COPIES
I HAD always been amazed by the fear that people had of the
Bible. Some of the world's super-powers, like Russia and China,
along with many other countries, especially those under Communist
or Islamic rule, so feared the Bible that they forbade their
people to read it. It seemed strange to me that Russia, a country
that had boasted of possessing a nuclear arsenal capable of
destroying much of the world, so feared the Scriptures. World
super-powers who had claimed that they feared nothing, so dreaded
the power of God's Word that they took drastic steps to ensure
that not even one copy be allowed into the hands of its people.
As I considered the fact that millions of people, in many parts
of the world, did not, for one reason or another, have access to
the Bible, I was so glad that I now had a copy of it. I was
determined to read it, and to discover the relevance of God's
Word for my life. I noticed the word 'COPIES,' as I read the
following portion, and discovered it related to a very important
and fundamental truth concerning the ministry of Jesus Christ:
"It was necessary, then, for the copies of the heavenly
things to be purified with these sacrifices, but the heavenly
things themselves with better sacrifices than these. For Christ
did not enter a man-made sanctuary that was only a copy of the
true one; he entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God's
presence; . . . The law is only a shadow of the good things that
are coming-not the realities themselves. For this reason it can
never, by the same sacrifices repeated endlessly year after year,
make perfect those who draw near to worship." 1
Here, God's Word was speaking of 'copies,' or shadows of things,
and saying that these 'copies' were not the realities themselves,
but simply a 'picture' of things to come. For example, in the Old
Testament religious system there was a high priest appointed, and
he was a 'copy,' or shadow, of Jesus Christ, who would later come
as the perfect High Priest, and minister on behalf of His people.
In the New Testament, the high priest's ministry is outlined in
the following words:
"Every high priest is selected from among men and is
appointed to represent them in matters related to God, to offer
gifts and sacrifices for sins. He is able to deal gently with
those who are ignorant and are going astray, since he himself is
subject to weakness. This is why he has to offer sacrifices for
his own sins, as well as for the sins of the people." 2
The high priest was the peoples' representative, their mediator
between God and man, but in this capacity he was only a 'copy' or
shadow of Jesus Christ. Jesus was the REAL High Priest. When He
would come, there would no longer be any need for the 'copies.'
Their ministry would no longer function; it would become
obsolete.
I could see the high priesthood of Jesus Christ outlined in the
following portions of the Bible. He is described as:
(a) Human, as well as Divine; "Since the children have flesh
and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death
he might destroy him who holds the power of death-that is, the
devil-;" 3 "For this reason he had to be made like his
brothers in every way, in order that he might become a merciful
and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might
make atonement for the sins of the people;" 4
"Therefore, holy brothers, who share in the heavenly
calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, the apostle and high priest
whom we confess." 5
(b) Sympathetic; "Therefore, since we have a great high
priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God,
let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a
high priest who is unable to sympathise with our weaknesses, but
we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are-yet
was without sin." 6
(c) Divinely Appointed; "So also Christ glorified not
himself to be made an high priest; but he that said unto him,
'Thou art my Son, today have I begotten thee.' As he saith also
in another place, 'Thou art a priest for ever, after the order of
Melchisedec' " 7
(d) Eternal; "Where Jesus, who went before us, has entered
on our behalf. He has become a high priest for ever, in the order
of Melchisedec." 8
(e) Sinless; "Such a high priest meets our need-one who is
holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the
heavens." 9
(f) Exalted; "The point of what we are saying is this: We do
have such a high priest, who sat down at the right hand of the
throne of the Majesty in heaven." 10 "When Christ came
as high priest of the good things that are already here, he went
through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not
man-made, that is to say, not a part of this creation;" 11
"And having an high priest over the house of God ." 12
So, here it was, in such great detail, and yet so easy to
understand. Before Christ came into the world there were high
priests appointed. But they were only 'copies', or shadows, whose
ministry ended when the great High Priest, Jesus, came. The
'copies' were no longer needed, for the reality had come.
It was a great delight to me to discover these precious truths in
God's Word. To me, the Bible was like a treasure chest, and the
more I opened it, the more valuables I found.
1. Hebrews 9:23-24; 10:1.
2. Hebrews 5:1-3.
3. Hebrews 2:14.
4. Hebrews 2:17.
5. Hebrews 3:1.
6. Hebrews 4:14-15.
7. Hebrews 5:5-6.
8. Hebrews 6:20.
9. Hebrews 7:26.
10. Hebrews 8:1.
11. Hebrews 9:11.
12. Hebrews 10:21.
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