Prepare for Christmas: The Eighteenth Day of Advent

And Who Is Melchizedek?

Wednesday, December 19, 2018

The law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. Hebrews 9:22

Understanding the enormity of this whole process of forgiveness is impossible if you don’t know the requirements of the Old Testament law. “The wages of sin is death,” Paul says in Romans 6:23, reminding us of this law. Sin has separated us from God. It is so repulsive to him, and someone has to pay the cost for it – either the sinner or his substitute! Someone must pay!

Did you ever spill something like tomato juice or grape juice on a garment? If you have, you know that it is almost impossible to get the stain out. Sometimes even Clorox won’t do the trick! So the garment is actually ruined. You may as well discard it.

That’s sort of the picture we have here. Sin has so stained us that we are repulsive to God. Jesus knows that, so he freely gives his life for the removal of those stains. He loves his father so much that he will do anything to restore us to him (John 14:31)! Thus we have this picture of his presenting himself to meet the stringent requirement of the Old Testament law. He will personally be our atonement.

Jesus Christ establishes a new covenant between God and man, and he himself, the most High Priest, intercedes for us – only there is no need for him to plead for his own forgiveness because he never sinned. No, this perfect Lamb, this perfect Sacrifice enters the place and pleads for us with his own blood, obtaining forgiveness for all those who have received him as their personal Savior! Not only did he receive that forgiveness for us, but the curtain that had separated men from God was split from top to bottom. Now we freely go directly to the throne of God, joining our high priest, to ask for our own forgiveness (or for anything else) because our high priest has done away with sin that has separated us from his Father and ours.

I love what Billy Graham is reported to have said once when he was asked if, when he got to heaven, he would remind God about all the many people who had come to Christ through his preaching. He replied simply, “No. I’ll tell God that I am there by the shed blood of Jesus Christ.” He knew the grounds on which he could enter heaven!

Our High Priest has purchased our redemption by his blood!

Prayer: Father, this whole process of redemption is too grand for our minds to fully comprehend, yet your word tells us that the Christmas baby grew to be the only man who could secure our forgiveness once and for all. Thank you for redemption. Amen.

And Who is Melchizedek?

An Advent Devotional Guide
prepared for Rehobeth United Methodist Church, Winter 2012,
by Patience Nave, Christian Education Coordinator

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