What is our understanding of drawing near to the throne of grace? This requires an understanding of the nature of the True Tabernacle and our access to it through ‘’priestly service’’.

1. “
”
Let us then with confidence draw
near to the throne of grace, that
we may receive mercy and find
grace to help in time of need.
HEB 4:16
What is our understanding of drawing near to the throne
of grace? This requires an understanding of the nature of
the True Tabernacle and our access to it through ‘’priestly
service’’.

2. Tabernacle of Moses
They serve a copy and shadow of the
heavenly sanctuary; for when Moses was
about to erect the tent, he was instructed
by God, saying, "See that you make
everything according to the pattern which
was shown you on the mountain." Heb 8:5

3. For the Law had a shadow of the
coming good things, not the image
itself of those things. Heb 10:1
The ‘Substance’or Reality
The True Temple
The Temple of His Body
A Shadow of the True
These are only a
shadow of what is to
come; but the
substance belongs to
Christ. Col 2:17

4. Fulfilled in Christ
Old now obsolete Heb 8:13
Raised up the
temple of His Body
Temple of His Body
We have such an high priest, who is set
on the right hand of the throne of the
Majesty in the heavens; a minister of
the sanctuary, and of the true
tabernacle, which the Lord pitched,
and not man. Heb 8:1-2

5. But you have come to
Mount Zion and to the
city of the living God,
the heavenly
Jerusalem, and to
innumerable angels in
festal gathering, and
to the assembly of the
first-born who are
enrolled in heaven,
and to a judge who is
God of all, and to the
spirits of just men
made perfect, and to
Jesus, the mediator of
a new covenant…
Heb 12:22-24
ye also, as living
stones, are built up a
spiritual house, to be a
holy priesthood, to
offer up spiritual
sacrifices, acceptable
to God through Jesus
Christ. 1 Pet 2:5
The True
Tabernacle

6. When he ascended
on high he led a host
of captives, and he
gave gifts to men.
And his gifts were that
some should be
apostles, some
prophets, some
evangelists, some
pastors and teachers,
to equip the saints for
the work of ministry,
for building up the
body of Christ, until
we all attain to the
unity of the faith and
of the knowledge of
the Son of God, to
mature manhood, to
the measure of the
stature of the fullness
of Christ.
Eph 4:8;11-13
Christ the Head
… has made
him the head
over all things
for the church,
which is his
body, the
fullness of him
who fills all in
all.
Eph 1:22-23

7. The True Tabernacle,
Christ Head & Body
 We note that John described Christ in the midst of the
lampstands as ‘one like a Son of Man’ in priestly garments.
Rev 1:13.
 Also, Jacob’s dream of the ladder, with its feet on the earth
and its top in heaven, revealed the vertical orientation of the
true temple of God. Gen 28.
 In this dream, the priesthood of Christ was portrayed as
angels ascending and descending on the Son of Man.
 These descriptions convey the corporate nature of Christ’s
priesthood.

8. The furniture of the true
tabernacle
 The throne itself is the headship of His priesthood. Christ is
the Head of His body and He is in heavenly places. Eph
4:15-16. Eph 2:6.
 His right hand is the lampstand. John saw Christ in the
lampstand, having the seven stars, which are the lamps, in
His right hand. Rev 1:20.
 The reference to His right hand also speaks of the fivefold
ministry graces that adjust the saints for the work of the
ministry. Eph 4:12. In this instance, they are adjusting the
petals of the lampstand so that the light of seven Spirits,
which is the Spirit of God, is effectively focused.

9. The furniture of the true
tabernacle (cont.)
 The left hand is in the table of shewbread.
 This is referring to the order of twelve and twenty-
four, by which the word of life is broken open and
ministered to the covenant people. We note in
the book of Acts that the twelve apostles
dedicated themselves to the word of God and its
teaching. Act 2:42. Act 6:2.

10. The furniture of the true
tabernacle (cont.)
 The thighs of Christ’s priesthood are represented
by the laver. This is the place of the washing of
water with the word. Eph 5:26.
 The feet are the altar of burnt offering, identified as
feet of burnished bronze in the revelation of Jesus
Christ. Rev 1:15.

11. We are called to enter the
true tabernacle
‘Outside the camp’ -
 We receive the waters of regeneration and are
renewed by the Holy Spirit.
 We are receiving the life of God and a new spirit.
 We desire to enter the heavenly city because the
love of God is poured into our hearts by the Holy
Spirit. Rom 5:5.

12. Entering the True
Tabernacle
 We firstly present ourselves at the doorway of the
true tabernacle.
 We are baptised into the name of the Lord Jesus
Christ. In Him, we are clothed with His priesthood.
 We are able then to join in fellowship with Him in
eating His flesh and drinking His blood, at the altar.
 By this means, we become members of His body
and of His royal priesthood.

13. Coming to the Throne of
Grace
 As body members who are eating and drinking of
the daily Lamb, we are at the altar of burnt
offering in the true tabernacle.
 Through Christ our High Priest, we are able to
proceed from the altar of burnt offering to the
throne of grace.
 We must take in our hands both incense, and the
fire of the Spirit of God that is burning on the altar.
 We can only come to the throne of grace by
joining our prayer to His prayer as ones who have
received the Spirit of God.

14. Mercy & Grace
 We draw near with confidence to the throne of grace to
pray. Heb 4:16.
 At the throne, we receive mercy and grace.
 Mercy is His life given to us as our life. We are now to live by
the life of God.
 Grace is God’s ability or capacity in us and through us, to do
His will.
 The throne of grace contains the name and works of every
son of God, written in the Lamb’s book of life. This is the
testimony of Yahweh that proceeds from His Everlasting
Covenant.

15. The Fellowship of Prayer in
the Spirit
 As we begin to pray at the throne of grace, the Holy Spirit
helps our weaknesses by making intercession for us
according to the will of God. Rom 8:26.
 Jesus Christ searches our hearts and, likewise, makes
intercession for us. Rom 8:27.
 By this means, He adds incense to our prayer so that it
ascends as a memorial before the Father.
 The Father responds by bearing witness to our name,
through Christ, and giving us grace to do the works that
belong to our name.

16. Receiving our Priesthood
 We receive, or appropriate, our name as a
garment. This is our personal, priestly garment that
we wear as ‘fellow workers whose names are in the
book of life’. Phil 4:3.
 Having received these garments, we are able to
walk with Christ in white robes. Rev 3:4-5. These are
called the garments that are white (bright, light)
and clean. Rev 19:14.

17. Equipped for Priestly
Service
 Having received mercy and found grace through prayer in
the holy place, we are then able to proceed back out to
the altar of burnt offering and, by the mercies of God,
present our bodies as a living sacrifice. Heb 4:16. Rom 12:1-3.
 This means we are able to live a life of offering.
 This is our priestly service by which we prove the good,
acceptable and perfect will of God for our lives.
 We can also go outside the camp, bearing His reproach, as
Christ’s priestly messengers to the world. Heb 13:13.

18. Our Priestly Service
 As members of the corporate Christ, we are part
of His priesthood.
 Our participation in the corporate priesthood of
Christ is represented by the pieces of temple
furniture.
 Each piece of furniture in the true tabernacle in
heaven is an extension of the throne of grace.

19. Grace for Service
 Grace is made available as we serve in each of these
specific aspects of priesthood (at each item of furniture).
 Altar of incense - grace is available through prayer, at the
altar of incense.
 Lampstand - there is a ministry of ‘the Spirit of grace’
through the nine gifts of the Holy Spirit.
 Table of shewbread - the word of grace brings us all the
capacity of the new covenant promises.
 Laver - washing our priestly garments so that we can
stand in the grace to minister our priestly service.
 Altar - having received our personal, priestly garments we
receive grace each day as we present ourselves firstfruits
in the morning and evening sacrifice. This gives us the
capacity to priest ourselves as sons in the obedience of
faith. Rom 1:5.