Hebrews 2:17
Reconciliation
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.
The key to this verse is not the first line, but the conclusion — to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. This verse is divided into 3 sections:
1Â Â Â made like unto his brethren
2 Â Â a merciful and faithful high priest
3Â Â to make reconciliation for the sins of the people
This one verse seems to be surrounded by the entire chapter, How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; how shall we escape? The very first word of Hebrews 2:17 ‘Wherefore’ to the first phrase in Hebrews 8:1 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;. Between ‘wherefore,’ and ‘this is the sum,’ we not only have the glories of His incarnation in being made like unto His brethren, but we have in His incarnation the Father sending the Son to be the Savior of the world. As He was the seed of Abraham, so now, He is made like unto His brethren. This verse brings out the complete work of Christ, in the fullness of time God sent forth His Son, and that in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh. In the seed of Abraham He fulfilled the promises of God, and brought forth the true seed of faith in Himself. Then presenting Himself as the Offering, He in His Priesthood was also the Presenter; and in this fulfillment He was a High Priest after the order of Melchisedec. (Hebrews 7)
For many years the Holy Spirit has been teaching me to take all Scripture from the beginning to the end, and then the end to the beginning. For example, if I only knew the truth found in the fall of Adam I would be of all men most miserable, but when I search the Scriptures and see the great overlay of God’s plan of redemption, and the finality of a new heaven and a new earth, I have great joy for God’s righteousness is triumphant in the end. All the things between the beginning and the end are for my learning; all the battles against God till the fullness of time was come when God sent forth His Son, Jesus Christ, and Christ became the victor over all things, death and hell; thus, fulfilling all the righteousness of God in Himself.
Now in all things it behooved him to be made like unto his brethren. Just who are the brethren? There is a relationship to a merciful and faithful High Priest. This is the brethren redeemed by the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. We have a sample of this in Matthew 12:46-50.
While he yet talked to the people, behold, his mother and his brethren stood without, desiring to speak with him. (Matthew 12:46)
Then one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee. (Matthew 12:47)
But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren? (Matthew 12:48)
And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren! (Matthew 12:49)
For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother. (Matthew 12:50)
The Lord Jesus confirms the relationship and those that are His brethren. At this time, we have the disciples in view, every one of these disciples was chosen by the Lord Jesus. They were to do the will of the Father, this qualified them to be His brethren; as it qualifies us in this day. It is not of the blood of man, but by the Holy Spirit of God through the finished work of Christ that we are brought into the relationship of brethren. He humbled Himself and was made in the likeness of sinful flesh, and gave Himself on the cross of Calvary that He might call out a people for Himself, so being, a merciful and faithful High Priest.
The high priest of the Old Testament was responsible for the day of atonement. No one but the high priest could fulfill his duties concerning applying the blood to the mercy-seat for the sins of the people. But into the second went the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people: (Hebrews 9:7) On the day of atonement is mentioned only 3 times in the entire Bible and can be found in the Book of Leviticus.
Also on the tenth [day] of this seventh month [there shall be] a day of atonement: it shall be an holy convocation unto you; and ye shall afflict your souls, and offer an offering made by fire unto the LORD. (Leviticus 23:27)
And ye shall do no work in that same day: for it [is] a day of atonement, to make an atonement for you before the LORD your God. (Leviticus 23:28)
Then shalt thou cause the trumpet of the jubile to sound on the tenth [day] of the seventh month, in the day of atonement shall ye make the trumpet sound throughout all your land. (Leviticus 25:9)
The high priest would begin his journey at the gate of the Tabernacle where the sacrifice was slain. The blood of the sacrifice would then be set aside, and the high priest began his journey. This day of atonement was only once a year. It was in the 7th month, which is a picture of the fulfillment of God in His Son, and the offering of His Son for sin. Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all. (Ephesians 1:23) For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell;. (Colossians 1:19)
In the 7th day God rested from all His labor, and He looked upon all things and declared that it was good.
And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day. (Genesis 1:31)
Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them. (Genesis 2:1)
And on the seventh day God ended his work which he had made; and he rested on the seventh day from all his work which he had made. (Genesis 2:2)
And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made. (Genesis 2:3)
For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day. (Hebrews 4:8)
There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. (Hebrews 4:9)
For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his. (Hebrews 4:10)
God the Father could say that in the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ, He was well pleased. 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)
With the sin offering the high priest would apply the blood to the four (4) horns of the brazen altar. This would encompass all the sins of the people; in the number 4 we have the north, south, east, and west. God loves to reveal the complete work of His Son. On the day of atonement, there is no mention of the blood being applied to the brazen altar; for the blood of atonement was seen as a full atonement for the sins of the people; this was the collective sin of all the people of Israel. Then proceeding through the courtyard to the laver, the high priest would take the blood of the victim, and at this point, he would wash his feet before entering into the Tabernacle. He would enter into the Holy Place, blood in hand, pass by the table of shew bread, and the illuminating lamp stand; he would then approach the golden altar of incense, and then proceed through the veil into the Holy of Holies where he would then, with godly fear, draw nigh to the Ark of the Covenant. Then he would bow, and seven times he would sprinkle the blood of the sacrifice on the Mercy-Seat. This blood would be for the sins of the people that God’s wrath and judgment would be stayed. We have this brought before us in verse 17 of Hebrews, Chapter 2. Christ as the High Priest entered in to the Holy of Holies in heaven above, and offered His blood to God the Father for the sins of the people.
Chapter 2, verse 17 is the first time that the Priesthood of Christ is mentioned in the New Testament, as the High Priest. To achieve this Priesthood He was made like unto His brethren, for the day of atonement when He in Himself, and by His own blood would make reconciliation for the sins of the people. The Spirit of God introduces Him as the High Priest at the end of this Chapter. We have been examining Him in Chapter 2; as both the Sacrifice and the Redeemer. We have not only seen His qualities, but God has, also, revealed His qualifications. Only the high priest could be a representative of God on the day of atonement. He was offering for himself, and for the sins of the people. Hebrews 7:22-28
By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament. (Hebrews 7:22)
And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death: (Hebrews 7:23)
But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood. (Hebrews 7:24)
Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. (Hebrews 7:25)
For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; (Hebrews 7:26)
Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people’s: for this he did once, when he offered up himself. (Hebrews 7:27)
For the law maketh men high priests which have infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was since the law, maketh the Son, who is consecrated for evermore. (Hebrews 7:28)
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)
On the day that the Lord Jesus was crucified He, who knew no sin, was made sin for us. He offered Himself so that He might make us, who believe in Him, the righteousness of God. When the priest entered into the Holy of Holies and sprinkled the blood 7 times, on the 7th time he could say in his heart, ‘it is finished,’ as Christ declared on the cross when He gave Himself. The priest could look at the Mercy-Seat and know that all the sins of the people was atoned for; there was not one sin left out, all the sins of the people just as the sin of the whole world was laid upon the Lord Jesus. Oh, precious soul, every one of your sins have been forgiven. He atoned for your sin on that great day of atonement. He set you free as in the year of jubilee, and He gave you life from above which is in Himself, as the High Priest of God, and of a better Tabernacle made by God, and not by man.
The fulfillment of Christ’s offering is now before us, if He is going to present us to God, He must do it as the High Priest. Not only has He satisfied God’s righteous claims against us, but now, as the High Priest after the order of Melchisedec. When God saves your soul the Lord Jesus, as the most High Priest, presents you to God the Father as a child of God. It is by Himself that He has put away sin for us, all the blood that was shed in the Old Testament, and all the sacrifices were to show the greatness of the blood of the Son of God. That all that blood could not make the comer to God perfect, only as it was a symbol of the blood of Christ; as His blood makes His redeemed spotless and pure before a holy and righteous God. He has put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. In the fullness of time, He brought the fullness of the day of atonement to light; He presented His blood on the true and eternal Mercy-Seat in heaven.
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)
For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us: (Hebrews 9:24)
Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others; (Hebrews 9:25)
For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. (Hebrews 9:26)
And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: (Hebrews 9:27)
So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation. (Hebrews 9:28)
But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; (Hebrews 9:11)
Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. (Hebrews 9:12)
For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: (Hebrews 9:13)
How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? (Hebrews 9:14)
When we read these words, we step outside of man’s comprehension, no mere mortal could have written these words outside of the moving of the Holy Spirit of God. These are words and thoughts that only the Spirit of God can reveal to the heart of man. We see the wonder of the Priesthood of the Lord Jesus going into the darkness, presenting His own blood in the thundering and lightning of the day of His atonement. Although He was crucified on earth, it was the heavens above, and God the Father that had to be satisfied in His death; not one transgression, not one sin must be left. The atonement must be complete, and so, it is up to you to enter in with Him, and see the Mercy-Seat sprinkled with His blood for your sin. Seven times He satisfied the righteous claim of God against you. It is His love and His compassion that took Him to the cross, and it is that love that He offers freely for you. So many do not appreciate the things of heaven; for the mind of man and the heart of man is limited. We are of the earth, earthly, and it is difficult for even the redeemed to see with unhindered eyes beyond the shadow overlooking into heaven. Man treats heaven as an endless void, yet heaven is full of the presence of God, the presence of angels, the presence of the redeemed, and the presence of all the articles of the heavenly Tabernacle. Heaven has a full righteous economy, not like the earth; for these are heavenly things, and these things have been sanctified by the blood of Christ. Heaven is an unseen sphere, and for our study we could use ‘unseen world.’ This unseen world is far greater than the things that we can see.
Our High Priest
And now after Calvary we have a High Priest in heaven for us. . . . For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. (Hebrews 4:15) From Chapter 2, verse 17, the Spirit of God begins to develop the Priesthood of Christ. Throughout the Book of Hebrews, the Spirit of God compares the priesthood of Aaron with the better Priesthood, which is Christ. In Aaron we had a man on earth doing earthly things according to God’s command. These were appointed priests out of the tribe of Levi, and their calling was to fulfill the purposes of God. Upon their death their priesthood would cease, and another man would be appointed out of the sons of Aaron to the position of high priest. They fulfilled the earthly purposes of God, but in the fullness of time, God sent forth His Son, the man, Christ Jesus. Now He has given Himself, He has atoned for sin. He was buried and rose again, and ascended on high, higher than the heavens to do His work as the Priest of the Most High God, Possessor of heaven and earth.
The Son of God, in heaven, is doing heavenly things. This is by right, for it is His right, not His appointment; He is the Son and heir of all things. This includes over his own house; whose house are we. (Hebrews 3:6) But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end. As Jesus Christ He has the right of Priesthood by His work on the cross, by His shed blood, by His suffering, and by His resurrection. He has acquired an eternal Priesthood, after the order of Melchisedec. Before the world was, He was, and is, the eternal priest of God, as the Son most holy. He is the eternal Melchisedec. We will cover Melchisedec in Chapter 7, D.V*., but for now, we will simply state that the Son of God, in His eternal being, was always the High Priest of God; however, when He took on Him the form of a man, as Jesus Christ, he had no right to Priesthood. Only as Christ gave Himself on the cross, and accomplished all that was in the divine day of atonement to bring forth the divine year of jubilee, that man may be free from his sins; He purchased with His blood the right as Jesus Christ, the man, to be a Priest forever after the order of Melchisedec.
Now let’s return to Leviticus . . . And Aaron shall come into the tabernacle of the congregation, and shall put off the linen garments, which he put on when he went into the holy place, and shall leave them there: (Leviticus 16:23) When the high priest had fulfilled the complete work of the day of atonement, including confessing the sin of the nation upon the head of the scapegoat, the priest would then return to the Holy Place. There he remove his blood stained garments and put on his garments of glory, then he went out and showed himself to the people. Seeing him in his garments of glory, the people knew that their sins had been atoned, and joy filled their hearts.
The Linen Garments
Then cometh Simon Peter following him, and went into the sepulchre, and seeth the linen clothes lie, (John 20:6)
And the napkin, that was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself. (John 20:7)
As in the day of atonement, when Aaron left his garments in the Holy Place, we have a fulfillment of this action in the garments left behind in the sepulchre of the Lord Jesus. One folded at His head, and one folded at His feet where once the body of the Lord Jesus had lain before His resurrection. The only thing now left behind, as a reminder of His death and sacrifice, were the linen garments; both seen by man and God. It is quite obvious that Christ was now covered with His own personal garments of glory. Remember, not only the articles of the Tabernacle were types and examples of the things in heaven, but the priesthood itself was a shadow of the Priesthood of the Lord Jesus Christ.
For if he were on earth, he should not be a priest, seeing that there are priests that offer gifts according to the law: (Hebrews 8:4)
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. (Hebrews 8:5)
But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; (Hebrews 9:11)
Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. (Hebrews 9:12)
For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: (Hebrews 9:13)
How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? (Hebrews 9:14)
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)
For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us: (Hebrews 9:24)
Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others; (Hebrews 9:25)
For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. (Hebrews 9:26)
And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment: (Hebrews 9:27)
So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation. (Hebrews 9:28)
For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect. (Hebrews 10:1)
These verses seems repetitious; yet, how many times have you read a verse over and over, and then one day the Holy Spirit opens our eyes and heart to see a treasure unseen before. It is like watching the sunrise on a new day, and we see the glories of God enhanced in our soul. So much can be learned to enhance the soul in the offering of Jesus Christ for us. So much can be learned if we pay attention to His eternal Priesthood. In John 17, did he not approach God the Father as a Priest seen before the foundation of the world, did He not have a glory, His glorious glory which He had with God the Father before the foundations of the world? The Book of Leviticus is full of these treasures, not only in the description of the priesthood, and his work, but in the very garments that the high priest wore, all multiplied the glories of Christ. These must be seen by the Spirit of God and not by the flesh. 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) When Paul was moved by the Holy Spirit to write these words, it was for us, as well as for all those throughout all of Church history. Paul wrote that God the Holy Spirit would continue to enrich them, and us with the knowledge of Christ, both by the wisdom of God and the continued revelation of God. These two qualities are found in the work of the Spirit of God. He is to reveal Christ in us, as well as to us. This can only be accomplished by the majestic work of the Spirit of God. It is only He who can lead us in to the fullness of Christ. And if we cleave to the mind of Christ, the Spirit of God will give us wisdom in the knowledge of Him who loves us and gave Himself for us. He will open our discernment to the things of faith. He will show us the facets of the jewel which is Christ Jesus our Lord. If we need divine wisdom, it is the Spirit of God who will reveal it to us; whether in the Old Testament or the New Testament, there are many treasures and jewels to be presented to us by the knowledge and wisdom of the Spirit of God. We have, also, further revelation in the Person of Jesus Christ; I give you an example — Isaiah 53. If you lived in the day of Isaiah and Hezekiah, you would not have understood the fullness of Isaiah 53; but now, in the end of the age, the Spirit of God through revelation to the soul displays all the suffering of Christ, and also His future glory.
Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed? (Isaiah 53:1)
For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him. (Isaiah 53:2)
He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. (Isaiah 53:3)
Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. (Isaiah 53:4)
But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. (Isaiah 53:5)
All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. (Isaiah 53:6)
He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth. (Isaiah 53:7)
He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken. (Isaiah 53:8)
And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth. (Isaiah 53:9)
Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. (Isaiah 53:10)
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 53:11)
Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors. (Isaiah 53:12)
The understanding that He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied comes by divine revelation. I do realize that men of this day hold the knowledge of Isaiah 53 in their minds, but that is not revelation. One must hold this knowledge in one’s heart by the Holy Spirit of God, and this is revelation.
Of which salvation the prophets have enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: (1 Peter 1:10)
Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow. (1 Peter 1:11)
Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.(1 Peter 1:12)
I have to approach this very carefully, for we live in dark days, and the spirit of man loves to twist the truth for his own gain. Do I believe that God is revealing things to the soul and the heart of man today that were written in the Scriptures aforetime? Yes, I do. But one must approach all revealing with prayer and godly fear. Do not let traditions of men, and cute cliches and bumper sticker sayings determine your doctrine. One must always consult the Spirit of God and His word, and not man. The Spirit of God will find the heart that is cleaving to Christ, and the Spirit of God will reveal the glories of Christ to him. We have let the so-called clergy lull us to sleep, as they claim authority over the word of God, so that they can keep souls in subjection to themselves and not to Christ. Listen to Paul, as he takes us further into the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ.
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)
Paul was fighting the same unrighteous element that we fight against today. These very words were to ensure in the heart of the believers in the Lord Jesus Christ the true manifestation of His glory in their hearts as revealed through the Holy Spirit of God.
The Priesthood of Christ in Revelation
Now moving back to the glorious Priesthood of the Lord Jesus Christ . . . .
The Lord was seen by John on Patmos. John looked and saw the Lord Jesus, as the son of man, walking among the candlesticks. John saw 7 candlesticks, and each one has a name assigned to it. It begins with the church in Ephesus, and ends with the church of the Laodiceans. At the very beginning of the vision, the 7 candlesticks represent the fullness of the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ. God is seeing here all the redeemed of God in these 7 candlesticks. This is a vision and a revelation to John, even though the Book is the Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto Him to show unto His servants the things which must shortly come to pass at the end of the age. Remember that is was in the 7th  month that Aaron was to observe the day of atonement for the nation of Israel. In this number 7 we see fulfillment and completion not only for the nation of Israel in the day of atonement, but we have the fulfillment of the work of Christ on the cross for His Church. Although there are yet many souls to be saved, Christ sees the finished glory of His Bride represented in the number 7. We remember that God rested on the 7th  day, all His work was complete, and He saw that it was good. Although, through the 7 letters to the churches, He reveals the defilement and corruption in the 7 churches, it is at the onset in the revelation that Christ sees the Church as complete in Him.
The Lord Jesus is walking among the candlesticks, this represents Him in the midst of His brethren. It is here that He will minister and judge His Church. We see Him as the One who sings praise in the midst of the Church, (Hebrews 2:12) and we see Him as Judge as judgment must begin first at the house of God. For the time [is come] that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if [it] first [begin] at us, what shall the end [be] of them that obey not the gospel of God? (1 Pe 4:17) This vision must be taken separately from the 7 letters to the churches in Revelation 2 and 3. The Lord Jesus in the midst of the candlesticks represents our High Priest as truly the minister of the covenant which He sealed with His own blood. He is ministering to them who He loves, He sees at one time all the precious souls who have been redeemed by His blood. He has called them into the fold as His Bride. He is displaying the heavenly light to them by the represented candlesticks. The light is the representation of His glory, and their glory is received from Him. Later in the Book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ, He will display them coming out of heaven surrounded with His glory and in their garments of pure linen, white and clean.
And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth. (Revelation 19:6)
Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. (Revelation 19:7)
And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. (Revelation 19:8)
And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God. (Revelation 19:9)
This will be a future unfolding of the Body or Church of the Lord Jesus Christ. His Church will be revealed to the world surrounded with His glory; however, in Chapter 1 of Revelation, the Church is still in the present evil world, for we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against powers, against principalities, and against the evil rulers of this world. (Ephesians 6:12) Yet, God sees us with Christ in heaven represented by the 7 golden candlesticks. Our first view is Christ in the midst of the 7 candlesticks, He is seen as the son of man, the man Christ Jesus. He is set forth in our verse in Hebrews 2:17 as the High Priest as made like unto His brethren. In Hebrews, chapter 2;17 we can still see the lowly man, the man of sorrows; yet, in Revelation 1, we see the son of man exalted and glorified. He has reconciled a people unto Himself . . . that is us, who believe in Him. He walks amongst the candlesticks, this is the ministry of the Son of God; not one of His children are left out.
When I was young, not everyone had a phone. It was common to go to someone’s home to use their phone. All phones had to be connected to a common line, this was the method of communication from one house to another. Now, in our age, there are phones upon phones, I say this in reverence, almost as the stars of the sky. In the ‘old’ days one had to have a physical line to attach a phone to, without this line, there was no communication. In a spiritual sense, one must have the mind of Christ and one must be connected to Him by the Spirit of God. This gives us a line of communication to our great High Priest, the Lord Jesus Christ. This line is open by His shed blood on Calvary, this line is used by the Spirit of God to give us the ministry of Christ in our hearts. Man tries to minimize the work of communication that the Sprit of God does for us. Man either goes overboard with lies concerning gifts of the Spirit of God, or denies any gift at all. Man likes to recognize gift when there is no gift at all, and then, when gift is obvious man will deny it unto his last breathe; showing that there is no light in them.
The work of the Spirit of God and His gift will always be based on truth. The Spirit of God is representing our great High Priest in our hearts. He will always convict us of the truth, and reveal the errors of man to us. Let’s pay close attention to the vision of the son of man in Revelation, Chapter 1; the first mention of the description is the garment down to His feet. And thou shalt make holy garments for Aaron thy brother for glory and for beauty. (Exodus 28:2) We see the garment of Aaron, that this garment represented glory and beauty, should we expect anything less in the garment of the Lord Jesus Christ in Revelation 1? Then the garment was to be made by wise hearted men, full of wisdom of the Spirit. And thou shalt speak unto all that are wise hearted, whom I have filled with the spirit of wisdom, that they may make Aaron’s garments to consecrate him, that he may minister unto me in the priest’s office. (Exodus 28: 3) Once again, we see the Holy Spirit working in the Old Testament, for the men who made the garment were full of the wisdom of the Spirit. These garments were figures of the true. The true garment which the Lord Jesus wears as the High Priest. And these are the garments which they shall make; a breastplate, and an ephod, and a robe, and a broidered coat, a mitre, and a girdle: and they shall make holy garments for Aaron thy brother, and his sons, that he may minister unto me in the priest’s office. (Exodus 28:4) We have a list of the various garments and breastplate, and mitre, and girdle that Aaron wore. These were holy garments. There is more enlightenment in the rest of Chapter 28 of Leviticus. Read it prayerfully and the Spirit of God will enrich your heart.
The Golden Girdle
Next in the vision of John in Revelation, Chapter 1, we see the golden girdle, or girdle of righteousness; for gold always depicts God’s righteousness. The Apostle John is no longer describing the man of sorrows, or the son of man, but one who is majestic, one who has conquered, and has the right to walk amongst the candlesticks. It is no longer son of man, but now it is the I AM. Remember in John’s gospel, this title is used over and over for God the Son.
His Hair — His Eyes — His Feet
His next description is of His hair. The hair is pure as snow, this is a symbol of all the wisdom of God, as well as the symbol of the purity of Christ. His eyes are like fire, He is going to and fro through the Church, to take out the dross of unbelief and burning up that which is not true and righteous. For He will judge the quick and the dead. We see His feet as fine brass as though they burned in a furnace. His feet are a symbol of the fire of God between His Person and the world. It is also to us, as a symbol of our separate walk from the world, that we are to keep ourselves unspotted from the world. Both the fire of His eyes, and the burning brass are symbols of God’s separating the dross, and separating the sheep from the goats. My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: (John 10:27) And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth [his] sheep from the goats: (Matthew 25:32)
His Voice
John relates the voice as ‘many waters.’ The world is mostly made of water, so wherever we are in the world, as His children, His voice can reach us. It might be a voice of many waters, but it is still one voice. It is His voice of love for His own.
The 7 Stars
The 7 stars also speaks of this full power of righteousness. We see the 7 stars which are angels, The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches. (Revelation 1:20) By the way, God knows the difference between His angels and man. These are divinely appointed angels to minister to the Church, they are sent forth by Christ Himself. Remember that through the Book of the Revelation that angels are angels, and men are men. One instance, when John bows to worship the being before him, he is told by that being that he is one of his brethren. He did not say, ‘I am one of God’s angels.’ So we decipher the difference, angels are angels, and men are men. These 7 angels fill the time span of Church history from Acts and the giving of the Spirit of God to the ascension of the Church to be with the Lord Jesus forever. They are responsible for ministering to the redeemed, as one ministered to Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane. That angel was sent to strengthen God’s Son. Let us not take them lightly, for they are ministers to us, and to all the Church. Remember, the ministry of angels is shown throughout Scripture. The first mention of the ministry of angels was guarding the way to the Garden of Eden, so that man could never return. We also have the ministry of angels in the law that was given to Moses.
For if the word spoken by angels was stedfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward; (Hebrews 2:2)
Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator. (Galatians 3:19)
Who have received the law by the disposition of angels, and have not kept it. (Acts 7:53)
The chariots of God are twenty thousand, even thousands of angels: the Lord is among them, as in Sinai, in the holy place. (Psalm 68:17)
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)
Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation? (Hebrews 1:14)
The angels are ministers of those who will be heirs of salvation. They partake in the ministry in the New Covenant of Jesus Christ. They are sent forth by God the Son to minister to the 7 churches. They are the watchers (Daniel 4:17), and the revealers of the mind of Christ to the Church. Christ has given them authority, and when you read the 7 letters they are ministering for Christ to the churches. The condemnation is not to the angel, but to the church itself; however, man wants to interfere with the very purpose of God. Man wants these ministers to be men, so that he can devise a system to usurp the power of Christ from His church. Man has developed a system of lies and deceit called the Seat of Satan.
And to the angel of the church in Pergamos write; These things saith he which hath the sharp sword with two edges; (Revelation 2:12)
I know thy works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan’s seat is: and thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth. (Revelation 2:13)
All religions of men originate from the seat of Satan. Why do we have so much confusion today, so many different names, so many different teachings? Because man has taken the seat of Satan and contrived religion after religion. We have people saying that they are of Christ, and they are not! They are lying, and being self-deceived, and they like it that way. The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means; and my people love to have it so: and what will ye do in the end thereof? (Jeremiah 5:31) This is a great way for Satan to rule the world through religion, and political power; or the religion of politics. Feed man what he wants to hear, and he will love you for it. Tell him that he is going to hell because of his sin, and he will hate you for it. In the letter to Pergamos, and throughout the letters to the churches, there is only one man of God mentioned; his name was Antipas. It was the religious system from the seat of Satan that killed him because of his love for Christ. Antipas made his choice when he separated himself from the religious world to serve Jesus Christ. We have the same choice today because the seat of Satan, and the religious world is still ruling in full power. One can either abide with them or separate from them. The only joy that you will bring to the Lord, and to yourself is to come out from among them. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean [thing]; and I will receive you, (2 Corinthians 6:17)
It is better to suffer rejection and be in the presence of the Lord Jesus, then to be lauded by man and be popular among the people. When a religious group of men and Satan, deny Christ His rightful place then they are the ministers of Satan. Listen closely to them, listen to the things that detract from your Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. They twist their words like corkscrews, and speak with tongues full of lies. But we have a High Priest over the house of God, Jesus Christ, the righteous minister of the sanctuary. In these dark days, open the door and let Him in. View this majestic God full of glory, and honor, and righteousness. Don’t let the world rob you of your Savior. These are 10 things to watch for:
- Denying the Deity of Christ, and His eternal existence as the Son of God.
- Denying His sinless life; being God, He, as God could not sin.
- Denying the word of God as the only authority of God speaking to man, and revealing Himself to man in every jot and tittle.
- Denying the continual work of the Spirit of God to maintain and preserve the word of God as a pure seed to our very day.
- Denying the redeeming power of the blood of Christ alone.
- Denying the eternal Sonship of the children of God as joint heirs of Jesus Christ.
- Denying eternal salvation of the children of God as chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world.
- Denying that the man Christ Jesus is now in heaven for us, to minister unto us.
- Denying Christ’s eternal Priesthood.
- Denying the translation of the saints in glory to be with the Lord.
If you see or hear any of these denials, or twisting of these truths, beware of the source, no matter how many degrees they have — they are not of Christ. Amen.
Am I therefore become your enemy, because I tell you the truth? (Galatians 4:16)
- D.V. -Deo Volente – God willing
© Copyright 2015, Michael Haigh
Article may be used, but not for gain. Freely ye have received, freely give.
All Scripture references are from the Authorized King James Bible. (KJV)