The poem you are about to read is based on the Bible passage from the letter to the Hebrews chapters 6 and 7. God became a man and died to justify sinners in the courtroom of divine justice. Furthermore, Jesus became a high priest (mediator) to impart eternal life through payer and intercession. The ministry of Jesus that will sustain the people for whom He died is an eternal one, because it is necessary for God to sustain what He creates. Through the intercession of Christ the Holy Spirit is sent forth into the heart of those for whom He died, in order to impart His resurrected and righteous life. It is the imparted life of Christ that enables a forgiven sinner to live out his forgiveness in a righteous way. Thus, the high priestly ministry of Christ is as vital to the eternal stability and security of the believer as is Jesus’ substitutionary and sacrificial death.
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Hebrews 6:13-7:28
“For when God made the promise to Abraham, since He could swear by no one greater, He swore by Himself, 6:14 saying, “I will surely bless you and I will surely multiply you.” 6:15 And so, having patiently waited, he obtained the promise. 6:16 For men swear by one greater than themselves, and with them an oath given as confirmation is an end of every dispute. 6:17 In the same way God, desiring even more to show to the heirs of the promise the unchangeableness of His purpose, interposed with an oath, 6:18 so that by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have taken refuge would have strong encouragement to take hold of the hope set before us.6:19 This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and one which enters within the veil, 6:20 where Jesus has entered as a forerunner for us, having become a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.
7:1 For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, who met Abraham as he was returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him,7:2 to whom also Abraham apportioned a tenth part of all the spoils, was first of all, by the translation of his name, king of righteousness, and then also king of Salem, which is king of peace. 7:3 Without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God, he remains a priest perpetually.
7:4 Now observe how great this man was to whom Abraham, the patriarch, gave a tenth of the choicest spoils. 7:5 And those indeed of the sons of Levi who receive the priest’s office have commandment in the Law to collect a tenth from the people, that is, from their brethren, although these are descended from Abraham. 7:6 But the one whose genealogy is not traced from them collected a tenth from Abraham and blessed the one who had the promises. 7:7But without any dispute the lesser is blessed by the greater. 7:8 In this case mortal men receive tithes, but in that case one receives them, of whom it is witnessed that he lives on. 7:9 And, so to speak, through Abraham even Levi, who received tithes, paid tithes, 7:10 for he was still in the loins of his father when Melchizedek met him.
7:11 Now if perfection was through the Levitical priesthood (for on the basis of it the people received the Law), what further need was there for another priest to arise according to the order of Melchizedek, and not be designated according to the order of Aaron? 7:12 For when the priesthood is changed, of necessity there takes place a change of law also. 7:13 For the one concerning whom these things are spoken belongs to another tribe, from which no one has officiated at the altar. 7:14 For it is evident that our Lord was descended from Judah, a tribe with reference to which Moses spoke nothing concerning priests. 7:15And this is clearer still, if another priest arises according to the likeness of Melchizedek, 7:16 who has become such not on the basis of a law of physical requirement, but according to the power of an indestructible life. 7:17 For it is attested of Him, “You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.” 7:18 For, on the one hand, there is a setting aside of a former commandment because of its weakness and uselessness 7:19 (for the Law made nothing perfect), and on the other hand there is a bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw near to God.7:20 And inasmuch as it was not without an oath 7:21 (for they indeed became priests without an oath, but He with an oath through the One who said to Him, “The Lord has sworn and will not change His mind, ‘You are a priest forever'”); 7:22 so much the more also Jesus has become the guarantee of a better covenant.
7:23 The former priests, on the one hand, existed in greater numbers because they were prevented by death from continuing, 7:24 but Jesus, on the other hand, because He continues forever, holds His priesthood permanently. 7:25 Therefore He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.
7:26 For it was fitting for us to have such a high priest, holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners and exalted above the heavens; 7:27 who does not need daily, like those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the sins of the people, because this He did once for all when He offered up Himself. 7:28 For the Law appoints men as high priests who are weak, but the word of the oath, which came after the Law, appoints a Son, made perfect forever.”
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THE PROMISE AND THE PRIEST
A promise is to make man’s word certain
But only God can ensure what’s behind the curtain
Thus God promised Abraham and his successor
That they might have hope for life ever after
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For God to overcome the sting of lifelessness
He chose the priest rich in righteousness
He was without beginning of days or end of life
But remains a priest forever without strife
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To see the greatness of this priest of God
We must look to Abram’s seed Levi as yet to trod
In Abram Levi bowed low to a priest without end
Levi died as a priest so on many Israel did depend
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The priest goes between God and men
To reconcile men because sin does offend
In the first covenant the priest was for show
But in the new, to the throne room He did go
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The second priest was to make things right
So into the heart of man he must alight
The law of God was Jesus’ greatest desire
So to man He took the law as God did require
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Christ promised the Holy Spirit to send
So on Christ man must depend
It is written, My laws I will place in your head
I will write them on your heart, the prophet said
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To accomplish this phenomenal feat
A sacrificial lamb did not retreat
Eternal suffering was accrued in 3 hours
An endless price was paid that was really ours
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The sacrifice complete and exchange made
A new heart and eternal work was displayed
An eternity of prayer from this priest flowers
So that Perfection of life might be eternally ours
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