Shadow of Good Things

February 24

“For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin,” Hebrews 4:15.

Aaron, the elder brother of Moses, was the first high priest and the progenitor of the priestly class in Ancient Israel. The high priest was tasked with entering the Most Holy Place, or Holy of Holies, once a year to offer a sacrifice for the sins of the people on the Day of Atonement or Yom Kippur.

But the blood of sheep and goats could not cleanse us from sin. That task required a pure and holy Savior. In Hebrews 10:1-7, that sacrifice is proclaimed:

“The law is only a shadow of the good things that are coming—not the realities themselves. For this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect those who draw near to worship. Otherwise, would they not have stopped being offered? For the worshipers would have been cleansed once for all, and would no longer have felt guilty for their sins. But those sacrifices are an annual reminder of sins. It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.

"Therefore, when Christ came into the world, he said: 'Sacrifice and offering you did not desire, but a body you prepared for me; with burnt offerings and sin offerings you were not pleased.' Then I said, ‘Here I am—it is written about me in the scroll—I have come to do your will, my God.’”

In order to be our High Priest, Jesus offered the sacrifice that satisfied the just requirement, that forever paid the penalty, which met the awful price required to atone for our sin. He walked in our place when He climbed Golgotha’s hill, He took our punishment when He was nailed to the cross, He paid the complete recompense for our sin when His blood forever washed away our transgression!

Our Heavenly High Priest, unlike every other sacrifice, shall live forever; and He knows us and empathizes with us, for He walked among us! If we will but accept Christ’s atonement for our sin, we, shall abide with Him forever.