Philippians 2:6-11
And every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.- Philippians 2:11
In Leviticus chapters 6-7, we are given a detailed picture of what it meant to be a priest in ancient Israel. They had a holy task: to offer sacrifices on behalf of the people so that sins could be forgiven, fellowship with God restored, and worship made acceptable. Yet there was a sobering reality behind all these offerings, the priests themselves were sinners. Before they could offer sacrifices for others, the priests had to purify themselves and make atonement for their own sins (Leviticus 6:20-23). Every sacrifice they handled reminded them and the people that they too needed cleansing.
Then we come to Philippians 2. Here, Paul presents Jesus not just as Saviour, but the perfect and obedient servant of God. Though He was in very nature God, He did not cling to His divine privilege. Instead, He humbled Himself and took on flesh, not just to dwell with us, but to serve and suffer in our place. Unlike the Levitical priests, Jesus never sinned and He had no need to purify Himself. He was obedient to God even to the point of death on a cross.
The Levitical priest had to keep the fire burning day and night, as a sign of God’s continual presence and the people’s ongoing need for atonement through sacrifices (Leviticus 6:12-13). But Jesus as the priest and the sacrifice, offered Himself once for all (Hebrews 10:12), and that one sacrifice is enough to atone for all sins for all time.
This is the gospel. Our sinless priest willingly bore our sin, and through His obedience and humility, He opened the way for us to be made clean. Not once, but forever. All to the glory of God the Father.
Reflection:
Do I grasp the seriousness of sin and the cost of atonement in God’s eyes? How is God calling me to respond, with repentance, worship, or obedience?
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, You are the only Priest who never needed cleansing, and yet You chose to humble Yourself and bear the weight of my sin. Thank You for being the perfect sacrifice, the obedient Son, and the High Priest who opened the way for me to know God. Let my life be shaped by Your humility and obedience. Teach me to walk in holiness, not through ritual, but by Your grace. In Your exalted name I pray, Amen.
In Leviticus chapters 6-7, we are given a detailed picture of what it meant to be a priest in ancient Israel. They had a holy task: to offer sacrifices on behalf of the people so that sins could be forgiven, fellowship with God restored, and worship made acceptable. Yet there was a sobering reality behind all these offerings, the priests themselves were sinners. Before they could offer sacrifices for others, the priests had to purify themselves and make atonement for their own sins (Leviticus 6:20-23). Every sacrifice they handled reminded them and the people that they too needed cleansing.
Then we come to Philippians 2. Here, Paul presents Jesus not just as Saviour, but the perfect and obedient servant of God. Though He was in very nature God, He did not cling to His divine privilege. Instead, He humbled Himself and took on flesh, not just to dwell with us, but to serve and suffer in our place. Unlike the Levitical priests, Jesus never sinned and He had no need to purify Himself. He was obedient to God even to the point of death on a cross.
The Levitical priest had to keep the fire burning day and night, as a sign of God’s continual presence and the people’s ongoing need for atonement through sacrifices (Leviticus 6:12-13). But Jesus as the priest and the sacrifice, offered Himself once for all (Hebrews 10:12), and that one sacrifice is enough to atone for all sins for all time.
This is the gospel. Our sinless priest willingly bore our sin, and through His obedience and humility, He opened the way for us to be made clean. Not once, but forever. All to the glory of God the Father.
Reflection:
Do I grasp the seriousness of sin and the cost of atonement in God’s eyes? How is God calling me to respond, with repentance, worship, or obedience?
Prayer:
Lord Jesus, You are the only Priest who never needed cleansing, and yet You chose to humble Yourself and bear the weight of my sin. Thank You for being the perfect sacrifice, the obedient Son, and the High Priest who opened the way for me to know God. Let my life be shaped by Your humility and obedience. Teach me to walk in holiness, not through ritual, but by Your grace. In Your exalted name I pray, Amen.