Hebrews 7:18

Hebrews 7:18 says, For there is verily a disannulling of the commandment going before for the weakness and unprofitableness thereof.  The earthly priesthood could not save mankind and was limited in its scope.  There were certain rules and regulations that were to be followed before the priest, even the high priest, could approach God on behalf of the people.  Jesus did away with that requirement.  We, as followers of Christ, can approach the heavenly Father at any time and in any place.  Verse nineteen adds, For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God.  The law of God never could and never will make anyone perfect, because we fail to live up to that law.  Only One, Jesus Christ, ever lived up to the law perfectly, and He is the only One capable of being our high Priest.  This is our better hope.  Verse twenty continues, And inasmuch as not without an oath he was made priest:  Those earthly priests were made so by birth.  Verse twenty-one declares, (For those priests were made without an oath; but this with an oath by him that said unto him, The Lord sware and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec:)  Though the priesthood may have been established by God's command, He never declared it to be an eternal priesthood.  Christ alone fulfills that role.  Verse twenty-two adds, By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament.  It is by the oath of the heavenly Father that Jesus is made a surety of the new testament, based not on the law, but on faith in Christ alone.  Verse twenty-three continues, And they truly were many priests, because they were not suffered to continue by reason of death:  There was a need for many high priests over the generations under the law, because no matter how good or bad they may have been, they all were limited by death.  None could fulfill the role of everlasting Priest.  Jesus Christ alone was and is qualified.  Verse twenty-four states, But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood.  Unlike earthly priests who died and had to be replaced, Jesus is an eternal Priest.  Verse twenty-five adds, 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.  Christ saves those who come to God through Him to the uttermost.  He is alive today making intercession with the heavenly Father on the behalf of those who follow Him.  Verse twenty-six continues, For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;  This speaks of the unique nature of Christ.  He is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens.  Jesus is the only begotten Son of God and the only One qualified to be our high Priest.  Verse twenty-seven says, Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people’s: for this he did once, when he offered up himself.  Unlike earthly priests, Christ does not need to offer up sacrifices daily for those that follow Him.  He never had to offer a sacrifice for Himself as do earthly priests, as He is without sin.  Christ offered Himself as a sacrifice for all sins for all time.  It is sad that so many will go away to eternal punishment because they refuse to accept the forgiveness that has already been made available through Christ.  Verse twenty-eight adds, For the law maketh men high priests which have infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was since the law, maketh the Son, who is consecrated for evermore.  All other high priests were under the law and failed to keep it.  Christ came to fulfill the law and was made our high Priest by the oath of God, Who had proclaimed Jesus His only begotten Son and the only One capable of bringing salvation to mankind.