No Other Rock

We have . . . an high priest. ~ Hebrews 8:1

Today’s devotion takes the idea of priesthood in a direction I never really considered. Baxter begins by confirming the message in the saying; “We could not stand for a moment down here, if He were not living for us up there.”

But then he goes on to opine that Christ was never a priest while on earth. I had never considered that aspect, but find his suggestion both convincing and compelling.

Whenever He went to the temple, it was as a prophet to teach, not as a priest to sacrifice or burn incense. By human descent He was neither in the tribe of Levi nor in the family of Aaron, but of Judah (7:14; 8:4). The only priesthood God ever appointed on earth was the Aaronic; therefore, to go back to an earthly priest-class as the Romanists do, is to retrogress to Old Testament concepts which are no abrogated and superseded.

Again, a very thought-provoking reference, but it is the next line that really has me pondering much: “Earthly priesthood is done away in Christ, except in the sense that all believers are priests. Baxter then makes the two following references:

• I Peter 2:5 – you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
• Revelation 1:6 – To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, 6and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father—to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen.
• Revelation 5:10 – You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth.

Today, my prayer for you and I is that we will see ourselves as living stones for Christ.