Hebrew Highlights 42 - ACCESS

Shalom. This is Yuval Shomron, coming to you from Jerusalem.

Who has access to the throne room of the Almighty God? Let’s find out, by looking into a few scriptures.

PSA 24:3-6 “Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord? And who may stand in His holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, Who has not lifted up his soul to falsehood, And has not sworn deceitfully. He shall receive a blessing from the Lord And righteousness from the God of his salvation. This is the generation of those who seek Him, Who seek Thy face-- even Jacob. Selah.

Now, if you are like many of us, you may say right away, “well, that leaves me out!” We, in ourselves, are definitely not pure, clean, and without deceit. Yet, by the blood of God’s Son, Yeshua, we have put on a “cloak of righteousness”.

In PSA 145:18 we read, “The Lord is near to all who call upon Him, To all who call upon Him in truth.” So, the point here is that we should not try to deceive God. We need to come to Him truthfully, and call to Him as the sinners we really are. Then He has promised to be near.

Again, our approach to the throne is only by the saviors grace, which we see again, in JOH 14:6. “Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me.””

Again, in ROM 5:1-2, we learn that “having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God.”

So then, we cannot gain access to the throne room unannounced. Our intercessor, Yeshua, has preceded us with a letter of introduction. God recognizes us because of His Son’s recommendation. Another interesting passage is found in the second chapter of Ephesians. I’ll read verses 13-14, and then, 18-19. “But now in Christ Jesus you who formerly were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one, and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall… for through Him we both have our access in one Spirit to the Father. So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God's household.

I don’t know if you are familiar with the context of these verses, but I will try to give you a little background. Paul is actually explaining to the gentiles who have come to faith in Ephesus, that yes, they too have access to the Father. Some churches today teach that the Jews, God’s chosen people, have to beg their way in to the Father’s presence.

We sometimes forget, the Messiah Yeshua, came first to the people of Israel with forgiveness. Only by the grace of God have we gentiles been included in the package. Now, both Jew and Gentile have permission to come into the Father’s presence through our mutual redeemer.

What was once difficult for the Jew, and impossible for the Gentile, has now been made equally available to “all who call upon Him in truth.” So then, let’s be honest with the Father, approach Him hand in hand with Yeshua, and receive pardon, guidance, and blessing.

Shalom, Shalom, from Jerusalem.