Before the Throne of Grace BY Malusi Skunyana

Read Hebrews 4:14-16 

HEB 4:14 Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast [our] profession.

HEB 4:15 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.

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.

Through His death on the cross and His ongoing ministry in heaven as our High Priest, Jesus has opened a way for us to approach the throne of the eternal God in order to receive mercy, and find grace to help us in our time of need. We have direct access to God through Jesus, and we may plead our case with the everlasting Father and we are guaranteed acceptance. Even the vilest sinner is invited to approach the throne of grace through the merits of Christ to find mercy and grace.

In the sanctuary services of ancient Israel, priests played an important role as mediators between God and man. When anyone had sinned against God, he could bring the appropriate animal to the sanctuary to be a sacrifice for his sin. The priest would assist the person to kill the animal after the sinner had confessed his sin upon the animal, and then the priest would take its blood into the sanctuary to atone for the sin. The priest would plead for the sinner’s forgiveness before the mercy seat, which represented the throne of God that is in heaven. The sanctuary services were only symbolic of the heavenly ministration of grace. The sacrificial lamb represented Jesus “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” John 1:29. The priest represented Jesus “the Mediator of the new covenant” (Hebrews 9:15), “who does not need daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins and then for the people’s, for this He did once for all when He offered up Himself.” Hebrews 7:27. Therefore, unlike the earthly priests Jesus does not need to offer sacrifices for sinners on a daily basis, because by His death on the cross He offered the one great sacrifice once and for all. Through this one great sacrifice, all sinners may find pardon for their sins.

Jesus is mediating for us in heaven before the Father through His blood that was shed on Calvary. Through faith in Jesus and His merits, all repentant sinners may be forgiven their sins and be accepted as children of God. Our access to the throne of God is through our faith in Jesus, the Mediator between God and man. It does not matter how much we have wronged God, but when we confess our sins and pray for forgiveness in the name of Jesus our Saviour, we are guaranteed acceptance with God. As our great High Priest Jesus understands our weaknesses and our infirmities, and He sympathizes with us. He has walked in our shoes and has gone through our experiences; He knows how hard it is to struggle with temptation. He knows just how powerless we are on our own to overcome sin. Knowing all this, Jesus is “able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him” (Hebrews 7:25). 

Since we have a great Mediator, Jesus, who pleads our case with God, we may come boldly before the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need. The battle against sin cannot be overcome by human power; we need God’s power to have victory against sin. In all our conflicts in this world, we have the precious assurance that we may overcome by relying on Jesus. The way to the throne of the infinite God is open for all of us through the merits of Jesus; by faith in Him, we may approach the throne of grace to gather strength for our trying conflicts.

Dear friend, you have a Mediator before the throne of the Father, Jesus pleads your case there. You may take whatever ails you to Him in prayer. When you leave your case with Jesus, that He may plead for you before the Father, His job will not be difficult, “for the Father Himself loves you” (John 16:27) and wants what is best for you. Why not approach the throne of grace today, that you may receive mercy and find grace to help you in your time of need. May the loving Father ever pour His rich blessings on you! Amen!