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 4 of 16
The Spirit leaves no question about the means through which we enter into the presence of the Lord – "THE HOLIEST." It is "by the blood of Jesus!" As vividly pictured in the Levitical Law, there must be the intervention of blood if we are to enter into the Holiest. And why so? Because, as God declared of old time, "For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you upon the altar TO MAKE ATONEMENT FOR YOUR SOULS; for it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul" (Lev 17:11, NKJV).
Although "the life of the flesh is in the blood," is biologically true, it is a spiritual, not a biological, expression. In this case, biology reflects spiritual reality, and not vice versa. The blood is representative of the life itself. Thus Adam is referred to as the "one blood" from which all humanity came (Acts 17:26).
When the conviction of his dastardly deed burst upon Judas the betrayer, he cried out, "Saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood" (Matt 27:4). The blood stands for the life. That is why the eating of blood was prohibited prior to the Old Covenant (Gen 9:4), during the Old Covenant (Lev 7:26-27), and in the New Covenant era as well (Acts 15:20). The heart of men must not be drawn into practices that dull the conscience concerning the blood of the covenant – the blood of Christ.
As a practical consideration, when we remember the Lord Jesus at His table, it is imperative that no practices are admitted into our lives that will rob us of the gravity of the moment. When Jesus said, "This cup is the new testament in My blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of Me" (1 Cor 11:25), He sanctified this feast of remembrance. While it may appear foolish to the carnal mind, the Divine prohibition against the eating of blood is intended to free our minds from all competing notions. The only blood we may ingest is Christ's blood – and that is done by faith. As it is written, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink His blood, ye have no life in you," and again, "For My flesh is meat indeed, and My blood is drink indeed" (John 6:53,55). Some will be prone to speculate in this area, but their speculations are not in order. The Lord has spoken.
The phrase "the blood of Jesus" denotes the willing forfeiture of His life in our behalf. Expressions that paint the picture for us include, "poured out His soul unto the death" (Isa 53:12), "became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross" (Phil 2:8), and "He [God] hath made Him to be sin for us, Who knew no sin" (2 Cor 5:21). Additional phrases are, "Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is everyone that hangeth on a tree" (Gal 3:13), "He was crucified through weakness" (2 Cor 13:4), and "No man taketh it (His life) from Me, but I lay it down of Myself" (John 10:18). This is a pivotal point in the Gospel of Christ.
Think of the mighty affirmations of the Spirit concerning Christ's vicarious, or substitutionary, death. "Who was delivered FOR OUR offenses, and was raised again FOR OUR justification" (Rom 4:25). "For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died FOR THE UNGODLY" (Rom 5:6). " . . . when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God BY THE DEATH of His Son" (Rom 5:10). "For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and FOR SIN, condemned sin in the flesh" (Rom 8:3). "Who gave Himself FOR US, that He might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto Himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works" (Tit 2:14).
When we come into the Holiest "by the blood of Jesus," we associate these glorious affirmations with ourselves. Faith grasps the truth that this was done for ME, and therefore confidently approaches the Lord in the merits of the "blood of Christ." We come to God because of what Jesus Christ accomplished in His death, and through a personal faith in that blood. As it is written, "Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation THROUGH faith in His blood" (Rom 3:25). That faith is involved in entering the "holiest by the blood of Jesus."
Whatever one may think of God, He will not receive any person apart from Christ Jesus. To be more specific, He will not welcome into His presence any individual who does not receive, and rely upon, the atonement accomplished through "the redemption" that is "through His blood" (Eph 1:7).
PRAYER POINT: Father, I come to You in the name of Jesus, thankful that I am able to come in His merit, for I confess I have none of my own.