“No one takes this honor upon himself; he must be called by God, just as Aaron was. So Christ also did not take upon himself the glory of becoming a high priest. But God said to him, “You are my Son; today I have become your Father” (Hebrews 5:4-5)

There is an important principle established from the very beginning of the priesthood: it is an honor bestowed by God, not a position taken by man. Jesus, the only one truly qualified for the role, did not exalt Himself. Instead, God the Father appointed Him to this glorious position. This wasn't a new idea; it was the fulfillment of a pattern God had established long ago.

God chose Aaron to be the first high priest of Israel. Aaron was not chosen because he was perfect or uniquely qualified. He had spent his life as a slave in Egypt. Yet God called him and equipped him to stand in the gap on behalf of the people. This calling was then passed down through his descendants, a divine appointment from one generation to the next. The office was never something a person could simply decide to occupy.

However, there was a built-in limitation to this human priesthood.

The Problem of No Intervention

The Levitical priesthood was always meant to be temporary. It was a shadow, pointing to a greater reality. The priests, including Aaron, were subject to the same weaknesses as the people they served. They sinned, they grew old, and eventually, they died. This meant their work was never finished. Hebrews tells us that death "prevented them from continuing in office" (Hebrews 7:23).

The sacrifices they offered were a covering for sin, but they could never truly remove it. This created a profound problem that mankind could not solve on its own. The prophet Isaiah gives us a glimpse into God’s heart on the matter: “The LORD looked and was displeased that there was no justice. He saw that there was no one, he was appalled that there was no one to intervene; so his own arm worked salvation for him” (Isaiah 59:15b-16).

God saw that humanity was incapable of bridging the gap that sin had created. There was no one who could stand as a perfect mediator. This lack of intervention displeased Him. So, in His incredible love and justice, God provided the solution Himself. His "own arm," Jesus, would bring the salvation that no one else could.

The Perfect Plan from the Beginning

Jesus was always the one God chose. This wasn't a backup plan. It was the perfect plan, set in motion before the world began. The apostle Peter writes, “He [Jesus] was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake” (1 Peter 1:20).

Think about that for a moment. Before there was a Levitical priesthood, before Aaron was called, Jesus was already chosen. Aaron and the priests who followed him were simply a living illustration, a picture helping us understand the role that Jesus would one day fill perfectly. Jesus is the embodiment of what the priesthood only hinted at.

Because Jesus’s redemption was so perfect and complete, God gave Him the honor of being our eternal High Priest. He exalted His name above every other name (Philippians 2:9-11).

The difference between the old priesthood and Jesus's priesthood is monumental. The old priests offered sacrifices on earth. Jesus is currently in heaven, in the very presence of God, making intercession for us. The old priests died and had to be replaced. Jesus lives forever.

“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.” (Hebrews 7:23-25)

The Confidence of an Unchanging Call

King David prophesied about this divine appointment centuries earlier in Psalm 2, writing the words God would one day speak to His Son: “You are my Son, today I have become your Father” (Psalm 2:7). Jesus was always the plan. He is the perfect sacrifice, and He is the perfect High Priest.

The Bible tells us that "God's gifts and his call are irrevocable" (Romans 11:29). This means He does not change His mind. In fact, God gave Jesus the position of High Priest with an oath, confirming its eternal nature (Hebrews 7:21-22).

This is where our confidence finds its anchor. Our faith is not placed in a system, a ritual, or our own ability to be good enough. Our faith rests entirely in the one who was chosen for us, who died for us, who was raised to life for us, and who right now, at this very moment, lives to intercede for us at the right hand of God. He is our High Priest, not by His own choosing, but by the eternal and irrevocable call of God. And that changes everything.

Personal Reflection Questions

1. How does knowing Jesus was appointed by God deepen your trust in His role for you?

2. Where do you need to rest in the truth that Jesus’s intercession for you is unending?

3. When you feel unworthy, how can you remember your access to God is secure in Christ’s position?