Yeshua – Our Heavenly High Priest

By Tim Hegg

Yeshua–Our Heavenly High Priest

The Torah parashah chosen for reading on Yom Kippur contains the instructions for Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement), and particularly the manner in which the Cohen Gadol (High Priest) was to perform the sacred ceremonies of the day. We should first note the strategic placement of this chapter as indicated by the opening verse: Now Adonai spoke to Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron, when they had approached the presence of the LORD and died. The story of Aaron’s sons, Nadav and Avihu, and the errant manner in which they performed their duties, is given prior to our parashah in order to emphasize that God’s way of forgiving sins is entirely in harmony with His utter holiness. For God to forgive sin requires that His holiness and justice be satisfied and this is demonstrated in the sacrificial system where the life of an innocent animal is taken in exchange for the life of the sinner. The actions of Nadav and Avihu disregarded God’s clear instructions and by so doing openly denied that the God they served is sovereign and infinitely holy.

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Tim Hegg

President / Instructor

Tim graduated from Cedarville University in 1973 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Music and Bible, with a minor in Philosophy. He entered Northwest Baptist Seminary (Tacoma, WA) in 1973, completing his M.Div. (summa cum laude) in 1976. He completed his Th.M. (summa cum laude) in 1978, also from NWBS. His Master’s Thesis was titled: “The Abrahamic Covenant and the Covenant of Grant in the Ancient Near East”. Tim taught Biblical Hebrew and Hebrew Exegesis for three years as an adjunct faculty member at Corban University School of Ministry when the school was located in Tacoma. Corban University School of Ministry is now in Salem, OR. Tim is a member of the Evangelical Theological Society and the Society of Biblical Literature, and has contributed papers at the annual meetings of both societies. Since 1990, Tim has served as one of the Overseers at Beit Hallel in Tacoma, WA. He and his wife, Paulette, have four children, nine grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren.