Hebrews 3:1
Part 3
Wherefore . . . consider the Apostle and High Priest
Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus; (Hebrews 3:1)
The Lord Jesus is the messenger of the covenant in His blood. Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts. (Malachi 3:1) The Apostle and Teacher of that covenant of grace and truth is revealed to us in Hebrews 3:1. We read the gospels so lightly not seeing the beauties of Christ, and the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy as we should. When we surrender ourselves to Christ, He then ministers to us as the great Teacher and Apostle, even the messenger of the covenant, and we will see the glory and the majesty of Christ. It is the Spirit of Christ who is the great Teacher. Through the spirit of grace which is brought to our hearts by the Spirit of God; yet all being one Spirit, we see through the word of God the wonders of His glorious character. And we stand amazed in the presence of His love. This verse 1 of Chapter 3 of the Book of Hebrews prepares us for what is to come. All four points of our previous outline leads up to Christ Jesus, and this is where we should be if we are to stay on sturdy ground through the rest of the chapter. This chapter begins with holy brethren, and is for the holy brethren, they should be able to discern what is to come. They have a heavenly calling; this gives them all the resources of heaven. They receive divine wisdom, knowledge, and revelation; plus, we have the Apostle of our faith, the teacher of grace and truth. Then God gives us the authority of our Great High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus. This is a wonderful way to begin this Chapter. The Holy Spirit gives us all the qualifications and instructions in this verse as holy brethren with a heavenly calling. If we pay attention to the great Apostle, the Lord Jesus, we will see the great wonders of this Chapter 3 of Hebrews.
Chapter 3 seems to put the cross behind us as we move on in the life of faith in Christ. And it is our teacher or Apostle, Jesus Christ, who will guide us. We cannot compare Him with those who He had chosen to be His messengers or apostles. The Holy Spirit is doing two things simultaneously: He gives us the true Apostle and teacher to lead us into all truth, and then He gives us the Great High Priest to keep our feet on holy ground, for as He is holy . . . His instruction must be seen in that holiness.
In Chapter 1, we have the Son of God introduced in all His majesty and grace, through the brightness of God’s glory, and the express image of His Person. In Chapter 2 of Hebrews, we have the work of the cross and the victory over death and the devil. In Chapter 3 we have the divine chapter, for the number 3 speaks of all three Persons of the Godhead. We are introduced to a heavenly family, the holy brethren, and their heavenly calling. This relates to how they are called by the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus. This is a wonder of wonders. I suggest that you stop and muse on this thought. Now to continue . . . this is Christ Jesus, the Head over our house, whose house are we. He has gathered us into His house as holy brethren. He has called us to His house with a heavenly calling, and He is now over His house, whose house are we. As the Apostle of our faith, and the founder of our faith, and the giver of our faith we must be taught through His guidance.
If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: (Ephesians 4:21) That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; (Ephesians 4:22) And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; (Ephesians 4:23)
In Ephesians, Paul is relating to us the divine ministry of Christ. This ministry comes from Him directly in the power of the Spirit of God to renew the spirit of our mind by the presence and witness of the Son of God.
For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, (Ephesians 3:14)
Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, (Ephesians 3:15)
That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; (Ephesians 3:16)
That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, (Ephesians 3:17)
May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; (Ephesians 3:18)
And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God. (Ephesians 3:19)
Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, (Ephesians 3:20)
Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen. (Ephesians 3:21)
In Ephesians 3:14-21 the Spirit of God draws light on our verse in Chapter 3 of Hebrews. We have the relationship of a family, and Ephesians draws this out in a closer form. In Ephesians 3:15 we are gathered as a whole family in heaven and in earth. And we are gathered around our Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus. Note: in Hebrews 3:1 and in Ephesians 3:21 it is the Christ of God. Christ means the ‘anointed one,’ for God has anointed Him with the holy oil of gladness, or oil of rejoicing. Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows. (Hebrews 1:9)
This anointing gives the man Christ Jesus all power and authority in both heaven and earth. For God the Father has placed His Son as all authority and that authority is also over His Church, which is His Body. And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence. (Colossians 1:18) He is the Head, and we are the members, or holy brethren, we receive all from the Head, or the Apostle of our faith. Now let us consider the calling of the twelve apostles. Did they have any authority prior to their calling? No. Christ called them by His divine calling. They did not come to Him desiring to be apostles, they were chosen by the Son of God, Jesus Christ. They were directly taught by Him who holds the winds in His fists. They were sent out by Him, by His command. He gave them divine authority, and when they returned, they reported directly to Him. This reveals the position of Apostle in Hebrews 3:1. He is the Apostle of our faith. When Christ sent them out it was to Israel with the message of the kingdom. That was Israel’s last chance to receive their God. Although these apostles did miracles in the sight of the people and proclaimed the gospel of the kingdom in the name of Christ, their Messiah, the nation did not repent. Their message of repentance towards God was cast off, and this was their report to Christ. All that the apostles had done and seen, even His inner circle (Peter, James and John) did not see the brevity of this final call to Israel. As the Apostle after His resurrection, He taught them for forty days before He was caught up to God the Father. And now, through His Spirit, the Spirit of Christ teaches us the mystery of His calling. We are called as the apostles were called into His Body. We have a relationship with the Spirit of God that He will lead us into all truth. He has all authority to send us where He will, and to teach us what He may; that we, the children of God, should fill up the Body of Christ, and be a representative of His glory.
In the great puzzle of life there are many pieces, those pieces will one day be presented as a great and wonderful picture of all the redeemed in Jesus Christ. God sees that puzzle complete now in His Omniscience; yet, day by day in our time of life He places the pieces in divine order through His heavenly calling. His purpose and will is for us to be conformed to the image of His dear Son, Jesus Christ. We are created to be a soul full of the love of God in Christ Jesus; that the holy brethren on earth would magnify the great Apostle and Bishop of our soul, Jesus Christ. His purpose and will is for us to be conformed to the image of His dear Son, Jesus Christ.
In verse 1 of Chapter 3 of Hebrews we are introduced to the call of the Seraphim’s and cherubim’s, Holy, Holy, Holy. In what way is this phrase Holy, Holy, Holy in this verse? The Lord Jesus is the Holy Apostle, then the Spirit of God reveals the Lord Jesus as the Holy Priest of God, then the Holy or Anointed man, Christ Jesus. But this can only be viewed by the holy brethren with the heavenly calling. When man, or Adam without Christ, picks up the Scriptures and begins to read he only sees words, and phrases, and verses, and chapters and books. Why? Because his eyes are covered with a cloud of unrepentant sin. His eyes need the touch of the Master so that he might see because sin has become a wall to their understanding. When the Lord Jesus came to Israel to deliver them, they would not have Him. Although He did great miracles, and signs and wonders, at the end of His ministry the people of Israel chose a murderer (Barabbas) instead of the Son of God. The nation of Israel had seen the Son of God in His very Person, although His glory was veiled, He did many miracles among them. Many spoke with Him and listened to His great teachings and parables, and the wisdom of God flowed from His lips that it was said that Never man spake like this man. (John 7:46) They not only saw Him, and heard Him, but they touched Him as well; yet they would not believe. The nation as a whole refused her Messiah. Even His apostles and disciples fled at the sound of the Roman drums. But that was then, now the Lord Jesus is in glory He is over the highest heavens, and He communicates to His own by His Spirit and the word of God. We also have the ministration of angels. Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation? (Hebrews 1:14) When a man has saving faith in Christ, he is one of Christ’s holy brethren. He has a heavenly calling, and through this calling Christ ministers to him by His Spirit through the word of God. And the man who does not have the Spirit of God cannot see, nor understand the ministry of Christ. This is where unified religion goes wrong. They presume as Shaphan the scribe in 2 Chronicles 34:18 that the word of God is only a book, this is far from the truth. The word of God has the eyes of the Spirit of God upon the very words, His eyes have been on the word of God since it was given to all the holy men that were led by Him to pen the glorious words of God. The word of God lives and breathes, you ask, How? In every child of God, the word of God is not only part of them but breathes within them. The word of God is just not thought, but the moving of the intelligence of the Spirit of God. He directs us into all truth; therefore, the word of God dwells within the holy brethren with the heavenly calling. As one of the children of God draws his breathe, so the Spirit of God with the word of God reveals the breath of Christ to the heart of that child of God. There is a difference between hearing the word of God and feeling that it is true; and knowing the word of God and knowing that it is true. The Lord Jesus is declared the living, and breathing Word of God in John, Chapter 1. The holy brethren can read the word of God and the Spirit of God that is within them will direct them in all truth and righteousness.
There are many mysteries in our walk of faith; however, the Spirit of God has revealed and will reveal all we need in our path of faith from the word of God. For it is by the word of God He will take me to green pastures, He will lead me to still waters, and He will restore my soul when the load of this world is upon me. The Living Word of God, Jesus Christ, will see me safely through the valley of death. Through His word He will apply the rod of correction and protect me with the staff of direction; although the world come against me, He will provide me with a table of manna in the presence of my enemies. Those enemies will never be able to understand the wonder and majesty of God’s Christ. As He is the Word, so He upholds all things by the Word of His power. As He is anointed with the oil of gladness (Hebrews 1) I am anointed in Him. And when I finish my course, He will give me a stone in which I will receive a new name, known only to me and to the Lord of glory. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it. (Revelation 2:17)
The heavenly brethren with the heavenly calling are His; and they, and they alone, are the chosen of God to be the overcomers in the history of the Church age. This is a foreign thought to the religious man who worships every false god and is moved by every changing breeze. They have no hope for they are without God in this world. Their religions take on many forms, but none of their religions will ever conform them to the image of Christ. Now before I run out of ink, let’s consider the High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus.
In Chapter 2 of Hebrews, verse 17 we are introduced to the Lord’s priesthood, as the faithful High Priest; And this was in relationship to His suffering of the cross. Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. (Hebrews 2:17) He has made reconciliation for the sins of the people. Notice the Spirit of God only uses lower case letters in high priest, then in verse 1 of Chapter 3 the Spirit of God uses caps in High Priest. Could it be that in Chapter 2, He is the suffering priest offering Himself for the sin of the world, the lowly Jesus, the man of sorrows offering Himself on the cross of Calvary. In Chapter 3, as I said before, the cross is behind us, there is now a glorified man in heaven; He is the High Priest of God, that same man Jesus Christ, and He is at the right hand of God in all His majesty and glory. How accurate the Spirit of God is in His overseeing of God’s word that is settled in heaven forever. You need to muse on these little things, for the little things in Scripture builds glorious truths. (Just a side note: in Chapter 2 the Spirit of God is making reference to His priesthood, in Chapter 3 the Spirit of God is giving Him title to both the Apostle and High Priest of our profession. This would compare to Revelation 19:16 where the Lord is called King of kings and Lord of lords as titles, and deservingly so.)
When we think of Him as the High Priest we must go back to Aaron and his sons. Aaron was the first high priest of man under the law of God, called also in the Scriptures the Law of Moses. Aaron had sons that ministered to the Lord at the father’s instructions, but they were always to see their father in an elevated and holy position as God’s high priest. They then also had the natural ties of birth. We, as the holy brethren, have a Great High Priest in the Lord Jesus Christ. As the glorious High Priest of God, He has brought the sons of God through His inheritance into a relationship of His priesthood. As Aaron brought his sons under his priesthood by divine authority, so the Lord Jesus by divine authority makes us priests unto our God.
But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: (1 Peter 2:9)
Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy. (1 Peter 2:10)
And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. (Revelation 1:6)
Peter expands our thought as the Spirit of God takes Peter’s heart and spirit into a dimension of its own, that little room in the heart where the Spirit of God can speak with a still small voice as He once spoke (in the history of Israel) to Elijah (1 Kings 19:12), and at an earlier time period when He spoke to Samuel.
And he came thither unto a cave, and lodged there; and, behold, the word of the LORD came to him, and he said unto him, What doest thou here, Elijah? (1 Kings 19:9)
And he said, I have been very jealous for the LORD God of hosts: for the children of Israel have forsaken thy covenant, thrown down thine altars, and slain thy prophets with the sword; and I, even I only, am left; and they seek my life, to take it away. (1 Kings 19:10)
And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the LORD. And, behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the LORD; but the LORD was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the LORD was not in the earthquake: (1 Kings 19:11)
And after the earthquake a fire; but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice. (1 Kings 19:12)
And ere the lamp of God went out in the temple of the LORD, where the ark of God was, and Samuel was laid down to sleep; (1 Samuel 3:3)
That the LORD called Samuel: and he answered, Here am I. (1 Samuel 3:4)
And he ran unto Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou calledst me. And he said, I called not; lie down again. And he went and lay down. (1 Samuel 3:5)
And the LORD called yet again, Samuel. And Samuel arose and went to Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou didst call me. And he answered, I called not, my son; lie down again. (1 Samuel 3:6)
Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD, neither was the word of the LORD yet revealed unto him. (1 Samuel 3:7)
And the LORD called Samuel again the third time. And he arose and went to Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou didst call me. And Eli perceived that the LORD had called the child. (1 Samuel 3:8)
Therefore Eli said unto Samuel, Go, lie down: and it shall be, if he call thee, that thou shalt say, Speak, LORD; for thy servant heareth. So Samuel went and lay down in his place. (1 Samuel 3:9)
And the LORD came, and stood, and called as at other times, Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel answered, Speak; for thy servant heareth. (1 Samuel 3:10)
And the LORD said to Samuel, Behold, I will do a thing in Israel, at which both the ears of every one that heareth it shall tingle. (1 Samuel 3:11)
In that day I will perform against Eli all things which I have spoken concerning his house: when I begin, I will also make an end. (1 Samuel 3:12)
As the Lord was the Lord in the Old Testament, He now works in the same way. We, as the sons of God today, are brought into a true relationship by the Spirit of God to Jesus Christ. We are brought into a divine priesthood by a specific generation, a chosen generation, I refer you to Matthew 1:1, the book of the generation of Jesus Christ. We are not interested in the genealogy that follows these words (at this particular time) because these eight words brings forth a new generation in Jesus Christ. Then throughout Matthew 1:2-17 the Spirit of God introduces us to the earthly genealogy of the Lord Jesus. Matthew begins with a chosen generation in the very first Chapter in the very first verse, The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, and Peter reaffirms that generation. Peter emphasizes that this new generation is a royal priesthood. Revelation 1:6 goes on further to pronounce our priesthood and our kingly walk before the Lord Jesus Christ. These are just shadows of things to come. The Apostle Paul declared that know ye not that ye will judge nations, Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters? 1 Corinthians 6:2) and so both Peter and John bring us into our relationship as kings and priests under the Head of the Royal and Holy Priesthood, our Lord Jesus Christ. For He is a Priest forever after the order of Melchisedec.
For this Melchisedec, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings, and blessed him; (Hebrews 7:1)
To whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all; first being by interpretation King of righteousness, and after that also King of Salem, which is, King of peace; (Hebrews 7:2)
Without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life; but made like unto the Son of God; abideth a priest continually. (Hebrews 7:3)
Who put you in this position of priesthood? The Spirit of God gives us the answer in Hebrews 3:1, it is God who called you holy brethren, and He also called you with His heavenly calling; then, and only then, He wants you to consider, know, investigate, reason, pray, and listen to the Apostle and High Priest of your profession. That your heart would be the heart of a chosen priest; a priest to God to offer up prayers and praise and supplication to do the work of God with a heart of a priest cleansed at the laver (which is the word of God) and moved by the direction of the eternal Spirit of God. If you move according to the Spirit of God, you will always have an answer to give to every man concerning your faith. You will have a deep desire to pull them out of the fire. And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh. (Jude 1:23)
The sons of Aaron who were brought into the priesthood under their father had responsibilities to God and to God alone. It was God’s service that they had been called to by a divine calling. They were to live only for that service. What I have written the world does not want to know, they would rather choose men from men to lead their world religion and their world churches. The world church especially does not want you to know your privileges and responsibilities to God. If any man thinks that his tithes, and his tithes alone, will get him to heaven he has been misled by the diabolical religion of man. God wants you to understand that your salvation is worth more than all the treasures of the earth, and He wants you to know the treasure it cost Him to redeem you by the blood of Christ. Because of the death of Christ on the cross and because of your faith given of Christ you have the unsearchable riches of Christ worth more than all the treasures of a million worlds.
That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: (Ephesians 1:17)
The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, (Ephesians 1:18)
Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ; (Ephesians 3:8)
O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! (Romans 11:33)
For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor? (Romans 11:34)
Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again? (Romans 11:35)
For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen. (Romans 11:36)
Consider the heavenly treasure that is found in these verses. One could immerse oneself in them for a lifetime, and still would not be able to exhaust the spiritual wealth found in them. Also read 1 Corinthians 2:2-13, read these verses over and over, all these are the unsearchable riches of Christ. Now take time and go into the temple of God which is your body, heart and soul; speak to God, the Lord Jesus Christ, and listen to His still small voice. We live in the vanity of our time, to be a great preacher today one only needs to be popular. It does not matter if you mishandle the truth as long as one obeys the traditions and dictates of man. We live in the days of small things, but we have a mighty God. It is more important to cleanse the temple (which is our body), and in that throne room of our hearts speak to God and let Him mold us into the image of His dear Son, Jesus Christ.
Amen.
© Copyright 2015, Michael Haigh
Article may be used, but not for gain. Freely ye have received, freely give.
All Scripture references are from the KJB.