Christ Exalted

Hebrews 10:11-13

 

Here the Holy Spirit describes Christ’s glorious exaltation. The priests of Israel, like the pretentious priests of Rome today, stood and offered everyday the same sacrifices, which could never take away sins. “But this man (the God-man, our Savior), after he had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down on the right hand of God; from henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool.”

 

            In this chapter the Holy Spirit shows us the superiority of Christ over the Levitical priesthood of the Old Testament. -- Those priests under the law were many. Christ is one High Priest over the house of God forever. -- They offered many sacrifices. Christ made one sacrifice. -- They offered their sacrifices often, everyday. Christ offered one sacrifice (himself) once. -- They stood ministering in the holy place. Christ sat down. -- Their sacrifices could never take away sins. Christ by his one great sacrifice “hath perfected forever them that are sanctified,” having put away all our sins.

 

Not all the blood of beasts On Jewish altars slain,

Could give the guilty conscience peace, Or wash away the stain.

 

But Christ, the heavenly Lamb, Takes all our sins away;

A sacrifice of nobler name And richer blood than they.”

 

That Christ who redeemed us by his blood now reigns in heaven to save those for whom he died by the power of his grace.

 

Expiation Made

 

Our Lord's work of redemption is done. His atonement is complete. The sins, which he bore in his body on the tree, have been fully purged away, completely atoned for, and entirely removed. All that Christ came to do he has completely done. The priests of Israel could never sit down, because their work was never done, their sacrifices could never take away sin. “But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down on the right hand of God.” Here is proof positive that the work of redemption is done, completely and perfectly done: -- Christ is sitting at the Father’s right hand.

 

Sat Down

 

Sitting down is a posture of rest. A man does not rest until his work is finished. Christ came to do his Father’s will, “By the which will we are sanctified;” and he would not rest until he had completely and perfectly done his Father’s will. Christ’s sitting in heaven is our assurance that everything required for the salvation of all his people is done (Rom. 8:34). Righteousness has been established. Atonement has been made. Sin has been put away. God’s elect have been made perfect (Heb. 10:10, 14).

 

            Christ’s sitting at God’s right hand also implies that he enjoys great pleasure. The psalmist, when he spoke of Christ’s exaltation, wrote, “Thou wilt show me the path of life: in thy presence is fullness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore” (Ps. 16:11). The highest joy and pleasure of our Savior is the salvation of his people. Our salvation was the joy set before him, for which he endured the cross, despising the shame (Heb. 12:2).

 

How could he enjoy pleasure, if his people were in jeopardy? How could he have any joy, if he had not secured the salvation of every lamb of his flock? If he had not rendered the eternal salvation of every blood-bought soul as secure as his own throne, he would have no pleasure. There is a smile of pleasure upon our Redeemer’s face as he sits in glory, because all his ransomed ones are perfectly safe.

 

Sat Down Forever

 

Not only is Christ seated in the posture of rest and at the place of pleasure; but our text tells us that, he “forever sat down on the right hand of God!” Christ, as our Surety, has undertaken to save all of God’s elect. It was for this cause that he came into the world. He has sworn to bring all the elect to glory and present them perfect, without blemish, without fault, holy before his Father. If that is not already secured as the result of his finished work, then he would be obliged at some point to get up off his seat and go to work again. But our all-glorious Christ has so thoroughly redeemed us that he forever sat down. He will never have to leave his throne, because he finished the work he came to do.

 

God’s Right Hand

 

Here is another proof that our sins are completely expiated by Christ: – He is seated on the right hand of God. The very fact that Christ is in heaven, accepted by God as our Substitute, is proof that his work is done and that, as the result of his finished work, God has no quarrel with us. As long as the United States has an ambassador in Moscow, there is peace between the U.S. and Russia. And as long as Christ our Savior is at the Father’s right hand, we may be assured that there is peace between his people and God.

 

            Since Christ is seated in heaven forever, it is no assumption, but a matter of infallible certainty, that our peace with God can never cease, and that the atonement for sin is both complete and effectual! God almighty made Christ to be sin for us, and as a sinner, he could not enter heaven until he had washed all our sins away in the fountain of his own precious blood. This Man, being our Substitute, could not enter heaven without two things: Perfect Righteousness and Complete Satisfaction. But, inasmuch as he is seated on the right hand of God forever, we cannot question this fact – Redemption is done!