Christ the priest. It's a tremendous subject. It's a subject which, in one sense, is introduced in this, the end of chapter 4 and through chapter 5, but actually has already been mentioned in chapters two and three, and will go on to form a major part of the rest of this epistle. So we will be touching on various other chapters and aspects of this wonderful book. Christ we know, we trust, the anointed Son of the living God. But the term priest or high priest, I want to start off by considering. And I want us to consider something of the derivation of these words, because it's important in the way that we use these terms, and in the way that other Christians use these terms, if I can put it like that. So the word priest is actually a shortened form of the Latin word presbita, and that comes from the Greek presbuteros, Presbus means elderly. Presbutes, old man. So a presbyter, presbyteros, simply means an elder. And where we have that term used in our Bibles, It is translated elder, despite the fact that the origin of the English word priest comes from that term. So that immediately adds a certain amount of confusion. In the Old Testament, the word for priest Cohen, the Hebrew word which is used as a very common surname for those who claim or claimed ancestry back to the Old Testament priesthood. The Greek translation of that term is arch, as in archangels and all those things, the high, so that's the high priest. Christ is our priest. He is our high priest, but we immediately then have a problem, don't we? Because by definition, the way we think about things, a high priest is over other priests. Christ is not over another priesthood in that sense, except for the priesthood of all believers. We have that access to our God, and that's most important. So having dealt with that, I want us to think about the role of a priest In terms of the Old Testament priesthood, as we come to the book of the Hebrews, it's an epistle written to the Jews, to those who are now believing Jews, and set forth right through the book a better way, a better priesthood, with better sacrifices, with a better covenant, with a better promise, And as we go through, we find these terms. enlarged and we have these images drawn from the Old Testament priesthood as set up by the Lord and passed on to Moses on Mount Sinai and then we have the fulfilment of these things. I know there are others we will come across that even in this chapter but that's the the general comparison that is being made as we go through this great book. So the first role, really, of a priest is as a mediator. There is a term, kahan, and we're not going to go into any more terms. Don't be concerned about that. But it's obviously very linked to the word for priest, and we have it recorded in the Book of Exodus as the office of the priest. Mediator really simply means, from Greek, the middle man, one who is in between. We have one mediator between God and men, the man. Christ Jesus. So, as we come to the book of Exodus in chapter 28, we will start off by looking at various things in Exodus so that we get some sort of comparison with what is being thought about. God says then to Moses, And take thou unto thee Aaron thy brother, and his sons with him, from among the children of Israel, that he may minister unto me in the priest's office, even Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, Eleazar, and Ithana, Aaron's sons. And thou shalt make holy garments for Aaron thy brother, for glory and for beauty. And thou shalt speak unto all that are wise-hearted, whom I have filled with the spirit of wisdom, that they may make Aaron's garments, to consecrate him, that he may minister unto me in the priest's office. And these are the garments which thou shalt make, a breastplate, and an ephod, and a robe, and a broided coat, a mitre, and a girdle. And they shall make holy garments for Aaron thy brother and his sons, that he may minister unto me in the priest's office." Now, I've already referred to that term, as we come to the first mention of the priesthood at the end of chapter 2. Wherefore, in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted." Now, this is the one who is the creator. Verse 10, it became him, it was appropriate to him, it fitted him. For whom are all things and by whom are all things? He created them and he created them for himself in bringing many sons unto glory to make the captain of their salvation perfect. through sufferings, that that role should be completed. And I've already quoted those very famous words from 1 Timothy, that there is that one mediator between God and man, the man. Christ Jesus. Now, the manhood of Christ is emphasised as we come to the start of this little section. Chapter 415, For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. 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, 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. So this priest is Jesus, is the one who was born on the earth. Now, of course, we've focused on this, particularly in that second chapter of this book, where we are reminded that he was made a little lower than the angels. And at the end of that chapter, the culmination of that, if you like, for verily he took not on him the nature of angels, but he took on him the seed of Abraham. He became lower than the angels. Wherefore, in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. He is a man. He came as a man. He knows what it is like to be a man. He knows what it is like to be tempted, to be attacked by the devil pretty much constantly. But of course, with that one essential and fundamental difference, yet without sin. But in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted. He helps us. He can support and sustain us. And that is so important, isn't it? That's the manhood of Christ. But then, in moving on to 4.14, seeing then that we have a great high priest that is passed into the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God. Let us hold fast our profession. He is the Son of God. By definition, therefore, God himself. And therefore, it is entirely appropriate that he is that mediator. Chapter three, verse one, wherefore, and we've already been reminded, haven't we, that there are all these links going all the way through this epistle. Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the apostle and high priest of our profession, Christ Jesus. Yes, Jesus Christ, but Christ Jesus. It seems that by inverting the normal order we are focusing on his heavenly position, the one who has come down from heaven, the anointed one. And we have also a reference here, he is the apostle and high priest, he is our teacher. and high priest. We have, it seems to me, a sort of linking of this role of the Old Testament and the New Testament. The high priest is essentially an Old Testament role. Yes, we have the duties of the high priest still being carried out during the time of Jesus, of course. We have him going to the judgment hall before both Annas and Caiaphas. But that is, as that old covenant is about to be done away with, he is also the apostle, that which we associate particularly with his disciples, those new teachers, Now, as Paul writes to the Galatians, he underlines the wonder of this. In chapter 3 and 16, now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, and to seeds, as of many, but as of one, and to thy seed, which is Christ. And this I say, that the covenant that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, notice that, the law was confirmed of God in Christ. we lose sight of that sometimes, which was 430 years after, cannot disannul that it should make the promise of none effect. For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise. But God gave it to Abraham by promise. So, the promise was given to Abraham. 430 years later, after the children of Israel have been brought into Egypt, and enslaved in Egypt, and then brought out in that tremendous exodus as God's power is seen, the law is then given. But Paul says, it can't do away with what has already been given to Abraham. Therefore we have this tremendous position. Wherefore then, verse 19, serveth the law, it was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made. And it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator. Now a mediator is not a mediator of one, but God is one. Is the law, then, against the promises of God? God forbid. For if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law. But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe. But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. Wherefore, the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. The promise is to lead us to faith in Jesus Christ, to faith in the one who is our mediator, the one that stands between us and God. And that that faith should be in the teachings which are given in the promise to Abraham, in the opening up of these things, or the restricting, if you like to put it the other way, as the law was given to Moses, but each pointing to Jesus Christ. Now, this position of the schoolmaster is perhaps a slightly misleading term. role here is not a teacher as such, but the slave who was responsible for the education of the sons. It wasn't his job to teach them, it was his job to supervise getting them to the teacher. He led them and supervised that. And so it's a wonderful picture. The law is that which is to bring us to the teacher, to bring us to the apostle and high priest of our faith, Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by faith, that that faith might be opened up to us as we believe in him. We have this enlarged on in a sense, again, as we think about the role of mediator in Hebrews chapter 8, verse 5. Well, let's read from verse four. For if he were on earth, he should not be a priest, seeing that there are priests that offer gifts according to the law, who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things. As Moses was admonished of God when he was about to take the tabernacle, for see, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern shown to thee in the mount. Everything had to be exactly according to that pattern. The dimensions, the details, and there are so many details on there as we go through the book of Exodus. Each pointing in a different way. Some of them duplicating in a sense. We have the same patterns seen again and again and again. But they point to the one who should come and fulfil all things. But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises. For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second. and then chapter 9, 15, for this cause, he is the mediator of the New Testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the First Testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance. This is the entrance to that rest of which we've been thinking this afternoon. It is only through this mediator, through his position between us and God. And how was that done? Chapter 12, verse 24. and to Jesus, the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaketh better things than that of Abel. Now, of course, There we are alluding to the sacrifices. There is a whole raft of teaching in Hebrews and throughout the Bible of the sacrifices. I'm not really going to touch on that. That's a whole different subject, and we will need to think about that. But the priest is the one who offers the sacrifices, that is, The second, if you like, main role of the priest, he is the mediator, but that is accomplished by the sacrifices. The sacrifice, something to make holy. The idea of the sacrifice is that sins are washed away. and to the person who is offering or on whose behalf those sacrifices are offered has those sins cleansed. Interestingly, in Latin, there is a completely different term for a sacrificing priest, sacerdotus, from which we get the word sacerdotal, to make holy. Sadly, we've lost that distinction, as I said at the beginning. But of course, that was very much the role of the priest. We've spoken already of Exodus 28, and of the garments that were to be borne by the priests. But what was their role? They were, as they went to sacrifice, to carry out that mediatory role. And you'll remember that part of that which the high priest wore, had the bells and the pomegranates. We have that in verses 33 to 35. And so, as he was ministering, that sound could be heard. and it shall be upon Aaron to minister, and his sound shall be heard when he goeth in unto the holy place before the Lord, and when he cometh out, that he die not. And the people would know that he was carrying out that intercession on their behalf, and that that role was being accepted, that his mediation and sacrifice was accepted before God. And thou shalt make a plate of pure gold, and grave upon it, like the engravings of a signet, Holiness to the Lord. And thou shalt put it on a blue lace, that it may be upon the mitre, upon the forefront of the mitre it shall be. And it shall be upon Aaron's forehead, that Aaron may bear the iniquity of the holy things, which the children of Israel shall hallow in all their holy gifts. And it shall be always upon his forehead. that they may be accepted before the Lord. In the following chapter, we have the introduction of the sacrifices, so many different types of sacrifices, but every day, verse 38, Now this is that which thou shalt offer upon the altar, two lambs of the first year, day by day continually. The one lamb thou shalt offer in the morning, and the other lamb thou shalt offer at even. And with the one lamb, a tenth deal of flour mingled with the fourth part of a hin of beet and oil, and the fourth part of a hin of wine, for a drink offering. And the other lamb thou shalt offer at even, and shalt do according to the meat offering of the morning, and according to the drink offering thereof, for a sweet savour. an offering made by fire unto the Lord. This shall be a continual burnt offering throughout your generations at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation before the Lord, where I will meet you to speak there unto thee. I will meet with the children of Israel and the tabernacle shall be sanctified by my glory. And I will sanctify the tabernacle of the congregation and the altar. I will sanctify also both Aaron and his sons to minister to me in the priest's office. And I will dwell among the children of Israel and will be their God. And they shall know that I am the Lord their God that brought them forth out of the land of Egypt that I may dwell among them. I am the Lord, their God. These words are very precious, aren't they? They speak of the role, the ongoing role, the day-by-day role of the priests. 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. That is the role of the priest. That is the role of our priest. But he uniquely gave himself. And he uniquely sacrificed himself. There were certain other rights which were to be carried out by the priests. A slightly mysterious reference, but going back to Exodus 28 and verse 30. And thou shalt put in the breastplate of judgment, the Urim and the Thummim. And they shall be upon Aaron's heart when he goeth in before the Lord. And Aaron shall bear the judgment of the children of Israel upon his heart before the Lord continually. Now, of course, these were used to prophesy, in a sense, and to discern the will of God. It brings us right back, doesn't it, to the very opening of Hebrews. God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son. whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds." Those things are done away with. He has spoken. He has revealed to us the truth in a far more wonderful and a richer and a fuller way. And we give praise and thanks to God for these things. Now, the priest had to be ordained. It was a position which was appointed by God. Moses was charged to make Aaron and his house the priest, the high priest. And of course, we have read already that that was how it was with the Lord Jesus Christ. Chapter five, verse six. As he saith also in another place, thou art a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek. Verse four, no man taketh this honor upon himself, but he that is called of God as was Aaron. So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest, but he that said unto him, thou art my son, today have I begotten thee. It was a role for which Jesus had been chosen, was appointed before the foundation of the earth. Now, of course, there was a uniqueness about this. We're not going to touch upon Melchizedek. Again, that's next month's concern, and there is a vast fullness there. But we do read in chapter seven of verse 14, for it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Judah, of which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood. They were all, of course, of the tribe of Levi. But there is this great and wonderful exception that the Lord is a high priest of a different priesthood after the order of Melchizedek. The purpose of that priesthood is again mentioned in the opening of chapter 8. Now, of the things which we have spoken, this is the sum. We have such an high priest who is set on the right hand of the throne of majesty in the heavens, a minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle which the Lord pitched, and not man. for every high priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices. Wherefore it is of necessity that this man have somewhat also to offer. The Lord set up the tabernacle. The Lord set up the priesthood. The Lord has set up Christ's priesthood. And just as they had those duties to fulfill, So does he. We shall come back to verse 1 again. As part of that setting up, there was, of course, the wonderful anointing. This is spoken of at great length going back into the book of Exodus. We turn to chapter 30. Moreover the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, Take thou also unto thee principal spices, of pure myrrh five hundred shekels, and of sweet cinnamon half so much, even two hundred and fifty shekels, and of sweet calamus two hundred and fifty shekels, and of cassia five hundred shekels, after the shekel of the sanctuary, and of oil, olive, and hin. And thou shalt make it an oil of holy ointment, an ointment compound after the art of the apothecary. It shall be an holy anointing oil. And thou shalt anoint the tabernacle of the congregation therewith, and the ark of the testimony, and the table and all his vessels, and the candlestick and all his vessels, and the altar of incense. And so it goes on. All of these items are to be marked out and appointed in this special way. And then verse 30, And thou shalt anoint Aaron and his sons, and consecrate them, set them apart as something that is holy. Remember that title on the mitre, holiness unto the Lord. that they may minister unto me in the priest's office. And thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel, saying, This shall be an holy anointing oil unto me throughout your generations. Upon man's flesh shall it not be poured, neither shall ye make any other like it after the composition of it. It is holy, and it shall be holy unto you. It's very solemn, isn't it? This task is only to be appointed by God, and the oil is only to be placed upon those for whom God has fitted them. We might think rather solemnly of those who seek and claim literally to stand in Christ's place as his vicar or as a representative of that man. To do so as a pastor, as a preacher is a solemn thing. But to take that upon ourselves, that's very serious. We remind ourselves again, though, that this one is the apostle and high priest of our profession, Christ Jesus, that he was faithful to him that appointed him, as also Moses was faithful in all his house. For this man was counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as he who hath builted the house hath more honour than the house. He is the greater and he has set these things and ordained these things that they should be. The last verse of chapter seven. For the law maketh men high priests which have infirmity. But the word of the oath which was since the law maketh the son who is consecrated for evermore. The law has been done away in him. He is set apart and his reign will last for ever and ever. Amen. As part of the role of mediator, it is the responsibility of the priest to pray. He bears those prayers to his God. In Exodus 28, And verse 9, as we go through the garments of the high priest, we find these wonderful things. Verse 9, and thou shalt take two onyx stones, and grave on them the names of the children of Israel, six of their names on one stone, and the other six names of the rest on the other stone, according to their birth. With the work of an engraver in stone, like the engravings of a signet, shalt thou engrave the two stones with the names of the children of Israel. Thou shalt make them to be set in uches of gold. And thou shalt put the two stones upon the shoulders of the ephod for stones of memorial unto the children of Israel. And Aaron shall bear the names before the Lord upon his two shoulders. for a memorial. So six on one side and six on the other were carried on those stones on the High Priest's shoulder as he was in his garments before the Lord. Not only so, Verse 15. And thou shalt make the breastplate of judgment with cunning work. After the work of the ephod thou shalt make it of gold, of blue, of purple, and of scarlet. And of fine twined linen shalt thou make it. Verse 17. And thou shalt set in it settings of stones, even four rows of stones. And then it goes through the various stones. And verse 21. And the stones shall be with the names of the children of Israel. 12. According to their names, like the engravings of a signet, every one with his name shall be according to the 12 tribes." They are born as the high priest. goes about his business. Gadsby writes, Jesus, Zion's great high priest, bears my name upon his breast, and that we may never part. He has sealed me on his heart. Chapter 5, verse 7. Who, in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death and was heard, in that he feared. He prayed. for behalf of his people. In chapter 7 and verse 24, but this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood. Wherefore, he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. For such an High Priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners. Such is our God. Such is our high priest. So we have then, we have one who is a mediator, who is both man and God. We have one who has the responsibility for offering sacrifices and for various other special duties. He was ordained of God, he was anointed by God, and he prays on behalf of the people. Now, I want us now to look more particularly at the passage as we have it before us, just briefly, and make a few more points of what we can see were the roles of this great high priest. So the first thing we notice is the access that we have. The access that we have. through him. Verse 16, one of the let us's we've been thinking of. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. If these things are true, and they are, and we believe them, If these things are true, and they are, and we believe them, then we have that right to come to our God through our high priest. We can come boldly to that throne of grace. In chapter 10 and verse 22, we have the same underlined. Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering, for he is faithful but promised. It's that access by that new and living way which he hath consecrated for us through the veil, that is to say his flesh, having an high priest over the house of God. What a wonderful thing. A new and living way. He died. but he lives and he continues to make intercession for us. Not only do we have access, but we have a high priest who has compassion. We have that in verse two of chapter five. Every high priest It's their duty. But this one, because of what we've already said, in a special way, can have compassion on the ignorant and on them that are out of the way, for that he himself also is compassed with infirmity. Now, of course, the Lord isn't compassed by infirmity now. But he was a man. He suffered. He knew pain, he knew thirst, he knew hunger, he knew that attack from the devil. And so, again, we've already referred to the close of chapter two. Wherefore, in all things it behoved him, it was appropriate to him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people, for in that he himself has suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted. We have that access and his compassion is underlined by that. However, that doesn't stop responsibility for our actions on resting with us as well, does it? He is in this our great example. And this is perhaps one of the more difficult parts of this fifth chapter, in verse eight. Though he were a son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered. Now, how did Christ learn obedience? He was always obedient. How could he learn? What does it mean? As we see him go into Gethsemane, we have that prayer literally wrung out of him. If it be possible, let this cup pass from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but thine, be done. He went through that path that was ordained. He followed that obedience. And being made perfect, having completed that task, it's not that he was imperfect before that. that the role was unfinished. But as he was there on the cross, he said, it is finished. That part was played, that high priestly part was played, that sacrificial part was played. The high priestly part in terms of the offering of the sacrifice, not of course in terms of the ongoing mediation. and being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him. And we have a similar parallel, don't we, in chapter 2 and verse 10. For it became him for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. To complete that role, to complete the task which God had given him to do. We have the explanation in a sense in Philippians, don't we, that as God sees that he was obedient even to the sufferings of death, even the death of the cross, wherefore God hath given him a name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow and every tongue confess that he is Lord of all. For both he that sanctifyeth and they that are sanctified are all for if one, for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren, saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee. Verse 14. For as much then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself took part of the same that through death, he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is the devil, and deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. But in that holiness, in that obedience, he is an example to us, isn't he? And it is a requirement, chapter 12, verse 14, follow peace with all men and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord. That perfection of which we've just been speaking of is also picked up in chapter 7. We've referred to this already at the end there. For such a high priest became us who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners. who needeth not daily as those high priests, the ones who came before or after the old covenant, to offer up sacrifice first for his own sins and then for the people's, for this he did once when he offered up himself. For the law maketh men high priests which have infirmity, but the word of the oath which was since the law maketh the son who was consecrated for evermore. This high priest is eternal. Verse six of chapter five, thou art a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek. We know that that's relevant in as much as the old Aaronic priesthood that went from father to son to son to son, but it's important in another sense as well, isn't it? As we draw to the close of the book, Jesus Christ, the same yesterday and today and forever. This high priest is eternal. He will never fail. He can never fall short. We were reminded this afternoon of that rest. In chapter 10, In verse 11, we are reminded that every priest standeth daily, ministering and offering. There was no seat, as has often been remarked, in the temple, except for the mercy seat, and that wasn't to be sat on. But here, We have one who, being the brightness of his glory and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high, being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they. To which of this angel said he at any time, sit on my right hand until I make thine enemies thy footstool. And yet, as we were reminded this afternoon, that is the prospect of those who have him as their great high priest. Wherefore, seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus. the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. And then just finally, I've written down success. because this high priest is one who can never fail. We have this picked out in different ways and in different means. In chapter 10, I've just spoken about this priest standing, but this man Verse 12, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down on the right hand of the God, for henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool, for by one offering he hath perfected forever them that are sanctified. It's finished. Those enemies will be destroyed and his people will be sanctified. And so their sins and iniquities, God says, will I remember no more. Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sins. Once, in the end of the world, he offered up himself. So again, I remind you of the closing verse of chapter four. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy. It's not a may that's dubious, where there's a possibility that it might just happen. No, we come boldly, because if we come with faith, nothing wavering, as James puts it, then he who is the giver of every good and perfect gift will grant that grace to help in time of need. I said that we would come back to chapter eight and verse one. Now of the things which we have spoken, this is the sum. We have such a high priest who is set on the right hand of the throne of the majesty in the heavens. He's sat down, he's ready, he's fixed on the majesty of God. And he is there to grant those gifts, to bless his people. just in conclusion. We've been reminded of it from chapter four, but we have it in chapter 10 as well. Verse 23, let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering, for he is faithful that promised. And let us consider one another to provoke and to love. and to good works. May he help us to do so, to the praise of his glory, who hath done all things well. Amen.