“Let Us
Draw Near”
“Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter 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 having an 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
When reading Holy Scripture, we sometimes pass over small, familiar words and phrases, or statements of fact, without much thought. Personally, I must confess, I am far too often guilty of reading over things in the Scriptures, when it appears that the context is just moving from one thing to another. We ought never do that with the Word of God. If we do, we are sure to miss precious, exquisite pearls hidden in what seem to be very common shells. Every word in this Book is written by divine inspiration for a divine purpose, for our comfort, instruction, and edification in the saving knowledge of Christ.
In reading the Book of Hebrews, have you ever noticed how often we are admonished to do something with the words, “Let us”? These two, very familiar words are used powerfully in this Epistle. Twelve times in these thirteen chapters the apostle Paul calls us to action and inspires us to do something of tremendous importance with these two words (4:1, 11, 14, 16; 6:1; 10:22, 23, 24; 12:1, 28; 13:13, 15).
In Hebrews 10:19-25 God the Holy Spirit uses these two words, “Let us,” to call us to three very important responsibilities and privileges as God’s saints in this world. (1.) We must ever draw near to our God by faith in Christ (vv. 19-22). (2.) We must hold fast the profession of our faith (v. 23). And (3.) we must consider one another (vv. 24-25).
In these
verses of Holy Scripture the apostle Paul is urging us, as believers, to
persevere in the faith. In the face of trials and temptations, difficulties and
dangers, heretics and hecklers, we must persevere in the faith. It is written,
“He that endureth unto the end shall be saved.” It is not the person who
begins the race, but the one who finishes it that wins the prize. If we would
persevere in the faith, steadfast unto the end, continually draw near to our
God.
“Let us draw near” to our God (vv. 19-22). -- "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" (v. 22).
This text does not stand alone. It is part of a sentence which begins in verse 19. Believing on the Lord Jesus Christ, sinners have free access to God almighty upon his glorious throne, by Christ’s precious blood. "Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus" (v. 19).
Through the merit and mediation of Christ, by faith in his sin-atoning blood, you and I can now approach that God who is “the blessed and only Potentate, the King of Kings and Lord of lords, Who only hath immortality dwelling in light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honor and power everlasting” (1 Tim. 6:15-16).
Did you
catch that sweet word “brethren” as you read verse 19? “Brethren”
is a term of family oneness, spiritual unity, common blessedness, and tender
affection. As brethren, you and I have this common privilege. We are here
called to enter into the holy presence of God with boldness by the blood of
Jesus, our one Savior, our only Savior, our common Savior, our accepted Savior,
our enthroned Savior.
The
place we may enter with boldness is heaven itself, "the holiest,"
referring to the holy of holies in the tabernacle, which was the type of
heavenly glory. This is the most holy place, the place of God’s manifest
majesty, glory, and presence, the place of mercy. This is the place where our
Father is, where our Savior is, where our brethren are, where our Sacrifice is!
Heaven
was symbolically shut by the sin of man, when he was driven out of the Garden of
Eden. It was typically opened by the entrance of the high priest into the holy
of holies on the Day of Atonement. But now, it really is open. “Behold, a
Door open in heaven!” That Door is Christ. He has in person entered into it
by his blood. He has opened the way for us. In him and by him we may and do now
"enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus!"
Here we
come and present our prayers and praises to God by Christ. Here we pour out our
hearts to the Lord. Here we find mercy, grace, and peace. And soon, we shall
enter, like our Lord himself, personally, all by his blood!
The way
of entrance is "by the blood of Jesus." It is his blood, which
gives both entrance and boldness. By his blood sin is removed, both from the
sight of God and the conscience of the believer; peace is made with God and
spoken to our hearts; pardon is procured; law and justice are satisfied and no
more to be feared. And by his blood the everlasting covenant is ratified and
confirmed.
We may approach God himself with boldness, drawing near to him by faith, because we have a great High Priest sitting in his presence, sitting with him on his throne, accepted forever! We draw near to God in the holiest "by a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; And having an high priest over the house of God" (vv. 20-21; cf. 1 John 2:1-2)). Therefore, "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" (v. 22).