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In Defense of the Faith - Contents
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    Christ Not A Priest Before He Came To Earth

    Christ was not a priest before He came to the earth. Therefore He was not performing a priestly service in the heavenly sanctuary before that time. His priesthood could not begin until the priesthood of Aaron had closed. It was this changing of the priesthood that made necessary the abolition of the ceremonial law which governed the priestly ministry. “For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law.” Hebrews 7:12.DOF 275.2

    Before Christ could serve as priest, it was necessary that He should have an offering to present to God. Said the apostle: “Every high priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices: wherefore it is of necessity that this Man have somewhat also to offer.” Hebrews 8:1 Christ shed His blood that He might have something to offer. The earthly priest offered the blood of animals, but He came not to offer the blood of bulls and goats and lambs, but to offer His own blood; therefore His priestly service could not begin until after His blood had been shed.DOF 275.3

    Paul very definitely tells us that the earthly priests were taken from among the people whom they were to serve, in order that they might have compassion on the people and understand their infirmities. “Every high priest taken from among men is ordained for men in things pertaining to God, that he ‘May offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins: who can have compassion on the ignorant, and on them that are out of the way; for that he himself is compassed with infirmity.” Hebrews 5:1, 2.DOF 276.1

    Thus the priests were not brought in from some distant part of the world, from some nation which did not understand the needs and sufferings of the people whom they would serve, but they were taken from among their brethren. Paul tells us that this was true also of Christ. Before He could serve as a priest on man’s behalf, He must Himself become a man.DOF 276.2

    “Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, He also Himself likewise took part of the same; that through death He might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; and deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. For verily He took not on Him the nature of angels; but He took on Him the seed of Abraham. Wherefore in all things it behoved Him to be made like unto His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. For in that He Himself has suffered being tempted, He is able to succour them that are tempted.” Hebrews 2:14-18.DOF 276.3

    “We have not a High Priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our’ infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” Hebrews 4:15, 16.DOF 276.4

    Thus in all things He was made like His brethren. Why? That He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest. Therefore, Christ was not a priest until after He had become man and had suffered on man’s behalf.DOF 277.1

    Why do we emphasize this point? For the reason that this shows conclusively that all the priestly work of Christ in the heavenly sanctuary has had to be performed since the cross. None of it was done before He came to earth. In the earthly sanctuary the priest served in the first apartment and then in the second apartment, and the service was an example, or type, of the service of Christ. Therefore Christ must serve in both the first and second apartments of the heavenly sanctuary, and His service in both these apartments must come after the cross. The priest served first in the first apartment. Therefore, if the types mean anything to us, they show that when Christ went to heaven as a priest, He began His service in the first apartment, whereas His ministry in the second apartment was to come at a subsequent time.DOF 277.2

    Now the work in the first apartment of the earthly sanctuary required a much longer period than the work in the second. Day by day throughout the year the priest ministered in the holy place, and one day in the year he ministered in the most holy. So if we follow that in the antitype in heaven, we conclude that it was necessary that Christ should go first into the first apartment, and that He should serve a much longer period there than He would afterward serve in the most holy place.DOF 277.3

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