TU ESDAY-THU RSDAY
by Dr. Lloyd T. Anderson Pastor, Bethany Baptist Church West Covina, Calif.
HEBREWS 4:14-6:20
W E NOW PASS to two other great names in Old Testament his tory: Aaron and Melchisedec. In dem onstrating our Lord’s superiority to these, the writer first announces the fact and far-reaching values of the priesthood of Christ (4:14-16) ; passes to a description of the Aaronic priests (5:1-10) ; turns aside to warn and to appeal (5:11-6:20); and finally, shows that the priesthood of our ascended Lord, while after the pattern of that of Aaron in that it dealt with sin, and after the order of Melchisedec in that it is eternal, transcends these two priesthoods as heaven t r a n s c e n d s earth (chapter 7). Priesthood Priesthood true or false, it has been said, is as old as the race of man. When Job thought of his relation to the Almighty, he complained th a t: “He is not a man as I am, that I should answer Him, and we should come together in judgment. Neither is there any daysman betwixt us that might lay his hand upon us both” (9 :32-33); and this same idea is deep ly engraven in the minds of the people when missionaries go for the first time into the strongholds of heathen dom. “Priesthood is an institution not of man, but of God. Its basis is the gracious compassion of Divine holi ness. Its object is the people with whom God has chosen, in His own good pleasure, to connect His name. Its moving occasion is the condition of that people, in their personal in ability to maintain themselves in an acceptable position in the presence of His holiness. Its end is the Divine glory, through the effectual fulfillment in uninterrupted blessedness of all the covenanted promises of truth. God’s consecrated Priest is His own estab lished link between the Blesser and
the blessed. He is the chosen Inter cessor of the people’s need, and the authentic minister of the grace which meets it. He is, moreover, their only medium of accepted worship. The per sonal qualities of an acceptable priest must be according to the nature of his appointed ministration. To God and the worshipper he must be equally BETHLEHEM AND CALVARY There was no room in Bethlehem For Him Who left His throne To seek the lost at countless cost And make their griefs His. own. But there was room on Calvary Upon the cross of shame For Him to die uplifted high To bear the sinner's blame. There was no room in Bethlehem; And in the world today Men will not give Him room to live, And bid Him turn away. But there is room on Calvary; And there He stands to give A Home to all who heed His call And look to Him and live. There was no room in Bethlehem For Christ, the Prince of kings, From throne and crown to earth come down With healing in His wings. But there is room at Calvary For sinners to abide; And who will come may find a home In Jesus crucified! — E. M. Clarkson suitable. The fitness of the Son of God alone to be the High Priest over the house of God, in contrast with His shadowy precursors of Levitical ordi nance, and the corresponding differ ence in the manner of the people’s blessing, are demonstrated with pre cious richness of detail in succeeding 28
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