Hebrews: He is Able to Save Forever!
Hebrews 7:23-25+ More - THROUGH HIM it is done, now and forever!
“The former priests, on the one hand, existed in greater numbers because they were prevented by death from continuing, but Jesus, on the other hand, because He continues forever, holds His priesthood permanently. Therefore He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.”
Hebrews 7:23-25 NASB1995
The author of Hebrews once again underscores the mortality of the Levitical priesthood. The priesthood was handed down from generation to generation. Some priests may be in office for decades but others may only be there for days due to the uncertainty of life. Charles Spurgeon describes this in commentary found on Precept Austin:
A common priest served from thirty to fifty years of age, and then his work was done. Priests of the house of Aaron, who became high priests, held their office through life. Sometimes a high priest would continue in his office, therefore, for a considerable length of time, but in many cases he was cut off as other men are by premature death; hence there was priest after priest of the order of Aaron to go within the veil for the people. Our Lord Jesus is not as Aaron, who had to be stripped of his garments on the top of Mount Hor, and to die in the mount; neither is He like to any of the sons of Aaron who in due time suffered the infirmities of age, and at last bowed their heads to inevitable death. He died once, but death has no more dominion over Him; it is witnessed of Him that He lives.
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Here is our comfort: We have only one priest, and He ever lives. He had no predecessor and He will have no successor, because He ever lives personally to exercise the office of high priest on our behalf. My soul reposes in the faith of His one sacrifice, offered once and no more. There is but one presenter of that one sacrifice, and never can there be another, since the One is all-sufficient, and He never dies. Jesus reads my heart, and has always read it since it began to beat: He knows my griefs and has carried my sorrows from of old, and He will bear both them and me when old age shall shrivel up my strength. When I myself shall fall asleep in death He will not die, but will be ready to receive me into His own undying blessedness.
The need for priests and blood sacrifices is over. He is there now and forever and is sufficient to carry us into eternity.
Verse 25 has been compared to many of the most essential verses about the Gospel message. Therefore He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.
Through Him is the path to our salvation. Precept Austin recommended looking at other New Testament verses with that key preposition “through” (διά or diá in Greek). This is not all-inclusive, but it gives you a good idea of what we have THROUGH Him:
“All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.”
John 1:3 NASB1995
“He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him.”
John 1:10 NASB1995
“For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.”
John 3:17 NASB1995
“Jesus *said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.”
John 14:6 NASB1995
“And on the basis of faith in His name, it is the name of Jesus which has strengthened this man whom you see and know; and the faith which comes through Him has given him this perfect health in the presence of you all.”
Acts 3:16 NASB1995
“Of Him all the prophets bear witness that through His name everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins.””
Acts 10:43 NASB1995
“Therefore let it be known to you, brethren, that through Him forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, and through Him everyone who believes is freed from all things, from which you could not be freed through the Law of Moses.”
Acts 13:38-39 NASB1995
“Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.”
Romans 5:9-10 NASB1995
“But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us.”
Romans 8:37 NASB1995
“For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen.”
Romans 11:36 NASB1995
“yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom are all things and we exist for Him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we exist through Him.”
1 Corinthians 8:6 NASB1995
“for through Him we both have our access in one Spirit to the Father.”
Ephesians 2:18 NASB1995
“I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.”
Philippians 4:13 NASB1995
“For it was the Father’s good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him, and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross; through Him, I say, whether things on earth or things in heaven.”
Colossians 1:19-20 NASB1995
“Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.”
Colossians 3:17 NASB1995
“Through Him then, let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that give thanks to His name.”
Hebrews 13:15 NASB1995
“For He was foreknown before the foundation of the world, but has appeared in these last times for the sake of you who through Him are believers in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.”
1 Peter 1:20-21 NASB1995
“By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him.”
1 John 4:9 NASB1995
We have received through Him:
All things of Creation
Access to and reconciliation with the Father
Forgiveness
Salvation
Faith
Praise and thanksgiving
Our freedom from the laws
Our lives now
Our strength
Our eternal lives
One more thought, on the intercession that Christ brings, from Enduring Word:
e. He ever lives to make intercession for them: It strengthens us to know that Jesus prays for us, and that He ever lives to pray for us. This is tremendous encouragement to anyone who feels like giving up.
i. Romans 8:33-34 shows that the Apostle Paul consider this intercessory work of Jesus on our behalf important. There, he pictured Jesus defending us against every charge or condemnation through His intercession.
ii. “Our blessed Lord is interceding for us, but He is in no sense appeasing God. All that God’s holy Being and righteous government could demand was once for all, completely and forever, satisfied at the Cross.” (Newell)
iii. Jesus’ intercession on our behalf is not a matter of placating an angry Father who wants to destroy us. It is not a matter of continually chanting prayers on behalf of His people. It means that He continually represents us before the Father so that we can draw near through Him, and that He defends us against Satan’s accusations and attacks.
iv. Luke 22:31-32 gives an example of Jesus’ intercession for His people: Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren. Jesus prays to strengthen us in trials and seasons of attack, and against Satan’s accusations.
If you believe (and I pray that you come to Christ if you are wavering), you can rest easy tonight and every night by knowing all the things that He brings!
My next devotional examines Hebrews 7:26-28 - Once and perfect forever.
Heaven on Wheels Daily Prayer:
Dear Lord - When I ponder all the wonders and elements of our faith that come through You, I can scarcely comprehend the power of Your love for us. Amen.
Credits and Citations:
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. www.Lockman.org.
Precept Austin was accessed on 12/13/2025 to review commentary for Hebrews 7:23-25.
G1223 - dia - Strong’s Greek Lexicon (nasb95). Retrieved from https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g1223/nasb95/mgnt/0-1/
Commentary from Enduring Word by David Guzik is used with written permission. ©1996-present The Enduring Word Bible Commentary by David Guzik – enduringword.com
Within Enduring Word commentary: Newell, William R. Hebrews Verse by Verse (Chicago: Moody Press, 1947)