Class Notes: 2/7/2010

In the Church Age the Royal Priesthood of TLJC supersedes the Levitical Priesthood


John 1:14 - And the Word (undiminished deity) became flesh (true humanity), and dwelt among us (the Incarnation), and we (James, Peter, and John) beheld His glory (the visual manifestation of the Uniform of Glory), glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth (Bible Doctrine).

In our previous lessons we reviewed the doctrines that relate to TLJC in his first advent when he was incarnated via the virgin birth.

We started our study with a discussion of the doctrine of the virgin birth that was necessary for there to be no transmission of the OSN and then took up the doctrine of the hypostatic union that explains the mechanics of how undiminished deity and true humanity reside in the person of TLJC and then discussed the doctrine of the kenosis that defines God the Father's protocol for the deity and humanity of TLJC in hypostatic union.

In the context of these doctrines, we have been looking at some of the names and titles for our Lord Jesus Christ in order to see more clearly what God has done for us through him, so we can more completely understand who TLJC is and what he has done for us, and from our knowledge of him have our confidence established in him by being occupied with him. Heb 12:2;

We are now discussing TLJC as the Royal High Priest and believers who are in union with him as members of the Royal Priesthood of the church age and eternity.

Previously in our study we noted that TLJC our Messiah is the Great High Priest Heb 4:14; and church age believers are believer priests 1Peter 2:5-9.

When we stopped last time we were discussing the fact that the "house of God", the true Holy of Holies, is at the right hand of God in heaven, not in a temple on the earth and that our absolute confidence is based on the fact that the empty room, a reminder of the importance of the word of God that is the metabolized doctrine in the soul.

Heb 6:18-20; "in order that by two immutable things (the sacred oath of God and God Himself), by which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have taken refuge might have strong motivation to seize the hope (absolute confidence in the word of God) that is set before us,

v19 This hope (absolute confidence) we have as an anchor of the soul both secure and reliable, and one which enters (the Holy of Holies) behind the veil,

v20 where Jesus, our advanced guard, has entered for us, having become a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek."

We take refuge in the word of God that is doctrine in our stream of consciousness. The Bible doctrine that fills the believer's soul provides them a full room.

Church Age believer priests fill the empty room behind the veil. The anchor inside the veil is our Lord Jesus Christ.

Our High Priest does not dwell between the cherubs of the mercy seat, He is seated at the right hand of the Father in the true Holy of Holies. The empty room is a reminder that we will enter the true Holy of Holies in heaven after the exit resurrection.

Our hope is brought to completion by the eternal security that is guaranteed to us at our salvation, by the unique spiritual life of history, and by that day when we will take our place in heaven in our resurrection body, that is represented on this earth by an empty room.

Our absolute confidence is that we as priests are operating out of the true Holy of Holies in heaven. The Church Age believer's body is now the veil and the anchor in the soul is the indwelling of the person of Jesus Christ.

Col 1:27; The anchor is "Christ in us our absolute confidence of glory" it is a problem solving device for the difficulties or storms of life.

In a storm, the anchor prevents the ship from drifting off out of position and stabilizes the ship in the storm. As we have seen recently, Faith (Bible Doctrine) is analogous to the chain that secures us to the anchor. The more doctrine the believer has, the longer the chain and the more stable the ride in the anchorage during the storms of life.

Bible Doctrine establishes our hope. (absolute confidence) Titus 2:13; Rom 5:5; Rom 15:4; "...that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scripture we might have hope." (Absolute Confidence)

Our Lord made the announcement of the new covenant to the Church at the last supper. Luke 22:20; "And in the same way He took the cup after they had eaten, saying, `This cup which is poured out as a substitute for you is the new covenant with My blood.'"

The Lord's table or Eucharist of the Church Age replaced Israel's Passover meal.

The new covenant to the Church is signed with the Lord's once and for all sacrifice on the Cross.

The new covenant to the Church rescinds and supersedes the old covenant to Israel and then transfers blessing to the new covenant to Israel in the millennium.

This new covenant priesthood is explained in chapter 8 of Hebrews. Heb 8:1-2, "But in addition to what is being said the main point is this: we keep on having such a high priest, who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens,


v2 a priest of the Holy of Holies even the true tabernacle, which the Lord has irrevocably established, not man."

The ascension and session of our Lord was the transfer of the Holy of Holies on earth to the throne room of God in heaven. This is why the veil of the Temple was split from top to bottom to reveal an empty room.

The Holy of Holies will never be moved again or be destroyed. The true Holy of Holies is irrevocably established in the third heaven forever. Our High Priest is the only High Priest who has ever sat down in the presence of God the Father, Heb 12:2, Heb 9:12, Heb 7:26; Heb 10:12;

Jesus has been seated and is now in session in the true Holy of Holies because He has done everything He can for us until the Exit Resurrection or Rapture of the Church.

The new covenant to the Church is different than the new covenant to Israel because our High Priest is seated in resurrection body in heaven. This means that the only priesthood that will exist in the eternal state is the priesthood of all Church Age believers who are in union with TLJC.

We have a high priest who is the only savior. He is resurrected and is presently making intercession for us. Jesus Christ is the high priest of the new covenant to the Church. He is never a priest in Israel.

Ezek 43:19, tells us that the descendants of Zadok who was the high priest in the time of David are the priests of the new covenant to Israel.

This means that the new covenant to Israel that is fulfilled in the millennium is an extension of the Levitical priesthood of the old covenant. The new covenant to Israel, that is not yet operational does not supersede or rescind the old covenant to Israel, Heb 7:18.

The new covenant to the Church supersedes and rescinds the old covenant to Israel.
Heb 8:3; "For every high priest is authorized to offer both gifts (food offerings) and (animal) sacrifices; hence it is necessary that this One (TLJC) also have something that He may offer."

Our Lord cannot offer anything according to the Levitical priesthood since He is not of the tribe of Levi. He will not be a priest functioning in Israel in the millennium. He will be their King. He has His own eternal Royal priesthood in the millennium, along with church age believers in resurrection bodies.

He offered Himself as a sacrifice for sin and He offers salvation, resurrection, eternal life, a unique spiritual life, and a unique, eternal, royal, high priesthood to those who believe in Him

Heb 8:4, "If on the one hand therefore He were on earth, He would not even be a priest, for there are those who continue to offer gifts in conformity with the Law."
This verse shows that this epistle was written prior to the destruction of the Jewish temple and the termination of the Levitical offerings in 70 A.D.

When this was written, our High Priest was not on earth, He had already ascended and was seated at the right hand of the Father and was in session in heaven.

In spite of this, from 30-70 A.D. the Levitical priesthood kept on offering animal sacrifices according to the Levitical system prescribed in the Mosaic Law, that had been rescinded by our Lord when he finished his work on the Cross. John 19:30;

When Jesus Christ was appointed royal high priest forever in the divine decree as described in the prophesy in Psa 110:4; His royal high priesthood was related exclusively to the church age and the eternal state.

Heb 8:5; "who have been and still are serving as a shadow-copy of heavenly things, just as Moses was warned when he was about to erect the tabernacle; for, `See to it,' he says, `that you make all things according to the pattern which was made known to you in the mountain.'"

The temple and all of its functions were a shadow copy of our Lord seated in the Holy of Holies. This was also the case of the Law Heb 10:1, NET


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