For the Record
For the record, in light of some people’s obsession with an earthly priesthood; there was, is not, nor ever shall be any human being worthy but One.
Jesus was the only sinless One to ever walk terrestial soil, and His blood was unjustly spilled on it.
Sinless meaning He never broke, transgressed, or violated God’s law—He never hurt or harmed anyone, whether in heaven or on earth. This qualified Him to be the perfect sacrifice to atone for the sins of every human who ever lived, since He was before the world even existed. Every other man, woman, and child is in need of atonement, of forgiveness, of freedom, of salvation.
Jesus’ resurrection from death, ascension into heaven, and anointing as High Priest to minister in the true Sanctuary above sets Him even further apart from all pretended human priesthoods, who by rounds of endless traditions can never remove the stains of sin, guilt, and shame.
There are and have been many counterfeit white horse riders who have arisen and fallen throughout history. Claiming to be someone or the other, ultimately claiming authority over other human beings promising victory and overcoming, whether of sin or over sinners, whether self or otherwise.
The myth of redemptive violence is exposed by these pretenders, for when they say “peace and safety” sudden destruction comes upon them and they shall not escape, as the apostle Paul wrote.
There is only One true Prince of peace. Every title and office of the Promised Messiah belongs to that sinless man, Jesus of Nazareth. Everyone who claims the titles and offices apart from Him are simply charlatans.
Yet many governments, economies, and religions persisted with their multitudinous claims of peace and safety. But is the world any better? Just take a look at the news, there’s your answer.
So where is security? Could it be that it is only where Jesus is? Well, where is He?
“Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens; A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man.” — Hebrews 8:1-2
Okay, simple enough. How did Jesus teach the practical implications of this?
“But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.” — Matthew 6:6
Where did Jesus learn this from?
“For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion: in the secret of His tabernacle shall he hide me; He shall set me up upon a rock.” — Psalm 27:5
Prayer, this is the practical application of this truth. Not just one time thing though. Who wants security for just a moment? In this context, eternal security implies eternal communion.
Prayer is understood in one of three ways, according to Jesus. Let us examine them—
“And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.” — Matthew 6:5
“But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.” — Matthew 6:6
“But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.” — Matthew 6:7-8
Hypocritical Show
Secret Communion
Meaningless Repetition
If prayer is meant to be eternal, from Jesus perspective, then we can look for one of these three in the world being practiced continually.
Do we see evidence of hypocritical show in the world? There are abundant examples of this kind of prayer happening.
What about meaningless or vain repetition? Yes, we can see that there are many forms of prayer that have no intelligible coherence, but rather a round that has no conclusion or knowledge.
Finally we are invited into a third which, as we read in the words of Jesus, would not be visible to any external observer or listener. In other words, this links us to an eternal communion which is unobservable, known only to the one or ones engaged in the practice.
Scripture unanimously points to a “secret place” of prayer. This idea is rooted in the very earthly Sanctuary which was once set up by God through Moses to teach Israelites about how to approach and communion with God. Inside this Sanctuary there were two compartments, a holy place, and a most holy place. These were the locations which priests would go into at certain times for certain functions. Only the high priest would enter the most holy place once a year.
When Jesus rose from the dead, Scripture tells us that He entered the holy place.
“Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.” — Hebrews 9:12
Some translations read Most Holy Place, but in technicality, it was the Holy Place, since the Priest would naturally need to enter the Holy Place before entering the Most Holy Place. Yet, because it was assured that He would enter the Most Holy Place since Scripture was fulfilled in Him, as Daniel the prophet wrote, the Messiah would “anoint the Most Holy”, some have chosen to translate Most Holy Place in this Scripture. The reality of the events surrounding Christ’s movements were detailed in prophecy, and the services associated with the Most Holy Place would commence at the time appointed in the prophecy revealed to Daniel here—
“And he said unto me, Unto two thousand and three hundred days; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed.” — Daniel 8:14
The cleansing only happened once a year when the High Priest went into the Most Holy Place of the earthly tabernacle, and so too would Christ enter the Most Holy Place of the heavenly Sanctuary at the time appointed in the prophecy, which comes to the date 1844. This claim has been studied, understood, and maintained by Seventh-Day Adventist for more than 150 years. There are many published materials available for studying this subject for those interested in more details surrounding it.
But moving on from there we are ultimately invited to behold something, rather, Someone more glorious than words can ultimately express. And how and where do we behold Him? According to Scripture, through prayer, that is, communion with Him. Where? In the Heavenly Sanctuary, not any earthly priesthoods or systems down here below.
Jesus being inaugurated into His everlasting priesthood is better than any temporary ones, for it is established on better promises. The everlasting priesthood of Christ is inseparable from God’s everlasting kingdom which is founded upon His throne (and thus its law and implied gospel).
“Thy throne is established of old: Thou art from everlasting.” — Psalm 93:2
“Thy righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and Thy law is the truth.” — Psalm 119:142
The desire for security, stability, for “truth”, is not found in or on any man on earth, but simply and profoundly on and in the man in heaven, Jesus, Who is eternally bound to His Father’s throne and also forever linked with humanity. This is Jesus, the Son of God, that we speak about. Who as Son of Man, Son of David, and Son of God fulfills all offices of humanity, messianic princely and priestly offices, as well as of divine Sonship before the eternal Father.
He is speaking to you and I individually, as well as to us as a whole. We are learning to receive and hear this voice, to respond with faith, love, and hope in it, or with yielding to the temptation to distrust, abuse, and turn from it. This individual sovereignty and freedom to choose is unlike anytime in history. Why? Because of Jesus’ movement into the Most Holy Place, there is a new kind of freedom revealed to the world at large which was only accessible for a short period of time during Christ’s personal earthly ministry. History tells us of people like Waldenses who held these essential principles, yet now being spread the world over, make them accessible to all who are willing to receive them. This rest is found in Jesus as the true High Priest in the heavenly Sanctuary which is accessible personally, privately, apart from any and all professedly human mediators on earth. This rest is found in Scriptures as the revealed Will of God, sovereign over any and all traditions, creeds, and doctrines of men. This rest is found in the voluntary receiving and keeping of God’s everlasting law revealed in those Scriptures, and ultimately in the Everlasting Gospel which it contains.
“And I saw another angel fly in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth, and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people, Saying with a loud voice, Fear God, and give glory to him; for the hour of his judgment is come: and worship him that made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and the fountains of waters.” — Revelation 14:6-7
The hour of His judgment is come because Jesus and His Scriptures are being revealed to the world in the context of God’s law being made known, even in the midst of public historical records. True worship bound up in that law is being contrasted to other invented worship systems.
Many buried or unknown truths have been revealed and disclosed since Christ’s movement into the Most Holy Place. This is why the world of the last few centuries is so drastically different from the last two millennia as a whole. An explosion of knowledge, as Scripture revealed, has flooded the scene of human consciousness.
“But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro, and knowledge shall be increased.” — Daniel 12:4
A book once closed, is now open, with all its treasures of history and knowledge that were before inaccessible. This is the triumph of Christ, who was worthy to open the scroll and to loose its seven seals. Jesus was, is, and always will be the true white horse rider, and at His Second appearing, He will be revealed as the true King of kings and Lord of lords. Not I, Amir, or any other human being on this planet, including any pope or prelate, president or priest, prince or professed prophet can claim this title. He Himself, as Scripture says, will rule—at His timing.
For now, we are invited to know Him while time lasts, and ultimately to come to love and adore Him, learn of Him, live by His Spirit, work with and for His kingdom, cooperate with His divine agencies, and ultimately become one with Him. This is what the day of Atonement is all about. This is what the cleansing of the Sanctuary means. Sometimes it really messy and painful, but He promises again and again that He will never leave us or forsake us as we grow up in Him. As trees we may be planted in His spiritual garden and grow by living waters under the light of His countenance in the Spirit. As stones we may be built up into a spiritual house as Peter wrote. We may become as living epistles written and ministered to by His Spirit as Paul wrote. All this and more is offered to us through Jesus.
Healing and total restoration to human dignity and ultimately to divine likeness is the promise which Jesus offers us.
With Jesus we are invited into the everlasting, rather than the temporaries of earth.
With Jesus, contentment is everlasting, while wanting is temporary.
With Jesus truth is everlasting, while falsehood is temporary.
With Jesus the gifts are everlasting, while mammon is temporary.
With Jesus, heart purity and faithfulness is everlasting, while defilement and infidelity is temporary.
With Jesus, life is everlasting, while death is temporary.
With Jesus, the original family unit is everlasting, while Babylon, the Beasts, and Baal are temporary.
With Jesus, the Sabbath is everlasting, while human religious inventions are temporary.
With Jesus, the Holy Name is everlasting, while hypocrisy is temporary.
With Jesus, the living God is everlasting, while dead and dumb idols are temporary.
With Jesus, true freedom is everlasting, while the bondage of false liberty is temporary.
With Jesus we are given the choice to choose “Everlasting”.