DRAWING NEAR "Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus" (Heb 10:19) -- Tomorrow:
"Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; and having an high priest over the house of God; let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water." (Heb 10:19-22)
Devotion 2 of 16
How refreshing to the soul! The people of God are addressed as those who HAVE boldness, or confidence, to enter into the very presence of God. Of this verse Robertson well says, "Boldness. This is the dominant note all through the Epistle (3:6; 4:16; 10:19,35). They were tempted to give up Christ, to be quitters. Boldness (courage) is the need of the hour." Through the years, I have observed a noticeable deficiency of spiritual boldness or courage in professed believers. It is a tragedy that is a source of great grief to me – chiefly because it does not need to be so!
A LARGE WORD
The word "boldness" is a large word. It is an attitude of openness stemming from freedom, and a lack of intimidating fear. It speaks of confidence and a joyful sense of freedom. Mind you, we are speaking of this quality in the very presence of God – "the holiest" place. This is the "liberty" wherewith Christ has "made us free" (Gal 5:1). It is freedom to draw close to God without fear of being consumed or rejected. It is liberty to resist the devil, deny ungodliness, and subordinate passions that keep us from the Lord. In Christ this freedom obtained. Now the Spirit urges us to live in an awareness of it – to believe what He declares to have been accomplished. If you are "in Christ," you CAN come to God.
You can obtain His promises, enjoy His strength, and experience His guidance. In the Son of God, the promise of Isaiah is fulfilled to the believer: "Behold, I have created the smith that bloweth the coals in the fire, and that bringeth forth an instrument for his work; and I have created the waster to destroy. No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD" (Isaiah 54:16-17).
Unlike the Israelites of old, we are not shut out of the Holiest place. We have access to the "true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man" (Heb 8:2). The veil between man and God has been removed – not to merely peer into the holiest, but to ENTER into it. This speaks of experiential involvement with God, participation in His purpose, and the enjoyment of His blessing.
Having completed a doctrinal presentation of the Son of God, and His indispensable role in our salvation, the Spirit now deals with the effect the doctrine is to have upon us. You will quickly observe the thrust of His argument. He does not introduce a protracted dissertation about domestic life, political life, or other such involvements. He now associates our position with that of the high priest of old. The ordinary priests did not enter into the Holiest Place – only the high priest. What a remarkable parallel – the saints of God with the high priest of the Old Covenant! Dare we contemplate the glories of what Jesus has accomplished? As a member of the body of Christ, you can come into the very presence of God, to "obtain mercy, and find grace to help in the time of need" (Heb 4:16).
All empty ceremony is obviated in Christ Jesus! Dependency upon a merely ceremonial approach to God is superfluous and useless. It is out of harmony with the very nature of the New Covenant, and subtly denies the effectiveness of Christ's substitutionary death.
It is important to note the superiority of Old Testament types and shadows to parables and allegories. Jesus used parables (Matt 13:34-35), and Paul used allegories (Gal 4:24). However, neither of them was acknowledged as a superior form of teaching. Jesus used parables to obscure spiritual realities for which alien hearts were not suited (Matt 13:10-11,13-14). Paul used an allegory because of the carnality of the Galatians, who had lost a true sense of spiritual things (Gal 4:19-21).
When the Spirit expounded the glorious ministry of Jesus, neither parable nor allegories were employed. Instead, He reaches into the God-ordained treasury of types and shadows. They are a reflection of heavenly realities. As such, they are most suitable for the exposition of Christ's ministry and saint's privileges. Oh, that there was a return to this type of ministry today!
The right to enter into the presence of the Lord is a God-granted privilege. Yet, we can do so boldly, courageously, and confidently. The boldness is reflected more in the entering itself than in an emotional state. You do not well to ponder for long periods whether or not you have courage to enter. "Enter into His gates with thanksgiving, And into His courts with praise" (Psa 100:4). There is no magic in your thanksgiving and praise that guarantees the presence of the Lord. I fear this concept has been embraced by many, but it is a false notion. It is you yourself that enters, WITH, not in, thanksgiving and praise (Psa 95:2). Christ's death did not bring you the right to praise, but the right to ENTER! Jesus said "the stones" would cry out if humanity did not praise Him (Luke 19:40), but stones cannot ENTER into the holiest place! In Christ, you can!
PRAYER POINT: Father, in the name of Jesus, I ask for grace to come into Your presence frequently, with great confidence and joy.