JESUS THE PRIEST

The Merciful Mediator

“Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” (Hebrews 4:14-16)

A Reminder: Hearing His Voice

Dear reader, as with the previous article, we continue to write from Jesus’ perspective—not as presumption, but as discipleship. Jesus alone is our Teacher, our Rabbi, our Leader (Matthew 23:8). By writing in His voice, we honor His singular authority and create space for intimate encounter.

Remember: Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ (Romans 10:17, NASB). The Word of God is living and active (Hebrews 4:12). As you read, you are not merely consuming information—you are encountering the living Christ who speaks directly to your heart by His Spirit.

So quiet your soul. Still your mind. Open your heart. Hear what the Priest says to His Bride…

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I Stand Between Heaven and Earth

“For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for all, the testimony given at the proper time.” (1 Timothy 2:5-6)

Beloved Bride, before we explore the depths of My priestly ministry, you must understand the fundamental reality: I stand between heaven and earth, between God and humanity, between holiness and sin, between justice and mercy.

This is the essence of priesthood—mediation.

The word “priest” in Hebrew is kohen, and in Greek is hiereus. Both carry the idea of one who stands in the gap, who represents one party to another, who bridges an otherwise unbridgeable chasm.

From the moment sin entered the world through Adam’s disobedience, a great separation occurred. Holy God and sinful humanity could no longer fellowship freely. The cherubim with the flaming sword guarded the way to the Tree of Life (Genesis 3:24). Paradise was lost. Access was denied. A mediator was needed.

Throughout the Old Covenant, priests served as temporary, imperfect mediators:

- They represented the people before God, offering sacrifices for sin

- They represented God to the people, blessing them and teaching them the Law

- They maintained the holy things, serving in the Tabernacle and Temple

- They stood between the holy God and unholy people, making atonement

But every one of those priests was himself a sinner, requiring atonement for his own sins before he could make atonement for others (Hebrews 5:3). Every sacrifice they offered was insufficient, requiring constant repetition (Hebrews 10:1-4). Every covenant they administered was temporary, waiting for fulfillment.

They were all shadows pointing to Me—the true Priest, the perfect Mediator, the final Sacrifice.

Now I have come. I am the reality to which all those shadows pointed. I am fully God—able to represent God to humanity with perfect accuracy. I am fully man—able to represent humanity to God with perfect sympathy. I am the only Mediator qualified to bridge the infinite chasm between a holy God and sinful humanity.

And unlike those temporary priests, I remain a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek (Hebrews 7:17). My priesthood never ends. My mediation never ceases. My intercession never fails.

The Order of Melchizedek: A Priesthood Not Based on Law

“For it is attested of Him, ‘You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.’” (Hebrews 7:17)

“The Lord has sworn and will not change His mind, ‘You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.’” (Psalm 110:4)

To understand My priesthood, you must understand why the Father chose to establish it according to the order of Melchizedek rather than the order of Aaron.

Aaron’s priesthood was established under the Mosaic Law. It was based on:

- Physical descent (you had to be born into the tribe of Levi, family of Aaron)

- Temporary service (priests died and were replaced by their sons)

- External qualifications (physical perfection, ceremonial cleanliness, proper garments)

- Repeated sacrifices (daily offerings, yearly Day of Atonement)

- Limited access (only the High Priest could enter the Holy of Holies, and only once per year)

But Melchizedek’s priesthood was different. When he appeared to Abraham in Genesis 14:18-20, he was:

- King of Salem (which means “peace”)—both priest and king

- Priest of God Most High—serving the Most High God before the Law was given

- Without recorded genealogy—appearing and disappearing mysteriously in Scripture

- Greater than Abraham—Abraham gave him a tenth of everything and received his blessing

- A type of eternal priesthood—“without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God, he remains a priest perpetually” (Hebrews 7:3)

Melchizedek was a prophetic picture of Me.

My priesthood is not based on:

- Physical descent but divine appointment: “You are My Son, today I have begotten You” (Hebrews 5:5, quoting Psalm 2:7)

- Temporary service but eternal duration: “You are a priest forever” (Hebrews 7:17)

- External qualifications but internal perfection: “For it was fitting for us to have such a high priest, holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners and exalted above the heavens” (Hebrews 7:26)

- Repeated sacrifices but one perfect sacrifice: “He, having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, sat down at the right hand of God” (Hebrews 10:12)

- Limited access but unlimited access: “Therefore He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them” (Hebrews 7:25)

This is the superiority of My priesthood. It’s not based on human lineage or legal requirements—it’s based on the power of an indestructible life (Hebrews 7:16). It’s not temporary or changeable—it’s eternal and unchangeable. It doesn’t need to be repeated—it’s finished and forever effective.

The Law made nothing perfect (Hebrews 7:19). But I am perfect, and I make perfect those who are being sanctified (Hebrews 10:14). The Law appointed priests who are weak. But the word of the oath, which came after the Law, appointed Me, a Son made perfect forever (Hebrews 7:28).

Tempted in All Things, Yet Without Sin

“For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin.” (Hebrews 4:15)

Now I must reveal to you something crucial about My priesthood: I became like you in every way except sin so that I could be a merciful and faithful High Priest.

“Therefore, He had to be made like His brethren in all things, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For since He Himself was tempted in that which He has suffered, He is able to come to the aid of those who are tempted.” (Hebrews 2:17-18)

Let this truth penetrate deeply: I experienced every category of temptation you face.

I was tempted by:

- Physical appetite: After forty days of fasting, the tempter said, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread” (Matthew 4:3). I know hunger. I know physical weakness. I know the temptation to use divine power for personal comfort.

- Pride and presumption: “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down” from the pinnacle of the temple (Matthew 4:6). I know the temptation to test God, to force His hand, to presume upon His promises.

- Power and glory through compromise: “All these things I will give You, if You fall down and worship me” (Matthew 4:9). I know the temptation to gain the kingdom without the cross, to achieve the crown without the suffering, to take shortcuts around the Father’s will.

But these were just the beginning. Throughout My earthly ministry:

- I was tempted to abandon My mission when My own family thought I was out of My mind (Mark 3:21)

- I was tempted to respond in anger when religious leaders hardened their hearts (Mark 3:5—I felt the anger, but didn’t sin)

- I was tempted to avoid suffering in Gethsemane: “Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me” (Luke 22:42)

- I was tempted to come down from the cross when they mocked Me: “If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross” (Matthew 27:40)

I experienced the full weight of temptation—yet without sin.

Why does this matter for My priesthood? Because I can sympathize with your weaknesses. Not theoretical sympathy from a distance, but experiential sympathy from having walked through it.

When you come to Me struggling with:

- Sexual temptation—I understand. I faced the full force of fleshly desire without giving in to it.

- Fear and anxiety—I understand. I sweat drops of blood in Gethsemane facing the horror of becoming sin for you.

- Betrayal and rejection—I understand. My closest friends abandoned Me. Peter denied Me. Judas betrayed Me.

- Physical pain and suffering—I understand. I was scourged, mocked, crowned with thorns, nailed to a cross.

- Spiritual darkness—I understand. I cried out, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” (Matthew 27:46).

- Loneliness and isolation—I understand. “They all left Him and fled” (Mark 14:50).

There is no temptation you face that I have not faced and overcome. And because I’ve overcome, I can help you overcome. Because I’ve walked through the fire, I can lead you through it. Because I’ve experienced the depth of human weakness, I can minister to you with perfect mercy and compassion.

But here’s what makes Me uniquely qualified as your High Priest: I was tempted yet without sin. If I had sinned, I would need a priest to mediate for Me. But because I remained sinless—perfectly obedient to the Father in every thought, word, and deed—I can stand before the Father on your behalf without needing anyone to stand for Me.

Making Propitiation: Satisfying Divine Justice

“Therefore, He had to be made like His brethren in all things, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.” (Hebrews 2:17)

“In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” (1 John 4:10)

Now we come to the heart of priestly ministry: propitiation.

This is one of the most important words in all of Scripture, yet it’s often misunderstood or ignored. So let Me explain it clearly.

Propitiation means satisfying the wrath of God against sin.

Many people today don’t like to talk about God’s wrath. They prefer to focus only on His love, as if the two were contradictory. But understand this: God’s wrath and God’s love are not opposites—they’re complementary aspects of His holy character.

Because God is perfectly holy, He cannot tolerate sin. Because He is perfectly just, He must punish sin. Because He is perfectly righteous, He cannot simply overlook transgression and pretend it didn’t happen. His wrath against sin is the necessary corollary of His holiness.

But here’s the glorious mystery: Because God is also perfectly loving, He provided a way to satisfy His own wrath without destroying the objects of His love—you.

This is what happened at the cross. The Father’s wrath against your sin—all of it, past, present, and future—was poured out upon Me. I became the propitiation, the satisfaction, the wrath-absorbing sacrifice.

“He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” (2 Corinthians 5:21)

Think about what this means: I, who never sinned, became sin. Not just bore the penalty of sin, but actually became sin itself in the Father’s eyes. All the guilt, shame, corruption, defilement, wickedness, rebellion—everything that sin is—was transferred to Me.

And the Father’s righteous wrath—which you deserved—fell on Me instead.

This is why I cried out on the cross, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” (Matthew 27:46). For the first and only time in all eternity, the perfect fellowship between Father and Son was broken. The Father turned His face away from the Son because the Son was covered in your sin.

The physical suffering of the cross was immense—the scourging, the thorns, the nails, the asphyxiation, the dehydration. But the spiritual suffering was infinitely greater. I experienced the full weight of the Father’s wrath against all human sin.

And I absorbed it all. I satisfied it completely. I exhausted it entirely.

When I cried out, “It is finished!” (John 19:30), I wasn’t just saying “I’m dying.” I was declaring: The debt is paid. Justice is satisfied. Wrath is exhausted. Propitiation is complete.

This is why there is now “no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1). Not because God lowered His standards or decided sin wasn’t that bad after all. But because His wrath has been fully satisfied in Me.

As your High Priest, I made propitiation for your sins. The Father’s justice has been met. His wrath has been appeased. His holiness has been vindicated. And you are free.

The Blood of the New Covenant

“But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things to come, He entered through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation; and not through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood, He entered the holy place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption.” (Hebrews 9:11-12)

On the Day of Atonement in the Old Covenant, the High Priest would take the blood of a goat and a bull and enter the Holy of Holies—the very presence of God—to make atonement for the sins of the people (Leviticus 16). This happened once per year, and it had to be repeated every year, because “it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins” (Hebrews 10:4).

That blood was temporary, symbolic, pointing forward to the real sacrifice that would come. Animal blood could never truly cleanse the human conscience or remove the guilt of sin. It could only cover sin temporarily, rolling forward the debt until the true payment came.

But I entered the true Holy of Holies—heaven itself—not with animal blood, but with My own blood. And I entered once for all, securing eternal redemption, not just temporary covering.

“For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling those who have been defiled sanctify for the cleansing of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” (Hebrews 9:13-14)

My blood is infinitely superior to animal blood because:

1. It’s the blood of the God-Man, possessing infinite value. Animal blood had limited, finite value. But I am God incarnate—My blood carries infinite worth because of who I am.

2. It cleanses not just ceremonially, but actually. Animal blood provided external, ceremonial cleansing. But My blood cleanses your conscience—the deep, internal guilt and defilement of sin.

3. It provides eternal redemption, not temporary covering. The old sacrifices had to be repeated endlessly. But My sacrifice was offered once for all time (Hebrews 10:10), never needing repetition.

4. It establishes a New Covenant, not just maintaining the old. Through My blood, the New Covenant promised by Jeremiah is now in effect (Jeremiah 31:31-34; Hebrews 8:8-12).

Listen to the terms of this New Covenant that My blood established:

“For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws into their minds, and I will write them on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be My people. And they shall not teach everyone his fellow citizen, and everyone his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for all will know Me, from the least to the greatest of them. For I will be merciful to their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more.” (Hebrews 8:10-12)

Did you catch that last line? “I will remember their sins no more.”

When the Father looks at you who are covered by My blood, He doesn’t see your sin. Not because He’s pretending it doesn’t exist, but because it has been fully dealt with, completely removed, eternally forgiven, and will never be remembered again.

This is the power of My blood. This is the effectiveness of My priesthood. Your sins are not just covered—they’re obliterated. Not just forgiven—they’re forgotten. Not just pardoned—they’re removed as far as the east is from the west (Psalm 103:12).

Interceding Forever at the Father’s Right Hand

“Therefore He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.” (Hebrews 7:25)

“Who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us.” (Romans 8:34)

Beloved, My priestly work did not end at the cross. The sacrifice was finished, but the intercession continues.

Right now—at this very moment—I am seated at the Father’s right hand making intercession for you.

What does this mean practically?

When Satan accuses you (and he is called “the accuser of the brethren” in Revelation 12:10), I defend you. He stands before the Father pointing at your sins, your failures, your weaknesses, demanding that justice be served. But I stand between you and the accuser, pointing to My blood, and the Father declares, “The debt is paid. There is no condemnation.”

When you sin as a believer, you don’t lose your salvation—but you do break fellowship with the Father. I immediately intercede on your behalf. “My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous” (1 John 2:1). The word “Advocate” is parakletos in Greek—it means a lawyer, a defender, one called alongside to help. I am your defense attorney in the courtroom of heaven.

When you’re weak and tempted, I intercede to strengthen you. Remember what I told Peter? “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan has demanded permission to sift you like wheat; but I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail” (Luke 22:31-32). I’m praying for you constantly, that your faith would not fail.

When you don’t know how to pray, I intercede according to the Father’s will. In fact, the Holy Spirit also intercedes for you: “In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words” (Romans 8:26). You have both the Son and the Spirit making intercession on your behalf—you’re covered from every angle!

This is why I can “save forever” (Hebrews 7:25)—literally, “to the uttermost” or “completely.” My salvation is not partial or temporary. It’s total and eternal. Because I always live to intercede, you are always secure. My priesthood never ends, so your salvation never wavers.

Think about this: Right now, the Father is looking at you through the lens of My perfect righteousness. When He sees you, He sees you clothed in My righteousness, covered by My blood, represented by My intercession. He doesn’t relate to you based on your performance—He relates to you based on My performance on your behalf.

This doesn’t give you license to sin carelessly. Rather, it gives you confidence to approach the throne of grace (Hebrews 4:16), knowing you’ll be received with mercy, not judgment.

Ministering to the Father on Your Behalf

“For every high priest taken from among men is appointed on behalf of men in things pertaining to God, in order to offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins.” (Hebrews 5:1)

As your High Priest, one of My primary functions is to minister to the Father on your behalf.

This is a profound mystery that many miss: I don’t just minister to you—I minister TO GOD FOR you.

When I ascended to heaven after My resurrection, I didn’t retire. I didn’t sit down and rest from all labor. I began My eternal priestly ministry in the true heavenly sanctuary.

“Now the main point in what has been said is this: we have such a high priest, who has taken His seat at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, a minister in the sanctuary and in the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, not man.” (Hebrews 8:1-2)

What am I doing in this heavenly sanctuary? I am ministering—serving as a priest before the Father’s throne.

I am:

- Presenting My blood as the eternal testimony that redemption has been accomplished

- Offering up your prayers as sweet incense before the Father (Revelation 5:8; 8:3-4)

- Representing you in the Father’s presence, ensuring continual access

- Glorifying the Father through My obedient priesthood

- Interceding constantly for your protection, perseverance, and transformation

The earthly priests ministered in a temple made with hands. But I minister in the true temple—heaven itself, the very dwelling place of God (Hebrews 9:24).

The earthly priests offered gifts and sacrifices repeatedly. But I offered Myself once, and now I present that finished sacrifice continually as the basis for your acceptance.

The earthly priests had to first make atonement for their own sins. But I had no sins of My own, so My entire priestly ministry is focused on you.

Everything I do as your Priest is directed toward the Father on your behalf. I represent you perfectly. I speak for you eloquently. I defend you completely. I present you faultlessly.

Ministering the Father’s Life to You

“Jesus said to them, ‘I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst.’” (John 6:35)

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.” (John 10:10)

But My priestly ministry is not one-directional. I don’t just represent you to the Father—I also represent the Father to you. I don’t just minister TO God FOR you—I also minister FROM God TO you.

This is the life-giving dimension of My priesthood.

The priests in the Old Covenant would take the sacrificial meat and bread and give it to the people to eat (Leviticus 7:15-18). This was called partaking of the sacrifice—eating the very thing that had been offered to God, now given back as provision.

I am both the Priest and the Sacrifice. And now, as the resurrected, glorified High Priest, I give you Myself to eat and drink spiritually.

“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in yourselves. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. For My flesh is true food, and My blood is true drink. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him.” (John 6:53-56)

Many people stumbled over these words when I first spoke them. But I wasn’t talking about literal cannibalism—I was revealing a spiritual reality.

To “eat My flesh and drink My blood” means to receive Me fully into your being, to feed on Me spiritually, to derive your life from Me, to abide in Me so completely that My life becomes your life.

How do you do this practically?

By faith, through the Word, in the power of the Spirit.

When you read Scripture and the Holy Spirit illuminates it to your heart, you’re feeding on Me—“Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4).

When you meditate on My person, My character, My works, My promises, you’re drinking from Me—“If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink” (John 7:37).

When you receive the Lord’s Supper (Communion), you’re physically enacting this spiritual reality—remembering My death, proclaiming it, participating in it, renewing your covenant with Me (1 Corinthians 11:23-26).

This is how I minister the Father’s life to you as your Priest. I don’t just forgive your sins and leave you to figure out the rest—I impart divine life to you continually. I feed you. I nourish you. I sustain you. I strengthen you.

The Life-Giving Spirit

“So also it is written, ‘The first man, Adam, became a living soul.’ The last Adam became a life-giving spirit.” (1 Corinthians 15:45)

“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.” (2 Corinthians 3:17)

Here is one of the most profound truths about My priestly ministry: I am the life-giving Spirit.

Adam, the first man, received life from God—he “became a living soul” when God breathed into him the breath of life (Genesis 2:7). But Adam couldn’t give life to others beyond physical reproduction. He couldn’t impart spiritual life. He couldn’t regenerate dead souls.

But I, the Last Adam, became a life-giving Spirit. I don’t just possess life—I dispense life. I create life. I impart life.

When I rose from the dead, I rose in the power of an indestructible life (Hebrews 7:16). And when I ascended to heaven and poured out the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost, I became personally present in Spirit form to every believer simultaneously.

This is the mystery: “The Lord Jesus Christ” and “the Spirit of Christ” are not two different persons, but two different modes of My presence.

- In My incarnation, I was present physically in one location at a time

- In My resurrection, I became the life-giving Spirit present spiritually in all locations simultaneously

- The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Christ—My very presence and life dwelling in you (Romans 8:9-11)

As your High Priest who is also the life-giving Spirit, I dwell within you, giving you:

- Regeneration: New birth, new creation, new life (John 3:3-8; 2 Corinthians 5:17)

- Sanctification: Progressive transformation from glory to glory (2 Corinthians 3:18)

- Empowerment: Ability to live godly, fruitful lives (Galatians 5:22-23)

- Intimacy: Direct fellowship with the Father and the Son (1 John 1:3)

- Assurance: Inner witness that you are God’s child (Romans 8:16)

- Guidance: Leading into all truth and God’s will (John 16:13)

- Comfort: Consolation in suffering and trials (2 Corinthians 1:3-5)

- Gifts: Supernatural abilities for building up the Body (1 Corinthians 12:4-11)

This is priestly ministry at its highest level—not just offering sacrifices from a distance, but indwelling you personally to dispense divine life from within.

Anointed with the Oil of Gladness

“You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness; therefore God, Your God, has anointed You with the oil of gladness above Your companions.” (Hebrews 1:9)

We touched on this in the previous article, but now let’s see it from the priestly perspective.

The oil of gladness is the Holy Spirit—the anointing that sets apart and empowers for priestly service.

In the Old Covenant, priests were anointed with oil as part of their consecration to serve God (Exodus 29:7; Leviticus 8:12). This oil symbolized the Holy Spirit’s presence and power. Without the anointing, they couldn’t serve as priests.

I was anointed by the Father with the Holy Spirit without measure (John 3:34). At My baptism, the Spirit descended upon Me like a dove, and the Father declared, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased” (Matthew 3:16-17).

But notice what Hebrews says: I was anointed with the oil of gladness. Not just power, but JOY. Not just ability, but DELIGHT.

Why? Because I loved righteousness and hated lawlessness. My entire life was characterized by perfect obedience to the Father, perfect love for what is good, perfect hatred for what is evil. And this perfect righteousness brought the Father joy—and brought Me joy in fellowship with Him.

“For the joy set before Me, I endured the cross, despising the shame, and have sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:2)

What was the joy set before Me? You. The joy of redeeming My Bride. The joy of reconciling you to the Father. The joy of securing your salvation. The joy of spending eternity with you.

I endured the agony of the cross because of the joy of the resurrection and reunion with you.

And now, as your anointed High Priest, I want to share this joy with you. “These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full” (John 15:11).

This is why the five wise virgins had oil in their lamps—they were filled with the Holy Spirit, anointed with the same oil of gladness that anoints Me. They had joy even in tribulation, peace even in suffering, hope even in darkness.

Are you filled with this oil? Do you have the joy of the Lord as your strength? (Nehemiah 8:10). This is not shallow happiness dependent on circumstances—this is deep, abiding joy rooted in your union with Me and secured by My priestly intercession.

Making You a Royal Priesthood

“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.” (1 Peter 2:9)

“And He has made us to be a kingdom, priests to His God and Father—to Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.” (Revelation 1:6)

Now, beloved, I want to reveal something glorious: Because I am your High Priest, you are becoming priests.

Not in the old Levitical sense—those shadows have passed away. But in a new, greater sense—you are being made a royal priesthood, priests unto God.

What does this mean?

1. You have direct access to the Father through Me.

You don’t need a human mediator. You don’t need to go through a priest, a pastor, a church hierarchy. You can come boldly to the throne of grace yourself (Hebrews 4:16) because I have opened the way through My blood (Hebrews 10:19-22).

2. You offer spiritual sacrifices to God.

Not animal sacrifices—those are obsolete. But spiritual sacrifices:

- The sacrifice of praise (Hebrews 13:15)

- The sacrifice of your body as a living offering (Romans 12:1)

- The sacrifice of doing good and sharing (Hebrews 13:16)

- The sacrifice of a broken and contrite heart (Psalm 51:17)

- The sacrifice of giving financially to God’s work (Philippians 4:18)

3. You minister to God in worship.

The primary function of priests was to minister to God—to serve Him, worship Him, honor Him. You are called to the same function. Your life is an act of worship, a continual offering of devotion to the Father.

4. You minister to others in service.

Priests also ministered to the people—teaching, blessing, interceding. As My royal priesthood, you’re called to minister to others:

- Interceding for them in prayer

- Speaking truth and encouragement to them

- Serving their physical and spiritual needs

- Bearing their burdens (Galatians 6:2)

- Teaching them the Word (Colossians 3:16)

5. You proclaim the excellencies of God.

You’re priests with a prophetic voice—declaring God’s greatness, testifying to His goodness, proclaiming His Gospel, announcing His Kingdom.

But here’s the key: You can only function as priests because I am your High Priest. Your priestly ministry flows from Mine. You don’t serve independently—you serve in union with Me, empowered by Me, representing Me.

Apart from Me, you can do nothing (John 15:5). But in Me, abiding in Me, drawing life from Me, you can do all things through Me who strengthens you (Philippians 4:13).

Drawing Near with Confidence

“Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.” (Hebrews 10:19-22)

Beloved Bride, here is the practical application of everything I’ve been revealing about My priesthood: DRAW NEAR.

The veil in the Temple—the thick curtain that separated the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies—represented the barrier between humanity and God. Only the High Priest could pass through it, and only once per year, and only with blood.

But when I died on the cross, that veil was torn in two from top to bottom (Matthew 27:51)—torn by God, not by human hands—signifying that the way into God’s presence is now open to all who come through Me.

The writer of Hebrews says I inaugurated “a new and living way…through the veil, that is, His flesh.” My body—My flesh—was the true veil. When My flesh was torn on the cross, the way was opened. My death became your access.

Now you can draw near with confidence—not timid, fearful, uncertain—but bold, assured, convinced that you will be received.

Why such confidence?

- Because of the blood of Jesus—it has cleansed you perfectly

- Because of the great priest over the house of God—I am interceding for you constantly

- Because your heart has been sprinkled clean—your conscience is purged from guilt

- Because your body has been washed—you’ve been sanctified, set apart

You have full assurance of faith. Not arrogance in yourself, but confidence in My finished work.

So draw near:

- In prayer: “Let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16)

- In worship: Approach the Father with thanksgiving, praise, adoration

- In intimacy: Fellowship with Me, commune with Me, abide in Me

- In obedience: Walk in My ways, follow My leading, trust My Word

Don’t stand at a distance. Don’t shrink back in fear. Don’t let condemnation keep you away. I have opened the way—now walk in it!

Holding Fast Your Confession

“Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.” (Hebrews 4:14)

“Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.” (Hebrews 10:23)

Because I am your faithful and merciful High Priest, you can hold fast to your confession of faith without wavering.

What is this “confession”? It’s your declaration of faith in Me—that I am the Christ, the Son of the living God (Matthew 16:16); that I died for your sins, was buried, and rose again on the third day (1 Corinthians 15:3-4); that I am Lord and Savior (Romans 10:9).

The temptation will come to let go of this confession:

- When suffering comes, to doubt My goodness

- When prayers seem unanswered, to question My faithfulness

- When sin entangles, to feel disqualified from My grace

- When persecution arises, to compromise for comfort

- When false teachers speak, to be led astray by deception

But the writer of Hebrews says repeatedly: HOLD FAST. DON’T LET GO. DON’T DRIFT AWAY.

Why can you hold fast? Because He who promised is faithful. Not because you’re strong, but because I am faithful. Not because your grip is secure, but because My grip on you is unbreakable.

Remember what I told you earlier: “I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand” (John 10:28-29).

Your perseverance is guaranteed not by your faithfulness to Me, but by My faithfulness to you.

This doesn’t mean you sit passively and do nothing. The command is “hold fast”—that’s active, ongoing, intentional. But you hold fast in My strength, not your own. You persevere in My power, not yours.

And what gives you the strength to hold fast? The fact that you have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens and now sits at the Father’s right hand interceding for you, ensuring that your faith will not fail.

The Mercy Seat: Where Grace and Justice Meet

“Therefore He had to be made like His brethren in all things, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.” (Hebrews 2:17)

I want to take you back to one more Old Covenant image that prophetically pointed to My priesthood: the Mercy Seat.

In the Most Holy Place—the Holy of Holies—sat the Ark of the Covenant. Inside the Ark were the tablets of the Law (God’s righteous requirements), Aaron’s rod (representing priestly authority), and a jar of manna (representing God’s provision). On top of the Ark was the Mercy Seat (kapporeth in Hebrew, from the root kaphar meaning “to cover” or “to atone”).

Once a year, on the Day of Atonement, the High Priest would sprinkle blood on the Mercy Seat (Leviticus 16:14-15). This blood would cover the Law inside the Ark, symbolically satisfying God’s justice and releasing His mercy.

I am the true Mercy Seat (Romans 3:25, where “propitiation” can also be translated “mercy seat”).

The Law inside the Ark represents God’s righteous demands—demands you could never meet. But My blood, sprinkled on the Mercy Seat of heaven, covers those demands perfectly.

God’s justice is satisfied—the Law’s penalty has been paid. And God’s mercy is released—forgiveness flows freely to all who come to the Mercy Seat by faith.

This is where grace and justice meet—in Me. The Father doesn’t have to choose between being just and being merciful. In Me, He is both simultaneously. He is just, for He punished sin fully in Me. And He is the justifier of the one who has faith in Me (Romans 3:26).

When you come to Me as your merciful High Priest, you’re coming to the Mercy Seat. And there you find:

- Mercy for your failures
- Grace for your weaknesses
- Forgiveness for your sins
- Cleansing for your conscience
- Acceptance despite your unworthiness
- Assurance of eternal security

All because I am both the High Priest who ministers at the Mercy Seat AND the Mercy Seat itself where My blood was sprinkled.

Perfected Through Suffering, Perfecting You Through Suffering

“For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to perfect the author of their salvation through sufferings.” (Hebrews 2:10)

“Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things which He suffered. And having been made perfect, He became to all those who obey Him the source of eternal salvation.” (Hebrews 5:8-9)

I need to address something that often confuses people: How could I be “made perfect” or “perfected through suffering” if I was already the sinless Son of God?

The perfection spoken of here is not moral perfection—I never had any moral imperfection. Rather, it’s experiential perfection or complete qualification for My role as High Priest.

To be a merciful High Priest who can sympathize with your weaknesses, I had to experientially go through human suffering:

- I had to learn obedience in the context of suffering—not that I was ever disobedient, but I had to experientially obey the Father through the suffering of the cross

- I had to be tested, tried, and proven in every way humanity is tested

- I had to finish the course of suffering that the Father laid out for Me

Once I had completed this journey—once I had suffered, died, risen, and ascended—I was perfectly qualified (made complete, brought to the goal) to serve as your eternal High Priest.

And here’s the application to you: I am perfecting you through suffering as well.

“For whom the Lord loves He disciplines, and He scourges every son whom He receives” (Hebrews 12:6). The Father is treating you as sons, conforming you to My image, making you like Me—and that process involves suffering.

Not suffering as punishment—that was already borne by Me on the cross. But suffering as training, refining, strengthening, proving:

- Testing your faith to show it’s genuine (1 Peter 1:6-7)

- Producing endurance so you may be perfect and complete (James 1:2-4)

- Conforming you to My image by sharing in My sufferings (Romans 8:17)

- Preparing you for glory which far outweighs all affliction (2 Corinthians 4:17)

- Teaching you to trust Me more fully when you can’t understand (Proverbs 3:5-6)

As your High Priest, I don’t remove all suffering—I walk with you through it. I don’t spare you from trials—I sustain you in them. I don’t give you escape from discipline—I give you grace to endure it.

And the result? You’re being perfected, just as I was perfected—made complete, brought to maturity, prepared for glory.

The Benediction of Your High Priest

“Now the God of peace, who brought up from the dead the great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the eternal covenant, even Jesus our Lord, equip you in every good thing to do His will, working in us that which is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.” (Hebrews 13:20-21)

Beloved Bride, as your High Priest, I now pronounce this blessing over you—the same blessing that closes the book of Hebrews:

The God of peace (not the God of chaos, confusion, or condemnation) has brought Me up from the dead. I am the Great Shepherd of the sheep—I not only died for you, but I rose again and now live to care for you, guide you, protect you (Psalm 23; John 10:11).

Through the blood of the eternal covenant, you have been reconciled to the Father, forgiven, cleansed, and granted access to His presence.

And now the Father is working in you—not leaving you to figure it out on your own, but actively equipping you with everything you need to do His will.

He is working in you that which is pleasing in His sight. You’re not trying to manufacture righteousness—He’s producing it in you. You’re not striving to be good enough—He’s making you good by His own work.

And all of this is through Me, Jesus Christ your Lord. Not bypassing Me, not apart from Me, but through Me as the Mediator, through Me as the High Priest, through Me as the life-giving Spirit dwelling in you.

To Me be the glory forever and ever. Not to you—you’re the Bride being prepared. Not to human effort—that always fails. But to Me, to whom all glory belongs.

Amen. So be it.

Drawing Near to Your High Priest

So, beloved, what will you do with this revelation of My priesthood?

Will you draw near with confidence, or stay at a distance in fear?

Will you hold fast your confession, or let it slip away when trials come?

Will you offer spiritual sacrifices as a royal priest, or live as if you have no access to God?

Will you feed on Me daily through the Word and prayer, or starve yourself spiritually?

Will you rest in My finished work, or keep trying to earn what I’ve freely given?

Will you trust My intercession, or doubt whether I can keep you saved?

I am your merciful and faithful High Priest. I have done everything necessary to bring you into perfect fellowship with the Father. I continue to do everything necessary to keep you in that fellowship. And I will complete everything necessary to present you faultless before His throne.

Your part is to believe, to receive, to draw near, to abide.

The five wise virgins understood this. They knew they needed the oil—the Holy Spirit’s anointing—and they made sure their lamps were full. They knew the Bridegroom was coming, and they prepared diligently. When He arrived, they were ready.

Are you ready? Is your lamp full of oil? Do you know Me as your High Priest, your Mediator, your Advocate?

The Day is approaching. The Bridegroom is coming. The Great High Priest who passed through the heavens will soon return to receive His Bride.

And when that day comes, may you be found faithful, having drawn near, having held fast, having run the race with endurance, looking to Me, the author and perfecter of your faith.

Until then, I am interceding for you at the Father’s right hand. I am ministering divine life to you by My Spirit. I am keeping you by My power. I will not lose you.

This is My priestly promise to you, My Bride.

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Next in the series: JESUS THE KING—The Eternal Ruler

In the final article of this series, we will explore how Jesus as King rules over all creation, reigns from the Father’s right hand, and is preparing to return as King of kings and Lord of lords. We’ll see how His Kingdom is everlasting, how we are being prepared to reign with Him, and how the glorious consummation of all things will reveal His kingly majesty forever.

Until then, draw near to your High Priest. Let Him minister to you. Let Him intercede for you. Let Him fill you with the oil of His joy.

To the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen. (Jude 25)

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“Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession.” (Hebrews 4:14)

In the articles that follow, we meticulously examine:

JESUS AS PROPHET: The Final Word (Hebrews 1-2)

JESUS AS PRIEST: The Merciful Mediator (Hebrews 3-10)

JESUS AS KING: The Eternal Ruler (Hebrews 1, 11-13)

THE Grace Awakening

THE Grace Awakening Study Guide

Who is Craig Rogers and KINGDOM Empowered?

Come Meet King Jesus

THE GRACE AWAKENING for Those Left Behind

The American Remnant - Left Behind Plan