Now the main point of what we are saying is this: We do have such a high priest,who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven,2 and who serves in the sanctuary, the true tabernacle set up by the Lord, not by a mere human being.
Hebrews 8.1-2
The point of the book of Hebrews is that Jesus Christ, God's Son, has not just come to fit into the earthly system of priestly ministry as the best and final human priest, but he has come to fulfill and put an end to that system and to orient all our attention on himself ministering for us in heaven. The Old Testament Tabernacle and priests and sacrifices were shadows. Now the reality has come, and the shadows pass away.
Here's an illustration of what this means. Suppose you are a young child, and you and your mom get separated in the grocery store. You are scared and panicked and don't know which way to go. Then you run to the end of the aisle, and just before you start to cry, you see a shadow on the floor that looks like your mom. It makes you happy, and you fell hope. But which is better? The happiness of seeing that shadow, or having your mom step around the corner and seeing that it is indeed her?
That's a simple example of what Christmas means. Jesus came to be our High Priest. Christmas is the replacement of shadows with the real thing.
This is an excerpt from 'Joy to the World-Daily Readings for Advent' by John Piper.
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