Come Boldly
“So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.” Hebrews 4:16
Like me (unless you come from a monarchial society) you might not give much thought to the idea of a ruler who sits on a throne. In ancient and even modern times, the throne represents the power and authority of the one who is seated upon it. No one would dare approach the throne of such a ruler without an invitation. But the writer of Hebrews invites us to come boldly to the throne of our gracious God.
When I think of the throne of God, I am reminded of the lofty throne described by the prophet Isaiah. In the sixth chapter of Isaiah, the prophet sees the Lord sitting on His throne and the train of His robe fills the Temple. Attending Him are mighty seraphim (angelic beings), each having 6 wings. With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they flew. They were calling out to each other, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Heaven’s Armies! The whole earth is filled with his glory!” (Isaiah 6:1-3) What a powerful and magnificent sight to behold! Can you picture yourself approaching the Ruler of all things in this situation?
Perhaps, like me, suddenly you feel very small and insignificant. Yet the writer of Hebrews encourages us not only to come, but the come boldly to the throne of God. We can only come boldly, confidently, to the throne of God because of Jesus. “We have a great High Priest who has entered heaven,” according to Hebrews. He is Jesus the Son of God. Though He faced all of the same testings we do, He did not sin, qualifying Him to die in our place, to atone for our sin, and give us access to the Father.
I don’t think we can begin to comprehend the magnitude of Jesus’ sacrifice. Yet because of it we have direct access to God and can boldly come before His throne.The invitation has been extended. Come. Come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There you will receive His mercy, and find grace to help when you need it most.