No 24: To Give Us Confident Access to the Holiest Place

As Piper describes, the tabernacle of Moses contained a hierarchy of spaces which we read about in Exodus 25 to 27: an outer enclosed courtyard, the tabernacle tent itself within it, a curtained-off part of that tent called the Holy of Holies, and finally a wooden chest inside the Holy of Holies called the ark of the covenant.  Detailed instructions controlled access to each space, and how those who were allowed to should prepare, or consecrate, themselves.  When a permanent building - the temple - was later built by Solomon it followed the same hierarchy, with the addition of another outer court where non-Jews were also allowed.

The Presence of God in this Place was dangerous, and people would die if they approached it in the wrong way, much as we might if we moved around a nuclear power station without the proper protection needed.  It was His Presence which was the key factor: the building itself had no inherent power - it later got destroyed several times by invaders, who seemed able to dismantle it quite safely.

Another great mystery Piper may get round to mentioning later is the tent which David set up when he brought the ark back to Jerusalem (2 Samuel 6:17).  It seems to be a far simpler affair, with direct access near the ark for all - yet God commanded that worship should eventually revert to the "house" which Solomon was to build.  But at that vital council of apostles and church elders in Jerusalem, described in Acts 15, it is David's tent which the Holy Spirit shows James when he remembers the prophecy given to Amos:  "After this, I will return and rebuild David's fallen tent.  Its ruins I will rebuild, and I will restore it, that the remnant of men may seek the Lord, and the Gentiles who bear my name" (Acts 15:16,17).

St John had not yet written his gospel at the time of that council.  In it, he recalled these words of Jesus to the Samaritan woman which fit perfectly with that prophecy:  "Believe me, woman, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem ...  a time is coming and has now come when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshippers the Father seeks" (John 4: 21, 23).

Where was this new Place of worship?  What would it be like?  Like the old one, it would be where God is Present.  Jesus in St John again:  "If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching.  My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him" (John 14:23).  This is even better than me having free access to the ark in David's tent: God in His Three Persons has free access into me!  He has now made His home and His Presence in me - and that is where worship now wells up from.  I once heard us described individually as 'a mobile headquarters of the Trinity'.  I like that!

For me, the 'sh'ma' of Israel rings out eternally:  "Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one ..." (Deuteronomy 6:4).  This is why, right at the end of Piper's chapter, something strikes a false note in my heart.  God has never needed protection from us - how could he?  But we have needed protection from His blazing holiness, which we could not survive until we are healed inside - until "our hearts [are] sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience" (Hebrews 10:22).  God let Himself be dishonoured.  He came vulnerable and unprotected amongst us.  He let us humiliate and dishonour Him on that hateful Cross, and He didn't count any of that against us.  Everything is forgiven.