Mediation is a process of resolving conflicts between two parties and mediator is a third party, who negotiates between the two parties to bring in agreement.
When Adam and Eve were in the garden of Eden they enjoyed perfect communion with the Holy God. He gave Adam the privilege of naming the animals. God blessed Adam and Eve to be fruitful and multiply (Gen 1:28).
The companionship ended when they disobeyed and ate the forbidden fruit. The direct relationship with God and man ended abruptly when sin entered the world through Adam and Eve. The Holy God can no longer commune with sinful man.
Over the next 4000 years of biblical history, many great men of God played the role of mediators. Abraham, Moses, Judges, prophets and high priests stood up between God and people to intercede for their sins.
Moses as Mediator
One of the greatest examples of mediation is the conversation between Moses and God in the mount of Sinai. When Moses went up to Mount Sinai to receive God's commandments and laws, people were asked to consecrate and wait at the bottom of the mountain. Moses spent 40 days and nights with God ( Exodus 24:18). During this time, Gods explain to Moses on His desire to dwell among them ( Exodus 25:8) and gives details about the arrangements Moses has to make. God expresses his love and desire to commune with people of Israel. From Exodus chapter 25 to 31, God gives detailed guidance about his dwelling place on earth. He also provides two tablets of covenant law inscribed with his own fingers (Exodus 31:18).
During the same time, people of Israel sinned by worshiping the golden calf. God's anger burnt against the people of Israel. The conversation between Moses and God in Exodus 32:7-14 are the classic example of mediation. Moses convinced the righteous God to turn away from anger by pleading with him. The mediation continued again from Exodus 33:12 to 34:8, when God refused to lead the Israelite and agreed to send an only angel(Exodus 33:3).
Moses was followed by Joshua, Judges, Priests, and Prophets as mediators. God introduced burnt, fellowship, sin and guilt offerings to introduce forgiveness and communion with man. People longed for lack of mediators (Job 9:33) and missed a direct relationship with God.
Jesus as Mediator
God's attempt to commune with man kept failing all through the old testament history due to human shortcomings. God's permanent solution came in the form of Jesus, His own Son (1 Timo 2:5). Jesus Christ offered his own life as a ransom on the cross as a sin and guilt offering for our sins (Heb 9:15). The blood of blameless animals was replaced by the precious blood of Christ. Instead of a high priest, Jesus himself stood before God the father and pleaded for our sins (Heb 9:11). Since he is blameless he need not consecrate himself and had direct access to Father's presence. We receive our forgiveness through Christ; we become righteous through the blood of Christ.
The mediation of Jesus Christ resulted in a long-lasting relationship and opened the door for communion between two parties i.e man and God.
What a friend we have in Jesus,
All our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry
Everything to God in prayer
