For several years now, I have known that Jesus Christ serves as our High Priest in the new covenant of grace. However, this knowledge has come to me in new understanding as I read Aldworth Cowan’s book titled “God’s Tent: The Tabernacle for Today” as well as meditated on Hebrews chapters 4 to 10. I pray that as we discuss on this subject, Christ will reveal to us who He is in the new covenant and what it means for Him to be the Great High Priest. I pray that we will also understand what was accomplished on the cross through Christ’s death; and our rich spiritual inheritance as believers in the new covenant.Hebrews 4:14-16 states, “Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” This scripture is clear that Jesus the Son of God is our Great High Priest. In order for us to fully understand what that means, it is helpful for us to look at the Old Covenant, the Old Testament Tabernacle and the role of the high priest in the old covenant.
According to Cowan (1980), a covenant is an agreement between two or more persons. A covenant may be between man and man (e.g. Jacob and Laban; David and Jonathan) or between God and man. In the divine covenant, God was always on a higher level reaching down to make agreement with mankind, entirely as an act of grace. Examples of divine covenants in the Old Testament include one in which God made with Adam in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 2:17; one with Noah (Genesis 6:18); another with Abraham (Genesis 12:12); one with David (2nd Samuel 7:16); and one at Sinai referred to as the Mosaic covenant (Exodus 19:5).
In Exodus chapter 25 to 31, Moses was given the actual pattern of the tabernacle together with detailed instructions regarding its materials and furnishings. The word “tabernacle” comes from two Hebrew words, “ohel” and “mishkan” which mean “tent” and “dwelling”, respectively. The tabernacle was therefore a designated tent in which God was willing to meet his people. No wonder it is severally referred to also as “The Tent of Meeting”, “the tabernacle of the Testimony”, “the Lord’s house” and “God’s Tent” (Exodus 36:8; 35:21; 35:11; 36:21; Joshua 6:24; 2nd Chronicles 1:3). The primary objective of the tabernacle was so that God would dwell amongst His people (Exodus 25:8).
The tabernacle in the old covenant was a representation or shadow of the heavenly tabernacle in which Jesus Christ, our Great High Priest, would serve in the New Covenant. Hebrews 8:5-6 states, “They [earthly priests] serve at a sanctuary that is a copy and shadow of what is in heaven. This is why Moses was warned when he was about to build the tabernacle: ‘See to it that you make everything according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.’ But in fact the ministry Jesus has received is as superior to theirs as the covenant of which he is mediator is superior to the old one, since the new covenant is established on better promises.” Upon His resurrection and glorification, Christ sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven and serves in the true tabernacle set up by the Lord, not by man (Romans 8:2).
The entrance gate to the tabernacle was only one and was found on the East side. The curtain upon the entrance was multi-coloured (in woven white, blue, purple and red) which was a great contrast to the wall of plain white linen around the tabernacle that signified God’s righteous deeds (Revelation 19:8). As the repentant sinner entered the outer courts of God’s dwelling, it was purely a work of God’s grace and it had nothing to do with their righteous deeds.
There is also a great significance to the single entrance through which any one accessing the tabernacle, whether priest or repentant sinner, had to go through. It points to the fact that there is only one way to the Father: Jesus Christ. John 14:6 states, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” Depending on their location of settlement, the Israelites might have approached the tabernacle using different routes, but only one single entrance was available into God’s dwelling place. The post-modern society has fallen for the deception that there are many ways through which to access God. The new age movement is one of such that propagate this lie. The truth is, there is only one way, Jesus Christ.
Once a person entered the outer court of the tabernacle, they found an altar with a priest waiting beside it. The Hebrew meaning of the word “altar” is a place where sacrifice is made. The altar was square and on its four corners were horns which were used to tether animals waiting for sacrifice. Additionally, a person who was wrongly accused of murder could run to the altar for safety and grab hold of one of the horns, and if innocent would be protected. The altar was therefore not only a place of sacrifice but also a place of refuge. It was not possible to offer praise or thanksgiving to God without making use of the altar. A sacrifice had to be offered to seek forgiveness of sins, just as Hebrews 9:22b-23a states, “… without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. It was necessary then, for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these sacrifices, ….”
The principle of substitution was observed in that a lamb had to die for the sinful. The repentant sinner laid his hand on the head of the sacrificial lamb to identify himself with the one who was about to die, and then he killed the innocent lamb. According to Leviticus 4:28-31, the priest would take the blood with his finger and put it on the horns of the altar of burnt offering and pour out the rest of the blood at the base of the altar. The fat would be removed and burnt on the altar as an aroma pleasing to God. In this way the priest would make atonement for the repentant sinner and he would be forgiven.
This process was a fore shadow of God’s providence for mankind’s redemption of sin in the new covenant. As the repentant sinner walked into the tabernacle with their sacrificial lamb, this was a confession of his/ her sin. Jesus Christ would be the sacrificial lamb that would pay the penalty for our sin in the new covenant. Noteworthy is that atonement involved a “cover up of sin” and not “taking away of sin”. The Hebrew verb for “make atonement” means “to cover over”. As Hebrews 10:4 states, “… it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.” Since the sin was merely covered up, perpetual sacrifices had to be made for the committed sins. Christ sacrificed for our sins once and for all, for He is the perfect sacrifice (Hebrews 7:26-28). Only Jesus the Lamb of God, takes away sin. John the Baptist received this revelation and exclaimed, “Look the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”- John 1:29.
Also in the outer court, in between the altar of sacrifice and the tabernacle, was the bronze basin which contained water used by the priests to wash their hands and feet, prior to entering the Holy Place (Exodus 30:17-21). The reason for the washing was that “so that they may not die”. The floor of both the tabernacle and its outer court was bare earth and so the feet of the priest would pick up dust as he walked. Cowan (1980) states, “As we walk through the world our feet pick up its dust. As we work in the world our hands get grimy, and we too need to return time and time again for the washing away of all that contaminates.” Christ cleanses her bride by the washing with water through the word (Ephesians 5:26). God’s Word is invaluable in the life of a believer, for by it we are sanctified (John 17:17).
Inside the first room of the tabernacle, known as the Holy Place, there was a lampstand, the table on which was placed the consecrated bread and the gold altar of incense (Exodus 40:1-5, 20-27). The room did not have windows and was therefore lit by the golden lampstand which consisted of three parts: the base, the shaft and six branches. At the top of the central shaft and each of the six branches were saucers on which seven oil lamps rested. Twice every day, morning and evening, a priest attended to the wick and replenished the oil of the lamps (Exodus 30:7-8). According to Leviticus 24:2, the lamps were kept burning continually. Jesus Christ is Light, as John 1:4-5 states, “In him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.” Also, John 8:12 states, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
The table, is a furniture onto which twelve loaves of bread were placed in two rows. Pure incense was to be put along each row as an offering to the Lord. This bread was to be set out before the Lord regularly, Sabbath after Sabath, on behalf of the Israelites (Leviticus 24:5-9). Jesus Christ is the bread of life; those who come to Him will never go hungry (John 6:35). The Old Covenant provided for bread made with human hands, which Aaron and his sons would eat Sabbath after Sabbath. The New Covenant provides for bread from heaven, Jesus Christ, and is available not only to Aaron and his sons, but also to all who hunger for Him. Luke 1:53, which is an excerpt of Mary’s song refers to this rich spiritual blessing: “He has filled the hungry with good things ….”
The golden altar of incense was placed in front of the curtain facing the Ark of the Covenant and incense was to be burnt on it every morning and evening (Exodus 30:7-8). In the New Covenant, Jesus Christ gave Himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God (Ephesians 5:2). By reason of the work Christ accomplished on the cross, in Him, we too who believe are made the fragrance/ aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing (2nd Corinthians 2:15).
The second room in the tabernacle was called the Most Holy Place and was separated from the first by a curtain. In it was found the gold covered Ark of the Covenant (also known as the Testimony) which contained the gold jar of manna, Aaron’s staff that budded and the stone of the covenant. Above the ark were the cherubim of the Glory, overshadowing the atonement cover (mercy seat) - Exodus 26:31-34; 37:1-9; Hebrews 9:4-5. It is in the Most Holy Place, at the Ark of the Covenant, that God would meet Moses and the High Priest and there speak with His servants (Exodus 25:22, 30:6).
Only priests could access the Holy Place and they were chosen from the tribe of Levites, and specifically from Aaron and his four sons: Nadab, Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar. According to Hebrews 5:1, priests were selected among men to represent them in matters related to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. Their duties included service in the sanctuary (Exodus 40:12-15; Numbers 18:5), teaching the Israelites God’s laws (Ezra 7:12) and seeking God’s guidance on behalf of the nation (1st Samuel 7:5). Only the High Priest, could access the Most Holy Place, and that would only be once a year, on the Day of Atonement. Hebrews 9:7 states, “But only the high priest entered the inner room, and that only once a year, and never without blood, which he offered for himself and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance.” The author of Hebrews states that as long as this tabernacle stood, the way into the Most Holy Place was yet to be disclosed.
Great and profound, divine workings took place on the cross that made a way for God’s children into the Most Holy Place. When Jesus gave up His spirit and died, at that very moment, the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom (Matthew 27:51). Halleluhya to the Most High God! The way into the Most Holy Place was disclosed. What a great spiritual blessing it is to be able to access the throne of grace each moment of the day, contrary to the Old Covenant whereby only the High Priest could access the mercy seat once a year. Indeed a new order is here; one that is far much greater and better!
Unlike the High Priests who approached His presence with much fear and dread because any sin meant death in God’s presence, believers in the New Covenant have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, which is Jesus’ body. We have a great, permanent and perfect priest over the house of God. For this reason, we can draw near to God in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water (Hebrews 10:19-22). What a great blessing it is that we can approach the throne of grace with confidence, and therein we receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need (Hebrews 4:16).
At the entrance to the courtyard of the tabernacle, Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life. At the altar of burnt offerings, Jesus is the Sacrificial Lamb of God that takes away sin. At the bronze basin for washing, Jesus is the Word that sanctifies us to the uttermost. At the table in the Holy place, Jesus is the bread of life. At the gold lampstand opposite the table with bread, Jesus is the Light of the World. At the altar of burnt incense, Jesus is the Fragrance to God. At the veil to the Most Holy Place, Jesus is the New and Living Way to the Father. Indeed, Jesus is our All in All! He alone deserves all our worship!
Jesus is the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him and is designated by God to be the high priest in the order of Melchizedek (Hebrews 5:9-10). The New Covenant came with a change of priesthood, for Jesus has become our Great High Priest not on the basis of regulation as to Levitical ancestry but on the basis of an indestructible life (Hebrews 7:16). With God’s oath, He has been made a priest forever, and thus a guarantee of a better covenant (Hebrews 7:22). He meets our needs, for He is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners and exalted above the heavens (Hebrews 7:26). You and I ought to be forever grateful for Christ’s work on Calvary.
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