The Lord said to Moses: “Tell your brother Aaron that he is not to come whenever he chooses into the Most Holy Place behind the curtain in front of the atonement cover on the ark, or else he will die. For I will appear in the cloud over the atonement cover.
Leviticus 16:2
Today is Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, the holiest day in the Biblical calendar. When the tabernacle and temple stood, it was the one day each year which the high priest could enter into the Most Holy Place where the Ark of the Covenant rested. Unlike other religions, God disallowed images of him. Instead of a great statue of him, the ark acted like God’s throne. That is where his dwelling presence resided.
There’s a lot of talk of the Pope visiting the United States right now. Imagine being invited to talk with him for a few hours one-on-one. Would you go? Would you prepare?
Now imagine Yom Kippur and you’re the high priest. You get to have a one-on-one meeting with the God of the universe. How would you feel? Would you take the time and go?
Guess what? We have that kind of access to God through the blood of Jesus, our heavenly high priest! Will you take that for granted? Or will you carve out an appointment with the King of the universe and meet with him?
Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
Hebrews 10:19-25
