Identity in Christ Series: Week Fifteen I Have Access into the Holy of Holies Through Christ

In the Temple the Holy of Holies was a small room 10-cubit (15 ft) square.  The only furniture in it was the Ark of the Covenant, on top of which was the Mercy Seat.  Inside the Ark were the tablets of stone containing the Ten Commandments, a jar of Manna, and Aaron’s staff that budded. It was separated from the Holy Place by a thick curtain.  Only the High Priest was allowed to enter through the curtain, and he could only enter once a year to make atonement for the sins he and God’s people had committed the year before.  

Then there was a curtain, and behind the curtain was the second room, called the Most Holy Place. In that room were a gold incense altar and a wooden chest called the Ark of the Covenant, which was covered with gold on all sides. Inside the Ark were a gold jar containing manna, Aaron’s staff that sprouted leaves, and the stone tablets of the covenant. (Hebrews 9:3-4 NLT) 

But only the high priest ever entered the Most Holy Place, and only once a year. And he always offered blood for his own sins and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance. (Hebrews 9:7 NLT) 

Looking back into Genesis we find that Adam and Eve walked with God.  They had physical access to the Creator.  After they sinned, that access was cut off.  From that day until the days of Moses, no one had seen God.  He had not stopped speaking; however, His presence was not accessible to men.  

The book of Exodus tells us in chapter 19 that Moses went up onto the mountain and met with God in a cloud.  The Israelites were too afraid for God to talk to them directly, so they wanted Moses to be their go-between.  Again, in Exodus 33 we read about Moses going into the Tent of Meeting, outside the camp, and talking with God face to face, as one speaks to a friend (vv. 11).  After Moses, the only person who could enter the Holy of Holies (the Presence of God) was the High Priest.   

More than 1200 years (maybe even up to 1400) passed between the death of Moses and the birth of Christ. During that time God spoke through the prophets and priests, however, in all those years man was not give direct access to the Presence of God.  The next time mankind had direct access to God’s presence was in the person of the Messiah, Jesus Christ.  

  The Messiah’s birth was foretold by the Old Testament prophets. “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel” (Isaiah 7:14).  It was then confirmed to Mary by the angel Gabriel, “The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God” (Luke 1:35). 

 

We know that Jesus began his earthly ministry at the age of 30.  He called a rag tag group of twelve men together to form his “ministry team.”  These disciples walked, talked, ate, and did life with Jesus for three years.  During that time, we know that Jesus ministered to the multitudes while teaching the disciples about the Kingdom of God.   

These twelve men, along with many others who followed Jesus on his travels, had direct access to the Presence of God in bodily form.  They were taught directly by the Messiah.  They were there to see his first and last miracle.  They were there to see him heal the sick, raise the dead, forgive sins, and condemn the religious leaders.  They were also there on the very day that He removed forever the curtain that prevented mankind from entering the Holy of Holies for themselves.   

The crucifixion of Christ is a story that never gets old for the follower of Christ.  And if you are like me, it always makes me joyfully sad.  Only those who have a personal relationship with the Savior can understand what this means.  The joy I feel in my freedom in Christ is accompanied by the sorrow I feel about the price, our sinless, spotless, Messiah had to pay for that very freedom.  My sin sent Him to the cross and my sin kept Him hanging there until the end.  

Hallelujah, not only did we receive forgiveness, freedom, and eternal life through that sacrifice, we were also given direct access to the Presence of God!!!!!  “Now all of us can come to the Father through the same Holy Spirit because of what Christ has done for us.” (Ephesians 2:18 NLT)  

After Jesus had stood trial, worn a crown of thrones, endured beating, mocking, and had been abandoned by his disciples, he was then forced to carry his own cross.  Atop Golgotha, Jesus was then hung on a cross like a common criminal between two others.   

At noon, darkness fell across the whole land until three o’clock. At about three o’clock, Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” which means “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?”  

Some of the bystanders misunderstood and thought he was calling for the prophet Elijah. One of them ran and filled a sponge with sour wine, holding it up to him on a reed stick so he could drink. But the rest said, “Wait! Let’s see whether Elijah comes to save him.” 

  Then Jesus shouted out again, and he released his spirit.  At that moment the curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. (Matthew 27:45-51a NLT) 

In his commentary, Matthew Henry states, “Just as our Lord Jesus expired, at the time of the offering of the evening–sacrifice, and upon a solemn day, when the priests were officiating in the temple, and might themselves be eyewitnesses of it, the veil of the temple was rent by an invisible power; that veil which parted between the holy place and the most holy.”  

The author of Hebrews puts it like this: “And so, dear brothers and sisters, we can boldly enter heaven’s Most Holy Place because of the blood of Jesus. By his death, Jesus opened a new and life-giving way through the curtain into the Most Holy Place.  And since we have a great High Priest who rules over God’s house, let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water.” (Hebrews 10:19-22 NLT) 

Now we can come boldly, not arrogantly, but humbly, with confidence to God anytime. The author of Hebrews says, “So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.” (Hebrews 4:16 NLT) We can bring our needs, petitions, praise, and intercessions before the Throne of the King of Kings!  

Not only can we come boldly before God, but we have an advocate with the Father. “My dear children, I am writing this to you so that you will not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate who pleads our case before the Father. He is Jesus Christ, the one who is truly righteous.” (1 John 2:1 NLT)  

Advocate is defined in Merriam Webster’s Online Dictionary as: one who defends or maintains a cause or proposal; one who pleads the cause of another before a tribunal or judicial court.  

Romans 8:34, “Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us.” 

We not only have access to the Presence of God and the Throne Room, but we also have Jesus there daily making intercession on our behalf. He hears the accusations the enemy levels against us and He “pleads the blood”. He reminds our Righteous Judge that all our sins and inequities are under The Blood! Our punishment has been paid for and our freedom bought! We no longer must live under the condemnation of the enemy. We are redeemed.  

We can now enter the Holy of Holies through the Blood of the Lamb!!!!!