The High Priest Typology
Typology: the study and interpretation of types and shadows found in the scriptures concerning the relationship of the Old Testament to the New Testament.
It is said, the Old Testament is the New Testament concealed, and the New Testament is the Old Testament revealed. All types and shadows given in the Old Testament, point to the person, work and Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Type: a person or thing symbolizing or exemplifying the ideal or defining characteristics of someone or something. A person, thing, or event found in the Old Testament that represents a reality fulfilled in the New Testament. Shadow: is used in reference to a position of relative inferiority or obscurity. A shadow is a figure of the true, not completely defined or understood until the reality of the true is present.
There are many examples of types and shadows found in the scriptures. John 5:39 & 46, 39, Hebrews 10:7, Romans 15:4, 1 Corinthians 10:11
We will not try to make an exhaustive study of all the types and shadows found in the Bible, though there are many to be found and studied that will add priceless worth to your understanding and confidence in the scriptures.
We will point out a few types and shadows that are worth mentioning relating to this study of the High Priest typology.
The Bible tells us in Hebrews 3:1 and Hebrews 4:14
The Old Covenant tabernacle, the Levitical priesthood with its service, and the sacrifices, were all established to serve as types and shadows of the true heavenly tabernacle and the ministry of our eternal High Priest, Jesus Christ.
In fact, the entire Old Covenant was a temporary earthly type and shadow of the everlasting New Covenant that began to be established at the Lord’s appearance. Hebrews 9:1-3, 9:6-10
The time of reformation began with the ministry of John the Baptist and was completely fulfilled in 70 A.D. when the earthly city Jerusalem and the temple were destroyed. At which point the New Covenant, which is the new heavens and the new earth, was permanently established by Jesus.
According to Hebrews 9:8 at the time when the first tabernacle was removed was when the Holiest of all was made accessible to covenant people.
The priesthood of the Old Covenant, was ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices under the law: for the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices make the comer’s thereunto perfect; That priesthood was ordained to serve in the worldly sanctuary under the carnal ordinances of the Law, and was destined to be removed and replaced with the everlasting priesthood of Christ Jesus, called of God an High Priest after the order of Melchisedec. Hebrews 5:5-6, 8-10
As the Covenant of God was being redefined from:
The Old Covenant to the New Covenant.
from an earthly country to a heavenly country.
from a natural people, to a spiritual people;
from a worldly city to a heavenly city, whose builder and maker is God.
from a worldly temple made with hands, to a spiritual temple made without hands.
from animal sacrifices to spiritual sacrifices.
So also, was the priesthood redefined, from a pattern which served unto the example and shadow of heavenly things; to an unchangeable priesthood that serves the true heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices. Hebrews 7:23-24, 28, 9:24.
The High Priest was one taken from among the Levitical priesthood and was appointed as the spiritual leader who represented the nation of Israel before the Almighty God. Hebrews 5:1
This is referring to the act of Atonement offered by the High Priest, once every year for the sins of the covenant people, in accordance with the law. Hebrews 9:6-7
Found in Leviticus Chapter 16. Aaron, who was the first High Priest, was instructed to come once every year into the holy place with sin offerings, first for himself, and then for the children of Israel.
And he took of the blood of the sin offerings and sprinkled it with his finger upon the altar and the mercy seat that was within the veil, making the atonement. Hebrews 9:22
God commanded Moses to institute the atonement offering, the blood was to make atonement for the holy place, because of the uncleanness of the children of Israel, and because of their transgressions in all their sins: and so it was done for the holy sanctuary, and the tabernacle of the congregation, for the alter, for the high priest and the priesthood, and for all the covenant people of the congregation. Leviticus 16:30
It is important to note in Leviticus 16:17
There was no one else present to witness the act of atonement but the High Priest alone.
In Leviticus 9:1-24 After Moses had consecrated Aaron and his sons according to all the commandments of the Lord, it is recorded that the first act of Aaron, as High Priest, was to make atonement for himself and for the people.
The point to be highlighted is found in Leviticus 9:23-24
Notice that it wasn’t until Aaron, the High Priest, came out from the tabernacle and returned to the people that God considered the Atonement complete.
The scripture shows that it wasn’t until after the High Priest returned and showed himself to the people, for whom the Atonement had been made, that the glory of the Lord then appeared and the fire from before the Lord consumed the burnt offering upon the altar, this witnessing that the LORD God had accepted the offerings.
The glory did not appear, and the fire did not fall while the High Priest was still inside the tabernacle, though the sacrifices were already complete.
Now the scripture does not record that the glory of the Lord, and the fire came from before the Lord for a witness every year that the Atonement was made from that time forth.
So how were the people to know that the atonement was complete and accepted from year to year? So, it was the returning of the High Priest himself back to the people that was the witness of the completion and acceptance of the Atonement that had been made. Romans 15:4
Everything relating to the service of the priesthood and to the temple cultus were by specific design and given with detailed instructions that were received by Moses directly from God upon Mt. Sinai. Hebrews 8:5
Everything had meaning and purpose, and it was all pointing to the actual true reality in heaven. Nothing was overlooked; nothing was without significance.
The Who, What, When, Where and How of the priestly service was all directed by God and it all represented the true everlasting priesthood of Christ Jesus.
So also, every detail of the act of Atonement, from the sacrifices to the entering in and the sprinkling with blood, and the return of the High Priest to the people all had significance and meaning, pointing to the actual fulfillment of the offering up of God Himself, in Christ.
Every year, for fifteen hundred years, the High Priests would continually offer the blood of bulls and goats for the sins of the people. Though the scripture says, it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins. It was all pointing to the one sacrifice that would eternally take away the sin of the world. Hebrews 9:11-12, 24.
The writer of Hebrews told the first century saints that Jesus was at that time, in heaven and had made Atonement for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament and for the sins of those which are called and chosen under the New Testament, that they all might receive the promise of eternal inheritance. Hebrews 9:11
The writer said that those good things were still to come; they had not yet fully come because Atonement was not yet complete, the High Priest had not yet reappeared to the people.
Remember at that time; it was the transition period between the Old Covenant and the New Covenant. People were receiving eternal life through the gospel of the New Covenant while the priests were still in the temple conducting business as usual under the Law of the Old Covenant. Both were present at that time. Hebrews 8:4 & 13.
According to the High Priest typology, the High Priest, as a representative of the people, made an offering for the sins of the people in the presence of God.
And as we previously discussed, the Atonement was not considered complete until the High Priest returned from the sanctuary back to the people, as a witness to the acceptance of the offering.
Just like the people of the Old Covenant anxiously waited for the return of the High Priest from the worldly tabernacle, those first century saints were looking for the return of the High Priest of the New Covenant from the heavenly tabernacle.
They absolutely expected, based on the words of the Lord Jesus Himself and repeated by His Apostles, that Jesus would appear with salvation/ atonement in their lifetime. Hebrews 9:28 & 10:37.
He will not delay; would you consider nearly two thousand years a delay?
This creates a major problem for those that hold to the futuristic return of Christ. By promoting the futuristic view, they are unknowingly saying that our salvation is not complete, and Jesus has not yet finished His High Priestly act of Atonement, because He has not yet appeared from the heavenly tabernacle.
If Jesus has not returned, our salvation is not complete.
Atonement for our sins is not yet complete; heaven is not accessible because our sins still separate us from God. Just like the Old Covenant saints, we would still be waiting for salvation to come when our High Priest reappears.
But we that have received the truth know that He is faithful that promised, and our Lord comforted those first century saints saying:
“for yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry”, and again,
“to show unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass”; and in another place;
“keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand”, and,
“this generation shall not pass till all these things be fulfilled.”
He did return exactly when He said He would; He has provided complete salvation; heaven is accessible because we have received the atonement for our sins through His blood and our High Priest did appear the second time unto salvation.
That holy city, New Jerusalem, is a reality today. We that believe have been born into the everlasting Kingdom of God. We are raised up together and made to sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus today! Revelation 21:3-4 & 10 & Isaiah 25:6-9
And unto them that waited for him in the first century, he did appear the second time without sin unto salvation.
Today we can rejoice in the salvation of our God! We can have absolute confidence that today is the day of salvation. Now, we are in the New Jerusalem, that great city and the gates of it shall not be shut at all.
Now, the glory of God and the light of the Lamb are shining into our hearts and have made us unto our God kings and priests: and we are reigning on the earth with Him.
Revelation 22:17 Today the Spirit and the bride say, “Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely”, that is made available today.
We have eternal life now; we’re not waiting for a future time of resurrection and judgement. Sin has already been judged; we that have believed the gospel and that are washed in His Name and have been filled with the Holy Spirit have received resurrection life now!
There is no grave, there is no death for us; they have been swallowed up in victory by the salvation of our God. Psalms 13:5, Psalms 35:9, Psalms 118:24
What rejoicing the reality of fulfilled eschatology brings!
What confidence in the scriptures!
We have already received that everlasting Kingdom and today every promise of God in Him are yea and in Him amen!
Futurism cannot say the same, though they claim to have salvation, the scriptures say in Hebrews 9:28 that Jesus will bring salvation with Him when He appears.
So, they are waiting for a day that they say has not yet come, salvation to them is incomplete. They are looking for a time to come that the scriptures say has already arrived, yet they cannot see it because they are looking to the future.
Turn around and look back to His generation, where He said, “This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.”
Someone must proclaim the truth. The scripture says that faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. How can people believe in what they have not heard, and how shall they hear without someone willing to speak?
Someone must love God enough and love the truth enough to stand up against the traditions of men and begin speaking the Words of God, rightly divided, so that others can hear and believe.
Jesus was not persecuted for His works; everyone rejoiced and gave God glory for His miracles. But it was His words that caused division. His words were so challenging to the hearers that His works had to be used as a witness to testify of the truthfulness of His words, that the hearers might believe.
It was His words that caused the religious leaders to conspire to kill Him. It was His words caused the sinner to draw close to Him with a repentant heart.
The Light of the knowledge of salvation came through His words. Peter said, “Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal life.” Jesus is the author and finisher of our faith.
That is why we have committed ourselves to make these studies.
Someone out there is listening, somebody is going take God at His word and believe.
Somebody is going to open their heart and read for their self and prove that these words are true, so help us God.
Someone is going to receive the true riches of heaven and the confidence to live a life of faith in the Word of God. That’s why we are going to continue to do studies, and we ask that you continue to study along with us.
