Hebrews 8:1-2 The Beginning and the Sum

Hebrews 8:1-2

The Beginning and the Sum of All Things

Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens; (Hebrews 8:1) A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man. (Hebrews 8:2)

This Is the Sum

   When an individual thinks of his past, the things of life and death, they tend to sum up what has been the good and the bad. We view our life by the things that we have seen, and yet, our lifetime is but a small speck of dust in the history of mankind. We sum up what we have done and accomplished in our lifetime, we count these accomplishments, and if we are really truthful with ourselves we also sum up our failures. And this gives us an overall look of whom we have been. We think of the man of yesterday, and like adding a string of numbers, the days become digits of life. We calculate our past, yet, we do it from the present. And too soon, we glide into the future, as we pass through the unknown to our final home in the heavenly Jerusalem. I approach Chapter 8 of the book of Hebrews and the rest of the book as the sum of my own knowledge of the Lord of glory. It is truly a knowledge of imperfection for it is not complete, and the only perfection that I can have is in WHO I know, the Lord Jesus Christ. And therefore, I must be guided by the Spirit of Christ. As we, together, add up the things that we have learned in this wonderful book of Hebrews, it has been a glorious journey, and to this point, this is the sum.

The Eighth Chapter – The Eighth Day – A New Beginning

   We have such a high Priest who has sat down on the right hand of the throne of the majesty in the heavens. The Lord Jesus is the Minister of the sanctuary, and He is the high Priest of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched and not man, and thus, we begin the second part of this wonderful book. It is the first day of the week, it is the 8^th day, it is the day of resurrection, and it isthe 8^thChapter of the book of Hebrews. In the first six chapters, we came through the sea of death, through the wilderness, across the Jordan, and into the heavens. We see the Lord Jesus as the true high Priest of the heavens. He is made higher than the heavens as He ministers to the Church of God. For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; (Hebrews 7:26) He is higher than the heavens, and He is in heavenly places, and He is preparing the places that He has promised. Through the epistles He gives us glimpses and shadows of heavenly places. He calls us to have a mindset of heaven itself.

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) And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, (Ephesians 1:19) Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, (Ephesians 1:20)

   The Lord Jesus has brought us out of darkness, He has given us the eyes of the Spirit of God so that the eyes of our understanding should be enlightened. The enlightenment of the Son of God is our light, our life, and our peace. And this is to give us the definition of the hope that is within us.

Our Tangible Hope

   This hope is not a myth, it is not a mystery, for God, Himself, has opened our eyes to this tangible hope which He has given to us through His beloved Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. The hope of His calling reaches into the heavenlies, for the heavens are our home, and God has lent us to the world so that we should only be witnesses for Him, and for the heavenlies. When we examine our hope, we see all the riches of His glory, and when we see the riches of His glory, we see the divine inheritance that He has, and that He shares with His saints. Everyone who is born again understands the greatness of His power, for He has taken us from death to life, from darkness to light, and from earth to heaven. This is all by His mighty power to usward. And the evidence of all of this is when He raised Christ from the dead, and set Him on His own right hand in heavenly places. Notice how many times, in the epistles, the Spirit of God takes us to the heavens, to the heavenly places, even to higher than the heavens for the Spirit of God takes us to the bosom of the highest Himself. In these verses in Ephesians, only three verses, and yet, they take us to heavenly places, and in these heavenly places we see the Minister of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle of God. In Hebrews 7:26, and in Ephesians 1:20 we see the pluralities of the heavens. We see the heavens of heaven, we see the heavenly places, this should get our attention in the 8^th Chapter of Hebrews as we look with fresh eyes of what is to come in the rest of the book of Hebrews. In 2nd Corinthians Chapter 12, Paul takes us to the third heaven. This was a wonderful revelation to his heart, his soul, and his spirit. And Paul shares it with us so that the portals of heaven become plainer to us, and we see within the veil the wonders of the Son of God, Jesus Christ. Truly, Paul could not tell us all of these wonders, however, the Spirit of God through Paul’s epistles gives us multicolored brush strokes of heaven. The Word of God should give us sight, a sight that pierces the heavens above. As we are a redeemed being, we are no longer of the earth, and our feelings, our compassion, and our desires should be in heavenly places, consequently, in Hebrews Chapter 8, we begin to see the expanse of the heavenlies.

The Ministry of the Sanctuary and The Minister of the Sanctuary

   In the first six chapters the priesthood of the Man Christ Jesus was established. In Chapter 7 we saw the majesty of His priesthood, and now in Chapter 8, we see the purpose, and the practical ministry of His divine priesthood. As we go into Chapter 8 we see the Holy Spirit establishing the name that is above every name: the name of Jesus Christ. It seems as if Melchisedec steps back into the shadows because throughout the Old Testament, and even during the manifestation of the Son of God on earth, Melchisedec, the high Priest of the most high God always looms in the shadows. The Spirit of God now presents the Lord Jesus as He comes forth as the Minister of the sanctuary. He is presented as the high Priest tending the true tabernacle and sanctuary of the most high God, the highest Himself. And of Zion it shall be said, This and that man was born in her: and the highest himself shall establish her. (Psalm 87:5) The highest Himself will always be the highest, He will always be the Creator of all things. He will always be the Priest of the most high God, Melchisedec.

   In Chapter 8 the Lord Jesus comes forth as the Minister of the sanctuary. We are seeing His present position as high Priest tending the true tabernacle, and the true sanctuary of the most high God. Chapter 8 begins a journey of the sacrifice of Himself, the value of that sacrifice, and all the shadows that spoke of that sacrifice in the Old are now revealed in these last six chapters of the book of Hebrews. We must not forget what we have learned back in Hebrews 4:14, He was, and is, and forever will be our great high Priest. Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. (Hebrews 4:14) And the divine Spirit of God puts the face of the Man Christ Jesus on our great high Priest. He stamps this verse with His glorious image as the Priest above all, and the name, which is above all, Jesus Christ. This takes us to Philippians 2:5-11.

Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: (Philippians 2:5)

Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: (Philippians 2:6)

But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: (Philippians 2:7)

And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. (Philippians 2:8)

Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: (Philippians 2:9)

That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; (Philippians 2:10)

And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:11)

   As we read these verses in Philippians, we see the Almighty drawing the totality of the Alpha and the Omega in the Son of God, and He brings it into one focal point, the Man Jesus Christ. And to that Man, that glorious Man, every knee shall bow. In Philippians we see Him as a wonderful Savior, and in our hearts, He wears the crown in what He has done for us. He has delivered us from so great a death, and now, we have a reality of a Man in heaven for us. And this Man is presented as a Priest of the sanctuary and the true tabernacle of God.

   In Chapter 8, verses 1 and 2 He is the minister of the sanctuary. And He, who is all truth, is the Minister of the true tabernacle of God. He is elevated to the heavens. And so, in this revelation, we must evaluate our true high Priest. Everything, from now on, in the book of Hebrews, depends solely on the Spirit of God teaching us the wonders of the Lord Jesus in this new way: as the high Priest, and the sacrifice of God.

The Godhead Bodily Revealed

   In the gospel of John we are introduced to the Comforter; the Lord Jesus stated that the Comforter would come, even the Spirit of truth. And in Christ, we have the fullness of the Godhead bodily, so that the Spirit of Christ, and the Spirit of God, and the Spirit of the Father are all one Spirit. For God is Spirit, therefore, the Godhead bodily has been revealed to us through Jesus Christ. And the Spirit of Christ is the same Spirit of the Comforter. But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. In Romans Chapter 8 verse 9, we have the compatibility of the Spirit of God with the Spirit of Christ. You cannot separate the Spirit of God from the Spirit of Christ. Here is a list of verses for your consideration:

But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. (John 14:26)

But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me: (John 15:26)

Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. (John 16:13) He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you. (John 16:14)

If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus: (Ephesians 4:21)

And I fell at his feet to worship him. And he said unto me, See thou do it not: I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren that have the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. (Revelation 19:10)

  From the above Scriptures we have the unity of Christ with the Holy Spirit. This is one and the same Spirit. And as Christ is presented to us in many ways, and in many functions throughout the Bible, so the designation of the Spirit of Christ is presented to us with many titles. We have the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of God, the Spirit of Christ, the Holy Ghost, the Comforter, and more — all describing the Spirit of God. And once again, the words from the Lord Jesus Christ in John Chapter 4, verse 24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

   Therefore, in the manifestation of the Lord Jesus Christ, in the physical body of the Lord Jesus Christ, we see the Godhead bodily. Remember, He was manifested to take away sin, and therefore, to draw to Himself a people of the spirits of just men made perfect. We should recognize that we have a danger, and it has been around for a long time: it is called language. And just as there are true elements of language there are also perverted elements of language. Mankind likes to change definitions of words to suit their own perverted society, and this redefining of words has crept into the Church. One of the most perverted words is the word ‘trinity.’ This divides the Godhead that cannot be divided. It is impossible to separate the Man Christ Jesus from God the Father, as it is also impossible to separate the Spirit of God from both Son and Father. We are man, and man has this handicap, he cannot see into the functions or the totality of the Godhead. God is Spirit, and you cannot divide God. It is in Christ, as manifested before man, that the Holy Spirit declares that in Him is the fullness of the Godhead bodily. I remind you that He declares of Himself in the book of the Revelation that He is the first and the last, He is the Alpha and the Omega, He is the beginning and the end. For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. (Colossians 2:9)

The United Godhead Bodily

The ONE

 God the Father, God the Son, God the Holy Spirit

The Message in the Numbers – 7 – 9 – 3

   In man’s way of thinking the only time of separation would be in these seven words, My God, why hast thou forsaken me? In the plan of redemption Christ had to pierce the darkness, He had to go into the deep, the depths of death, to bring forth eternal life. In this action, God would not suffer His holy One to see corruption. As mankind, we cannot understand this separation, it is far beyond our pay scale or intelligence. In these seven words, we see the loneliness of the divine soul being separated from God the Father. Yes, He repeats the first two words, My God, my God, which gives us the total of nine words, even in this God gives us two messages a message in the number 7 and a message in the number 9. The seven words speak of the fulfillment of the work of Christ on the cross. The nine words speak of the finality of His work on the cross. In the seven words we see His suffering, in the nine words we see the finality of that suffering and the fulfillment of all righteousness. There on the cross the Son of God satisfied all the judicial claims that God had against us. This was the judgment for our sin, and the sin of the whole world. And secondly, by Him, by Himself, He fulfilled the very righteousness of God bringing us into that righteousness, and forever binding us to His work, and to His love for us. The innocent victim in which there was no sin, became sin for us. In that moment, because of Adam’s transgression, there was a darkness over the soul of our blessed Lord. It is here that He could say, He saw the travail of His soul, and was satisfied. He shall see of the travail of his soul, [and] shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities. (Isaiah 53) And at that moment in time we believe in the work of holiness that Christ was cut off, My God, my God why hast thou forsaken me? His purity, His sinlessness, His holiness, His love all brought into darkness so that He could give life and light unto mankind.

   In the nine words, we have the element of finality. The finality of the judgment of sin, and then in righteousness, the finality of His saving grace and the finality of our position in Him. This work was also done on the ninth hour. In this hour the whole world shook, and as the foundation of the world began to settle, we have the finality in three more words, ‘It is finished’. These three words encompass so much. There are no words to express, all of humanity could not describe, what had happened, and what was finished, and what is to come. We come up short, and there is only one way to see any of these mysteries, they must be revealed to us from the divine Priest in heaven by His Spirit. There are many areas in God’s divine will, and in His determinate counsels, where man, even saved man cannot enter into. No one can understand the magnitude of the judgment that was placed on the Son of God. Our tears, our whimpers, our crying cannot empty the cup that was poured out on Jesus Christ for us. For it was our cup of wrath. It was our cup of woe. It was our sin, your sin, my sin.

It Is Finished — This Part of The Plan Was Now Finished

   We have a personal link to these words on the cross for they were uttered because of us, and in God’s love for us. Every thing that we were, every thing that was in mankind was in opposition to God. As Genesis 1, verses 1-3 describes tangible creation so the mystery of the cross describes our creation in Jesus Christ, for He went into death that we might live. He rose from the dead, in the proof of that endless life. God would fulfill the mystery of His plan on the cross, and bring us into the wonder of His love.

The Sum — The Gears of the Plan Continues to Turn

   And now, as His children, He expands our view and lets us see into the heavens for we have such a high Priest, a Minister to the Church from on high, a Minister of the sanctuary, and the true tabernacle of God. He walks amongst the seven lamps of light, and showers that light upon us, and gives that light through us to the world to draw mankind to Himself. It is then that the Spirit of God reveals the Man of glory and the heart, soul, and spirit are forever changed. The Priest in heaven now reveals Himself to every soul that He has redeemed. This is a wonder of wonders, and it comes from the One who is wonderful. All the mysteries of God are fulfilled in Him. And He is the sum of what God is to us. He is the sum of His divine priesthood. And He opens to us the depth, the height, the breadth, and the width of His saving grace. For the eyes of the Spirit allow us to see Him in heavenly places. And according to the ministry of the Spirit of God He has revealed to us that we are with Him where He is in heavenly places.

   It is the Lord Jesus Christ who was foreordained to this marvelous priesthood before the foundation of the earth. Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you, (1 Peter 1:20) The very scope of the plan of redemption is so elaborate, every tooth of the gears of sovereignty falls into place with divine accuracy. It is God’s will that is the driving shaft of the divine gears of truth. Truly, a wheel within a wheel bringing all things together, cementing the determinate counsels of God in the Man Jesus Christ, His beloved Son.

In the Shadows of the Past the Future is Revealed

   We have such a high Priest in the heavens for us, He is the divine Minister of the sanctuary, and the TRUE tabernacle of God. Should we not go to the shadows of the past to reveal the NOW, and the future, and the depth of our salvation in Jesus Christ and the depth of His divine priesthood, and the depth of the true tabernacle of God. God gave us shadows (in the Old Testament) of what is true. One of these shadows was the tabernacle that God gave the children of Israel in the wilderness so that He might dwell among them. All the wonders of the True were shown to Moses. He was given the patterns of the heavenly things when he was on the holy mount.

   Of all the places on this earth, God chose a place where He would reveal the mysteries of heaven, and He would reveal (in shadows) the true tabernacle which is in heaven. God defines this mount, mount Sinai, as a holy place, and holy ground. It was God who proclaimed this and not man. In the New Testament, Peter refers to this holy ground, he called it ‘the holy mount’ where Christ revealed Himself to Peter, James, and John. And this same God revealed Himself thousands of years before on the mount of transfiguration. In the revelation that God gave to Moses, the ground quaked at the presence of God, so much so that Moses feared and trembled.

For ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched, and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest, (Hebrews 12:18) And the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words; which voice they that heard intreated that the word should not be spoken to them any more: (Hebrews 12:19) (For they could not endure that which was commanded, And if so much as a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned, or thrust through with a dart: (Hebrews 12:20) And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake:) (Hebrews 12:21)

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding. (Proverbs 9:10)

   You can see the fulfillment of Proverbs 9:10 in the person of Moses for he not only received the wisdom of God, but God gave to him the knowledge of the holy. And Moses, from the Spirit of God, was given understanding so that he might direct the building of the sanctuary that was a shadow of the true so that God might dwell amongst the children of Israel.

   In all things that the Spirit of God reveals there must be a preparation of heart, of soul, and spirit. If we are to receive from the holy, then in fear and trembling, we must be holy in Him. The Spirit of God, in the dispensation of grace, has given us the focal point of His love, the focal point of His plan of redemption and this focal point is Jesus Christ in the heavenlies. To receive of the Lord, our focal point must be in the Lord Jesus Christ; this gives us a heart desire to acquire the knowledge of the holy. This is where Moses was in his heart, in his soul, and in his spirit. All around him was the majesty of God, the lightning lit the sky like a wind swept fire, the very mountain shook beneath him, and the ground was so holy that not even a beast could touch it, and if so, then the beast would be stoned, or thrust through with a dart. Both darkness and light were represented like a war of unknown armies thundering through the ground, and yet, in this turmoil God was about to give Moses a revelation of the serenity of heaven above.

   God not only was revealing the tabernacle, but He was drawing and setting Moses apart. He was preparing His most unusual servant for a most unusual task. Moses would reveal the things of heaven as a shadow and a display of the most holy things of God. There had never been a time like this in all the ages of mankind. Moses was given a knowledge of the holy in the shadows that he received.  It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. (Hebrews 9:23) God now opened a mystery to Moses, He showed him the patterns of things in heaven. And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them. (Exodus 25:8) According to all that I shew thee, after the pattern of the tabernacle, and the pattern of all the instruments thereof, even so shall ye make it. (Exodus 25:9)

   The Lord had chosen a people who He had severed from Egypt and from Pharaoh. And now God was going to dwell among them. However, God had to have a sanctuary, a holy place, and from this place He would minister to the children of Israel. Let them make me a sanctuary, this was to be a holy place. As the ground of Sinai was holy, God would now designate a place among the children of Israel, a place of His holiness, and He would dwell among them. (Hebrews 8:5) Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount. God was making a place on earth that God might dwell among His people, and to show to man a shadow and a pattern of things above where the true tabernacle is pitched by the Lord Himself, and a place above where the true high Priest ministers in the true sanctuary.

Side Note: In reference to the tabernacle in understanding its purpose and glory, I refer you to my book, Reflections of Christ in the Tabernacle. We have reproduced it on this site for it is out of print. However, you can freely download the entire book without cost, without money, without any obligation, for freely ye have received, freely give, isn’t this wonderful, such a time as this, the gospel freely being sent to the whole world through one wire. What a sycamore tree, what a grain of mustard seed one small wire can be. Faith answers to faith, and we say, Thank you Lord Jesus Christ. ♦ End of Side Note.

   Now we have the true tabernacle, the true sanctuary, the true high Priest of God, and from the tabernacle of truth, the Lord Jesus ministers to us for He pitched it and not man. We have not come to a mount, but to the heavens itself.

If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. (Colossians 3:1) Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. (Colossians 3:2) For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. (Colossians 3:3) When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. (Colossians 3:4) 

But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, (Hebrews 12:22) To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect, (Hebrews 12:23) And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel. (Hebrews 12:24)

   God is drawing us to a focal point, and this focal point is the Son of God IN heaven. He is building on the Person of His Son, and He is showing us aspects of His divine mystery. Peter revealed a portion of this when he stated that they beheld His MAJESTY when they were with Him on the holy mount.

For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty. (2 Peter 1:16) For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. (2 Peter 1:17) And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount. (2 Peter 1:18)

And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt. (Exodus 3:3) And when the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses. And he said, Here am I. (Exodus 3:4) And he said, Draw not nigh hither: put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thou standest is holy ground. (Exodus 3:5) Moreover he said, I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God. (Exodus 3:6)

   We have the same God, we have the same Lord, we have the same Lord Jesus Christ, the Creator of all things revealing Himself both to Moses at mount Sinai, and the holy ground, and in the New Testament, the same Son of God revealed His glory and His majesty to His disciples, Peter, James, and John on the holy mount. Even John in the first Chapter of his gospel declared of Christ, We beheld His glory, the glory of the Son of God And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. (John 1:14)

The Fact of Hope and Faith

   However, in Hebrews Chapter 8, we are not in the mountain, we are not on holy ground, but we have touched the holiness of heaven in Jesus Christ. Our hope has taken us to heaven itself, and we have a high Priest ministering from the sanctuary of the true tabernacle of God. This is the hope we have in heaven, the true holy place, the true sanctuary, the true Priest of the most high God. For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel; (Colossians 1:5)

    It is the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ that gives us this hope, however, where is this hope settled? It is settled in heaven at the right hand of the majesty on high and this hope is in the highest Himself. God gives us a tangible faith. It is an object of an object, and this object is a Person, Jesus Christ. Our faith is tied to the Omnipotent God. And it is He who is the Author and the Finisher of our faith. And for the simple minded (like this author) He is the beginning of our faith. He is the destination of our faith when all is gathered IN Him, and we are gathered in Him for all eternity. Faith is tangible because Christ is tangible. And faith is tied inseparably to the hope that is laid up in heaven in Jesus Christ our Lord. When the apostle declared that no one could separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus. This is a fact of the new birth. This is a fact of faith. This is a fact of our hope. This is a fact of the saving grace of God. These are not just words in print. This is the very Word of God, the voice of the holy Spirit of God, we are NOT earthly people, we are heavenly people. And if I may say, the servant and the people of God are only on loan to this earth.This is not our world. I repeat, we belong to heaven, and our desire is at the right hand of God in heaven in the Man Jesus Christ who is our forerunner, and He has gone to prepare a place for us. Consider the following references.

If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. (Colossians 3:1) Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. (Colossians 3:2) For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. (Colossians 3:3) When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory. (Colossians 3:4)

Whither the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, made an high priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec. (Hebrews 6:20)

Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. (John 14:1) In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. (John 14:2) And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. (John 14:3) And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know. (John 14:4)

The Forerunner Prepared a Path and a Place

   The forerunner, the Lord Jesus Christ, has gone on before us. It is because He has gone on before us that we should seek the things that are above. He has made the path for us. At one time when I had purchased a piece of property the only way to get onto that piece of property was with a machete. It was so overgrown with entangling Florida vines, and underbrush, that it was difficult to even see a foot of what lay before me. I had to prepare a path for anyone who followed. In preparing our path the Lord Jesus battled sin, death, and the darkness of Satan. As our forerunner He has gone on before us to prepare a place for us. And now, in heaven, we have the high Priest forever fulfilling His duties as the Minister of the sanctuary and the true tabernacle of God.

   As the forerunner, He told His disciples that He was going to prepare a place for them, and that place would be made ready BY Him, not only for His disciples, but also for all those who would believe in Him. This special place is a place of God’s righteousness. It is completely absent of all defilement. It stands and is upheld by the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ. In John 14:4, the Lord Jesus closes with, the way ye know. In John 14:6 the Lord Jesus reaffirms that He IS the way, and in John Chapter 10, He is the door. Each one of these Scriptures takes us out of this world and into the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the Minister of the Sanctuary, and He is also the Minister of grace. (Hebrews 4:16) Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

   The throne of grace has to have a place of authority, and the one who sits upon the throne must be the authority of the throne; from this throne our high Priest ministers grace to us to help in time of need. This throne of grace is in heaven. Our hope is laid up in heaven. Our place is in heaven. Our grace is in heaven. And our great high Priest is in heaven for us, and we meet Him there.

Always Linked to the Throne of Grace and Glory

   Our prayers do not descend, but they ascend to heaven. He receives them as incense, and He answers them in divine grace according to our need, and according to His holiness and righteousness. Our prayers are collective, in the book of the Revelation we have the collective prayers of all saints. The prayers of saints who have gone on before, the prayers of saints now on earth, and the prayers of saints who are to come, all are answered by divine grace surrounded by divine righteousness.

And when he had taken the book, the four beasts and four [and] twenty elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps, and golden vials full of odours, which are the prayers of saints. (Revelation 5:8)

And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer [it] with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. (Revelation 8:3) And the smoke of the incense, [which came] with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel’s hand. (Revelation 8:4)

   I am not trying to establish these verses in their connection with the book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ, but what I want us to see is the value of ALL prayer, of ALL time, and from ALL saints. There has never been a deaf ear in heaven. God has always listened to the prayers of His own. And He has answered in His divine prerogative to ensure that the answer is for our well being. Your prayers ascend into heaven; they ascend by the Spirit, and they are linked in heaven to the Lord Jesus Christ. Once you are born again there is no separation from God. On God’s part He will never allow separation. You are no longer of this world. You are no longer linked to Adam in any way. You are linked to the Man in heaven, the new Man Christ Jesus who has made you a new man in Himself. He is in heaven, and so accordingly, we should set our affections on things above. The word ‘affection’ is our affection for Him because the forerunner has gone on before us.

   If we are to have a mind like the mind of Christ, then that mind should be on things above with our blessed Savior. Remember, Thomas asked the Lord Jesus, Which way, how can we know the way. Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way? (John 14:5) The Lord’s reply was that He, the Lord, was the only way, and He was the way of truth and the life. If we follow that way then we are seeking those things that are above. This is above the clouds, this is beyond the stars, this is the mind set of heaven which the Lord tells us that we should have in John 14. The Spirit of God tells us to have this mind set in Colossians Chapter 3. All of this brings us to the Man in heaven for us, the great high Priest of the most high God Jesus Christ. He has prepared the way. He has prepared the place, and is NOW preparing US for that place. Do you get it? He is preparing a bride for Himself.

   In the Song of Songs, if one sees the king in heaven, and His beloved on earth, one gets a greater insight into the love of God. The Lord proclaimed that the Old Testament spoke of Him, and over thousands of years, He has been showing Himself in the window of time through the lattice work.

Draw me, we will run after thee: the king hath brought me into his chambers: we will be glad and rejoice in thee, we will remember thy love more than wine: the upright love thee. (Song of Songs 1:4)

My beloved is like a roe or a young hart: behold, he standeth behind our wall, he looketh forth at the windows, shewing himself through the lattice. (Song of Songs 2:9) My beloved spake, and said unto me, Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away. (Song of Songs 2:10)

Until the day break, and the shadows flee away, I will get me to the mountain of myrrh, and to the hill of frankincense. (Song of Songs 4:6)

   The Lord is the Seeker, He came into the world to seek that which was lost, but we are also called to be seekers, and to seek Him, and to run after Him, and to seek His presence, and rejoice in His Person in heavenly places. He is a rewarder of them who diligently seek Him. But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. (Hebrews 11:6) In seeking the Lord we are not in competition with each other. He has prepared the avenue and pathway for us to follow. May I take a phrase from the world, we, as Christians, are to ‘go where no man has gone before.’ Our divine Head wants us to turn the world upside down with His gospel, and not the gospel of man. Adam cannot enter into heaven. Adam cannot enjoy the things of heaven. Only just men made perfect in Christ can break through the clouds into the darkness of space, travel beyond the stars to the heaven of heavens to the place that Christ has prepared for us. In His ministry of the sanctuary He is working continually because from out of the sanctuary comes His ministry of grace. It is also a place of intercession for us. He also walks the halls between the lamp stand and He, through the light and the oil of the Spirit, instructs us through His Word, and through His gifts to the Church.

   Do not forget the hosts of angels who bring His ministration to us. They are the ministering spirits sent forth to minister to the very heirs of salvation. Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation? (Hebrews 1:14) And in the realm of angels, we have seven specific angels who have been ministering the Lord’s commands since the conception of the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ. These are angels of ministration who carry out the will of God in the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ. This will be a shock to the religious man, and to the man who holds the traditions of men. It is not YOUR Church. It is Christ’s Church. It is HIS house, not YOUR house. You did not build it. Christ built this through His sacrifice and His blood. He maintains it as the high Priest forever after the order of Melchisedec. He is monitoring His Church, and every soul in His Church. He is the true Minister of the sanctuary (not man) because man can only speak for man. It is God’s voice, and God’s speech that speaks for God. And sometimes He uses the weak vessel to bring divine truth to others. And even in this, He has to overpower the weakness of the flesh. Are WE prepared for heaven? Do WE truly seek those things which are above? Or are we satisfied with the earth? I hope not. For when we seek those things which are above we feel the power of those things. The Spirit of God overpowers the weakness of our flesh, and gives us such a view of heaven. The eyes of the Spirit of God truly give understanding to the soul. Therefore, let us enjoy the wonder of Christ’s love. Truly, we have such a high Priest, a Minister of the sanctuary, and the true tabernacle of God. Listen to the Holy Spirit as He speaks with the voice of Christ. Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. (John 14:6) Amen.

And they all said Amen.

Copyright 2018, Michael Haigh

Article may be used, but not for gain. Freely ye have received, freely give.

All Scripture references are from the King James Bible. (KJV)