Your Access is Granted

And the Lord said unto Moses, Speak unto Aaron thy brother, that he come not at all times into the holy place within the vail before the mercy seat, which is upon the ark; that he die not: for I will appear in the cloud upon the mercy seat. Thus shall Aaron come into the holy place: with a young bullock for a sin offering, and a ram for a burnt offering. He shall put on the holy linen coat, and he shall have the linen breeches upon his flesh, and shall be girded with a linen girdle, and with the linen mitre shall he be attired: these are holy garments; therefore shall he wash his flesh in water, and so put them on. (Leviticus 16:2-4)

Under the Old Covenant, access to God's presence was limited in a way that is difficult for us to fully understand today. The Holy of Holies was the innermost part of the tabernacle where the ark of the covenant was kept. It was here that God's manifest presence dwelled. This area was off-limits, not just to some people. Only one person could go in. Once a year, on the Day of Atonement, the High Priest would enter. He had to be ritually pure, bring blood, and follow God's instructions precisely. Even then, the risk was clear: if he entered incorrectly, he would die.

It was one person,  one day, once a year and under the threat of death. That was how people accessed God's presence under the Old Covenant. Then Jesus died on the cross, and the veil of the temple—the thick curtain separating the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies—was torn from top to bottom. God tore it. He then moved out of that room and into every believer who received His Son. It was then not only once a year, not through an intermediary and not under threat of death. It became constantly, freely and permanently. Today, you have more access to God's presence than the High Priest had on the Day of Atonement. You don’t just get to enter where He is; He lives where you are. That’s a big deal. That’s the whole point of the cross.

Practical Application

Don’t treat prayer like you’re waiting to be granted an audience. Come boldly to the throne of grace. The veil is gone. The way is open. God is not hiding behind a curtain. He lives inside you. Come, knowing that.

Hebrews 9:7: Psalm 24:3