01/08/2019
Are you reluctant to pray, or to come before God because you feel unworthy? Do you see your imperfections and not understand the power of the cleansing that Christ provides you? Jesus is Holy before the Lord, and He covers us. We should be forever thankful that He, as our High Priest, is able to take us before God in our imperfect state. We become perfect in God’s eyes because of the Holiness of Jesus... by His cleansing blood.
“"You shall make a plate of pure gold and engrave on it, like the engraving of a signet, 'Holy to the Lord.' And you shall fasten it on the turban by a cord of blue. It shall be on the front of the turban. It shall be on Aaron's forehead, and Aaron shall bear any guilt from the holy things that the people of Israel consecrate as their holy gifts. It shall regularly be on his forehead, that they may be accepted before the Lord.”
Exodus 28:36-38 ESV
Just as Jesus takes us, in our imperfection, before God, and bears our guilt, so Aaron took the offerings of the Israelites before God and shouldered their iniquities. In these verses, Aaron was told how to dress as the High Priest of the temple, and as we read through the precise description of his garments it becomes clear that one of the purposes for his elaborate clothing was to assure the Israelites of his holiness. The three verses above are fraught with this. God knew Aaron, and He knew He was Anointing Him as holy, but He also wanted the people to understand and depend on the belief in Aaron’s holiness. God could have easily said “throw on a robe and put on your most comfortable sandals, then bring me the offerings and I will see only the holiness I have given to you.”, but he wanted the people to understand and believe that Aaron was special, and was able to cleanse their offerings... so He set him apart and went so far as to place a plaque on his forehead to that effect. Do we need Jesus to have a plaque on His forehead too, or is the board at the head of His cross enough for us?
“And over his head they put the charge against him, which read, "This is Jesus, the King of the Jews."”
Matthew 27:37 ESV
When God anoints and consecrates a thing, a man, even His Son, there is no real need that He be reminded of it, but it seems that we must be reminded. It should be enough for us to know that Jesus shoulders our sins for us, and yet how often do we come before God in contrition, ask Him for forgiveness, and then worry that we might not have been forgiven? How is it that we come before God in the name of Jesus, and then still carry away the doubt of our forgiveness, and the guilt that it imparts to us? Do we need Jesus to wear a special robe... well He does, it is as white as light.
“And he was transfigured before them, and his face shone like the sun, and his clothes became white as light.”
Matthew 17:2 ESV
Do we need Him to wear a sign on His head... He does, they are the wounds of the thorns from the crown of thorns.
“and twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on his head and put a reed in his right hand. And kneeling before him, they mocked him, saying, "Hail, King of the Jews!"”
Matthew 27:29 ESV
Do we need Him to wear the ring of the Father on His hand; He does, it is the nail holes they bear. Do we need Him to walk in fine fashion and glorious sandals; He does, they are the wounds that pierce His feet.
“On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, "Peace be with you." When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord.”
John 20:19-20 ESV
Do we need Him to carry the mark of the Lord; well he carries that as well, it is the wound in His side that you can place your hand in.
“Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe."”
John 20:27 ESV
Jesus identifies Himself to us so that our belief in Him will be made perfect, and yet, is it enough? Do we still stand with Him before God, or kneel with Him before the throne as He makes intercession for us, and doubt? Is scripture not enough? Are the scars not enough? Is his robe that is white as snow not enough? And, is the glow that radiates from His very face not enough for us to be convinced of our cleansing... to make our faith in Him perfect? Jesus is our High Priest... believe!
“Now the point in what we are saying is this: we have such a high priest, one who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, a minister in the holy places, in the true tent that the Lord set up, not man. For every high priest is appointed to offer gifts and sacrifices; thus it is necessary for this priest also to have something to offer.”
Hebrews 8:1-3 ESV
Prayer:
Father, thank you for your Son Jesus Christ in whom I have faith, and in whose holiness I believe. Thank you for making Him the High Priest who takes away my iniquities by His blood... washing me clean as snow, purifying me, and making me acceptable as I come before you. Establish my faith in Him Holy Father, and let the doubt that Satan would use to taint my belief be driven from me. Stand with me Jesus as I say “get thee behind me Satan!”, and reestablish my belief in your Holy place beside the Father. Hear me Merciful Father as I pray in the name of your Son, and remove all doubt in your Word that assures me that you will not only hear my voice, but will answer. Give me the strength of faith that will allow me to believe these things without having to stick my hand into the side of your Son as Thomas did, or to run my fingers into the wounds so that my faith will be made full. Holy, Holy, Holy, are you my God, and Holy is your Son Jesus Christ by whose blood I am washed pure. Thanks be to you now and forevermore for your perfect forgiveness, and the perfection of the sacrifice of your Son that makes this possible for me. All Glory be to you my God, and all praise be to your name throughout eternity.
Rich Forbes