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September 7, 2003
What does the Bible say about our access to God? Can we approach Him directly, any time we want? The Scriptures explain what we sense already in our hearts: that we are alienated from the one who made us. Alistair Begg discusses Jesus’ priestly role in mediating between us and a holy God by offering Himself as a sacrifice for sin. Because we have such a Great High Priest, we can tell others the good news that in Jesus the deepest needs of the human heart are met.
1Now even the first covenant had regulations for worship and man earthly place of holiness. 2For na tent1 was prepared, the first section, in which were othe lampstand and pthe table and qthe bread of the Presence.2 It is called the Holy Place. 3Behind rthe second curtain was a second section3 called the Most Holy Place, 4having the golden saltar of incense and tthe ark of the covenant covered on all sides with gold, in which was ua golden urn holding the manna, and vAaron's staff that budded, and wthe tablets of the covenant. 5Above it were xthe cherubim of glory overshadowing ythe mercy seat. Of these things we cannot now speak in detail.
6These preparations having thus been made, zthe priests go regularly into the first section, performing their ritual duties, 7but into the second only athe high priest goes, and he but aonce a year, and not without taking blood, bwhich he offers for himself and for the unintentional sins of the people. 8By this the Holy Spirit indicates that cthe way into the holy places is not yet opened as long as the first section is still standing 9(which is symbolic for the present age).4 According to this arrangement, gifts and sacrifices are offered dthat cannot perfect the conscience of the worshiper, 10but deal only with efood and drink and fvarious washings, regulations for the body imposed until the time of reformation.
11But when Christ appeared as a high priest gof the good things that have come,5 then through hthe greater and more perfect tent (inot made with hands, that is, not of this creation) 12he jentered konce for all into the holy places, not by means of lthe blood of goats and calves but mby means of his own blood, nthus securing an eternal redemption. 13For if othe blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with pthe ashes of a heifer, sanctify6 for the purification of the flesh, 14how much more will qthe blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit roffered himself without blemish to God, spurify our7 conscience tfrom dead works uto serve the living God.
Copyright © 2024, Alistair Begg. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. The ESV text may not be quoted in any publication made available to the public by a Creative Commons license. The ESV may not be translated in whole or in part into any other language.
