Hebrews Part 3

Intro

what does it mean to be close to God?

before Christ, it is a seemingly asymptotic relationship

Jesus is a better high priest

Better High Priest

something he said earlier and is developing now

something extremely relevant to the Jews and their culture

a position that has been held since Aaron or arguably even further

the one who enters the Holy of Holies sacrificing for the sins of the people

the one who has a relationship with God closer than everyone, yet still veiled away from him

the one approaching God on our behalf

the one called out from amongst the people

with Jesus all of that changes

Melchizedek

righteous king of peace

a mysterious character only referenced elsewhere

the kings go out to war as they often do

Lot and all that he has is captured after he and Abram split ways

Abram takes the men that he has, which is not a sizable force and defeat the enemy and take Lot back

the come to meet with the king of Sodom and Melchizedek afterward

how does he know God if he is not one of these people, where is this place, is he a person

more questions than answers, but the point you are meant to see is that he arrives before the presence of God comes to Abram and gives him the promise that will eventually lead to Jesus

this is the order I think that Jesus fulfills in being our high priest

that he suffered in our place as was foretold, so we can be in the presence of God

Obedience and Suffering

Jesus obeys and suffers and those words are different than what you and I presuppose in our context

The Hebrew idea of “hearing”

hear O Israel

if you know something is right you have no reason not to do it

Jesus did everything appointed for him to do from the beginning no matter the difficulty

that he might better relate to you

that he might bring you closer to the untouchable or imaginable

that you might truly have faith that through him you can be more than what you are

closer to God than man

Application

you have heard

you know

what is stopping you?