There is a crying need in our day for the kind of people our Lord has called us to be: "a peculiar people, zealous of good works", (Titus 2:14). For examples of such a people we may look to the Scriptures.
    The zeal of MOSES prompted him to: slay the Egyptian who abused his fellow-Jew (Ex. 2:12), and to grind to powder the golden calf that Aaron had made - requiring the foolish Israelites to drink of it in their water, (Ex. 32:19- 20).
    By hiS zeal in slaying the pair who openly defied God in the sight of all Israel, PHINEHAS turned away the wrath of the Lord and the plague that had begun to consume the nation, (Num. 25:1-13).
    GIDEON threw down the altar of Baal and cut down its groves, (Judges 6:25-32).
    SAMUEL urged Israel to follow the Lord (I Sam. 12:20-25) and withstood King Saul, whom he dearly loved, (15:13-23, 35).
    DAVID, (2 Sam. 6; 7:1-3).
    JEHU, (2 Kings 9-10).
    PETER, (Acts 2:14-40; 312-16).
    PAUL, (Acts 9:20; 18:5-6; Rom.

    For every high priest taken from among men is ordained for men in things pertaining to God, that he may offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins: 2 Who can have compassion on the ignorant, and on them that are out of the way; for that he himself also is compassed with infirmity. 3 And by reason hereof he ought, as for the people, so also for himself, to offer for sins. 4 And no man taketh this honor unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron.
    Having already introduced the perfect High Priesthood of Jesus Christ, over the house of God, the Hebrew writer here proceeds to show that this priesthood is far superior to that of the Aaronic order.
    A priest is divinely appointed to act, on man's behalf, in things pertaining to God. Angels were not chosen to fill the priestly office; but men of like passions as ourselves. God has taken them "from among men" (and it is clear from the context that he means "every priest" in the Jewish system - for he is writing to Jewish Christians.) comp. Ex. 28:1. Only a man could adequately represent men "in things pertaining to God", (Heb.

2:17; Rom. 15:15-18).
    In the plan that God designed, the priest offers "gifts and sacrifices" FOR SINS - or BECAUSE OF sins committed by the people, (Heb. 8:3; 9:9; comp. 7:27-28; 10:1-4, 11-14). "Gifts" evidently refers to THANK OFFERINGS; "Sacrifices" to the expiatory SIN OFFERINGS. Sin disturbs the relationship meant to exist between God and men. It erects a barrier between us. SACRIFICE is meant TO RESTORE that relationship - thus, removing the barrier.
    The scriptures make it quite clear that the sins for which sacrifice could ATONE were SINS OF IGNORANCE! If one observes clearly, he will find that in both the Old and New Testaments there is NO SACRIFICIAL PROVISION made for deliberate or WILFUL SIN! (Heb. 10:26; Lev. 4:2, 13; Num. 15:15:22-31). The sacrificial provision is for the one who errs UNWITTINGLY. In fact it is declared that the person

who does anything with a high hand REVILES THE LORD! He shall utterly be cut off; his iniquity shall be upon him. And it is said (Deut. 17:12) that "The man who acts PRESUMPTUOUSLY ... that man SHALL DIE!" The sin of IGNORANCE is pardonable; the sin of PRESUMPTION IS NOT!
    One needs to understand, however, that by "sins of ignorance" the Jews understood more than mere "lack of knowledge". Their concept included the sins committed when a person was overwhelmed in a moment of impulse or anger, or when he was overcome by some great passion or temptation, but repented thereof in deep sorrow. By the sin of PRESUMPTION, they understood that cold, calculated sin for which one is not the least bit sorry - thus, open-eyed and deliberate REBELLION AGAINST GOD!
    The priest was a vital link between God and men. He was there to open the way whereby the sinner might get back to God - provided he WANTED to get back.
    One needs to recognize a definite relationship between a priest, in the Old Testament, and a pastor in the New Testament Church. Both stand between men and God and are responsible to God for their stewardship of the order He has appointed for the Good of men in each respective age, (Heb. 7:17; comp. I Thes. 2:19-20).
    Someone has suggested that when a man is ordained to the Gospel Ministry his brethren are, in essence, saying to him:
    "We are constantly involved in the daily press of temporal duties;

we get and spend; we serve at the counter, in the office, the shops and fields - keeping the wheels of agriculture and industry going round. We want YOU so set apart that YOU can spend much time in the secret place of the Most High - that you may come forth each week with a FRESH WORD from the Lord TO MEET OUR NEEDS!"
    A truly effective priest (or pastor) must be "a man of like passions" with his brethren - one who has walked in their steps. He must have so confronted the temptations of the human experience as to have a gentle, tender and compassionate heart toward their weaknesses. Such a person will not judge harshly or indulge in excessive pity. His own feelings will be measured by a balanced view of the people's responsibilities and weaknesses. A man, with the same nature and tendencies, he will understand the power of temptation that constantly confronts his brethren.
    The word translated "compassion" (vs. 2) comes from the Greek "metriopathein". It suggests the ability to bear with others without getting irritated. While never CONDONING the sinful weakness of a brother, compassion is not driven to ANGER, but patiently and sympathetically endeavors to bring him back to the path of righteousness. Without a strong, patient, God-given, tender and loving gentleness in sharing a brother's burden, no one can ever deal rightly with his error.
    Let us never lose sight of the fact that a priest, of the Aaronic

order, WAS A SINNER - like his brethren! He was surrounded, ensphered and hemmed in by the crippling infirmity of SIN, (vs. 2b; 7:28). Thus, it was necessary that he OFTEN sacrifice for his own sins before he could acceptably offer for the sins of the people, (Heb. 5:3; 9:7).
    When Aaron entered the "Holy of Holies", on the Day of Atonement, he FIRST entered the veil with the blood of a bullock as a SIN OFFERING for himself and his priestly household, (Lev. 16:6, 11-14, 17). Only after he had offered blood for himself did the high priest offer the blood of a goat as a SIN OFFERING for the congregation. A second goat, upon whose head the high priest symbolically laid the sins of the people, was then led away into the wilderness. There it was released to wander and die. It was the "scape goat" - picturing the removal of Israel's iniquities, (Lev. 16:10, 20-22).
    No priestly service, under the Aaronic order, was acceptable to God apart from a divine call or appointment, (vs. 4). This was true in the case of EVERY PRIEST. Since sin had separated man from fellowship with his Maker, and since priestly ministry was necessary to bring him back to a place of acceptance with God, an ACCEPTABLE priest was of crucial importance! Under the Old Testament order man could not act as his own priest. He was cast entirely upon the mercy of God and must depend upon such

a priest as God Himself had appointed. Since God's wrath was ready to break forth upon sin, it was essential to have a representative before the throne that was acceptable to Him that sat upon the throne!
    In the Aaronic order, God appointed the only means whereby sinful men might approach Him with acceptance, (Num. 16:39-40; 18:1- 7). Any exception to this required a specific command from God, (I Sam. 16:1-13). Those who violated this order must bear their own iniquity! (I Sam. 113:5-14; 2 Chron. 26:16-23).
    This same principle holds true of the Gospel Ministry within a New Testament church. No man should PRESUMPTUOUSLY take upon himself the responsibility of the pastoral office. He must be divinely called and ordained according to the order

God Himself has established. Yet, there is a sense in which EVERY MEMBER of a New Testament church has the responsibility of a PRIESTLY ROLE, (I Pet. 2:9).
    God's original design for Israel was to make of her "a Kingdom of priests" who would be ministers of His blessings and SALVATION to the ends of the earth! But, the nation DISQUALIFIED herself - forfeiting that role because of the stubborn disobedience of her senseless UNBELIEF!
    Our wonderful Lord Jesus has now destined HIS CHURCH to be such a "kingdom of priests". He has set us in New Testament churches that, therein, we may LEARN TO RULE, which IS NOT EASY! Nor is it always PLEASANT! But, learn it we MUST if we would share the rule of our Dear Lord in His coming Kingdom!
    No church has a RIGHT TO EXIST except as a HOLY PEOPLE! And holiness involves ATTITUDES as much as ACTIONS! Attitudes concerning God, His Word, His order and His people, as well as toward sin and righteousness.
    Is the RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD being manifest in the life of the church where YOU are a member? E.G.

ZEALOUS . . . . CONTINUED
    And of OUR LORD it is written: "The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up", (Jn. 2:17). It was ever His delight to do His Father's will!
    WHAT ABOUT YOU? E.G.
"Behold, the Bridegroom cometh!" ARE YOU PREPARED TO MEET HIM?