WHO IS ABLE TO STAND BEFORE THE LORD?
The Lord gave Moses instructions to Tell Aaron his brother that he couldn’t approach the Ark, which represented the throne of God, at just any time he wanted. A veil separated the place called the Holy of Holies where the Ark rested, so that no one might see it, nor accidentally approach it. However Aaron, as the high priest, was commissioned to enter the Holy of Holies one day a year, which was called the “Day of Atonement” (Hebrew: “Yom Kippur”), in order to sprinkle blood upon the “mercy seat.” This blood was from the young bull offering that was for the atonement of the people of Israel’s sins. If anyone else entered past the veil or if even Aaron himself entered on another day, they would die.
Some years later, the Israelites in the town of Beth Shemesh made the mistake of thinking that they could look upon the Ark uncovered. But they were wrong. So many of them died that they cried out, “Who is able to stand before the Lord, this holy God?” (1 Sam. 6:20). Their question begs the answer, “No one.”
Yet God has provided a way. For on the day that Christ was crucified, the veil was “torn in two from top to bottom” (Matt. 27:51), so that a new and better way was made for those who by faith would come to stand before the Father. For Christ is now our Great High Priest. For “he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption” (Heb. 9:12).
Who is able to stand before the Lord? Only those who have put their trust in Jesus Christ are able to “come boldly to the throne of grace” (Heb. 4:16). In Christ, we are able to stand before the Lord at any time!
PRAYER: Dear Father, we give thanks for Christ’s provision for us, so that we are able to boldly approach Your throne of grace at any time of day or night. For by faith in Jesus we have been counted righteous and adopted as sons into Your family. Every detail of the Ark and the Tabernacle worship always pointed to Christ. And now He is ours and we are His! Hallelujah! In Jesus’ name, amen.