RESTRICTED AREA

TEXT: LEVITICUS 16:1-19.
🔑KEY VERSE “And the LORD said unto Moses, Speak unto Aaron thy brother, that he come not at all times into the holy place within the vail before the mercy seat, which is upon the ark; that he die not: for I will appear in the cloud upon the mercy seat” (LEVITICUS 16:2).

Imagine trying to make an appointment with the president of the United States of America. You telephone the Whitehouse, tell them who you are and that you would like to make an appointment. The questions come thick and fast: “Who are you? Where are you from? What is the nature of your enquiry? Can anyone else help you? He is very busy.” But if the president’s son calls him, that’s not the kind of response he’ll get. It will be, “Oh yes, I’ll put you right through.” That’s the kind of access we have with God.

Aaron’s two sons died in the presence of the Lord after offering strange fire before Him. Aaron was reminded once again of the requirements to approach God in the most holy place. He was to offer a young bullock for a sin offering and a ram as burnt offering for himself and his household, and was also required to wash himself in water before putting on the priestly garments. For the children of Israel, he was to take two goats and cast lot. The one chosen would be offered as sin offering, while the second, the scapegoat was presented alive before the Lord to make an atonement after which it will be released into the wilderness. The blood of the sin offering would be sprinkled on the mercy seat for the cleansing of the people.

From Matthew’s gospel, immediately Jesus died on the cross,

the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom, opening the way to the most holy place.

This means the barrier between the presence of God and mankind has now been removed. However, unlike the time of old, today, if you must have access to God, it has to be granted through His own chosen medium, Jesus Christ. He is the mediator between lost humanity and God. Religion alone cannot save, but Christ.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY Christ’s death has granted us unrestrained access to God.

BIBLE IN A YEAR: JOSHUA 22-24.

MEDITATION

Exploit the new life in Christ

The saints in Christ enjoy far greater, better and richer life that the sages in the Old Testament (OT).

1. In OT, the High Priest (HP) could not connect with God directly but through Moses, while in NT, the HP is God-man, Jesus Christ vv1,2, Hebrews 1:1,2.
2. Our HP, Jesus Christ is perfect and has no need to offer sacrifices for His sins unlike OT High Priest vv3,5,7, Hebrews 7:26,27.
3. People in OT must come to the altar with animals to sacrifice while in NT, you only come to God with faith in the blood of Jesus and nothing else vv11,15,18,19, Romans 3:25. “Nothing but the blood of Jesus”
4. The HP entered the Holy of holies with fear that God could strike him dead at anytime if he made a mistake. In NT, we are asked to come to God with boldness and assurance because of the efficacy of the blood of Jesus Hebrews 4:16. No need for guilty conscience after repentance.
5. Sweet incense on burning coals of fire must accompany the sacrifice in OT vv12,13. In NT, passionate prayer is needful in order to enjoy the benefits of the cross Revelation 8:3,4. If you are not enjoying the full life, maybe this is lacking.
6. Check Hebrews 7-10 for comparison between the OT and NT privileges.
   Eschatological implications
   a. The NT saints is called the Bride of Christ and their dispensation will be terminated with the Rapture Ephesians 5:23,25,32, I Thessalonians 4:13-17.
   b. The Jewish temple will be built again, and after the Rapture, the Antichrist will enter and sit in the Holy of holies and proclaim that he is God. This will trigger the battle of Armageddon during the Great Tribulation 2:3,4.
   Praise the Lord for the shed blood of Jesus that makes total forgiveness and perfection possible
   Ask God to teach you how to always exercise faith in the blood of Jesus better for all your needs
   Ask for more fervency in prayers
   Pray that Jesus will reveal Himself to people of other religions in this nation and that they will come to Christ for salvation
   Ask that God will release the blood of Jesus to stop the spread of COVID-19 plague

HYMN The mercy seat

1
From every stormy wind that blows,
From every swelling tide of woes,
There is a calm, a sure retreat—
’Tis found beneath the mercy seat.
2
There is a place where Jesus sheds
The oil of gladness on our heads,
A place than all besides more sweet—
It is the blood-bought mercy seat.
3
There is a scene where spirits blend,
Where friend holds fellowship with friend;
Though sundered far, by faith they meet
Around one common mercy seat.
4
There, there on eagle’s wings we soar,
And time and sense seem all no more,
And heaven comes down our souls to greet,
And glory crowns the mercy seat.