The High Priest as a Type of Christ

Another type of Christ is the Hebrew high priest of God, which was originally Aaron the brother of Moses, who was eventually succeeded by his third son Eleazer, and many others down through the centuries. In my previous article on The Typology of the Tabernacle, I explained that the high priest was the only person in the world allowed to enter the Most Holy Place, and that he was only allowed to do so once per year on the Hebrew Day of Atonement.

The apostle of Christ writing to the Hebrews during the first century explicitly taught that the high priest was a type of Christ. He said, "Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the Apostle and High Priest of our confession." (Heb 3:1).

The apostle further explained the many wonderful ways in which the high priest is a type of Christ and it's rich meaning to us. Let's look at those together.

Made Like His Brethren in All Things
A high priest was a man who represented the people to God and made atonement on their behalf. "Therefore, He [Jesus] had to be made like His brethren in all things, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people." (Heb 2:17)

The Lord Jesus suffered temptations, three of which occurred during his forty days of fasting in the wilderness. These all worked for our benefit, because they enabled Him to be our perfect high priest, who is able to help us when we are tempted. "Because He Himself suffered when He was tempted, He is able to help those who are being tempted." (Heb 2:18, NIV)

Tempted in Every Way Just as We Are

Not only did Jesus Christ suffer temptation, but he was tempted in every way just as we are, yet without sin. "Therefore, since we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin." (Heb 4:14-15)

The benefit of this to us is wonderful and gives us great confidence. "Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need." (Heb 4:16)

High Priest Forever

The earthly high priest entered the Holy of Holies behind the veil once each year on the Day of Atonement to sprinkle the blood of sacrificial animals and offer incense. He was forbidden to enter at any other time into the holy place inside the veil, before the mercy seat which is on the ark, or he would die (Lev 16:2). For the Lord would appear in the cloud over the mercy seat.

He had to wear bells of pure gold on the hem of his robe (Ex 28:33; 39:25-26). As long as the other priests outside that room could hear the bells, they knew he was still alive and that he had been accepted by God, but if he dropped dead in the holy presence of God, they would not be able to enter in to retrieve his corpse. Therefore, it is believed by scholars that the high priest had a rope tied around his ankle, which enabled them to drag him out. There is nothing in Scripture that states he had such a rope tied to him, but that doesn't mean he didn't have one. Apparently the Jewish oral tradition preserved in the Talmud indicates the high priest had a rope around his waist, so the belief among Bible scholars that he had a rope around his ankle probably comes from Jewish literature. The fact that the high priest could perish like that during his service, and would eventually die someday, was a major weakness of all the earthly high priests that served at the altar.

However, Jesus entered the Most Holy Place in heaven itself behind the veil, but since He lives forever, He is a much better high priest, far superior to all others. Those who are in Christ are connected to Him, but we will never need to drag Him out by a rope, because He lives forever and can never die again. Unlike like those earthly high priests, Christ is like an anchor of our souls beyond the veil, steadfast and secure, never failing to hold onto us as long as we stay connected to Him. This gives us great hope.

"This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and one which enters within the veil, where Jesus has entered as a forerunner for us, having become a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek." (Heb 6:19-20)

I'm reminded of the words of that song called "Anchor Beyond the Veil" by Bob Kauflin, which goes:

"And Jesus You've gone

Before us

And Your faithfulness

Never fails

In the darkness

You reassure us,

You're our anchor

Beyond the veil"

And as the old hymn called "On Christ the Solid Rock" goes, "In every high and stormy gale, my anchor holds within the veil."

Sacrificed Once for All

There are many more differences that set Jesus apart from all other high priests. "For it was fitting for us to have such a high priest, holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners and exalted above the heavens; 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." (Heb 7:26-27; cf., Heb 5:1-3)

All the earthly high priests were human and beset with weakness like all men, so they were obligated to first offer sacrifices for their own sins and then for the sins of the people they represented before God. However, our great High Priest Jesus Christ is holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners, and highly exalted above the heavens, so He doesn't need to do that. He sacrificed His life once for all, and He never needs to do so again.

Ordained by God as High Priest

Just as no earthly high priest would be allowed to assume that role unless he were anointed and ordained to serve as high priest in his father's place (Lev 16:32), so also Jesus didn't glorify Himself, but the Father designated Him as high priest forever. The apostle says, "And no one takes the honor to himself, but receives it when he is called by God, even as Aaron was. So also Christ did not glorify Himself so as to become a high priest, but He who said to Him, 'You are My Son, today I have begotten You'; just as He says also in another passage, 'You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.'" (Heb 5:4-6). Therefore, Christ was anointed and ordained to serve as High Priest in His Father's place, according to Scripture.

The Source of Eternal Salvation

Although every other high priest relied on God for salvation, Jesus actually became the source of salvation for all who obey Him. "Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things which He suffered. And having been made perfect, He became to all those who obey Him the source of eternal salvation, being designated by God as a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek." (Heb 5:8-10)

He Entered the Perfect Tabernacle by His Own Blood
Rather than repeatedly entering an earthly tabernacle by the blood of animals, Jesus entered the holy place of the perfect, heavenly tabernacle once for all, by His own blood. There He sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven. And while the blood of goats and bulls did provide the people with an outward cleansing of the flesh, the blood of Jesus provides a deeper cleansing of our consciences. Although the earthly high priests had to enter the holy place annually, Jesus entered the holy place once for all and obtained eternal redemption for us.

"We do have such a High Priest, who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, and who serves in the sanctuary, the true tabernacle set up by the Lord, not by a mere human being." (Heb 8:1b, NIV)

"But when Christ appeared as a High Priest of the good things to come, He entered through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation; and not through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood, He entered the holy place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling those who have been defiled sanctify for the cleansing of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without blemish to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?" (Heb 9:11-14)

"For Christ did not enter a sanctuary made with human hands that was only a copy of the true one; he entered heaven itself, now to appear for us in God’s presence." (Heb 9:24)

He Provided Purification for Sins
As our great High Priest, Christ the Son of God provided purification for sins, and then took His seat at God's right hand in heaven. The apostle wrote: "The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of His being, sustaining all things by His powerful Word. After He had provided purification for sins, He sat down at the right hand of the majesty in heaven." (He 1:3, NIV). The very One who is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of His nature, through Himself made a cleansing of our sins. In other words, by Himself He purged our sins, so that we might receive forgiveness. What an amazing gift that God would do that for us!

The Breastplate was a Type
Even the high priest's breastplate that he wore during his service in the Most Holy Place is a type. It was inlaid with twelve precious stones that each had written upon it the name of one of Israel's twelve tribes. In this way, as the high priest ministered in the sanctuary representing all the people of God, he was making intercession for them before God and providing atonement for them. Likewise, Christ intercedes in the heavenly sanctuary before the Father for all those who are in Him and He has made atonement for us once for all.

"But because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them." (Heb 7:24-25, NIV)

Closing Words
As we have learned in this study, the high priest was a type of Christ, and as we examined each aspect of the high priest we came to better understand how much better a high priest Christ really is. In fact, He was designated by God to be our perfect high priest forever, who is able to save completely those who come to God through Him, because He ever lives to make intercession for us. He was made like His brethren in all things, tempted in every way just as we are, yet without sin, so He is able to sympathize with our weaknesses. He is holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens. He sacrificed Himself for us once for all on the cross, and became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey Him. He entered the holy place of the perfect tabernacle in heaven once for all, by His own blood. What an awesome high priest we have! "Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need." (Heb 4:16)

These truths strengthen our faith in Christ, and I trust your faith has been strengthened through this study. I hope you will come back again later to enjoy more edifying articles on the types of Christ in the Bible

Attribution notice: Most Scripture quotations taken from the NASB. Image of second temple may be subject to copyright, used per Fair Use Act for educational and commentary purposes.

Author's note:  Also see The Typology of the Tabernacle, The Temple as a Type of Christ, The Passover Lamb as a Type of Christ, Moses as a Type of Christ, Adam as a Type of Christ, Noah's Ark a Type of Christ, and Hagar and Sarah as Types. You can access the Main Directory for Biblical Typology, or my complete blog directory at Writing for the Master. Now I'd like to ask a very important question.

Do You Want to Know Him?
If you want to know Jesus personally, you can. It all begins when you repent and believe in Jesus.  Do you know what God's Word, the Bible says?

“Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’” (Mar 1:14b-15).  He preached that we must repent and believe.

Please see my explanation of this in my post called "Do You Want to Know Jesus?"

__________________________________________

Len Lacroix is the founder of Doulos Missions International.  He was based in Eastern Europe for four years, making disciples, as well as helping leaders to be more effective at making disciples who multiply, developing leaders who multiply, with the ultimate goal of planting churches that multiply. His ministry is now based in the United States with the same goal of helping fulfill the Great Commission. www.dmiworld.org.

Isaac as a Type of Christ

Abraham offering Isaac on the altar

Another type of Christ is Isaac, son of Abraham. We'll begin by first looking at the historical account.

"Some time later God tested Abraham. He said to him, 'Abraham!' 'Here I am,' he replied. Then God said, 'Take your son, your only son, whom you love—Isaac—and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on a mountain I will show you.'' (Gen 22:1-2, NIV).

God was testing Abraham to see if he would obey Him by telling him to take Isaac his only son, whom he loved, and sacrifice him as a burnt offering on top of Mount Moriah. This was the son of promise with whom God had promised to established His everlasting covenant. To sacrifice him as a burnt offering would defy all logic, since there would be no other way for God to fulfill His promise if Isaac were put to death. But by faith Abraham obeyed God.

"Early the next morning Abraham got up and loaded his donkey. He took with him two of his servants and his son Isaac. When he had cut enough wood for the burnt offering, he set out for the place God had told him about. On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance. He said to his servants, 'Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there. We will worship and then we will come back to you.'” (Gen 22:3-5, NIV)

Observe how Abraham assured his servants that he and Isaac both would come back to them. He said "we" (both he and his son) will worship and then "we" (plural) will come back to you. He spoke by faith.

"Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and placed it on his son Isaac, and he himself carried the fire and the knife. As the two of them went on together, Isaac spoke up and said to his father Abraham, 'Father?' 'Yes, my son?' Abraham replied. 'The fire and wood are here,' Isaac said, 'but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?' Abraham answered, 'God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.' And the two of them went on together." (Gen 22:6-8, NIV).

The words that Abraham spoke to his son here by faith are worthy of noting. "God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son." He believed that God would provide a lamb.

"When they reached the place God had told him about, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it. He bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. Then he reached out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. But the angel of the Lord called out to him from heaven, 'Abraham! Abraham!' 'Here I am,' he replied. 'Do not lay a hand on the boy,' he said. 'Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son.'" (Gen 22:9-12, NIV).

The test was over once God saw that Abraham was willing to sacrifice his only son, because he feared the Lord. Then something amazing happened next.

"Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son. So Abraham called that place The Lord Will Provide. And to this day it is said, 'On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided.'" (Gen 22:13-14, NIV).

God supernaturally provided a ram for Abraham to offer up to Him as a sacrifice instead of his son Isaac, which was just as Abraham had believed would happen when he said, "God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering."

"The angel of the Lord called to Abraham from heaven a second time and said, 'I swear by myself, declares the Lord, that because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies, and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed Me.' Then Abraham returned to his servants, and they set off together for Beersheba. And Abraham stayed in Beersheba." (Gen 22:15-19, NIV).

God was looking for Abraham's obedience, and once He saw it, that was all He needed to see. He did not need Abraham to actually sacrifice Isaac.  To obey is better than sacrifice and to hearken than the fat of rams (1 Sam 15:22). The apostle described the faith of Abraham in this way:

"By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was offering up his only begotten son; it was he to whom it was said, 'in Isaac your descendants shall be called.' He considered that God is able to raise people even from the dead, from which he also received him back as a type." (Heb 11:17-19).

The apostle here specifically refers to Isaac as a type by saying that Abraham received Isaac back from the dead "as a type." This is an explicit reference that leaves no doubt that Isaac was a type of Christ. Just as Abraham offered his only begotten son Isaac on the altar and did not withhold his son, so likewise God the Father offered His only begotten son Jesus Christ on the cross and did not withhold Him. For the apostle said, "He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all--how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?" (Rom 8:32, NIV).

The amazing thing here is that we are the ones who logically should be sacrificing to God, but God instead offered the greatest sacrifice of all for us, and the only sacrifice that could satisfy His wrath, which was the sacrifice of His only begotten Son. That was foreshadowed by Abraham's offering Isaac up to Him on the altar, but God did what He did not require Abraham to do. While God stopped Abraham from following through with driving that knife into Isaac, God on the other hand did follow through with His sacrifice of Christ on the cross. Jesus was indeed crucified, died, and was buried. What a tremendous act of love!

But it doesn't end there, because just as God gave Isaac, who was as good as dead, back to Abraham, God raised Jesus from the dead on the third day. If we could figuratively say with the apostle that Abraham received Isaac back from the dead, we could also say that it, too, happened on the third day. For if you recall, the very next morning after God told Abraham to sacrifice Isaac, Abraham set off to go and obey God. But it was on the third day that they went together, just the two of them, up onto Mount Moriah, and it was on that third day that he received Isaac back. All of this was a type of Christ's death on the cross and resurrection on the third day.

The Ram Was a Type, Too
In another sense, we could say the ram or lamb that God provided on Mount Moriah was also a type of Christ. God provided a lamb as Abraham believed He would, so that Abraham didn't have to sacrifice his only son. Likewise, God has provided a lamb in that He gave His only begotten Son Jesus Christ to die in our place, so that we do not have to perish. Jesus died in our place, just as that lamb died in Isaac's place.

The Lord Will Provide
This study would not be complete if I didn't mention this one last thing.  When Isaac asked his father where the lamb for the offering was, Abraham answered, "God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son." (Gen 22:8). Later on, after the Lord provided the lamb, "Abraham called that place The Lord Will Provide. And to this day it is said, 'On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided.'" (Gen 22:14, NIV).

Even Mount Moriah was a type of the hill called Calvary (Lk 23:33). According to this verse, the place where Jesus was crucified was The Place of the Skull, which in Aramaic is the word Golgotha, and in Latin is the word Calvary. So both Isaac and Jesus were offered to God on top of a hill. Mount Moriah was located in Jerusalem, where Solomon's temple was later built (2 Chr 3:1), and Calvary was located near Jerusalem outside the city (Jn 19:20; Heb 13:11-13), where Jesus (whose body was a type of the temple) was crucified on the cross. It was there on Calvary that the Lord provided the Lamb of God to die in our place.

Closing Words
In our study of the sacrifice of Isaac to God on the altar, we have seen that he is a type of Christ. As Abraham's only begotten son, who was offered up on the altar to God, he foreshadowed God's only begotten Son Jesus Christ, who was offered up on the cross to God as the perfect sacrifice. Just as Abraham by faith received Isaac back on the third day, as if from the dead, Jesus rose from the dead on the third day and lives forever more. God did what He did not require Abraham to completely do. And we even saw how the lamb or ram the Lord provided on Mount Moriah prefigured Christ the Lamb of God, who was given for us on the cross of Calvary.

Studying types of Christ like this can help us grow in our love and knowledge of the Lord. I trust this has helped to accomplish that very goal in your life as you have read this article. I hope you will come back again later to enjoy more articles on the types in the Bible.

Attribution notice: Most Scriptures where noted taken from the Holy Bible NIV, copyright Zonervan, used by permission. Other Scripture quotations taken from the NASB, copyright Lockman Foundation, used by permission. Image may be subject to copyright, used per Fair Use Act for commentary and educational purposes only.

Author's note:  Also see Adam as a Type of Christ, Noah's Ark a Type of Christ, The Temple as a Type of Christ, The Passover Lamb as a Type of Christ, and Hagar and Sarah as Types. You can access the Main Directory for Biblical Typology, or my complete blog directory at Writing for the Master. Now I'd like to ask a very important question.

Do You Want to Know Him?
If you want to know Jesus personally, you can. It all begins when you repent and believe in Jesus.  Do you know what God's Word, the Bible says?

“Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.’” (Mar 1:14b-15).  He preached that we must repent and believe.

Please see my explanation of this in my post called "Do You Want to Know Jesus?"

_______________________________________

Len Lacroix is the founder of Doulos Missions International.  He was based in Eastern Europe for four years, making disciples, as well as helping leaders to be more effective at making disciples who multiply, developing leaders who multiply, with the ultimate goal of planting churches that multiply. His ministry is now based in the United States with the same goal of helping fulfill the Great Commission. www.dmiworld.org.