Heb.8:1,2 – Now this is the main point of the things we are saying: We have such a High Priest, who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, a Minister of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle which the Lord erected, and not man.
This is the whole point of what the book of Hebrews was all about. In the Old Testament the most sacred moment of the year happened on the Day of Atonement. It was the one and only time each year that someone, the High Priest, could enter into the Holy of Holies, into the very manifest presence of God. What Paul is saying in Hebrews is that Jesus is the fulfillment of that and has entered into that place in heaven and lives there. The beauty is that He did that for us so that we can come into God’s presence now and abide there and actually live in the fulness of that for eternity in heaven. He is our High Priest and has opened up heaven for us. Here is how Andrew Murray describes this.
“The name Jesus speaks of His humanity, and of His work as a Savior from sin. This is the first work of the priest—the cleansing, the putting away of sin. The name Son of God speaks of His divinity, and His power as High Priest, really to bring us to God, into the very life and fellowship of the Holy One. It is in His Son God speaks to us; it is to the perfect fellowship and blessedness of the ever-blessed One that our great High Priest that is passed through the heavens can, and does indeed, bring us.”
Not only does the heavenly ministry offer us access into the presence of the Lord, Jesus is there as our priest interceding for us. The thought of that, if you can believe it, can actually take your breath away. The Lord Himself prays to the Father on my behalf, this is beyond my ability to comprehend.
So you and I have a High Priest in heaven who loves us with His infinite love. He calls us to come to Him for fellowship, healing, and encouragement. He fills us with power as we draw near. He prays for us to keep us on track. Jesus is our heavenly friend Who will keep us until the very end.