Thy mercy, my God, is the theme
of my song. The faith of God's elect has
been the same in all ages, yet those who have lived since the
incarnation of Christ and the plain revelation of His person
and finished work do enjoy a more glorious understanding of redemption
than those who came before. This truth is embodied and illustrated
to us in the words of our Lord when He said, For I say unto
you, among those that are born of women there is not a greater
prophet than John the Baptist, but he that is least in the kingdom
of God is greater than he. John saw the Savior, yet he died
without a clear understanding of how Christ would secure the
redemption of his people and establish his kingdom in the
earth. The Jews assumed, as do many who profess to be the followers
of Christ, that the giving of the law to Moses was an end in
itself. Yet the unfolding of the gospel
reveals that this law was merely a temporary measure designed
to bring the sons of God to Him, who is the true lawgiver and
the Savior of sinners. The law was our schoolmaster
to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
But after that faith has come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.
For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made
me free from the law of sin and death. The work which Christ
came to perform was in part to satisfy the demands of the justice
of God which he revealed in this Mosaic Law. The Law of Moses,
the offerings ordained therein, or all of the priests combined
could ever take away one's sin. No sin was ever removed by any
sin offering made by any Levitical priest since sin is a much greater
issue than that which is revealed by the Mosaic Law. Sin existed
and was condemned long before the Mosaic Law was ever instituted.
Sin is a condition of the heart rather than simply a breaking
of the code. Therefore, the removal of sin required a much greater
sacrifice than any which was described in the Law of Moses.
Therefore, it was necessary that an effective priest must come
from a different order than that of Levi. This one, even Jesus
Christ, who came after the order of Melchizedek, was just such
a priest, having the power of an endless life and being a man
with a perfect character. But this man, after he had offered
one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down on the right hand of
God, from henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his
footstool. For by one offering he hath perfected forever them
that are sanctified." But Christ, being come in high priest of
good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle,
not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building,
neither by the blood of goats and cows, but by his own blood
he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal
redemption for us." He is a priest forever. He did not become a
priest as an afterthought or according to some plan he hatched
up to effect a remedy. Rather, he is that lamb slain
from the foundation of the world. He came into the world as a priest
of the Most High God, the only begotten Son of God, to perform
the priestly work of sacrifice. As such, he has ever been the
representative of his people, hidden in him from before the
foundation of the world. His elect have never been without
a priest before the throne of God. He is a priest forever. While the ages roll, he shall
continue in this same priestly office, and be glorified forever
as that Lamb slain, worthy of all exaltation. But this man,
because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood. Wherefore
he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto
God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.
The priests of this world can only make intercession by groanings
and prayers, but this high priest over the house of God makes intercession
for the saints of God by his very presence in the heavens.
He is a priest forever. No sinner who has fled to him
for refuge need ever fear being cast from his presence, for he
pitieth them, and they shall never be ashamed nor confounded,
since he is their righteousness before the throne of God, where
he sits as a king. The scepter shall not depart
from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet until Shiloh
come, and unto him shall the gathering of the people be. binding
his foal unto the vine, and his asses cold unto the choice vine.
He washed his garments in wine, and his clothes in the blood
of grapes. His eyes shall be red with wine, and his teeth
white with milk. Christ is the perfect High Priest
over the household of God. He has fulfilled every jot and
tittle of Moses' law, and secured eternal blessings for those who
are the subjects of his ministration. Did Christ o'er sinners weep,
and shall our tears be dry? Let floods of penitential grief
pour forth from every eye.