"The former regulation is set aside because it was weak and useless (for the law made nothing perfect), and a better hope is introduced, by which we draw near to God. And it was not without an oath! Others became priests without any oath, but he became a priest with an oath when God said to him: "The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind: 'You are a priest forever.' "Because of this oath, Jesus has become the guarantee of a better covenant" ( Hebrews 7:18-22 ).
God has promised Jesus by an oath that He will not change His mind. Jesus is and will always be our High Priest. Jesus will always reside at the right hand of God making intercession for us because of the covenant that God made with Jesus. Therefore, we know that we are forgiven, cleansed from sin, accepted by God, holy, blameless, pure and set apart because of this oath. "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" ( Hebrews 7:24-25 ).
God in his brilliance sent Jesus to experience the fullness of humanity so that through this suffering He would be able to perfectly reside as our High Priest. And if that wasn't enough, God made a covenant with Jesus that He would always have this office to faithfully and mercifully intercede for us. This is truly a more perfect and better convent than the forefathers had under the law. "For the law appoints as high priests men who are weak; but the oath, which came after the law, appointed the Son, who has been made perfect forever" ( Hebrews 7:28 ).
Tomorrow we look at Part 4: Because of the Oath we Have Direct Access to God
