Evening

November 15

Hebrews 10:19-22 ¹⁹Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, ²⁰by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, ²¹and since we have a great priest over the house of God, ²²let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.

We can confidently enter the Holy of Holies in heaven going before the presence of God Almighty because of the blood of Jesus. His blood was the payment for all our sins. It covers every sin we commit in our entire life. We don't have to worry that we will face judgment for something we did or left undone. We come by Jesus' merit not our own.

The shadow of the heavenly temple on earth had a curtain into which a priest entered only once a year. What anticipation there was when the time came! When Jesus gave up His life on the cross, that curtain was torn from top to bottom. The author of Hebrews wrote that the real curtain is the body of Jesus. That body was torn that we might stand before God and make our requests.

Since we have such an incredibly great High Priest over the temple of God in heaven, we are encouraged to draw near. This is the theme of Hebrews. Draw near to God. Jesus has made a way. Draw near with a sincere heart. Our guilt is gone, and our lives have been transformed by the water of the Word.

The priest of old had to offer a sacrifice for himself to set aside his guilt. He had to wash his body before he ministered. Our sacrifice Jesus has already offered up Himself that our conscious may be clean. He has washed us with His Word. That is the reality of those shadows in the earthly temple. You are ready to go in through His body into the very presence of God. Draw near!

Consider: All this was done that we might go in anytime. Are you entering in to the heavenly Holy of Holies?