"But the closing work of Christ as priest pertains to
--the acquittal of His people at His Father’s tribunal,
--the blotting out of their sins,
--and the decision accounting them worthy of that world and the resurrection to immortality.
Our Lord cannot do this for people in a state of probation.
--His first work must therefore relate to the righteous dead.
--And while their cases are severally passing under examination and decision, the living righteous are being prepared for the close of their probation, and for the decision of the investigative judgment by the proclamation of the third angel.
--The priesthood of Christ began when he presented himself before the Father at His ascension as our Advocate.
--It cannot terminate till he has secured the acquittal of his people, and the blotting out of their sins in the investigative judgment.
As a priest our Lord presents the merits of His blood in behalf of all who come to God through Him. Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. Hebrews 7:25. Even the cases of the people of God who lived during the period of the Old Testament, have to be acted upon by Christ as priest. And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance. Hebrews 9:15. They can only have redemption through His blood; and the blotting out of their sins can only be effected through his priestly work. Hebrews 9,10.
The work of our High Priest in behalf of His people involves an immense number of individual cases." J.N. Andrews