high priest | Two Minutes With Tim

Who am I? Who are you?

A few days ago, I wrote about being included. Click here to read that post.

I mentioned how the people living in these far off places were included by God. As in, God thought that they were important enough for Peter to write to them.

Here are the first three verses of I Peter for reference.

“Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To God’s elect, exiles scattered throughout the provinces of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia, who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to be obedient to Jesus Christ and sprinkled with his blood: Grace and peace be yours in abundance.” I Peter 1:1-3 NIV

The saints were included because of the sacrifice that Christ made on the cross.

Let me rearrange the wording: They were Included in Christ.

And because the were included in Christ, they could then Identify with Christ.

It is one thing to believe in what Jesus did on the cross.
But does that belief equal lifestyle?

When Christ finally died on that cross, something unique happened. It is recorded for us in Matthew 27:51;

“At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.”

From top to bottom! God did the ripping!

ripping of the veil

Now, what was open only to the high priest once a year, the holy of holies was open to the public! Anyone could enter into relationship with God.

The invite is there, we just need to accept and then attend!

I am included in Christ. If you have given your life to him, then you are also included.

Now we can go forward and be identified with Christ.

Let your life match up with your identity. If it be Christ, then live that way.

There is unlimited power and resource. We have access to the Word.

Be the person God desires you to be.

After all, he chose you.

indentity print

Yesterday was Yom Kippur. Actually, it started yesterday at sundown and goes through sundown today. There are many details about this Jewish holiday but I won’t (mainly because I don’t know them) explain them here.

Here is the one main thing I want to relay to you today regarding Yom Kippur:

7. During biblical times, Yom Kippur was the only day that a high priest was allowed to enter the inner sanctum of the Holy Temple of Jerusalem, known as the Holy of Holies.

The reason it is listed as number 7 is because it comes from a list on this website.

This practice of the high priest being allowed into the Holy of Holies originated with Moses and Aaron in the Old Testament. Leviticus 16 describes the process of how Aaron, the high priest, was to enter the Holy of Holies.

tabernacle-diagram

This diagram show the tabernacle that Moses and Aaron would have been using. Between the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies is a curtain. It ran from ceiling to floor and was thick. No light would pass through it. Here is one artist’s rendition.

tabernacle-colored

That little room that housed the Ark of the Covenant was completely dark and no one entered into it, ever. Except the high priest once a year on the Day of Atonement, which is Yom Kippur. God told Moses that Aaron would die if he entered whenever he wanted to. Now there was a process.

Read Leviticus 16 to get the full picture. I will sum it up for you.

One time a year, the high priest would enter the Holy of Holies to receive forgiveness for the sins of the people of Israel. He could only do this if he sprinkles the blood of the sacrifice on the Ark before he comes into the room. Only after the blood was applied could the priest seek God.

Without the blood, he would die. Literally.

Now transition with me to the present. Here is the state we are in right now.

Without the blood, we would die. Figuratively. Our sin has separated us from God. It is like that huge thick curtain is blocking our way to God. And if not dealt with, we are dead. Our spirits are dead to God without the blood and our bodies will die someday as well.

What we need is a Divine Transfusion. Our blood is tainted. It is sick, corrupt. We need the blood of Jesus to flow in our veins.

One of my favorite verses come from Hebrews 9. Verse 12 states the following truth;

“He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves; but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption.”

I am going to write more about this next week so I leave you with this tidbit:

Today can be your Day of Atonement. You can receive your Divine Transfusion.

his-blood

If you already have been cleansed by His blood, rejoice and be thankful for His grace and mercy in your life today.

See you next week!