“Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the Holiest by the Blood of Jesus—by a new and living Way, which He has consecrated for us through the veil, that is to say, His flesh—and having a 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.”
Hebrews 10:19-22
Entrance is by invitation only and He will provide the required attire.
“Boldness to enter in.”
What an intriguing phrase this is—especially when read in the context of today’s Manna. Prior to understanding its message, we shrink back from “drawing near to God” (James 4:8) for a variety of reasons: Fear, guilt/shame, doubt/unbelief, etc. And, even after grasping a bit of the privileges afforded in this unequal Partnership, we still find it difficult to “come boldly unto the Throne of Grace” (Heb. 4:16).
How this must grieve the Holy Heart of the One Who has invited us!
The question, then, is “How do we gain this ‘boldness to enter in’ and know He’ll accept us when we do?” The answer is really quite simple: Because we’re “entering into the Holiest by the Blood of Jesus, which is a new and living Way.”
No more animal sacrifices that must first be inspected before they can be accepted. No more waiting for the priest to say “Yea” or “Nay” over our offering. No more leaving the altar with the “sin-stain” still lurking in the recesses of our conscience.
Instead, our confidence is based on Who Jesus is and what He accomplished on the Cross that day. Instead of some dumb animal. . .wide-eyed with fear and loudly bleating as the knife slit its throat. . .our admission into that “Holy Place not made with hands” (Heb. 9:24) has been made possible by Christ Himself. It is His Blood as God’s Sacrifice, sprinkled upon the new Mercy Seat (the Cross), that now atones for (covers) our sins. And, unlike animal sacrifices, God’s Passover Lamb came back to life and even now “intercedes for us in Heaven” (Heb. 7:24-25). Hallelujah!!
When Jesus was nailed to the Cross, the “veil (flesh) of His Temple (body)” was torn, even as the 15’x15’ veil in the earthly Temple would be torn from top to bottom when He died (Mt. 27:51). No longer was the Holy of Holies shrouded in mystery and available only to the High Priest on the Day of Atonement. Now anyone could come. . .just as he was. . .and claim Christ’s Blood as his only hope (Mk. 4:11; Eph. 1:3-23; 3:1-12; Col. 1:26-27).
And, aren’t you glad?
How wonderful to know His Death on the Cross “consecrated (Grk. ‘egkainzo’—‘inaugurate, dedicate, set aside for a specific purpose, prepare, etc.’) a way for us through the Veil.” And, as we enter in, our “filthy rags of unrighteousness” (Is. 64:6) are exchanged for His gleaming-white “Robe of Righteousness” (II Cor. 5:21). Glory!! May we live today as “blood-bought bold believers,” telling others how they also can be made right with God.
By Tom Smith Morning Manna Dated March 18, 2010
