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Due to the large amount of sermons and topics that appear on this site I feel it is necessary to post this disclaimer on all sermons posted. These sermons are original to the author and the leading of the Holy Spirit. While ideas and illustrations are often gleaned from many sources including those at Sermoncentral.com, any similarities and wording, including sermon titles, that may appear to be the same as any other sermon are purely coincidental. In instances where other minister’s wording is used, due recognition will be given. These sermons are not copyrighted and may be used or preached freely. May God richly bless you as you read these sermons. It is my sincere desire that all who read them may be enriched. All scriptures quoted in these sermons are copied and/or quoted from the Authorized King James Version of the Holy Bible.
Pastor James May
GOING WHERE FEW HAVE GONE BEFORE
God had established a “Tent of Meeting” where he would come down and dwell in the midst of his chosen people, the Children of Israel. Every part of that building was designed by God, who, through the power of the Holy Spirit, inspired Moses to write down even the minutest detail of how it was to be built, of the materials that were to be used, and the manner in which the work was to be completed.
Our God is a God of order and everything he does is meticulously planned and executed. He leaves nothing to chance, nothing to be questioned and nothing unfinished. God is the one who chose to come to sinful man, not the other way around. Man had no thought of God and, even if the Children of Israel had desired to approach God’s presence, there was simply no way to enter into his spiritual realm and meet his demands for holiness and righteousness. Man had no chance to get close to God.
It was God’s mercy, grace and love that brought about the establishment of a “Tent of Meeting” where he could come to dwell and commune with man whom God had created to worship, love and serve God. God chose the Children of Israel just as he is still choosing people to serve him today.
God is still “Looking for a Few Good Men”; not good in the sense of holy or righteous, or deserving of his grace, for not one of us will ever be worthy. God is looking for a “good man” in the sense that he is looking for a man whose heart will allow God to dwell within, and for a man who will surrender his will to God’s will and for a man who will desire to become as much like God as a human being can become.
The entirety of that “Tent of Meeting” is so designed and constructed to depict as much of the character of God’s only Son, and to depict the price for our Redemption that Jesus paid in his own blood. From the walls of righteousness, to the only way inside, through the door at the east end, to the brazen altar where the sacrifices were offered, to the laver where the filth of the world was washed away and the priests were cleansed by washing of the water from a perfect mirrored basin – everything was built to show that it is only through Jesus and obedience to the Word of God that we can ever enter into the Holy Place with God.
Entering into the Holy Place, we encountered a closer relationship with Jesus as represented through the “Bread of Life” upon the table of Shewbread; the anointing and illuminating power of the Holy Spirit through the unending light of the Menorah (Lampstand); and finally to the Altar of Incense where the prayer of not only the church, but more importantly, our Advocate, the Lord Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit who are ever making intercession before the Father on our behalf.
Through acceptance of, belief in and surrender to the Lord Jesus Christ as your Savior, we are now made ready to enter into a place where only a few people have gone before.
In the Old Testament Tabernacle, only one man was allowed to enter into that place where the glory and presence of Almighty, Holy God was so real and so visible. The High Priest of Israel, after following and obeying every instruction for cleansing himself, offering sacrifices for both his own sin and the sin of all Israel, would enter in beyond the veil into the Holy of Holies and into God’s inner chamber.
What a wonderful yet fearsome sight it must have been to enter into the very presence of God for that High Priest. I guarantee that it was an experience that he would never forget. It was fearsome, yet so peaceful. Awesome and yet calming. The priest would feel so unworthy, so frightened, so overwhelmed, but at the same time, if he had obeyed God’s commandments and the people he represented had done their part, he would feel the peace of God and an acceptance into God’s presence that was so wonderful.
How great it is, as a Born Again Believer, to be accepted into the presence of our God. It’s such an awesome wonder to come into his presence when we gather together to worship him, or even in our own prayer times when we are all alone. We never feel worthy; never feel good enough; and we know that we fall so short of God’s glory; and yet we know that we are accepted. We feel the peace and love of God as he invites us into his presence. We are overwhelmed at the peace, joy and majesty of God, but we know that we are welcomed because of the price that Jesus paid for us.
Our old dirty filthy garments of sin are washed in the blood of the lamb and we are clothed in the righteousness of Christ. And so we enter into God’s presence, not as sinners, not as slave; but as adopted sons and daughters. God welcomes us with open arms and he delights in talking with and meeting the desires of his children’s hearts.
The key to entering into the Holy of Holies for the Priests of the Old Testament Tabernacle was in strict obedience to every command of God. Our key to entering in is only accomplished one way, through the blood of Christ.
The High priest of Israel was assigned a special outer garment that he was to wear during the performance of his duties. The only time it was to be removed during the entirety of his service to God was just before he entered into the Holy of Holies.
Exodus 28:1-3, "And take thou unto thee Aaron thy brother, and his sons with him, from among the children of Israel, that he may minister unto me in the priest’s office, even Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar, Aaron’s sons. And thou shalt make holy garments for Aaron thy brother for glory and for beauty. And thou shalt speak unto all that are wise hearted, whom I have filled with the spirit of wisdom, that they may make Aaron’s garments to consecrate him, that he may minister unto me in the priest’s office."
Let’s look at these garments for a moment and see just a few of their wonderful meanings for you and I.
There was the mitre, or covering for the head that symbolized righteousness and holiness in our though life.
Holding the mitre in place was a golden crown, or ribbon of gold, that anchored the mitre to the High Priest’s head. That golden crown was given by God’s grace and was symbolic of God’s way of thinking and God’s grace that allowed the mind of man to think upon the things of God.
There was the Ephod, which was a seamless robe of gold, blue, purple and scarlet symbolizing the deity of God, the blood of Christ, the royalty of Christ and his role as mediator, or covering, between God and man.
There was a pure white Lenin coat interwoven with beaten golden thread symbolizing the wonders of God’s grace that gave a covering of righteousness to God’s people through Jesus’ suffering upon the cross.
There were golden bells around the bottom of the hem symbolizing the message of the gospel and the Gifts of the Spirit.
There were the 12 precious stones on the breastplate representing all of God’s people of every tribe who were covered by the work of the High Priest just as Jesus paid the price of judgment for sin for every man of every nation, tribe and tongue.
There were the black and white stones representing the Urim and the Thummin of judgment upon the shoulders The Urim and Thummin were stones used in the Israeli court of law by the judges to pronounce judgment upon those accused. The white stone, Urim, was a symbol of innocence and the black stone, a symbol that the accused was guilty as charged and deserved that the sentence of punishment be carried out.
If find it interesting that when Jesus was speaking to the church at Pergamos in Revelation and said, Revelation 2:17, "He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it."
Aren’t you glad that your judgment will be shown with a white stone given to you by the Lord Jesus Christ himself because we have stayed true to him and overcome this present world! I’ll have a new name written down in glory upon that white stone. It is a name that only I will understand and know the full meaning of when it is given to me. I wonder if that new name will carry with it every trial, every test, everything I will have to overcome to get to glory and receive it?
There were golden pomegranates that hung from the robe symbolized the Fruits of the Spirit that each of us is able to show forth by the grace and mercy of God.
There is so much symbolism in these garments alone that it would take a long time for us to cover them in detail. The point I think I want to make here is that the High Priests garments were extremely beautiful and so rich with symbolism.
In fact, they were so beautiful to behold and carried such a significance that it became a source of pride for the High Priest to don those garments in preparation for the performance of his duties and so, when it came time to enter into the Holy of Holies, he was instructed to remove that source of pride and beauty. God would not allow pride and man’s accomplishments to enter into his presence even if those accomplishments and pride were a result of his obedience to God’s commandments and the work to which God had called him.
We can enter in only by his grace, not by works. All of the wondrous needlework, embroidering, golden tassels, precious stones, robes of the ephod, bells on the hems of his garments, the black and white stones of the Urim and the Thummin and all other symbols of man’s works of righteousness are stripped away. The only thing that the High Priest could wear into the Holy of Holies was his pure, white Lenin robe that served as an undergarment.
Our beauty is nothing, our works are nothing, our own righteousness is nothing – the only thing that God will see when we enter his presence is the righteousness that is our through the Blood of the Lamb.
The High Priest entered carrying only 2 things, a censer with live coals and incense and another censer containing the blood of the sacrifice to sprinkle upon the Ark and the Mercy Seat.
Jesus is our High Priest and it is he who has performed this one-time duty for all of us.
So what does it take for you and I to enter into the Holy of Holies today? What garments are we to wear? What are we to carry in our hands?
On the day of Jesus Crucifixion the way was forever opened for you and I to enter into the very presence of God. We can experience the shekinah glory of God every day of our lives, if we are willing to pay the price to draw closer to God.
I don’t know about you but I desire to have all that God has for me. I don’t want to leave one blessing unclaimed because I didn’t want it bad enough.
I want to enter into that Holy of Holies where the glory and presence of God is so real.
Hebrews 4:14-16, "Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need."
So what does it take for us to enter into the Holy of Holies with God?
First of all, it takes no effort on your part to earn it. The only thing you can do to enter into God’s presence is to accept Jesus’ sacrifice for sin. Nothing, no works of righteousness that you can do, no amount of prayer, fasting, studying or faithfulness can purchase the way for you because Jesus already paid the way.
Secondly, every one of us who are blood bought, born again Christians have equal opportunity and equal access to the Holy of Holies with God.
We can enter any time. Knock on the doors of God’s Throne Room day or night, any day of the year. Jesus not only died so that the veil of the Temple would be ripped allowing anyone to enter into the Holy of Holies of this earthly temple but he has torn away the veil that separated God and man.
The righteousness of Christ is our covering and his blood is our ticket so let’s just enter in and enjoy the glory of the Lord daily.
Matthew 7:13-14, "… strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it."
Every Christian is in that number called “few”.
Compared to all of humanity we are but a few, the called, the chosen, the Royal Priesthood, and we are given the way into the Holy of Holies of Heaven through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Give God praise. AMEN
