The New High Priest on Yom Kippurim

Introduction

During the annual mo’ed of Yom Kippurim (Day of Atonements), the high priest of Israel had a very special role to play.  He had to take the blood of the sin offerings before YHVH to atone for his sin, his family’s sin and the sin of the nation. When Y’shua died and was resurrected, His blood became the atonement for all our sin.  So how then is the feast of Atonements/ Coverings changed now that Y’Shua sits on the right hand of YHVH and provides a covering for his bride? We have the book of Hebrews to explain this to us, provided that we have a clear understanding of what the author of Hebrews is trying to tell us.  Too many of us still have a replacement theology view embedded in our minds when we think about the book of Hebrews. Let us take another look at how all of this comes together and what Ezekiel’s temple vision tells us about this. I will explain what my study has revealed to me and I encourage you to discuss your understanding and views with us via the comments at the end of this article. If you find this article of interest, please share with your friends via the social media buttons below.

Yom Kippurim – The Day of Atonements / Coverings

On one day of the year, the high priest of Israel was allowed to enter the Holy of Holies, the most sacred part of the house of YHVH.  He did this in order to bring the blood of the sin offering, that had to atone for the sins of the nations, before YHVH.

Exodus 30:10
¹⁰ “Aaron shall make atonement on its horns once a year; he shall make atonement on it with the blood of the sin offering of atonement once a year throughout your generations. It is most holy to YHVH.”

Leviticus 16:30
³⁰ for it is on this day that atonement shall be made for you to cleanse you; you will be clean from all your sins before YHVH.

In Leviticus 16 we see the law of atonement described in detail. To summarize what happened on that day:

To start, the high priest would offer a bull as a sin offering for himself. Two male goats without blemish had to be selected and brought before the doorway of the tent of meeting. The lot was cast by the high priest in order to indicate which goat would be slaughtered as a sin offering and which would be taken into the wilderness as a scapegoat.  Henceforth, the high priest was to take the blood of the bull (the sin offering for him and his household) and sprinkle it on the east side and in front of the mercy seat seven times. Then he was to sprinkle the blood of the goat, the sin offering, on the mercy seat to make atonement for the nation in the same way. We are given a clear indication that this is done to make atonement for the sins of the nation.

Leviticus 16:16
¹⁶ “He shall make atonement for the holy place, because of the impurities of the sons of Israel and because of their transgressions in regard to all their sins; and thus he shall do for the tent of meeting which abides with them in the midst of their impurities.

 

How did Y’Shua change this?

Did the life, death and resurrection of Y’Shua change anything regarding the Day of Atonements?

Y’Shua led a life free of sin but yet was killed without any justification. Thus, He paid the price, just like the goat that was selected to be the sin offering for the nation on the day of atonement.  He gave His life to atone for us. After three days, He was resurrected and then entered into heaven to sit at the right hand of YHVH.

Mark 16:19
¹⁹ So then, when the Master Y’Shua had spoken to them, He was received up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of YHVH.

Y’Shua has now become the One that intercedes for us with the Father as He atoned for us by paying the price for sin. We find John using this as a reason for us to keep the commandments.

1 John 2:1–3
¹ My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Y’Shua the Messiah the righteous; ² and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world. ³ By this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments.

Clarifying Hebrews

We find in the book of Hebrews the reference that states that Y’Shua has become our High Priest according to the order of Melchizedek.

Hebrews 5:8–10
⁸ Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things which He suffered. ⁹ And having been made perfect, He became to all those who obey Him the source of eternal salvation, ¹⁰ being designated by YHVH as a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek.

When we start studying the book of Hebrews, we have a lot of stuff that we need to unlearn.  Some of this false teaching is based on translation issues that have originated from replacement theology. One of the most frequent conclusions that you will hear is that the book of Hebrews tells us that the new covenant has replaced the old covenant because the new covenant is superior.  Therefore the conclusion can be drawn that the law of Moses is no longer applicable because it has been replaced by a better covenant.  If this is true, then the writer of Hebrews came to a very strange conclusion later:

Hebrews 10:26–31
²⁶ For if we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, ²⁷ but a terrifying expectation of judgment and the fury of a fire which will consume the adversaries. ²⁸ Anyone who has set aside the Law of Moses dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. ²⁹ How much severer punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled under foot the Son of YHVH, and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit of grace? ³⁰ For we know Him who said, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay.” And again, “YHVH will judge His people.” ³¹ It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living Elohim.

So if the teaching of the new covenant replacing the old is wrong, then what is the writer of Hebrews really trying to tell us? The writer himself gives us a very explicit explanation of what it is that he is attempting to explain and justify.

Hebrews 7:11–12
¹¹ Now if perfection was through the Levitical priesthood (for on the basis of it the people received the Law), what further need was there for another priest to arise according to the order of Melchizedek, and not be designated according to the order of Aaron? ¹² For when the priesthood is changed, of necessity there takes place a change of law also.

Thus we see that the explanation here is that the Levitical priesthood needs to change now that we have a High Priest that is of a different order. If the high priesthood has changed, then it would also be necessary that the Law would need to be adjusted to cater for these changes. This is the change in the law that is being directly referred to in Hebrews 7.

A lot of the false teaching about the New Covenant and the law of Moses happens because of translation issues in chapters 8 and 9 of the book of Hebrews. If you look clearly at your English translation you will find in 3 key verses the word “covenant” printed in italics. This is an indication to the reader that these words have been added by the translators.  This is normally done to improve the readability of a specific passage.

Hebrews 8:7
⁷ For if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion sought for a second.

Hebrews 8:13
¹³ When He said, “A new covenant,” He has made the first obsolete. But whatever is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to disappear.

Hebrews 9:1
¹ Now even the first covenant had regulations of divine worship and the earthly sanctuary.

If we use context to determine how we should be reading these verses, we see that chapter 6 ends with the following verse:

Hebrews 6:20
²⁰ where Y’Shua has entered as a forerunner for us, having become a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.

Thus the topic that is being discussed from chapter 7 is the role of Y’Shua as the High Priest.  It is not about the New Covenant vs. the Old Covenant and it is also not about law vs. grace. Chapter 7 is all about the Levitical priesthood and the superiority of the priesthood of Melchizedek. Also, after Hebrews 9:1 we see the explanation of the role of the high priest in the tabernacle of YHVH and how this is different from Y’Shua acting as our High Priest.  Thus the context remains the same from the end of Chapter 6 until chapter 9.  It is about comparing priesthoods. If you now read the three verses again and replace the inserted “covenant” with the word “high priest” the verse makes more sense and can be aligned with the conclusion that the author makes in chapter 10.

The High Priest according to the order of Melchizedek

In the explanation of the role of Y’Shua we often find the reference to Y’Shua being of the order of Melchizedek.

Hebrews 5:1–6
¹ For every high priest taken from among men is appointed on behalf of men in things pertaining to YHVH, in order to offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins; ² he can deal gently with the ignorant and misguided, since he himself also is beset with weakness; ³ and because of it he is obligated to offer sacrifices for sins, as for the people, so also for himself. ⁴ And no one takes the honor to himself, but receives it when he is called by YHVH, even as Aaron was. ⁵ So also Messiah did not glorify Himself so as to become a high priest, but He who said to Him, “You are My Son, Today I have begotten You”; ⁶ just as He says also in another passage, “You are a priest forever According to the order of Melchizedek.”

But who exactly is Melchizedek?  We need to go back to the book of Genesis to find the answer.  We find this in the narrative of Abraham after the war with the kings to rescue his nephew Lot a reference to Melchizedek.

Genesis 14:18–20
¹⁸ And Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; now he was a priest of God Most High. ¹⁹ He blessed him and said, “Blessed be Abram of God Most High, Possessor of heaven and earth; ²⁰ And blessed be God Most High, Who has delivered your enemies into your hand.” He gave him a tenth of all.

From this scripture, we see that Melchizedek was a king and a priest. The name Melchizedek can mean “Zedek is my king” or “My king is righteousness”. We also see that he was a priest of “El Elyon” and that he also associated Abram with “El Elyon”.  The only other scripture that uses this term is Psalm 78:35 and again the writer of Hebrews that quotes part of this scripture. From the fact that he blessed Abram and the fact that Abram paid a tithe to him, we can conclude that this king/priest was of a greater importance than Abram.

We also get a summary of these events, with some additional clarification from the author of Hebrews.

Hebrews 7:1–8
¹ For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, who met Abraham as he was returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him, ² to whom also Abraham apportioned a tenth part of all the spoils, was first of all, by the translation of his name, king of righteousness, and then also king of Salem, which is king of peace. ³ Without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of YHVH, he remains a priest perpetually. ⁴ Now observe how great this man was to whom Abraham, the patriarch, gave a tenth of the choicest spoils. ⁵ And those indeed of the sons of Levi who receive the priest’s office have commandment in the Law to collect a tenth from the people, that is, from their brethren, although these are descended from Abraham. ⁶ But the one whose genealogy is not traced from them collected a tenth from Abraham and blessed the one who had the promises. ⁷ But without any dispute the lesser is blessed by the greater. ⁸ In this case mortal men receive tithes, but in that case one receives them, of whom it is witnessed that he lives on.

Why is Y’Shua from this order?

Where does the writer of Hebrews get the idea that Y’Shua is of the order of Melchizedek?  This idea comes from the book of Psalms.

Psalm 110:4
⁴ YHVH has sworn and will not change His mind, “You are a priest forever According to the order of Melchizedek.”

This Psalm is the most frequently quoted Psalm in the Apostolic Scriptures. It is seen as a Messianic Application Psalm. Over and above the writer of Hebrews we also see Peter treating this as a messianic Psalm in Acts 2:34.

For me, the most convincing fact is that Y’Shua Himself used this Psalm in the context of the Messiah when He was debating with the Pharisees. In His debate He quotes from Psalm 110:1 to prove that the Messiah will be greater than David.

Matthew 22:41–46
⁴¹ Now while the Pharisees were gathered together, Y’shua asked them a question: ⁴² “What do you think about the Messiah whose son is He?” They said to Him, “The son of David.” ⁴³ He said to them, “Then how does David in the Spirit call Him ‘Lord,’ saying, ⁴⁴ ‘YHVH said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand, Until I put Your enemies beneath Your feet” ’? ⁴⁵ “If David then calls Him ‘Lord,’ how is He his son?” ⁴⁶ No one was able to answer Him a word, nor did anyone dare from that day on to ask Him another question.

Psalm 110:1
¹ YHVH says to my Lord: “Sit at My right hand Until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet.”

Y’Shua could not have been a priest of the order of Levi.  In order to be a priest of this order, you need to be a son of the tribe of Levi. The priesthood of this order was given by YHVH to Aaron and his descendants. In the Gospel of Matthew, Matthew explains the genealogy of Y’Shua and states from the beginning that He is a descendant of David, who is from the tribe of Judah. The writer of Hebrews is aware of this fact and agrees that because of the physical requirement, Y’Shua could not have been a priest by the order of Levi.

Exodus 40:13–15
¹³ “You shall put the holy garments on Aaron and anoint him and consecrate him, that he may minister as a priest to Me. ¹⁴ “You shall bring his sons and put tunics on them; ¹⁵ and you shall anoint them even as you have anointed their father, that they may minister as priests to Me; and their anointing will qualify them for a perpetual priesthood throughout their generations.”

Matthew 1:1
¹ The record of the genealogy of Y’Shua the Messiah, the son of David, the son of Abraham:

Hebrews 7:13–14
¹³ For the one concerning whom these things are spoken belongs to another tribe, from which no one has officiated at the altar. ¹⁴ For it is evident that our Elohim was descended from Judah, a tribe with reference to which Moses spoke nothing concerning priests.

Priest and King

Unlike any of the high priest of kings of Israel / Judah, Y’Shua was both King and Priest.  We have stated before that Melchizedek was also described in Genesis as being both king and high priest. In the history of Israel, we had an incident where a king tried to perform the duties of a priest by offering incense on the altar. YHVH did not approve of this and the righteous king Uzzia ended up spending the rest of his life as a leper, isolated from his house.

2 Chronicles 26:16–21
¹⁶ But when he became strong, his heart was so proud that he acted corruptly, and he was unfaithful to YHVH his Elohim, for he entered the temple of YHVH to burn incense on the altar of incense. ¹⁷ Then Azariah the priest entered after him and with him eighty priests of YHVH, valiant men. ¹⁸ They opposed Uzziah the king and said to him, “It is not for you, Uzziah, to burn incense to YHVH, but for the priests, the sons of Aaron who are consecrated to burn incense. Get out of the sanctuary, for you have been unfaithful and will have no honor from YHVH Elohim.” ¹⁹ But Uzziah, with a censer in his hand for burning incense, was enraged; and while he was enraged with the priests, the leprosy broke out on his forehead before the priests in the house of YHVH, beside the altar of incense. ²⁰ Azariah the chief priest and all the priests looked at him, and behold, he was leprous on his forehead; and they hurried him out of there, and he himself also hastened to get out because YHVH had smitten him. ²¹ King Uzziah was a leper to the day of his death; and he lived in a separate house, being a leper, for he was cut off from the house of YHVH. And Jotham his son was over the king’s house judging the people of the land.

After the people returned from Babylon the prophet Zechariah was given a very peculiar prophetic act to perform. He was to go and collect the gold and silver that was sent for the rebuilding of the temple and make crowns of it. A lot of people would have thought that Zechariah was going to appoint a new king over them thereby freeing them from the rule of Darius the Mede.  However, YHVH had given Zechariah the instruction to go and crown Joshua (Y’Shua) the high priest.  I am sure that this must have raised a couple of eyebrows and had a lot of mouths talking.  How can the priest from Levi become the king?  The king always came from the tribe of Judah.  As I had stated, this was a prophetic act that Zechariah had to perform to prophesy the change that will come in the future when the Messiah will combine the roles of priest and king in one person.

Zechariah 6:11–13
¹¹ “Take silver and gold, make an ornate crown and set it on the head of Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest. ¹² “Then say to him, ‘Thus says YHVH of hosts, “Behold, a man whose name is Branch, for He will branch out from where He is; and He will build the temple of YHVH. ¹³ “Yes, it is He who will build the temple of YHVH, and He who will bear the honor and sit and rule on His throne. Thus, He will be a priest on His throne, and the counsel of peace will be between the two offices.” ’

He sits in the heavenly tabernacle

From the Scriptures, we know that the tabernacle on earth, that Moses was instructed to build, is a reflection of what is in heaven. YHVH had shown this pattern to Moses in order for them to be able to build the tabernacle of the earth. The author of Hebrews explains to us that Y’Shua does not need to enter via the earthly tabernacle in order to bring atonement before YHVH.

Exodus 25:40
⁴⁰ “See that you make them after the pattern for them, which was shown to you on the mountain.

Hebrews 8:4–5
⁴ Now if He were on earth, He would not be a priest at all, since there are those who offer the gifts according to the Law; ⁵ who serve a copy and shadow of the heavenly things, just as Moses was warned by YHVH when he was about to erect the tabernacle; for, “See,” He says, “that you make all things according to the pattern which was shown you on the mountain.”

Y’Shua has taken His seat next to the throne of YHVH on His right hand.  He is therefor in the heavenly “Holy of Holies”; continuously in the presence of YHVH.  This is also part of the prophecy that was given by David in Psalm 110:1

Hebrews 8:1
¹ Now the main point in what has been said is this: we have such a high priest, who has taken His seat at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens,

Y’Shua is forever on the side of YHVH. In contrast to that, the high priests of the order of Levi were humans that were only allowed in the Holy of Holies on one day of the year, Yom Kippurim.  Thus we have a better priesthood because He can make atonement for our sins every day. Also, the priesthood of Y’Shua is an everlasting priesthood.  Not like the earthly priests who died and had to be replaced by a new priest. Therefor in the order of Levi, we had many High Priests but we have only one High Priest in the order of Melchizedek.

Hebrews 7:23–25
²³ The former priests, on the one hand, existed in greater numbers because they were prevented by death from continuing, ²⁴ but Y’Shua, on the other hand, because He continues forever, holds His priesthood permanently. ²⁵ Therefore He is able also to save forever those who draw near to YHVH through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.

He brought His blood before YHVH to provide a covering for us

The blood of Y’Shua was like the blood of the goat that was sprinkled on the Ark every year during Yom Kippirum.  Via the blood, we receive atonement of our sins. Unlike the goats, Y’Shua does not have to die every year on the same day.  He only had to die once for all the sin to be atoned for.  This is another improvement of the new order of priesthood.

Hebrews 10:1
¹ For the Law, since it has only a shadow of the good things to come and not the very form of things, can never, by the same sacrifices which they offer continually year by year, make perfect those who draw near.

Hebrews 10:11–14
¹¹ Every priest stands daily ministering and offering time after time the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins; ¹² but He, having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, sat down at the right hand of YHVH, ¹³ waiting from that time onward until His enemies be made a footstool for His feet. ¹⁴ For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified.

Thus the Law of Moses has to change

From all these comparisons that are being made in the book of Hebrews, it is clear that the priesthood of Y’Shua in the order of Melchizedek is superior to the priesthood of Levi. Thus the author of Hebrews correctly states that if we have a new, superior priesthood, why do we still need the first? But, if we do not need the high priest anymore, why would we need all the laws that tell us about the high priest.  Why do we need the laws that tell us how he is to dress, who he is allowed to marry and what he must do on Yom Kippurim?

Hebrews 7:11–12
¹¹ Now if perfection was through the Levitical priesthood (for on the basis of it the people received the Law), what further need was there for another priest to arise according to the order of Melchizedek, and not be designated according to the order of Aaron? ¹² For when the priesthood is changed, of necessity there takes place a change of law also.

However, we see in the book of Ezekiel the description of the new temple that will be built.  In chapters 40 – 44 we get a very detailed layout of what this temple will look like and how it will be operated.  What is of particular interest for us in this study is the reference to the sons of Zadok serving as the priest in this temple, making offers to Him.

Ezekiel 44:10–16
¹⁰ “But the Levites who went far from Me when Israel went astray, who went astray from Me after their idols, shall bear the punishment for their iniquity. ¹¹ “Yet they shall be ministers in My sanctuary, having oversight at the gates of the house and ministering in the house; they shall slaughter the burnt offering and the sacrifice for the people, and they shall stand before them to minister to them. ¹² “Because they ministered to them before their idols and became a stumbling block of iniquity to the house of Israel, therefore I have sworn against them,” declares YHVH Elohim, “that they shall bear the punishment for their iniquity. ¹³ “And they shall not come near to Me to serve as a priest to Me, nor come near to any of My holy things, to the things that are most holy; but they will bear their shame and their abominations which they have committed. ¹⁴ “Yet I will appoint them to keep charge of the house, of all its service and of all that shall be done in it. ¹⁵ “But the Levitical priests, the sons of Zadok, who kept charge of My sanctuary when the sons of Israel went astray from Me, shall come near to Me to minister to Me; and they shall stand before Me to offer Me the fat and the blood,” declares the YHVH Elohim. ¹⁶ “They shall enter My sanctuary; they shall come near to My table to minister to Me and keep My charge.

Most interesting we also see in this detailed description from Ezekiel, that in this temple there will still be sin offers made for atonement.

Ezekiel 43:18–20
¹⁸ And He said to me, “Son of man, thus says the YHVH Elohim, ‘These are the statutes for the altar on the day it is built, to offer burnt offerings on it and to sprinkle blood on it. ¹⁹ ‘You shall give to the Levitical priests who are from the offspring of Zadok, who draw near to Me to minister to Me,’ declares the YHVH Elohim, ‘a young bull for a sin offering. ²⁰ ‘You shall take some of its blood and put it on its four horns and on the four corners of the ledge and on the border round about; thus you shall cleanse it and make atonement for it.

We all know that the law of Moses has not yet been changed.  We also currently do not have an operating temple, but nobody has yet had the authority to make any changes to the law of Moses. I believe that these changes would only be made when Y’Shua has returned to the earth to rule as King.

The New Covenant

In chapter 8 the writer of Hebrews quotes the verse describing the new covenant from Jeremiah. Why does he need to do that? What does this have to do with the new High Priest that he has just explained?

Jeremiah 31:33–34
³³ “But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days,” declares YHVH, “I will put My law within them and on their heart I will write it; and I will be their Elohim, and they shall be My people. ³⁴ “They will not teach again, each man his neighbor and each man his brother, saying, ‘Know YHVH,’ for they will all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them,” declares YHVH, “for I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.”

In order to understand why these two topics are tied together, we need to analyze the description provided in Jeremiah in a bit more detail.  If we break the description of this new covenant into smaller bits, we would see the following components:

• YHVH will put His law within them
• YHVH will be their Elohim
• They will be His people
• They will not teach one another
• They will all know YHVH
• Their sins will be forgiven

A lot of what is included in the new covenant has already been discussed and promised earlier in Scripture.

Genesis 17:7–8
⁷ “I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be Elohim to you and to your descendants after you. ⁸ “I will give to you and to your descendants after you, the land of your sojournings, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their Elohim.”

Leviticus 26:12
¹² ‘I will also walk among you and be your Elohim, and you shall be My people.

2 Chronicles 7:13–14
¹³ “If I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or if I command the locust to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among My people, ¹⁴ and My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

Psalm 40:8
⁸ I delight to do Your will, O my Elohim; Your Law is within my heart.”

In the book of Leviticus, YHVH speaks directly to the first high priest Aaron and he gives him instruction to teach the sons of Israel all the statutes of YHVH, thus the law of YHVH.

Leviticus 10:8–11
⁸ YHVH then spoke to Aaron, saying, ⁹ “Do not drink wine or strong drink, neither you nor your sons with you, when you come into the tent of meeting, so that you will not die—it is a perpetual statute throughout your generations— ¹⁰ and so as to make a distinction between the holy and the profane, and between the unclean and the clean, ¹¹ and so as to teach the sons of Israel all the statutes which YHVH has spoken to them through Moses.”

In the new covenant, there will be no priest responsible for teaching the law of Moses to the people.  All people will have the law within their heart and all people will know YHVH.

Conclusion

We have seen from the explanation given in the book of Hebrews that the role of the high priest is now with Y’Shua the Messiah by the order of Melchizedek. This order is superior to the order of Levi for several reasons. We have also seen that according to the description provided by Ezekiel, the Levitical priesthood will continue in the temple Ezekiel describes, together with the sin offering. In the description of the temple provided by Ezekiel, we do however not see any reference to the duties that the high priest have to do in this temple. Thus there has to be a change in this role, without breaking the covenant that YHVH had made with the tribe of Levi. This means that the instructions that describe the role of the high priest is no longer required and thus the law can be changed. The Giver of the law will change this when required.

Over and above the duties of the high priest on Yom Kippurim, Aaron was also instructed to teach the law to the people of Israel. With the New Covenant, this will no longer be required as every man will have the law in his heart and will not need to teach this to each other anymore. According to the scripture of Jeremiah, all people will know YHVH in this New Covenant. This has not happened yet!

We pray that this day may be soon!

If you have any view of when YHVH would change His law or any additional insight into this topic, please feel free to discuss this with us via the comments below.  We would love to hear from you. If you found this article of interest, please share with your friends so we may get their insights as well.