DAILY ENCOURAGEMENT 07-24-2014 CHRIST’S INTERCESSION By Fred Trokie Hebrews 7:23-28 23 The former priests, on the one hand, existed in greater numbers because they were prevented by death from continuing, 24 but Jesus, on the other hand, because He continues forever, holds His priesthood permanently. 25 Therefore He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them. 26 For it was fitting for us to have such a high priest, holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners and exalted above the heavens; 27 who does not need daily, like those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the sins of the people, because this He did once for all when He offered up Himself. 28 For the Law appoints men as high priests who are weak, but the word of the oath, which came after the Law, appoints a Son, made perfect forever. His intercession is expressed by saying that He draws near to God for us and upon our behalf. The word means to meet with, to talk with. To meet, or approach one for another. Romans 8:34 says: who is he that condemneth? It is Christ Jesus that died, yea rather, that was raised from the dead, who is at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us. Christ is called our Advocate 1 John 2:1 says: My little children, these things write I unto you that ye may not sin. And if any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. The Advocate is therefore in the comprehensive sense of the word, a helper, whatever may be the specific nature of the aid afforded. The guilty, the ignorant, and the friendless, when arraigned before a tribunal of justice, need above all things an advocate; one who will undertake their cause; present a plea in their behalf; and use all his influence to secure their acquittal; it is in this sense especially that Christ is set forth as our our Advocate. He appears at the bar of God for us. He pleads our cause. He presents his work of obedience and suffering as the ground of our justification. He exerts his influence, the influence of his character as the Son of God in whom the Father is ever well pleased, and whom He heareth always, as well as the influence due to Him in virtue of the covenant of redemption, and the perfect fulfilment of its conditions, to secure for his people all the good that they need. It is, therefore, especially in passages which speak of justification, and of judicial process, that Christ’s intercession is brought into view. Hebrews 9:24 24 For Christ has entered, not into holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf. Christ presents Himself before God as our representative. His official character, and His finished work, plead for us before the throne of God. God regards us with all the favour which is due to Christ. His presence, therefore, is a perpetual and prevailing intercession with God in behalf of his people, and secures for them all the benefits of his redemption. God Bless - Fred
Posted on: Wed, 23 Jul 2014 23:25:56 +0000