There is a scripture that states, “Let us then approach God's throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need” (Heb 4:16, NIV). This is very interesting and unique to the New Testament dispensation. Abraham and the saints of old could not have access to the Holy of Holies, where the throne of grace was stationed. In the Old Covenant, it was called the Mercy Seat, but in the New Testament, it is known as the Throne of Grace. Jesus Christ brought Grace to humanity. He is full of Grace and Truth.
Joh 1:17 (KJV) For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.
The Copy And The Real
Prior to the New Testament dispensation, Old Testament saints did not have access to the real house of God. Instead, they had access to the tabernacle of Moses, which was a copy of the real tabernacle that the saints of God in the New Testament have access to.
Exo 25:40 (AMPC) And see to it that you copy [exactly] their pattern which was shown you on the mountain. [Heb 8:5-6]
Heb 8:5 (AMPC) [But these offer] service [merely] as a pattern and as a foreshadowing of [what has its true existence and reality in] the heavenly sanctuary. For when Moses was about to erect the tabernacle, he was warned by God, saying, See to it that you make it all [exactly] according to the copy (the model) which was shown to you on the mountain. [Exo 25:40]
NIV, Faithlife Illustrated Study Bible
Jesus Is The Only Way
The tabernacle of Moses was a copy of the real heavenly sanctuary. Old Testament saints had access to the copy, and New Testament saints have access to the real one. Why? Because of Jesus. He was not revealed in the Old Covenant. Jesus is the only way to the Father. He is the “Way and the Truth and the Life; no one comes to the Father except by (through) Me.” (Joh 14:6, AMPC). He is the access humanity was waiting for. He was only revealed in the New Testament, and only those who accepted him could access the Father through him.
To accept him, one must let go of what he fulfilled—the old system. Scripture teaches that:
Heb 9:8 (AMPC) By this the Holy Spirit points out that the way into the [true Holy of] Holies is not yet thrown open as long as the former [the outer portion of the] tabernacle remains a recognized institution and is still standing,
This means that whiles the Old Covenant remained in force and the former tabernacle remained a recognized institution and was still standing, the way into the [true Holy of] Holies remained closed (i.e. was not yet thrown open).
The Old Testament saint did not have the opportunity to know Jesus nor accept him as their saviour. They did not have Jesus living in their hearts through the Holy Spirit. The blood of Jesus was not yet shed for them, and so they relied on the blood of bulls and goats, which could only clean their bodies and not their consciences or spirits (the real them).
Heb 9:13 (AMPC) For if [the mere] sprinkling of unholy and defiled persons with blood of goats and bulls and with the ashes of a burnt heifer is sufficient for the purification of the body, [Lev 16:6, Lev 16:16; Num 19:9, Num 19:17-18]
In effect, they remained sinners. Only the blood of Jesus can purify our consciences from dead works and lifeless observances to serve the [ever] living God.
Heb 9:14 (AMPC) How much more surely shall the blood of Christ, Who by virtue of [His] eternal Spirit [His own preexistent divine personality] has offered Himself as an unblemished sacrifice to God, purify our consciences from dead works and lifeless observances to serve the [ever] living God?
Access To God
Because of the foregoing, the Old Testament Saint—specifically the Jew—did not have access to God. Only the High Priest did, and that was once in a year, he was permitted to enter the copy of the Holy of Holies. Where were the Israelites then?
They were encamped around the tabernacle of Moses.
Collectie Nederland, Israel encamped around the Tent of Meeting (tabernacle)
The Jews thus were encamped around a copy of the Holy of Holies. How about you? Do you truly have access to the Holy of Holies, where God the Father sits? Or is it just a religious idea? Have you ever met him?
Heb 9:1 (AMPC) Now even the FIRST COVENANT had its own rules and regulations for divine worship, and it had a sanctuary [but one] of this world. [Exo 25:10-40]
Verse 1 speaks of the fact that there are two covenants. The first covenant ratified with the blood of bulls and goats had its own rules and regulations for divine worship, and it had a sanctuary [but one] of this world. The second covenant, which is the New Testament ratified with the blood of God the Son, also has a tabernacle but not one of this world.
New Testament ministers minister not from the one of this world but the one from heaven—the heavenly sanctuary. Verse 10 states that the rituals, ceremonies, and sacrifices of the first (old) covenant are for the body (not your spirit man, the real you; see verse 9 below) imposed to tide the worshipers over until the time of setting things straight. King James calls this period, the time of reformation.
Heb 9:10 (KJV) Which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation.
Heb 9:10 (TPT) For this old pattern of worship was a matter of external rules and rituals concerning food and drink and ceremonial washings which was imposed upon us until the appointed time of heart-restoration had arrived.
The Time Of Reformation
That time of reformation started when Jesus came to earth, died and was resurrected (overcame the devil and death), but many are still ignorant of this—living as if Christianity is set in the time before the reformation of all things—like all things are not made new. However, ALL THINGS are made new, but one must behold this reality as they meditate upon it:
2Co 5:17 (AMPC) Therefore if any person is [ingrafted] in Christ (the Messiah) he is a new creation (a new creature altogether); the old [previous moral and spiritual condition] has passed away. Behold, the fresh and new has come!
Many never get to enjoy the fresh and the new because one must first be taught, and then they must believe and behold the reality afforded by Christ. Truth makes free but not knowing the truth is dangerous, as per Hosea 4:6.
God’s people are destroyed for lack of knowledge as per Hos 4:6. An example of how true this scripture is, is found in Heb9:8 which states that, “By this, the Holy Spirit points out that the way into the [true Holy of] Holies is not yet thrown open as long as the former [the outer portion of the] tabernacle remains a recognized institution and is still standing”.
If we DO NOT understand what covenant we partake of and do not allow the former [the outer portion of the] tabernacle to stop being a recognized institution with its brazen altar, then the true Holy of Holies will be shut to us.
That would mean that Christ would have died in vain as pertains to us—because we do not recognize the new order, he ushered in. This is why many professing Christians lack the power of the new order, the power of the resurrection—associated with the time of reformation. Historians speak of a protestant reformation, but the greatest reformation ever was the coming of Christ and what he accomplished in his life, death and resurrection. The scripture below gives more insight.
Heb 9:1-10 (AMPC)
1 NOW EVEN the first covenant had its own rules and regulations for divine worship, and it had a sanctuary [but one] of this world. [Exo 25:10-40]
2 For a tabernacle (tent) was erected, in the outer division or compartment of which were the lampstand and the table with [its loaves of] the showbread set forth. [This portion] is called the Holy Place. [Lev 24:5-6]
3 But [inside] beyond the second curtain or veil, [there stood another] tabernacle [division] known as the Holy of Holies. [Exo 26:31-33]
4 It had the golden altar of incense and the ark (chest) of the covenant, covered over with wrought gold. This [ark] contained a golden jar which held the manna and the rod of Aaron that sprouted and the [two stone] slabs of the covenant [bearing the Ten Commandments]. [Exo 16:32-34; Exo 30:1-6; Num 17:8-10]
5 Above [the ark] and overshadowing the mercy seat were the representations of the cherubim [winged creatures which were the symbols] of glory. We cannot now go into detail about these things.
6 These arrangements having thus been made, the priests enter [habitually] into the outer division of the tabernacle in performance of their ritual acts of worship.
7 But into the second [division of the tabernacle] none but the high priest goes, and he only once a year, and never without taking a sacrifice of blood with him, which he offers for himself and for the errors and sins of ignorance and thoughtlessness which the people have committed. [Lev 16:15]
8 By this the Holy Spirit points out that the way into the [true Holy of] Holies is not yet thrown open as long as the former [the outer portion of the] tabernacle remains a recognized institution and is still standing,
9 Seeing that that first [outer portion of the] tabernacle was a parable (a visible symbol or type or picture of the present age). In it gifts and sacrifices are offered, and yet are incapable of perfecting the conscience or of cleansing and renewing the inner man of the worshiper.
10 For [the ceremonies] deal only with clean and unclean meats and drinks and different washings, [mere] external rules and regulations for the body imposed to tide the worshipers over until the time of setting things straight [of reformation, of the complete new order when Christ, the Messiah, shall establish the reality of what these things foreshadow--a better covenant].
