Heb 9:6-8, 11-12
Now when these things had been thus prepared, the priests always went into the first part of the tabernacle, performing the services. 7 But into the second part the high priest went alone once a year, not without blood, which he offered for himself and for the people's sins committed in ignorance; 8 the Holy Spirit indicating this, that the way into the Holiest of All was not yet made manifest while the first tabernacle was still standing.
11 But Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation. 12 Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption.
Heb 10:19-20
Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh.
Adam sinned
God covered man with skins, which required shedding of blood
God covered Himself – put up veil / curtain / divider
Became unapproachable
Tabernacle & Priesthood
The Tabernacle is a “copy and shadow of what is in heaven” – Heb 8:5
Priests – Mediators. Joel calls them “ministers of the Lord”
Holy of Holies, representing the presence of God, was behind a veil
“You can only go behind the veil into His presence, once a year;
otherwise you die.” Lev 16:2
Met God over the Mercy Seat
This set the tone for how we’ve dealt with God
The enemy wants to keep us in the shadow, instead of in the reality
He wants us to have a certain “dread” of God
God’s Heart aches for Relationship with us, so He changed the Priesthood
Jesus came to be a high priest and reconcile us to God – Heb 2:17
Jesus tore the curtain – opened the way into heaven
Mark 15:37-38
And Jesus cried out with a loud voice, and breathed His last. 38 Then the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.
He went into heaven with His own blood and sprinkled heavenly things
He’s a Priest forever, interceding for us
Now we can move freely into the Presence of God
Heb 4:16. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace,
that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
Come boldly without being afraid God’s mad at you, or that you’ll die
Trusting in the blood of Jesus, not your own works
God is “well pleased” with the substitute – Jesus
Nothing missing, or lacking
Approach with confidence, because the seat has changed
From Mercy seat ~to~ Throne of Grace
What’s behind the veil?
Mercy to pardon all of our sins & remove the guilt
Mercy is God holding back
Grace is God giving freely
Grace
He gives you gifts that you don’t deserve because of who you are,
not because of what you’ve done
Grace is the Presence of God in your life, and Access into His Presence
Grace is Empowerment for service (charis, charismato); spiritual gifts
Rom 3:23. For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God
Nothing hindering us from going into His presence
And coming out with manifestations of His ‘Grace’