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abou t pr i e s t s
. And what we have said is even clearer if another priest like
Melchizedek appears,
one who has be c ome a pr i e s t no t on t he bas i s o f a
r e gu l a t i on as t o h i s anc e s t r y
but on the basis of the power of an
indestructible life. For it is declared: ‘You are a priest forever, in the order
of Melchizedek.’ The former regulation is set aside because it was weak and
useless [nothing is made perfect according to the law?] 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.”
“Now there have been many of those priests, since death prevented them
from continuing in office; 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.
Such a high priest meets our need
−
one who is holy, blameless, pure, set
apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens. Unlike the other high priests,
he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and
then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once and for all
when he offered himself. For the law appoints as high priests men who are
weak;
bu t t he oa t h , wh i ch c ame a f t e r t he l aw, appo i n t ed t he Son
, who
has been made perfect forever.”
(Hebrews 7:13-28).
God’s altar is the earth, upon which humanity is sacrificed. With great
intentions, humanity has made altars; a marble place upon which sacrifice is
carried out, following the customs of old. However, the altar was abolished
because Jesus desires mercy not sacrifice, but the slaughter of humanity
continues undaunted, why? Because of misunderstanding or sin. Divine
providence causes a separation of the truth from the lie, to bring about
change, thus confirming the prophetic words of old. Desolation as given in
Matthew 24, then, is positive—as are the birth pains during the spiritual
rebirth. This rebirth is a spiritual phenomenon in a natural world, with evil
no longer intended to have an influence. Have a few will find the narrow
road, for therein is the simplicity of hearts obedient to Jesus. On the narrow
road, the essence of the word is comprehended, not by a rigid application of
the ridiculous antics of a worldly presentation of pretense, but a loving
semblance of those humbled and delivered from the evils of this world.
Most will not be delivered, for they surge forward on the wide road that
leads to perdition…