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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 in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.
    Hebrews 10:19–22 NIV 1984
    The content of this verse sounds similar to the fourth key, but there is an important distinction. That one was: “Let us draw near to the throne of grace.” This sixth key is: “Let us draw near to God.” The distinction is made clear in the context of Hebrews 10:19 and the follow-up in verse 22: “Since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place . . . let us draw near to God.” This suggests that drawing near to God is equivalent to entering the Most Holy Place.
    In light of that truth, look again at these two statements. “Let us draw near to the throne” (Key #4) means that we can come for the help we need—for mercy and for grace. But “Let us draw near to the Most Holy Place” (Key #6) means that we draw near to God Himself. I believe that this key opens the way to go much further. Not merely do we come to the throne for help, but we come because we are invited to take our place with Christ on the throne. It is by taking our place with Him that we enter into the Most Holy Place.
    The Tabernacle Pattern
    The author of Hebrews uses descriptive language here based on the pattern of the Tabernacle of Moses. Put simply, three main areas comprised the Tabernacle. First was the Outer Court, an open courtyard bordered by curtains. Any Israelite could enter this area. Then, within this courtyard on the western end, was the Tabernacle itself—a portable tent held up by a wooden framework. Inside the first curtain of the tent was the Holy Place. Only priests could enter this chamber. At the farther end, beyond the second curtain, was the Most Holy Place. This chamber could be entered only by the high priest once a year—on the Day of Atonement.
    Our destination is the Most Holy Place, beyond the second curtain.
    The only furniture in the Most Holy Place, as it was designed by God, was the Ark of the Covenant. This was a boxmade out of acacia wood that was completely covered with gold. The Ark was topped with what was called the Mercy Seat, or the place of propitiation. Inside the Ark were the two tablets containing the Ten Commandments, but these were covered by the Mercy Seat. This placement indicates that through Christ’s propitiation on our behalf, the Law has been covered by mercy.
    On the ends of the Mercy Seat were two cherubs facing one another. They were looking toward the center of the Mercy Seat with their wings stretched out over them and their wing tips touching in the center.
    The Mercy Seat is God’s throne. It is important for us to remember that God sits on a throne of mercy. His mercy covers the Law. The two cherubs with their faces turned inward toward one another, their wing tips touching, represent the place of fellowship. So, the Mercy Seat is a place of mercy, a place of fellowship—but it is also a throne, the seat of God as King.
    There was no representation of God Himself in that piece of furniture—which, of course, was forbidden by Law for the Israelites. But God did come into the Most Holy Place and take His seat. He came in the form of the Shekinah glory—the visible, palpable presence of Almighty God. Without that glory, the Most Holy Place was in total darkness. There was no natural or artificial illumination. When the Shekinah , the glorious presence of God, came in, it was the sign that God was taking His place on the throne.
    The sixth Let us statement, then, invites us into the Most Holy Place. We are welcomed to draw near to God. We are,in fact, invited to take our place with Christ on the throne. This passage in Hebrews 10 also tells us that we are to come by “a new and living way.” What is the new and living way? It is Jesus.