WE touched upon the Lord's glory and exaltation in our last issue: we now return to the theme again, for it is a great verity of the Christian faith, and which, if duly recognized, delivers from a variety of religious notions unworthy of His Name.
Truth never changes. What do we believe? Our faith governs our spiritual experiences. Do we exalt Christ by our faith in the truth respecting Him, and bring our thoughts to His feet? or do we lean to certain religious ideas because we live in the nineteenth century ? Things are none the less true whether believed or not by us. Before Christ came, Jehovah ordained that His people should have a system of worship which was of an earthly character. Gold, purple, fine linen, and the like, were used of God as symbols of heavenly things, and, through these things of earth, God purposed that the minds of men should reach up to Himself. But now all that is changed. Spiritual and heavenly things are presented by God for the occupation of the Christian's mind.
Let us consider some of the changes God has made for the honor of His Son, and, while so doing, remember that, if we return to the things in their former state, we are thereby denying the changes God has made, and are so far acting in disobedience to His revelation.
Such as would by their worship perpetuate types and shadows of the good things to come, are really turning their backs on the glories of Christ.
Melchisedec preceded Aaron, and the priesthood of Christ resembles the order of Melchisedec, not that of Aaron. Aaron was a type of many of Christ's offices as High Priest, Melchisedec was a type of Christ in His essential glory, without genealogy, without end of days, abiding a priest continually,
The priesthood is changed. (Heb. 7:1212For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law. (Hebrews 7:12).) Once it was vested by God in a peculiar class or tribe on earth, in men who died and transmitted their office to their successors, but now it is vested in One Person, in God's Son, whom He has made a Priest for ever after the power of an endless life (ver. 16), whose office is not transmissible, as was Aaron's, but is exclusively personal.
It is of great moment for Christians to consider this, for on every hand are men rising up calling themselves priests, boasting in a transmissible office, and the power of making priests. Now from Christ Himself in heaven does the making of priests flow out. He “hath made us . . . priests unto God and His Father." (Rev. 1:66And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. (Revelation 1:6).) This the Lord does Himself, delegating to no one the power. He loves us, He has washed us from our sins, He has made us kings and priests. No earthly notions, no Jewish thoughts Christianized, must be allowed into this sacred work; Christ, whom God has made Priest, and Christ alone, must have the glory of priest-making to God and His Father.
The priesthood is changed, and not changed from one earthly channel, or channel on earth, to another, but from men who were types of Christ to Christ Himself.
A change is made in the law also. (Heb. 7:1212For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law. (Hebrews 7:12).) There is a divine necessity—one becoming God—for this change. Christ was the Priest of God's counsel and purpose, long before the Levitical priesthood was set up, or the law was given. Before Christ, the priesthood and the sacrifices of the law passed away. A transmissible priesthood—men not continuing by reason of death; a system of approach to God which could not make the worshipper perfect as pertaining to the conscience; sacrifices which could never take away sins; all have imperfection marked upon them. The character of such things, viewed according to God, is designated by God the Spirit as “weakness and unprofitableness." These things were fitting and right, and their use was godly “until the time of reformation." But" Christ being come, an High Priest of good things to come " (ch. 9:10, 11) they all had to make way for Him.
It would be most sorrowful unbelief to place the Lord on the same platform as the holy men or sacred things that figured Him. Such things as meats and drinks, and diver’s washings," are, in themselves, but" weak and beggarly elements," though, alas! Many “desire to be in bondage" (Gal. 4:99But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage? (Galatians 4:9)) to them, or to the system they express. But such principles do not accord with Christ's dignity. He has, by the sacrifice of Himself, perfectly glorified God respecting sin, and, by His blood, purged our consciences from dead works to serve God. The whole system of approach to God is therefore changed of necessity; the "shadow" of the "good things" is no more; the “better," the “true," the “more excellent” exists.
Thus by the revelation of Christ a change is made in the thoughts of believers concerning God.
Instead of bringing to God sacrifices for the remission of sins, we rejoice in the remission of our sins through Christ's sacrifice; instead of holy places on earth, we have the Holiest in heaven; instead of worshipping upon a holy mountain or city, the true worshippers worship the Father in spirit and in truth (John 4:2323But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. (John 4:23)). We are brought nigh (Eph. 2:1313But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. (Ephesians 2:13)); we have holy liberty before God (Gal. 5:11Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. (Galatians 5:1)); we have access to the Father (Eph. 2:1818For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father. (Ephesians 2:18)); we have the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father (Rom. 8:1515For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. (Romans 8:15)).
Instead of coming to God through the priests, the sons of Levi, we come to God direct through Jesus Christ, His Son. All intermediaries are swept away by the hand of God, and save by Christ there is no way to God. Even where, as in many parts of Christendom, intermediaries are set up, such as verily draw near to God do so in spite of these intermediaries. Neither tasting, touching, nor handling (Col. 21) forms part of the Christian faith, nor leads one step to God. We must turn our eyes from the earth and lift them to heaven, where Jesus is in the Holiest of all; nor let us be dull of comprehension and suppose that earthly things of sense and sight will aid our devotions, or that by looking on them we shall at length attain to looking at Jesus only; such occupation is burdening the mind with obstacles, as if obstacles were aids to faith. The more our religion is after the pattern of the Jewish model, the less do we see of Christ, and the more it resembles the system which God has changed.
Christ “is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto Him” (1 Pet. 3:2222Who is gone into heaven, and is on the right hand of God; angels and authorities and powers being made subject unto him. (1 Peter 3:22)). He is supreme in His exaltation: He is set by God the Father "at His own right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power, and might, and dominion; and every name that is named, not only in this age, but also in that which is to come." No one on earth with impunity can traverse the divine fact of Christ's exaltation, and we must beware lest powers, angelic or human, or names, whether of angels or of saints, be allowed by us in the remotest way as recipients of those honors which belong to Christ only.
When He was on earth men rejected Him as King; now that He is in heaven many reject Him as Priest. We trace His pathway on earth, and behold the sick and the afflicted being brought to His feet and see Him healing them all. If He were King, ruling over the earth, in His kingdom such sorrows should not prevail. He is perfect in His ways, and peace follows His steps. Never before on earth was such a King, but at length men crowned Him with thorns and crucified Him. He will come again, King of kings and Lord of lords, and to Him all shall bow.
We behold Him in heaven, a Priest in the presence of God. Never before was such a Priest. His priesthood is full of power, gracious power. No soul has ever been to Him in vain; no one has ever brought the sickness of his soul and the suffering of his heart to Jesus and has not been healed. But, alas, His priesthood is denied by men calling themselves priests, whose only boast is authority, for power they have none. Authority without power! Miserable spirituality. In a peculiar way, through the popular religion of the times, Christ is set aside as Priest in the presence of God for us, and we shall honor Him by considering Him in His essential glory and in His divine exaltation, and by rendering Him obedience.