The Throne Of Grace And The Holies

by John Drain, Derby, U.K. | Category: Topics Of Elderhood Discussion | Aug 1983

In the profound epistle to the Hebrews, readers of the Scriptures have found rare treasures of divine truth concerning the Person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ. In this treatise we see something of the glory of His Being and the glory which He has brought to offices that He fills in the service of God.

It is clearly seen in the epistle that the writer had in mind, that as in a past dispensation God had a people who were governed by what is described as the "Old Covenant", so under a New Covenant there was a people who were subject to the terms of that covenant. This collective character of the addressees is important. And as the old covenant had "ordinances of divine service, and its sanctuary, a sanctuary of this world" (Heb. 9:1) so the New Covenant had its service and its sanctuary. For this reason much of the language of the epistle is what we may call sanctuary language with sanctuary significance. ,

In Hebrews we have extensive coverage of the sphere and functions of the Son of God in His priestly office. He is referred to as High Priest, as great High Priest and as great Priest. His sphere of service is heaven. When He was here on earth He was indeed King, though He was a rejected One. He was also the great Prophet, though His message from God was not accepted. But He was not a Priest. He came in the line of Judah and not in the line of Levi, and we have the categorical statement, "Now if He were on earth, He would not be a priest at all" (Heb. 8:4). He was named of God a High Priest after His resurrection.

We find in connection with the sphere of the Lord's activities that two places are mentioned, the Throne of grace and the Holies. Christ is seen in priestly work in both, but the broad distinction between these two places is that we approach the Throne of grace with thanksgiving to get whereas we enter the Holies with praise to give.

The Throne of grace

When the children of Israel, delivered from the tyranny of Egypt, entered into covenant relationship with the Lord at Sinai they pledged obedience to His authority. The obligations which they assumed are tersely summarized in words which Moses spoke to the people who were soon to enter the land that had been promised to them, "Thou hast avouched the LORD this day to be thy God, and that thou shouldest walk in His ways, and keep His statutes, and His commandments, and His judgements, and hearken unto His voice." These words give an analysis of their confession. The requirements set a very high standard, and human nature being what it is it was inevitable that there would be failure on the part of the people. But God made full provision for a failing people so that they could hold fast to their commitment, their confession.

God's people in the present dispensation have a confession, and an analysis of this is found in the words of our Lord Jesus Christ and His apostles, the sound doctrine of the Faith once for all delivered to the saints. The standard is high, and we are a failing people. However, we are urged to hold fast our confession, to keep the Faith which has been delivered and to the obligations of which we have pledged our loyalty.

The exhortation to hold fast is accompanied by encouraging and supporting reasons why we should do so. God has made full provision for the needs of His people. He has established in heaven a Throne, identified as "The Throne of Grace". Grace gives character to the Throne. It is a place where unmerited favour is granted by divine authority. In time of need God's people can approach with confidence to receive appropriate mercy and grace. Our continuing tendency to err makes it necessary for us to come continually to receive these strengthening gifts so graciously dispensed. The boldness of our access to the Throne to supplicate God rests upon the abiding value of the once-for-all propitiatory Sacrifice of Christ. He makes propitiation for the sins of the people.

On the Throne is our great High Priest, Jesus the Son of God. We are represented by that wonderful Man who was tempted in all points like as we. Me is gracious and merciful. He knows what obedience to the will of God involves. "We have not a High Priest that cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities" (Heb. 4:15). He is sympathetic and gentle, able to succour and able to save. But He is Jesus the Son of God. In Him are all the perfections of Deity and in the fulness of such excellencies He appears before God for us. With reverential boldness let us draw near to the Throne of Grace to find the grace of the Throne.

The Holies

The sanctuary which by God's command and instructions was erected by men in the wilderness had two sections. The first was called the Holy place and the second the Holy of holies. A magnificent veil separated them. Priestly service was pursued daily in the Holy place, but only once in the year did anyone draw the veil to enter the Holy of holies. This was the privilege and responsibility of one person only - the officiating high priest. It was a most solemn and awe-inspiring experiences for the priestly servant of God to enter through the veil. He was going into the Holy (singular) of holies (plural). The Authorized Version renders: "The Holiest of all". This was the place of the divine Presence where the Throne of the Lord was sited.

When on the Day of Atonement the high priest left his own tent to discharge his duties in God's Tent, the Tabernacle, he first passed through what was called The Gate. This gave access to the court, the altar of burnt offering and the laver. In the course of his activities he came to a second door which admitted him to the holy place in which were the lampstand, the altar of incense and the table of shewbread. He then passed through the third entrance, through the veil, and this brought him into the Holy of holies. There were the ark of the testimony, the gold covering on the ark and also the cherubim which were joined to the mercy-seat, these being part of the same block of gold. In the ark were the tables of stone inscribed with the words of the covenant, the portion of manna and a rod which was evidence that the covenant of the priesthood was with Aaron and his sons.

We are persuaded that when on the Day of Atonement Aaron came out from his tent his heart must have been filled with reverential awe as he began the approach which was to lead him into the innermost sanctuary of the divine Presence. It was the Holy of holies, emphasizing the holiness of the God who dwelt in the house of God. God's holiness is absolute and therefore unchanging. It cannot be modified t6 accommodate the failure of sinning creatures. Nor could the law of God, summarized in the words written on the stone tablets, be altered to meet possible human attainment. We may think of the gold cherubim as symbolic representatives of the divine holiness, guardians of the unchanging claims of the written word. Both Aaron and the people were transgressors. How could Aaron, personally, and as the representative of the people, enter that holy place and appear before the Throne of the God of infinite holiness who dwelt there between the cherubim? The answer is found in the blood that was sprinkled on and before the Mercy-seat. The eyes of the cherubim were towards that gold covering. They saw the blood, the evidence of the death of the sacrificial, substitutionary victims. The claims of the holy Throne were upheld. And there was blood on the ground where Aaron stood. It was the blood of atonement.

This earthly sanctuary was a copy and shadow of heavenly things. When Christ was raised from the dead and appointed by God to be a High Priest after the order of Melchizedek He "sat down on the right hand of the Throne of the Majesty in the heavens, a Minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, not man" (Heb. 8:1,2). The time of reformation had come and so the copies gave way to reality, the shadows withdrew for the appearance of the substance. The word "sanctuary" in Heb. 8:2 is the same word as is translated "holy place" in Heb. 9:12. "Christ having come a High Priest of the good things to come...entered in once for all into the holy place (or the holies), having obtained eternal redemption."

In the new order of things introduced by the New Covenant Christ was named by God as the High Priest with responsibility to minister on behalf of the people of God in the heavenly sanctuary, the true holies in the immediate Presence of God. If thoughts of the Holy of holies in the earthly material Tabernacle can impress upon our minds the holiness of God, how much more will contemplation of the heavenly holies where Christ officiates? And yet God's people are encouraged to draw near into that holy sphere and to do so with boldness. How is this righteously possible? The answer again brings us to blood - the blood of the great once and for all Sacrifice. Christ is the sacrificial Victim. His death has secured the eternal remission of the sins of those who believe, has obtained for them eternal sanctification, and has perfected for ever them that are sanctified. Sanctified also as a people by the blood of the covenant, to the conditions of which they have pledged obedience, the sanctified ones are constituted a holy priesthood and thus are brought into a relationship with God which satisfies the claims of His holiness. Moreover, that holy place not made with hands is perpetually cleansed by the abiding consequences of Christ's Sacrifice. "Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holy place by the blood of Jesus ... let us draw near with a true heart in fulness of faith ..." (Heb. 10:19,22). "With boldness let us now draw near; that blood has banished every fear."

The holy place (the holies) where Christ is, is not part of the house of God. Christ entered the heavenly holies after His resurrection and He entered in once for all. The house of God is on earth and He took up His abode there on the day of Pentecost. God's house may cease to be, but the holy place ever remains. It is there that God's people worship as a holy priesthood, offering the spiritual sacrifices of thanksgiving and praise. There we give to God.

John Drain, Derby, U.K. | Aug 1983
Topics Of Elderhood Discussion