p. 9 | Preparing a People by Jennie Owen Mc Clelland

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Oct 7, 1902

Preparing a People

By Jennie Owen Mc Clelland

JENNIE OWEN MC CLELLAND

“In my Father's house are many mansions: . . . I go to prepare a place for you, and if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself.” John 14: 2, 3. While he is preparing a place, he is also preparing a people for that place. This work may be spoken of in two phases: his work in their behalf in heaven, and his work in their behalf on earth. This includes the whole gospel.

Christ once lived a life on earth exactly similar to ours, except that it was free from sin. He lived as a humble, obedient child; he worked as a faithful, painstaking tradesman; he became an active laborer in giving the gospel of salvation to all who would hear him, and he was the great physician for all bodily ills, and the comforter for all kinds of sorrow. He bore our sicknesses and carried our sorrows, and finally gave up his life on Calvary, just outside of Jerusalem on earth, that we might have eternal life inside the New Jerusalem in heaven, and finally on the new earth. Then he ascended to the right hand of the Father, there to do a work for man in heaven, and to continue to work through the Holy Spirit on earth.

In Heb. 4: 14 we read, “Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.”

Christ's earthly experience is spoken of as in a special manner fitting him for this priestly work. “Though he were a son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; and being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him; called of God an high priest after the order of Melchisedec.” Heb. 5: 8-10.

“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 hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succor those that are tempted.” Heb. 2: 17, 18. Christ is not only a merciful

and faithful high priest, but he is one who is touched by every feeling of weakness in those who come to him. “For we have not an 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.” Heb. 4: 15. He knows the feeling of our infirmities, for he has felt the power of temptation in every point; so we can never come into a difficulty that he does not understand, or in which he cannot feel for us. “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.” Verse 16.

His work as priest is to make reconciliation for the sins of the people, and to dispense mercy and grace and help in every time of need. Is the priesthood of Christ such a living reality to you that you can go to him to receive all this? He is able to do all this for you. There are thousands who need the salvation and help and comfort of just such a high priest, but they do not know where to find it.

Anciently the heavenly priesthood of Christ was shadowed forth to man through an earthly priesthood, which represented it. The death of Christ was represented by the death of lambs and various animals, and the priest ministered their blood in behalf of the repentant sinner. This blood of animals did not take away the sin, for “it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.” Heb. 10: 4. It was simply a figure for the time then present.

Christ as high priest is spoken of in Heb. 8: 1, 2, thus: “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.” Christ is now a minister of the heavenly sanctuary, of which the earthly one was a figure. But while it was a figure, it was not the “very image.” It had truly many lessons to teach, and yet it fell short in many ways. So while many lessons in regard to the priesthood of Christ are taught by comparison with it, we find in Heb. 7: 23-25 a very encouraging one taught by contrast. Speaking of the earthly priesthood, it says, “And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death: but this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood, wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.”

The marginal readings add force to these verses. The priesthood does not “pass from one to another” as did the earthly priesthood, because of the death of the priests, but Christ continueth forever. Each time we go, we shall find the same dear, loving Priest awaiting us, able not only to save to the uttermost, but to save “evermore” (margin) those who come unto God by him.