Chapter 11 - Yeshua and Immanuel
Yeshua rose to Heaven as our High Priest, offering Himself as the perfect sacrifice to make complete and eternal atonement for our sins. But Immanuel ... stayed here on earth with us. The Eucharist, the Blessing, is with us, here on earth. In other words, in the consecrated host, "God is with us" - the meaning of the name, Immanuel. Once Holy Spirit explained this dichotomy that Jesus arranged, to be simultaneously on earth and in Heaven, I understood more fully His role as High Priest, and His promise of the Eucharist as a great source of comfort and joy left for us in His departure. He left, but is not absent.
"I will not leave you as orphans ; I will come to you. Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live... Then Judas (not Judas Iscariot) said, “But, Lord, why do you intend to show yourself to us and not to the world?” ... “You heard me say, ‘I am going away and I am coming back to you.’If you loved me, you would be glad that I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. I have told you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe." John 14 : 18-19, 22, 28-29
Fortunately, Paul's letter to the Hebrews provide an exhaustive basis for Yeshua's priesthood :
"He had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high," Hebrews 1 : 3 thus annulling the earthly, human priesthood forever. "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." Hebrews 4 : 14
"If therefore perfection were by the Levitical priesthood, (for under it the people received the law,) what further need was there that another priest should rise after the order of Melchisedec, and not be called after the order of Aaron? For the priesthood being changed, there is made of necessity a change also of the law. For he of whom these things are spoken pertaineth to another tribe, of which no man gave attendance at the altar.
For it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Juda; of which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood. And it is yet far more evident: for that after the similitude of Melchisedec there ariseth another priest, who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life. For he testifieth, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec." Hebrews 7 : 11-17
Paul explains that not only has the Old Testament priesthood expired, but more importantly Jesus is our High Priest, rendering null and void the requirement for human priests to offer a ritual sacrifice. Paul could not be any clearer on this matter.
"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. For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; 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." Hebrews 7 : 24-27
"But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises." Hebrews 8 : 6
"Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second. By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.... For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified." Hebrews 10 : 9-10, 14
But ! This does not negate the importance of receiving Communion. Everyone is invited to the table. Everyone must believe out of their own hearts. Faith as small as a mustard seed can transform water into wine, and wine into Blood, our Savior's Blood. "But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man." Hebrews 2 : 9
Our Savior Jesus tasted death, so that we could taste life, each time we consecrate the Communion Host in memory of Him. "O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him." Psalm 34 : 8 We are tasting and consuming the true Manna from Heaven, to remember that the Lord is good !
Jesus asks us to do so in memory of Him, to remember what He did on the cross, in the past, - and to be reminded of His goodness that awaits us in heaven, in the future ! "Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same ; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil." Hebrews 2 : 14
As our tenderhearted Savior could foresee, Jesus knew He would not only need to teach the Eucharist, but display it as well. Like every good science teacher in school does for their students, it's time for an experiment ! Jesus arranged a very instructional encounter with two disciples who were walking to Emmaus.
"And they talked together of all these things which had happened. And it came to pass, that, while they communed together and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them. But their eyes were holden that they should not know him. And they drew nigh unto the village, whither they went. And he made as though he would have gone further. But they constrained him, saying, Abide with us, for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. And he went in to tarry with them. And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them. And their eyes were opened, and they knew him ; and he vanished out of their sight. And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?" Luke 24 : 14-31
I always did marvel, that those disciples, as well as others, did not recognize the risen Lord. Mary Magdalene thought He was the gardener. His own Apostles, fishing one day after the Resurrection, did not recognize Him barbecuing fish on the shore. I suspect that Jesus is gently scolding us for not believing that He is truly present in the Eucharist, for the eyes of our faith are closed.
"For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep." 1 Corinthians 11 : 29-30
By failing to correctly discern the divine nature of the Eucharist, we grow weak, and sick, and even ... die. We also deprive ourselves of the heavenly rest that is so necessary for our journey homewards. "Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God ... For we are made partakers of Christ, But with whom was he grieved forty years? was it not with them that had sinned, whose carcases fell in the wilderness? And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not? So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief." Hebrews 3 : 12, 14, 17-19
The Eucharist is the actually the Promised Land ! It is a gateway into our Lord.
"Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh. And having an high priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water." Hebrews 10 : 19-22
