GOD loves to have His people near Himself. He has done everything on His side to remove the distance brought in by sin. Hebrews 10:1919Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, (Hebrews 10:19) reminds us that we may now enter with boldness 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 — the Apostle adds — “having an high priest over the house of God, let us draw near.”
Approach to God is here set forth, first in connection with the work, next the person, and then with the priesthood of Christ.
First in order we get the atoning work. Of old the blood was sprinkled on, and before, the mercy-seat, so here we are reminded that there is a blood-sprinkled way into the very presence of God. The blood of Jesus is our title, which nothing can invalidate. Time cannot lessen its value or impair its efficacy. It not only proclaims a righteous way of blessing for a sinner, but a holy ground of approach to God. Therefore we can draw near with a true heart on full assurance of faith. In other words, with a heart full of confidence in the worth and cleansing power of the precious blood of Christ.
Then He whose blood has been shed for us is alive again, and, in resurrection, is a new and living way. He is the same Jesus who was known on earth, but in new conditions. He is risen from the dead, and in Him we now are made nigh. The way is “new” in contrast to the way the Jew drew near of old, and “living.” in contrast to the dead sacrifices under the Mosaic ritual which never gave the worshipper access into the immediate presence of God, much less set him at rest and made him at home there.
Ephesians 2:1313But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. (Ephesians 2:13) says: “In Christ Jesus, ye who sometimes were afar off, are made nigh by the blood of Christ.” Here all is viewed on God’s side. Hence every believer is said to be made nigh in Christ Jesus. But in Hebrews 10 the approach is spoken of from our side. We are exhorted to “draw near,” to avail ourselves of our privileges, to appropriate Christ as the new and living way, and enjoy what is ours in Christ Jesus.
But this is not all. The Hebrews, to whom this epistle was written, were conversant with the fact of the tabernacle being under the care of the high priest. All was in his charge and under his hand.
We also have a Priest — a great Priest―over the house of God, and all its worship and its activities are under His gracious care. It is His delight to bring us into the very holiest. There He leads the praises of His redeemed, and there He presents us to God, in all the value of His finished work, and in all the excellency of His person. We have “boldness” to enter.
Not only have we access to God, but boldness to speak to Him, to open our lips in praise, adoration, and worship. Let us never forget that this privilege is ours at all times, and not only when we are found in the company of our fellow-Christians gathered together unto the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Like the Psalmist we are to say, “His praises shall be continually in my mouth,” and the sacrifices of praise are to be offered to God continually by Him who is our great Priest. The more we draw near individually, the more truly we shall enjoy this privilege collectively.
Do you inquire how you can draw near and what is your fitness to enter the holiest? Hebrews 10:2424And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: (Hebrews 10:24) answers: “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.”
At the fall man’s affections were alienated from God, he became defiled by sin, and his conscience burdened with evil. The death of Jesus has perfectly provided for all this. In it the love of God has been fully declared, and His grace and goodness made known. Thus our hearts have been taught to confide in God as revealed in Christ Jesus. What marks “a true heart” is not some goodness of its own which makes it differ from others. It is a heart that has been won, that believes in the love of God and confides in Him. An evil heart is marked by unbelief, a true heart by faith. The soul no longer departs from the Saviour, but rests and rejoices in that love which has been declared in the sorrows of Gethsemane and the sufferings of Calvary. The blood of Jesus is the answer for our guilt. It is the cleansing and efficacious means of freeing us from the burden of sin. Faith appropriates it and sings―
“Christ died, then I am clean,
Not a cloud above, not a spot within!”
and thus the conscience is purged.
But the death of Christ not only removes our guilt Godward, but cleanses manward. Out of His side came forth blood and water, the blood to atone, the water to cleanse. In the Old Testament, when the priests were consecrated (see Ex. 29), the high priest and his sons were first washed with water together, and this cleansing process was never repeated. So we Christians are purified by the application of the water of the Word. “Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth forever.” And the same word brings home to our conscience, in the power of the Holy Spirit, the cleansing efficacy of the blood of Jesus. Thus purified we are fitted once for all to draw near in priestly access to God.
With us, as with them, there is a need-be for constant cleansing of the feet, for we walk through a defiling world. Here the water of the word comes in, as we see from John 13:1010Jesus saith to him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all. (John 13:10). But never, never can we be more perfectly washed from all our unfitness for the presence of God than we were when first we put our trust in the Saviour. Let us also remember that these priests of old were cleansed, in order that they might be practically separated from their former associations, and live habitually in the sanctuary where God was pleased to dwell. So with us Christians, we are to purify ourselves, even as Christ is pure, and cleanse ourselves according to that measure. But this in no way alters the fact that we have been cleansed once for all and are now in association with our great Priest. Let us then draw near, and live habitually in the presence of God, a cleansed, purged, holy, happy, worshipping people.
H. N.