Live Discussion: The Holy of Holies

Welcome

First Wednesday back!

Plans for future Wednesdays

Explanation of tonight’s discussion

The Struggle

Sometimes we find ourselves at a point where our requests have been made in prayer, but we don’t move any further beyond our side of the dialogue.

But communing with God is just that: a DIALOGUE. It’s a mutual conversation. And if we will listen, He will talk. If we will allow Him, He will minister to us.

Scripture Foundation

God’s Purpose for the Holy of Holies

Exodus 25:22 NKJV

And there I will meet with you, and I will speak with you from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim which are on the ark of the Testimony, about everything which I will give you in commandment to the children of Israel.

The Lord promised Moses that He would meet with him at the mercy seat. That verb carries a very specific meaning: “to meet at an appointed place.” This was a God designed meeting place!

And it was the final destination all along once you entered the tabernacle. God intended for our destination to not only be speaking, but hearing!

I really like how, if you look at the tabernacle from above, there is a starting point and a finish line. And that finish line is the Holy of Holies. And sure, you can go from the finish line and make it 90% of the way… but why miss out on what’s just beyond the threshold?

I took Sis. LaRue to a musical in Memphis for our anniversary one year, and I can remember there being an intermission. During this time, they set up for the next act. All the people watching take time to go to a restroom, get a snack, or talk. And talk they did. It was loud and chaotic through the intermission. All around us, people talking. And I wonder if maybe I was the only person in the room that happened to be watching when the curtain blew back a bit… and it was revealed to me a network of gears moving, shifting things on the stage… people roaming back and forth in new costumes, great work going into a great thing… I just happened to be ready and paying attention.

And I believe that the Holy of Holies is much like this. It’s just beyond the threshold… and oh, what is beyond it!

Hebrews 4:15–16 NKJV

For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Behind the Veil

Exodus 26:31–33 NKJV

“You shall make a veil woven of blue, purple, and scarlet thread, and fine woven linen. It shall be woven with an artistic design of cherubim. You shall hang it upon the four pillars of acacia wood overlaid with gold. Their hooks shall be gold, upon four sockets of silver. And you shall hang the veil from the clasps. Then you shall bring the ark of the Testimony in there, behind the veil. The veil shall be a divider for you between the holy place and the Most Holy.

Why was the veil torn to begin with?

So that we could have special access to His presence! That veil was torn so that we could “sit in heavenly places with Christ Jesus!”

And I wonder sometimes, if we have unaware, sort of tried to revert back to the days when there was a veil. And we are to be separated from that furthest place. But the fact is: THE VEIL IS NOT THERE. Jesus did away with it! We CAN enter in and commune with Him!

Why would Jesus remove a barrier before us if He did not want us to step past it?

Practically Speaking

The Flow

Wherever we are, whether at prayer meeting, at the store - at all times, there is a flow of the Holy Ghost that can be found.

We’re not always aware or moving with it, but it can be found and we can align ourselves with it. And this is crucial in order to go into the Holy of Holies. It is God’s will and God’s moving in the moment. Finding it and flowing with it will leave behind the mediocrity and lukewarmness.

This current - this flow - will take us to another place: the Holy of Holies.

An important question: How do we remove obstacles and better prepare ourselves to reach and move in the Holy of Holies?