Jesus has entered as a forerunner for us, having become a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek. (Hebrews 6:20)

In a time before modern communications technology, long before the internet, telephone or telegraph, long distance communication was done by sending out runners, advance men. A forerunner was an individual who went before and on behalf of another, to prepare for or to announce the arrival of another. The OT is filled with examples of those assigned to run ahead with news, whether good or bad, to announce the coming of someone else. Of course the most well-known forerunner for Christians was John the Baptist, of whom it was written, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness, ‘Make ready the way of the Lord, make His paths straight!’” (Matt 3:3).

Surprising at first, but the Lord Jesus Christ is called our forerunner! But this designation makes sense in light of things Jesus Himself said: “In My Father’s house are many dwelling places … I go to prepare a place for you” (John 14:2). He is getting things ready for our grand “entrance into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ [that] will be abundantly supplied to [us]” (2 Pet 1:11). “Since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession” (Heb 4:14). Unlike the earthly priests, Jesus is an eternal high priest and has a permanent residence in that celestial Holy of Holies, and we shall follow Him there. So we read that until we get there, He has entered heaven “to appear in the presence of God for us” (Heb 9:24). We are coming too, because He has gone ahead of us and gone in for us and entered on our behalf.

He has taken His seat next to the Father in advance of us: “Now the main point in what has been said is this: we have such a high priest, who has taken His seat at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens” (Heb 8:1). That seating is ours as well, as though we were now seated with Him: “[E]ven when we were dead in our transgressions, [He] made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus” (Eph 2:5–6).

As William MacDonald has put it, “It is no exaggeration to say that the simplest believer on earth is as certain of heaven as the saints who are already there.” How can we be sure? Our forerunner, our high priest, has gone before us, to secure our place there with the Father and announce our coming.

Lord Jesus Christ, the victory over sin and judgment has already been won, and You have gone ahead and announced that to all heaven, in the very presence of Your Father. You have secured me a seat there in His presence. Thank You!