THE DOOR JESUS OPENED by David Maddox
Today I find that many Christians are so ignorant of what is taught in the Old Testament that we forget just what happened the moment Jesus gave up His Spirit into the hands of the Father as the sacrifice for our sin – and how that changed everything forever. Matthew reports those events as follows: “And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up his spirit. And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split. The tombs also were opened. And many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised, and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many” (Matthew 27:50-53). Consider the importance of what it meant for “the curtain of the temple to be torn in two”. It was that curtain which separated people from the presence of the Holy God. Only the High Priest – and only once a year could he enter into the presence of God and when he did there was a rope tied around his waste so that if he sinned in God’s presence and was struck dead he could be pulled out. No one dared to approach God.
We see how this affected the relationship which an Old Testament Believer could have with God. There was a distance – always God was approached not directly but through a priest or leader who also was limited. Moses experienced this. Consider when God called the people to the Mount to give Moses the ten commandments. Scripture records that, “the LORD came down on Mount Sinai, to the top of the mountain. And the LORD called Moses to the top of the mountain, and Moses went up. And the LORD said to Moses, ‘Go down and warn the people, lest they break through to the LORD to look and many of them perish'” (Exodus 19:20-21). Moses was called into God’s presence – He did not simply go – and the people were prohibited from coming into God’s presence.
Praise God for how that changed when Jesus died for our sins and rose again. Now rather than fear being in God’s presence the way is fully opened to enter boldly because of Jesus sacrifice. There is no longer a requirement of a priest to represent us for Jesus is now that priest and He has made us priests. The writer of Hebrews boldly proclaims the change. “Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. 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” (Hebrews 4:14-16). Jesus opened the way and facilitates our coming before the Father and being heard – but we must go and ask and worship or we will be like those invited to the wedding feast who were too busy with the things of the world to come and the door was shut and they remained outside of the presence of God (Matthew 22:1-13).
About David Maddox – After a legal career in both Texas and Arizona that spanned over 40 years as a civil litigator, God called David to leave his law practice and work full time as Discipleship Director for Time to Revive. That call is really the fruit of decades of prayer for revival and teaching God’s Word, writing discipleship materials and seeking to make disciples. David married Janet Whitehead in 1976 and they minister together from their Phoenix home. God has blessed them with four children and thus far seven grandchildren.
Update: Brother David has passed into the arms of Jesus. We surely miss this great man of God.
