An High Priest of Good Things to Come

Two of the most powerful talks by President Jeffrey R. Holland for me were based upon passages from the book of Hebrews in the New Testament. The first was given in general conference in 1999 and was titled “An High Priest of Good Things to Come.” This phrase comes from Hebrews 9:11 in which Paul said, “But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come.” The message from President Holland was that there are indeed good things to come for us because of Christ if we will but hold on and be faithful. He said, “There is help. There is happiness. There really is light at the end of the tunnel. It is the Light of the World, the Bright and Morning Star, the ‘light that is endless, that can never be darkened.’ It is the very Son of God Himself. In loving praise far beyond Romeo’s reach, we say, ‘What light through yonder window breaks?’ It is the return of hope, and Jesus is the Sun. To any who may be struggling to see that light and find that hope, I say: Hold on. Keep trying. God loves you. Things will improve. Christ comes to you in His ‘more excellent ministry’ with a future of ‘better promises.’ He is your ‘high priest of good things to come.’” The second talk was given earlier the same year at BYU and is on the list of the most popular BYU speeches of all time. It was titled, “Cast Not Away Therefore Your Confidence” which comes from Hebrews 10:35. From that verse to the end of the chapter is a powerful invitation from the apostle to stay true to the faith even amidst difficulties: “Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward. For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry. Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him. But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul” (Hebrews 10:35-39). President Holland summarized, “I acknowledge the reality of opposition and adversity, but I bear witness of the God of Glory, of the redeeming Son of God, of light and hope and a bright future. I promise you that God lives and loves you, each one of you, and that he has set bounds and limits to the opposing powers of darkness. I testify that Jesus is the Christ, the victor over death and hell and the fallen one who schemes there. The gospel of Jesus Christ is true, and it has been restored, just as we have sung and testified this morning. ‘Fear ye not.’ And when the second and the third and the fourth blows come, ‘fear ye not. . . . The Lord shall fight for you.’ ‘Cast not away therefore your confidence.’” Both of these passages, motivated by the words of the book of Hebrews, contain moving invitations to stay strong in the faith even amidst trials and difficulties.

            As I looked through the rest of the book of Hebrews, I was impressed by how frequently Paul wrote on this theme, encouraging the saints to not lose hope, to trust in God, and to endure through suffering like the Savior did. He sought to help them see that they had a Savior who was “the captain of their salvation” and had Himself been made “perfect through sufferings” (Hebrews 2:10). He declared himself, who had so many trials, “And again, I will put my trust in him. And again, Behold I and the children which God hath given me. Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same…. For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted” (Hebrews 2:13-14, 18). Paul wanted them to hold on to their faith in the Savior who had suffered in mortality and could succor them. The apostle also wrote, “For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast unto the end; While it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation” (Hebrews 3:14-15). We must strive to remain steadfast in Christ, and that means continuing to work spiritually to follow Him: “Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief…. 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” (Hebrews 4:11, 15-16). We can find mercy and grace to help us if we continue steadfast, just as the Savior Himself did, “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; Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; And being made perfect, he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him” (Hebrews 5:7-9). Christ became perfect through His suffering and did not give in but offered up “prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears” to God, choosing obedience rather than to quit. And so can we.  

            Other passages in the book of Hebrews similarly encourage us to continue steadfast with trust in God. Paul wrote to those who might feel their efforts are not seen by the Lord: “For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister. And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end: That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises” (Hebrews 6:10-12). Those are words that everyone who labors in God’s kingdom, feeling it is sometimes a thankless job, should read frequently. God will not forget our work and labor of love, but we must continue in faith and patience like Abraham: “For when God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater, he sware by himself, Saying, Surely blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee. And so, after he had patiently endured, he obtained the promise” (Hebrews 6:13-15). I love the language of this promise Paul also gave: “Wherein God, willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath: That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us: Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which entereth into that within the veil” (Hebrews 6:17-19). We will find “strong consolation” from God and a hope that will be “an anchor of the soul” if we will flee for refuge to Him. Paul witnessed that Christ is indeed able to help us: “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” (Hebrews 7:25). We must not give up but continue without wavering with trust in Him: “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 that promised;) And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching” (Hebrews 10:22-25). All of these statements are powerful messages to continue steadfast in the faith and to trust in the power of the Savior to help us. The book of Hebrews is full of hope and encouragement to not cast away our confidence because indeed we have “an high priest of good things to come.”