Names of Christ: Our High Priest

There are many names of Christ, but perhaps one of the most beautiful is that He is our High Priest. In the Old Testament, God gave his people priests, and they would offer sacrifices to God on the people's behalf to take away their sins over and over.

Hebrews 10:11CloseHebrews 10:11 Under the old covenant, the priest stands and ministers before the altar day after day, offering the same sacrifices again and again, which can never take away sins. OPEN VERSE IN BIBLE (nlt) (NIV) describes this process: Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. 

But Jesus changed everything completely.

But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God. For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy. (Hebrews 10:12-14CloseHebrews 10:12-14 But our High Priest offered himself to God as a single sacrifice for sins, good for all time. Then he sat down in the place of honor at God's right hand. There he waits until his enemies are humbled and made a footstool under his feet. For by that one offering he forever made perfect those who are being made holy. OPEN VERSE IN BIBLE (nlt) NIV)

So, that one sacrifice was the death of Jesus on the cross. He came to earth as a full human being and also fully God to die for the sins of all people.Hebrews 10:21-22CloseHebrews 10:21-22 And since we have a great High Priest who rules over God's house, let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ's blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water. OPEN VERSE IN BIBLE (nlt) (NIV) goes on to explain what this means for us: 

Since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience...

Really beautiful words here. And continuing in verse 23: Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful.

Faithful, indeed! Part of the beauty of having Jesus as our High Priest is that He intercedes for us to the Father. And as One who has been fully human, He "gets us."

I hope that this encourages you today, wherever you're at—that we have One who is interceding for us, is our High Priest, and that He gets us.