The Old Testament high priests had a real function; they were able to administer a degree of blessing without any doubt. They were not so symbolic that they were of no value at all, but they were fallible. We remember Hannah’s encounter with Eli. She went to Shiloh to the house of God deeply burdened and concerned that she had no child, but when Eli saw her at prayer he thought she was drunk. He misinterpreted the situation entirely. But our high priest Jesus Christ, the eternal Son, dispenses not merely earthly blessings, but also heavenly blessings. He is the one who holds the key to eternal life; he is the one through whom we have forgiveness of sin, because he made an atonement and suffered and died for his people. He is the one who secures our eternal blessing. He brings about the possibility of our being born again, of our lives being transformed by the converting power of the Spirit, made new and able to have communion with God, lifelong and eternally. Unlike Eli, he will never see us praying and think that we are drunk when we are not. We have a high priest, who is God and man, and who sees all things, whose eye and whose heart track us every moment of the day. He knows all about us: our waywardness, our service for him, our love for him; nothing is unknown to him.
Equally the high priest of olden times, would give guidance. King David often consulted the high priest for the guidance of God: whether he should go forward into battle to defend his nation or whether he should hold back, and that guidance was channelled principally through the high priest, but our high priest guides us in our lives constantly. We need guidance and blessing, and as we pray for it our great high priest will sharpen up our judgement so that as we weigh the pros and cons of any decision before us. He will help us and he may even overrule our own decision circumstantially, if we are sincerely seeking his will.
The high priest of old was quite difficult to access; Hannah had to go all way to Shiloh to find him. A long journey, an annual pilgrimage, and perhaps they would be one among a crowd, so the high priest could only attend to a few people, one at a time to give them reassurance of help and blessing. But Christ our divine high priest is accessible to us all the time, and being God he can deal with the millions and millions of his people, and yet deal with each one of them as though they were the only one on his mind. ‘We have such an high priest’ to whom we always come and plead and open our hearts. Our great high priest is ever always the same. He does not grow tired or infirm; there is no diminution of his power, wisdom, energy, or concern for his people.