He Sat Down

Hebrews 10 draws a picture of two priests. The first one is always on his feet. “And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins.”

Standing, daily, oftentimes, the same sacrifices. There was no chair in the tabernacle for the priest, because his work was never finished. Every morning there was another lamb, and every evening another, and none of them could take sin away.

Then the second priest. “But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God.” One sacrifice. For ever. And then He sat down.

He sat down because the work was done. There was nothing left to offer. The verse after says, “For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.”

Many people are still standing, still trying to offer something to God to make themselves acceptable: good deeds, church attendance, giving up a bad habit. I understand the pull. There is something in me that wants to add to what He did, as if His one offering needed my help. None of it can take away sin. Only His one offering can, and it already has.

I am thankful that my Saviour sat down. His finished work means I can stop striving and start resting.

If Christ has sat down, you can too.