Access Granted

Read: Exodus chapters 26-27, and Hebrews chapter 4 verse 16

Have you ever been somewhere you weren't allowed to go? Maybe it was a locked door, a restricted area, or a place where access was reserved for a select few. There's something frustrating about standing close to something you want while knowing you can't get there.

That tension is exactly what we see in Exodus 26 and 27. At first glance, these chapters seem like little more than construction plans. Curtains, boards, poles, altars, and measurements fill the pages. Yet beneath all those details is a message that runs through the entire Bible: God wants to be with His people. When God instructed Israel to build the Tabernacle, He wasn't creating a monument or a religious attraction. He was creating a dwelling place. Exodus 25:8 says, "And let them make me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them." God's desire was never simply for people to know about Him. He wanted them to know Him. The problem, of course, was sin.

Inside the Tabernacle stood a massive veil separating the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place, where God's presence dwelt. The veil served as a constant reminder that something was broken. Humanity and God were separated because of sin. The veil wasn't evidence that God wanted distance. It was evidence that sin creates distance. Yet even in the Tabernacle, God was pointing His people toward a greater solution.

The first thing a worshiper encountered when approaching the Tabernacle was the altar. Before there could be fellowship with God, there had to be a sacrifice. Day after day, year after year, sacrifices were offered. Each one reminded Israel that sin carries a cost and that a Savior was still needed. Then Jesus came.

What does the sacrificial system teach us about the seriousness of sin?

John the Baptist saw Jesus and declared, "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!" (John 1:29). What thousands of sacrifices could never accomplish, Jesus accomplished through His death on the cross. When He cried out, "It is finished," the veil in the Temple was torn from top to bottom. The barrier was removed. The way was opened. Because of Jesus, we no longer approach God through rituals, sacrifices, or earthly priests; we come through Christ--the door has been opened and access has been granted!

What does Hebrews 10:14, "For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy," teach us about the sufficiency of Christ's sacrifice?

How does the cross reveal both God's justice and His love?

Many believers still live as though the veil is standing. They carry guilt that Jesus has already forgiven. They wrestle with shame that Christ has already covered. They remain in spiritual prison cells even though the door has been unlocked. The good news of the Gospel is that God is not keeping His distance. He has been moving toward us from the very beginning. The Tabernacle pointed to His desire. The cross demonstrated His love. The resurrection secured our access. Hebrews 4:16 invites us to "draw near with confidence to the throne of grace," not cautiously, not fearfully, not wondering if we're welcome... confidently! Because through Jesus, the way is open.

How should our lives be different knowing that Jesus has completely paid for our sin?

This week, don't settle for simply knowing facts about God. Spend time in His presence. Talk with Him. Listen for His voice. Worship Him. Thank Him for the access that was purchased through the blood of Christ. The Father is not standing far away with crossed arms. Through Jesus, He has opened the door and invited you near.

Spend time praying for:

• A deeper awareness of God's presence.
• Freedom from guilt, shame, and condemnation.
• Confidence to approach God boldly through Christ.
• Friends and family members who need to experience the grace of Jesus.