In the epistle to the Hebrews, Christians are looked upon as traveling through the desert, and Christ is spoken of as both "the Apostle and High Priest of our profession." We find this in type in Moses who came out from God with His word to the people as an apostle, and in Aaron, the high priest, who went into the presence of God with the blood of atonement for the people. Both are found in Christ.
In chapter 1 we have Christ as the Apostle. He comes from God to us, revealing all His mind—nay, Himself. In chapter 2 we have Him as the High Priest who goes back in all His suitability to the office, because He is a man. But when He really enters upon His priestly office for us, He goes to represent a reconciled people before God. They are looked upon in their journey here below on earth, and there is no mention in the Hebrews of their being seated in Christ Jesus in heavenly places. Christians are ever there, of course, but are not so seen in this epistle. Having then the ability (chap. 1), and suitability of Christ as High Priest (chap. 2), we are told to "consider Him" in these two characters—the "Apostle" who came from God to us, and the "High Priest" who has gone for us to God.
Then in chapters 3 and 4 we find the people in the wilderness on their journey; and in the end of chapter 4 we have the two instruments by which He carries His people through the wilderness. First, the Word of God—not in its formative, but (as verse 12 shows) in its detective character—"The word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." The Word of God looks down into your heart while you are in this place of weakness—as His eye—and if there is a thought or purpose there not of God, it deals with you, it "discerns" it. It deals with the will, and when this will would lead you aside, the Word exposes its workings in its true character.
The second instrument is the priesthood of Christ to meet and sustain us in our weakness. If the Word of God in its breaking down power was all we had, we should say that it was very disheartening. But it is not all. There is a great deal more. "Having therefore a great high priest who has passed through the heavens" (J. N. D. Trans.)—the Son of God—not one who cannot be touched with the feeling of our weaknesses (this is the same word as in 2 Cor. 13:44For though he was crucified through weakness, yet he liveth by the power of God. For we also are weak in him, but we shall live with him by the power of God toward you. (2 Corinthians 13:4), He was "crucified through weakness") for He was in all points tempted like as we are, except sin. A true heart looks for His sympathy, not with sin, but with the weakness; He looks for us to have common feeling with His against sin. Then He goes on—"Let us approach therefore with boldness to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy, and find grace for seasonable [or timely] help." Heb. 4:1616Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need. (Hebrews 4:16); J.N.D. Trans.
There is a great difference between "timely help" and "help in time of need." Suppose you are walking across the street and fall down and hurt yourself, and I run and help you up—that is help in time of need. But suppose I see you are likely to fall, and I hold you up to prevent your doing so—this' would be "timely help." Now, there is a Priest—Christ in glory—who knows your nature, and that you are likely to fall at any moment. What then is to keep you? Let us go boldly to Him that we may obtain mercy, and find grace for "timely help." What then is the language of your heart? "Hold Thou me up, and I shall be safe." If the heart is always in the consciousness of weakness, knowing its need of being held up, it will rejoice in His timely succor. On our side there is the sense of weakness; on His side there is ability to meet that weakness; and God's instruments to prevent the saint from falling are thus effectual.
We stand in the consciousness of sins having been put away and deliverance from our standing as children of Adam. We have been brought into an entirely new place, with the question of sin and sins all settled, and redemption complete, and we draw near boldly to the throne of grace.
The epistle to the Hebrews is really the complement of that to the Romans. Romans sets us in divine righteousness with God, while Hebrews maintains us there. In Rom. 5:1010For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. (Romans 5:10) we are said to be "saved by His life," and in Rom. 8:3434Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. (Romans 8:34), "who also maketh intercession for us." In Hebrews we find allusion to both—He is gone on high (Heb. 1:33Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; (Hebrews 1:3)), and "ever /iv eth to make intercession for them" (Heb. 7:2525Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. (Hebrews 7:25)).