In their daily service in the Tabernacle, the Old Testament priests could never enter the Holy of Holies. The Veil barred their entrance into it. During the time of Christ, the Tabernacle had been replaced by the Temple. When Christ died, the heavy veil in the Temple was torn in two by God's power. God now invites believers to enter "the holiest"—"the Holy of Holies." The Bible says,

"Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way, which He has consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, His flesh…" Hebrews 10:19-20

According to these verses, there are two requirements for entering the Holy of Holies. The first is that we enter "by the blood of Jesus." The Holy of Holies is open to all who have forgiveness of sins through the blood of Jesus. This wonderful privilege is not for just a few advanced saints; it is for every believer.

The second requirement is that we enter "by a new and living way" through "the veil." We are told that "the veil" is the flesh or body of the Lord Jesus.

This means that, through His death, Christ has made a way for us to enter the very presence of God. Our old sinful self could never enter the Holy of Holies. But God put us in Christ on the cross. When He died, we died with Him. When He rose from the dead, we rose with Him as a new person in Christ.

This is "the new and living way" which Christ has made for us. We go through His death, getting rid of our old self, and come out as a new person in Christ. We can now enter the Holy of Holies.

Beloved, have you accepted your death with Christ? If so, the way is open for you to enter the Holy of Holies. The Bible says,

"Having an high priest over the house of God; let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith…" Hebrews 10:21-22

What do we find in the Holy of Holies? We find a scene in which everything is for God's satisfaction and delight. Why is this true? It is true because everything in the Holy of Holies speaks of Christ!

There is now before God that which is perfectly delightful to His heart. The Ark is Christ in His glory as the One who perfectly revealed the Father. He is the One in whom all of God's gracious purposes have been entrusted and established.

The Mercy Seat speaks of Christ as the One who glorified God with regard to our sins, so that God can now reveal Himself to man in all His glory as a Savior-God. Christ's blood is forever on the Mercy Seat.

Entering the Holy of Holies is like living in "the Father's house." We are in the very presence of God, enjoying Christ with Him.

In the Holy of Holies we behold a scene in which everything is for God's delight and pleasure. Everything there speaks of Christ! The room itself is filled with the fragrance of Christ.

On the great Day of Atonement, before the high priest entered the Holy of Holies with the blood, he first entered with a golden censer in his hand with coals of fire on it. Upon entering, he sprinkled the holy incense powder, representing Christ, on the burning coals. Immediately the Holy of Holies was filled with a cloud of fragrance, which spoke to God of the perfection and fragrance of the life of His beloved Son.

What do we do in the Holy of Holies? We behold the glory of Christ. He is "the express image" of God, the One who has perfectly revealed the Father. We behold the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. The Bible says,

"For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, has shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ." 2 Corinthians 4:6

Glory indicates God's satisfaction. The glory of Christ is that He is the Accomplisher of all the purposes of God. God's perfect satisfaction and delight rests on Christ, now and forever!

God is saying to us, "Come into My very presence and enjoy Christ with Me." We are to come with a true heart in full assurance of faith. This means that we come in the full assurance of God's love and the full assurance that we belong in the very presence of our God.

We have considered everything about the Tabernacle except one thing—the floor. The floor of the Tabernacle was sand! The glories of Christ have filled our spiritual eyes. We are a heavenly people, seated with Christ in heavenly places, but we stand on "sand." We are not of "this present evil world," but we are still in it.

As pilgrims we press on to our eternal home in heaven. The burning sands and desert thorns may hurt our weary feet, but like Paul we say,

"For I reckon [count] that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us." Romans 8:18

"For our conversation [citizenship] is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ: who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto His glorious body…" Philippians 3:20-21

"For the Lord Himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord." 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17

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