Dr. Dan Hayden •
“Sit down and take a load off your mind. Put your feet up and rest awhile.” Those are things we say when the work is done – when it’s quittin’ time.
Did you know that there were no seats in the Old Testament Tabernacle? And there was no place for the priests to sit down in the Temple, either. The reason for this was that their work was never done. There was always another sacrifice to offer—always more incense to burn. Now that is why it is so impressive when the writer of Hebrews tells us in Hebrews 1:3 that Jesus, our High Priest, “sat down on the right hand of the majesty on high.” He actually sat down—which means that the work was done. The final sacrifice had been offered.
The tense of this verb, “sat down” actually refers to a solemn, formal act.
I remember seeing Queen Elizabeth of England on TV take her seat when she addressed the English Parliament. After a long royal procession with great pomp and circumstance, she formally sat down on the royal seat. No one else sat down until she sat down. It was a big deal when Her Majesty sat down. Now that’s what this text is saying concerning Jesus.
Jesus, our High Priest “sat down on the right hand of the majesty on high.” It meant that the work of redeeming us from our sin was done.
Did you know that you can sit down, too? The work of saving you from your sin is all done. Jesus did it! ■