The LORD is faithful to bless those who read His Word. Because the wisdom of God is infinite and His ways unsearchable, there will always be revelation for us in the scripture. Today one minute I was reflected with amazement how I didn't comprehend basic biblical truth in my youth yet moments later noticed something new to me, a fresh connection which confirms the truth I am still learning. Jesus says not one "jot or tittle" would pass from the Law until all was fulfilled, saying that the smallest of markings remained of great significance. We know tone, timing, and emphasis can tweak the meaning of a simple sentence, and the writer of Hebrews keyed in on the posture of Jesus sitting at the right hand of the Father to confirm the effectiveness of His sacrifice and much more.
A little historical background: it was customary morning and evening to offer sacrifices at the tabernacle and later the temple in obedience to the Law of Moses. After Jesus died on the cross, the veil which surrounded the Holy of Holies was torn top to bottom. The writer of Hebrews alluded to that resembling the torn body of Jesus on Calvary, that through His shed blood that provided atonement those who trust in Jesus now have access to God by the Holy Spirit. Paul affirmed what spiritually occurred during the crucifixion, how the Old Covenant of the Law was nailed to the cross with Christ in Colossians 2:13-15 and how the New Covenant in Christ's blood made the old obsolete. When Jesus ascended to heaven after His resurrection, Paul exhorted believers in Colossians 3:1: "If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God."
Jesus seated at the right hand of God is an important observation seeing He is our Great High Priest. When the high priest offered the morning and evening sacrifices they stood--they did not sit. When the annual sacrifice was offered to atone for the priest and the nation the blood of sacrifice covered sin but could not eliminate the need for future sacrifice. The writer of Hebrews showed how the sitting posture of Jesus proves there is no additional sacrifice possible for sin: Jesus sat down because the purification for sin is complete. Hebrews 10:11-14 states, "And every priest stands ministering daily and offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. 12 But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God, 13 from that time waiting till His enemies are made His footstool. 14 For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified." Isn't this amazing? Jesus is the LORD who has fulfilled Psalm 110:1, sitting down at the right hand of God. We are enabled to stand in righteousness because Jesus sits at the right hand of the Father, having "perfected forever those who are being sanctified." Having been purified from our sins, we ought to present ourselves as living sacrifices to the One who laid down His life for our redemption.
Jesus sits as the Great High Priest who has forever finished the work of atonement, but on a couple of occasions He is mentioned standing. Jesus said He stood at the door of the church of the lukewarm Laodiceans in Revelation 3, and before his martyrdom Stephen cried out before the council Acts 7:55-56 says, "But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, 56 and said, "Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!" This shows me though Jesus sits He is not inactive or unmoved by things which concern His people on earth. He stands at the door of our hearts and knocks; He rises to be our advocate and will someday rise in judgment upon an unbelieving world, delivering all who trust in Him. He sits at the Father's right hand yet is not sedentary. He sits to show He is on the throne and rules over all, has once for all offered Himself as a sacrifice for sin, the shadow of Law has been made obsolete by the New Covenant, by grace through faith we are perfected forever, and we are being sanctified by Jesus. Who could have thought Jesus sitting could mean so much?
A little historical background: it was customary morning and evening to offer sacrifices at the tabernacle and later the temple in obedience to the Law of Moses. After Jesus died on the cross, the veil which surrounded the Holy of Holies was torn top to bottom. The writer of Hebrews alluded to that resembling the torn body of Jesus on Calvary, that through His shed blood that provided atonement those who trust in Jesus now have access to God by the Holy Spirit. Paul affirmed what spiritually occurred during the crucifixion, how the Old Covenant of the Law was nailed to the cross with Christ in Colossians 2:13-15 and how the New Covenant in Christ's blood made the old obsolete. When Jesus ascended to heaven after His resurrection, Paul exhorted believers in Colossians 3:1: "If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God."
Jesus seated at the right hand of God is an important observation seeing He is our Great High Priest. When the high priest offered the morning and evening sacrifices they stood--they did not sit. When the annual sacrifice was offered to atone for the priest and the nation the blood of sacrifice covered sin but could not eliminate the need for future sacrifice. The writer of Hebrews showed how the sitting posture of Jesus proves there is no additional sacrifice possible for sin: Jesus sat down because the purification for sin is complete. Hebrews 10:11-14 states, "And every priest stands ministering daily and offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. 12 But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God, 13 from that time waiting till His enemies are made His footstool. 14 For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified." Isn't this amazing? Jesus is the LORD who has fulfilled Psalm 110:1, sitting down at the right hand of God. We are enabled to stand in righteousness because Jesus sits at the right hand of the Father, having "perfected forever those who are being sanctified." Having been purified from our sins, we ought to present ourselves as living sacrifices to the One who laid down His life for our redemption.
Jesus sits as the Great High Priest who has forever finished the work of atonement, but on a couple of occasions He is mentioned standing. Jesus said He stood at the door of the church of the lukewarm Laodiceans in Revelation 3, and before his martyrdom Stephen cried out before the council Acts 7:55-56 says, "But he, being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, 56 and said, "Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!" This shows me though Jesus sits He is not inactive or unmoved by things which concern His people on earth. He stands at the door of our hearts and knocks; He rises to be our advocate and will someday rise in judgment upon an unbelieving world, delivering all who trust in Him. He sits at the Father's right hand yet is not sedentary. He sits to show He is on the throne and rules over all, has once for all offered Himself as a sacrifice for sin, the shadow of Law has been made obsolete by the New Covenant, by grace through faith we are perfected forever, and we are being sanctified by Jesus. Who could have thought Jesus sitting could mean so much?
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