And no one takes this honor on himself, but he receives it when called by God, just as Aaron was.

5 In the same way, Christ did not take on himself the glory of becoming a high priest. But God said to him,

“You are my Son;
    today I have become your Father.”

6 And he says in another place,

“You are a priest forever,
    in the order of Melchizedek.”

Someone said, ‘If the Lord is going to raise you up, let Him raise you up; but whatever you do don’t raise yourself up!’

You don’t just decide to take up the pastoral ministry as a career option; at least, I don’t believe anyone should. Down that route may lie disaster for the church, and the individual concerned. Every believer is called into ministry, but we are not all called to the pulpit. I clearly remember the time when a sense of the call of God broke into my rather hazy plans for the future. I was still a teenager, but I heard the call. Through the years it has anchored me to the spot when I have felt tempted to run.

According to the early chapters of Hebrews, Jesus is:

  • Greater than the prophets;
  • Greater than the angels;
  • Greater than Joshua;
  • And we are now in a section showing Him to be greater than Aaron. His High Priesthood is greater. He is greater because He is God’s ”Son”, and because He is ”a priest forever in the order of Melchizedek.” But here is a point of similarity between Aaron and Christ: our Lord was ‘called’ to the office. Are you fulfilling the calling on your life?