A Better Throne
A Better Throne ………Hebrews Lesson 10
“Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” Hebrews 4:16
The “Throne of Grace” is “A Better Throne” than the “Throne of Judgment”, called the “Judgment Seat”.
2Co 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.
The Bible is God’s picture book. As I read the Bible, God’s Word draws pictures in my mind. One of these many pictures is the “Ark of the Covenant”. “Ark of the Covenant” is the key piece of furniture in the Tabernacle and later in the Temple. It was in most Holy Place where once per year the High Priest would sprinkle the blood from the sacrifice on the “Mercy Seat” on the Day of Atonement to cover the sins of the nation.
The Ark of the Covenant was an important foreshadowing of Jesus Christ as the sole place of atonement for sins. In the Old Testament, the Ark of the Covenant was the only place where the Israelites could go (through the High Priest) to have their sins forgiven, once per year on the “Day of Atonement”.
God told Moses to build the Ark of the Covenant to house the “Ten Commandments”, “the Manna” and Aaron’s rod that budded. The top covering of the Ark of the Covenant was called the Mercy Seat.
Exo 25:22 And there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubims which are upon the ark of the testimony, of all things which I will give thee in commandment unto the children of Israel.
Exo 25:17 And thou shalt make a mercy seat of pure gold: two cubits and a half shall be the length thereof, and a cubit and a half the breadth thereof.
Once per year, the High Priest could enter the “Most Holy Place” and place the blood on the “mercy seat”, the cover of the Ark of the Covenant. This annual sacrifice and the sprinkling of blood on the mercy seat symbolically covered the Israelites’ sins for the past year. This was the Old Testament’s most holy day!
I love the pictures/images that my mind builds as I read the Bible. I am always amazed when I see Christ in the Old Testament although He tells us in many verses that is true. The Old Testament is full of pictures of Christ, especially the Temple Worship System which the epistle to the Hebrews uses many of the elements of this worship system to show the superiority of Christianity and Christ.
Heb 1:3 Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;
Plus Others: Mat 5:17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill.
Jhn 5:39 Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.
God Spoke: Heb 1:1 God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,
Christ Spoke: Heb 1:2 Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;
Purpose (God’s final Revelation): Heb 1:3 Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;
Not only does the epistle to the Hebrews tell us that the epistle to the Hebrews is full of types of Christ, but the Bible as a whole. The Old Testament starts with the story of “creation”, the account of Adam’s sin, disobedience to God’s Command, referred to as “the Fall”, and man falling out of fellowship with God.
After the Fall, Adam’s sin, the story in Genesis immediately starts the theme of “Redemption”. God immediately makes two promises foreshadowing Christ’s redemption:
Seed of Eve (Christ): Gen 3:15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.
Coat of Skins (crucifixion/cross): Gen 3:21 Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them.
The Bible, both Old, and New Testament is one story about Jesus and Him being crucified. This story is much like a four-act play: Creation, Fall, Redemption, and Restoration (Redemptive Theology).
The heart of this story is the act of “Redemption” provided by Christ and His Crucifixion. Christ provides a onetime payment for man’s rebellion/sins.
Rom 3:24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
Christ has provided access to the “Throne of Grace” where a sinner can receive the “grace” of forgiveness!
God’s Plan/provision (grace): Heb 9:12 (KJV) Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.
Man’s Acceptance (faith): Heb 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
1) Why do we need mercy? Disobedience (sin)
In Genesis, we discover that Adam sinned by disobeying God’s command not to eat from the “Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil”.
Gen 2:17 But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die
Gen 3:6 And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.
Rom 5:12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
1Jo 3:4 Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.
2) Who needs mercy? Everyone (the world/all)
Rom 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
3) Who does God provide mercy to? Anyone! (world, whosoever)
Jhn 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Rom 3:22-24 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: [23] For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; [24] Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
1Jo 2:2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.
Christ’s death is sufficient for all!
3) Faith is required! Rom 3:22 Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe
All have sinned – while we were sinners Christ died for us
Rom 5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
Christ’s death is sufficient for all but is only efficient for those whose faith is acceptable to God! God’s requirement for an acceptable faith.
The letter to the Hebrews uses the Old Testament worship system as well as the “Provocation” in the wilderness as examples for us New Testament “partakers of Christ”.
Heb 3:1 Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus;
In Heb 3:1 above the author, Hebrews speaks about the “profession of Christ” which enables one to be called a holy brethren and partaker of the heavenly calling. Yet in Heb 3:6 he states there is a requirement that we must “hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end”, be “possessors of Christ”.
Heb 3:6 But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.
Heb 3:6 …“IF we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.“
Heb 3:14 For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end;
Heb 4:14 …”let us hold fast our profession”.
Heb 10:23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)
Jesus makes the same statement:
Mat 24:13 But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.
John 8:31 says, “If you abide in my Word then are you truly disciples of mine.”
Are we holding fast are did we just make a profession and never moved to a point of possession of Christ and He of us?
2Co 13:5 Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates
Conviction: God uses His Word (covenant) and the Holy Spirit to convict us of our sins.
Heb 4:12-13 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.[13]Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do.
Jhn 16:8 “And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:
Have we been convicted of our sins?
A person must be convicted of the need to come before the “throne of Grace”. The “Word of God” is the key source of conviction for a sinner.
At the “Throne of Grace,” we must lay our sins through confession and repentance, plus we must pledge commitment to endurance (hold fast) to obedience.
Confession: Rom 10:9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
Repentance: Act 26:20 But shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance.
Eph 2:8-10 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: [9] Not of works, lest any man should boast.[10] For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
Commitment:
Endurance – hold fast – workout are “good works” as required
Heb 3:6 But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.
Good Works: Heb 4:11 Let us therefore be diligent to enter that rest, lest anyone fall according to the same example of disobedience.
Conclusion:
“Throne of Grace” (mercy seat) or Throne of Judgment (Judgment Seat)? Our Choice
We must come before the “Throne of Grace” prior to death because we will differently appear before the “Throne of Judgment” at death.
In other words – the day will come when you and I will stand before the judgment seat of God and God will open up the books and we’ll have to account for how we’ve lived on earth.
Hebrews 9:27 Just as man is appointed to die once, and after that to face judgment,
Rom 14:12 So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.
Heb 4:15-16 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. [16] Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
If the blood of Christ has been sprinkled on the “mercy seat” for us like the “blood on the doorpost” for the Israelites, God will see it and His judgment will “Passover us” and we will receive His mercy!
Today, still an opportunity: Just as the “Provocation” was an act of warning the “Throne of Grace” can be an example of faith.
The Bible says the New Testament “Partakers of Christ” are priests.
We can learn from the Old Testament priests. What did their day look like?
They were responsible for the morning and evening sacrifice.
We are to be that morning and evening sacrifice! We are to die to self – Luk 9:23 And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.
After the sacrifice, they had to wash in “the Laver” to enter the Holy Place. (We are to wash daily in the Word!)
Eph 5:26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,
In the Holy Place, they were to burn incense – We are to pray!
Psa 141:2 Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense; and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice.
1Th 5:16-18 Rejoice evermore. [17] Pray without ceasing.[18] In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
Let us start and end each day with praise and prayer much like Ps 95:
Psa 95:1-8 O come, let us sing unto the LORD: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation.[2] Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms. [3] For the LORD is a great God, and a great King above all gods.[4] In his hand are the deep places of the earth: the strength of the hills is his also.[5] The sea is his, and he made it: and his hands formed the dry land.[6] O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the LORD our maker.[7] For he is our God; and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. To day if ye will hear his voice, [8] Harden not your heart, as in the provocation, and as in the day of temptation in the wilderness:
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