Entering the Presence of God

God established the pattern for us to enter into His presence, mirrored in the way His people were to access His presence in the Tabernacle. Hebrews shows us it is scriptural to use the tabernacle as our pattern in seeking God. The very phrase in Hebrews 9;8 “THE WAY INTO THE HOLIEST” is taken from the type or pattern of the tabernacle.

God dedicates about twelve chapters of the book of Exodus to the tabernacle,  which indicates to me, that it is of significant importance. “For He said, “See that you make all things according to the pattern shown you on the mountain” “the copy and shadow of the heavenly things.” Hebrews 8:4-5. Also check out Hebrews 9:23-24. The tabernacle reveals for us a pattern: the way into perfection, to maturity, to completeness and to fulfillment is the way into the holiest, which unfolds in Hebrews as in no other book of the N.T.

There are two degrees of access. First, through God’s gates, and then, through His courts. The psalmist indicates that it is thanksgiving that brings us through the gates, but praise brings us into His courts. Without praise we do not have access to His outer courts but to enter into the Holy Places requires a different dimension altogether worship.