Bible Reading Plan | Devotion for the week of November 29, 2020

Weekly Reading: Hebrews 3-7
Passages Referenced: Hebrews 4:14-5:10

Hebrews is one of my favorite books of the Bible. It is a book for anyone who considers themselves a student of the Scriptures. Any amount of time spent studying Hebrews will prompt you to dig deep into the Old Testament. Hebrews draws out some of the most significant and meaningful themes and images from Scripture, showing how Christ is the culmination of them all. But, it can be a challenging book of the Bible if you’re not familiar with the Old Testament, Israel, and the cultural context of biblical times. Still, in Hebrews 4:14-5:10, there is comfort and encouragement to be found for everyone who looks to Jesus as their hope and savior.

In my Bible, the heading in bold letters above Hebrews 4:14 says, “Jesus the Great High Priest.” Priest simply means someone who represents people before God. In the Old Testament, the high priest was the only person on earth who could enter into a special room within the Temple of God, the holiest place. The high priest would represent all of Israel and receive God’s forgiveness on their behalf. Jesus is our great high priest because He doesn’t just enter one special room for one special nation on one special occasion once each year. The risen Jesus entered into heaven itself once and for all eternity for everyone who believes in Him. The same Jesus who was born in a manger, who was tempted and did not sin (see Matthew 4 and 26), who spit in the dirt and put mud on a blind man’s eyes (see John 9), and who suffered and died on the Cross is who entered into heaven to represent us. He loves us, and He understands what we go through in our most frustrating and human moments. Therefore, we can pray from the depths of our hearts, knowing that He truly hears.

Also central in this passage are the earnest appeals for those who identify as Christians. We’re called to “hold firmly to the faith we profess,” “approach God’s throne of grace with confidence,” “receive mercy,” and “find grace to help us in our time of need.” For people who are struggling, this passage pleads with us to shake off whatever is weighing us down and be reinvigorated by the hope we have in Christ. If 2020 has been a tough year for you, these are words that can rekindle the fire that’s waning in your heart. While things may feel overwhelming and hope may not be evident around you, you are a child of God. Jesus Christ invites you to trust Him still. He wants you to experience the freedom of forgiveness by coming before Him with whatever you’ve done or left undone, whatever you’ve said or not said. He is also assuring you of the promise of eternal life with Him and that someday you will experience the fullness of His presence where there will be no more tears, no more pain, no more toil, no more darkness, and no more death. Don’t give up hope; hold firmly to the faith you profess. – Nate Metler

• Go Deeper – If you would like to learn more about Hebrews as you try to make sense of all the characters and imagery from the Old Testament, check out this excellent resource from The Bible Project: https://bibleproject.com/explore/hebrews/