, he is guilty and will be held responsible." All it takes is just one to be guilty. So I'm reading through and trying to process the old covenant and what it meant to be a child of God... and I was just discouraged for them. What high standards God must have had! I'd be best friends with the priest making atoning sacrifices every day.

I'm only now in chapter 10 of Leviticus, but I couldn't take it any longer the other day. I had to get to the good news. I had to read ahead and go to Hebrews, to read of our Great High Priest who came for us in the flesh to be our living sacrifice once and for all.

Hebrews 4:14-16 says:
Therefore since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weakness, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we were- yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. [my emphasis added]

-and-

Hebrews 7:24-28 says:
But because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always live to intercede for them. Such a high priest meets out need- one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens. Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself. For the law appoints as high priests men who are weak; but the oath, which came after the law, appointed the Son, who has been made perfect forever.  [my emphasis added]

David Platt taught us it was okay to clap and shout when reading Scripture and I have to say when reading Hebrews 4:14 I just want to PRAISE Him that the veil was torn and we have access to the most holy place and HE intercedes for US to the Father. That is something worth clapping for.

So now when I read through Leviticus and realize just how imperfect I am - man who is weak, it makes me more thankful, give more praise, and more aware (if even possible) of what Jesus went through when he became the new covenant.

Tunesday Tuesday.

I heard this song last week at Saddleback Buenos Aires on my way out and was lovin' it.  Enjoy!

Tunesday Tuesday.

 Today, Lecrae's album comes out and he works with a lot of good artists on it! My favorite, Kari Jobe, does a song with him, but today I'm sharing a song that has a really cool melody. It's called "Messengers" and I hope you like it!