Lesson 13: Now - What Is Jesus Doing? (2)

The next duty of the high priest was to confess the sins of the people before God. We in the Protestant culture today do not like to look at this because it reminds us of the way the Roman Catholic Church uses its priests. But read Leviticus 16:20-21 to see what the high priest of Old Testament times actually did. After he had been in the Holy of Holies – a place of danger for him if he was not right with God himself – he came out and laid his hands on the head of a living goat and confessed the sins of the people. He was assigning to the animal the guilt of the people; the animal became a substitute sacrifice for the people. In the case of Jesus, He took on Himself the sins of the people in a once-for-all action. He continues with this action today, and we will look at that further in a few moments when we consider His other duty.

Another action of the high priest was to bless the people. We read in Numbers 6:23-27, Deuteronomy 21:5, and 1 Chronicles 23:13 examples of this. Today, the blessings Jesus places on us are written for us in the Scriptures. We could turn anywhere in the Bible to find an example, but let's go back where we started this lesson – John 14:1-6 – where the blessing He pronounces is one of our being with Him for all eternity in a home being built by His own hands.


The next duty of the high priest was to blow the trumpet which called the congregation to assembly. We find this in Numbers 10:2-10 and Joshua 6:1-20. The people of Israel were never to go to battle without first consulting the high priest for God's will. Today, we should never go anywhere or do anything without God first calling us to that action.

But there is also another beautiful promise here. Remember, there will be a trumpet blast that calls us to Jesus’ side when our work here on earth is done. Jesus, as our high priest, will blow the trumpet that calls for the congregation of believers to gather at His side in the clouds. Oh what a grand assembly that will be!

*There are several more duties listed in Scriptures for the high priest. Read the following Scriptures and list the duties and describe how they affect your life:
* Deuteronomy 17:8-13; 21:5; Numbers 5:14-31; 1 Chronicles 23:4
* Deuteronomy 20:2-4
* Joel 2:17
* Nehemiah 10:38; 13:13; Hebrews 7:5