What a privilege it is to have an invitation into the presence of God. When we wake up in the morning the Father is waiting for us. Jesus sits on the throne of the universe and celebrates every time we enter the throne room. The Spirit who lives in us constantly draws us upward to experience magnificence of the holy trinity together in one place, Father, Son, and Spirit.

As we have learned, our invitation from the Father is an open invitation. Jesus opened the road that leads to the Holy of Holies and we can approach God with confidence. We can openly speak our hearts and we have the certainty that God will speak to us. We enter the presence of God without guilt or shame. We enter as those who have been made white as snow, purified by the very blood of Jesus Christ.

Because of this invitation, we should go confidently and go often to the throne of God. But we should also go with the greatest of respect for the Almighty God. The throne of God is open to us, but it is also a place of holiness and glory.

When Hebrews 10:19 and 22 talk about our access to throne of God, it says …

“Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus…let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith…”

The presence of God is called “the holy place,” which refers to the Holy of Holies described in the Old Testament temple. The Holy of Holies was at the center of the temple. It was the place of God’s presence. It was such a holy place that almost no one ever entered it for fear of death.

Once a year, the high priest would go into the Holy of Holies to atone for the sins of the people. Before going in, he would offer a blood sacrifice for his own sins and for the sins of the people committed in ignorance. When the high priest entered the Holy of Holies, a rope would be ties to his waist, so if he carried sin into the presence of the holy God and was struck dead, the other priests could pull his body out. This was holy ground.

Hebrews 9:2-7 describes it this way…

“For there was a tabernacle prepared, the outer one, in which were the lampstand and the table and the sacred bread; this is called the holy place. Behind the second veil there was a tabernacle which is called the Holy of Holies, having a golden altar of incense and the ark of the covenant covered on all sides with gold, in which was a golden jar holding the manna, and Aaron's rod which budded, and the tables of the covenant; and above it were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat; but of these things we cannot now speak in detail.

6 Now when these things have been so prepared, the priests are continually entering the outer tabernacle performing the divine worship, but into the second, only the high priest enters once a year, not without taking blood, which he offers for himself and for the sins of the people committed in ignorance.”

The high priest was not going into the holy place to hang out with God and have a conversation. He undertook his once a year duty with trepidation. He knew that there was no place more holy than the Holy of Holies, no place more holy than the presence of God, because there is no one more holy than God.

1 John 1:5 says…

“God is light and in Him there is no darkness at all!”

Stephen Charnock, in his classic work, The Existence and Attributes of God, describes the holiness of God as “…a perfect and unpolluted freedom from all evil.” He likens God’s holiness to pure gold when all of the dross has been removed. In the same way, he describes God’s nature as completely estranged from any shadow of evil. Because of His purity, God delights in everything that agrees with His will and he abhors anything contrary to His will. “As there is no darkness in His understanding, so there is no spot in His will: as His mind is possessed with all truth, so there is no deviation in His will from it. He loves all truth and goodness; he hates all falsity and evil.”

Throughout history, our greatest leaders and prophets have been completely overtaken when they encountered God. There is something truly awe-inspiring and humbling about the glory and holiness of God.

Moses was not allowed to see the face of God because it would have been too much for him to see. To see the face of God would have been to see God in all His glory. Moses would have seen God and known everything that could be known about God. It would have been so overwhelming that Moses would have died instantly.

Here is the description in Exodus 33:18-23…

18 "Then Moses said, "I pray You, show me Your glory!"

19 And He said, "I Myself will make all My goodness pass before you, and will proclaim the name of the LORD before you; and I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show compassion on whom I will show compassion."

20 But He said, "You cannot see My face, for no man can see Me and live!"

21 Then the LORD said, "Behold, there is a place by Me, and you shall stand there on the rock;

22 and it will come about, while My glory is passing by, that I will put you in the cleft of the rock and cover you with My hand until I have passed by.

23 "Then I will take My hand away and you shall see My back, but My face shall not be seen."

Isaiah feared for his life and felt the deepest anguish possible when he came face to face with God on His throne. He was completely overwhelmed and humbled before the Almighty.

Isaiah 6:1-5 says…

1 "In the year of King Uzziah's death I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, lofty and exalted, with the train of His robe filling the temple.

2 Seraphim stood above Him, each having six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew.

3 And one called out to another and said, "Holy, Holy, Holy, is the LORD of hosts, The whole earth is full of His glory."

4 And the foundations of the thresholds trembled at the voice of him who called out, while the temple was filling with smoke.

5 Then I said, "Woe is me, for I am ruined! Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I live among a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts."

Woe is the deepest cry of the heart when we are in fear of judgment, death, or annihilation.

Isaiah cries out in fear from the depths of his soul. When he sees God, he feels complete ruin. It is as if he knows that any moment he will cease to exist, that he will be consumed by the holiness and presence of the Living God.

God’s throne is not just holy, it is the Holy of Holies, the holiest of all holy places, the epitome of holiness, holier than any holiness we can experience anywhere. The triple cry, “Holy, Holy, Holy” gives God the title of ultimate holiness. There is no place as Holy as the throne and there is no one as Holy as God. The glory of God on His throne is truly awesome in its expanse. His glory cannot be contained in heaven. It goes out from His throne and covers the whole earth.

When John appeared in the presence of God, at the throne of the Almighty, he fell flat on his face and thought for certain that he was going to die.

In Revelation 1:10, 12, 17 John describes his experience…

"I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like the sound of a trumpet….Then I turned to see the voice that was speaking with me….When I saw Him, I fell at His feet like a dead man. And He placed His right hand on me, saying, 'Do not be afraid…' "

God’s throne is a place of holiness, and it is also a place of glory. It is a place where we can behold God’s splendor and beauty. We behold the complete and utter purity of God. We see light in Him and no darkness. On the throne we experience God’s glory as the visible and sensual manifestation of all that we know to be true of God.

I still remember the day 35 years ago when I was standing at the front of Belleview Acres Mennonite Brethren Church in Lakewood, CO. I looked down the aisle and there appeared the most beautiful bride that has ever graced the chapel of a church since the first day’s dawn.

When my wife, Michelle, appeared, tears filled my eyes and awe filled my heart. Her beauty was magnificent. She took my breath away with one glance. When her eyes met mine, it was as if I could see her in all her glory.

I was filled with unspeakable joy, overcome with deep gratitude, and overtaken by indescribable unworthiness. My eyes could see the radiance of her amazing beauty, and when I looked in her eyes I could see her heart and all that I knew to be true about her: her love for Jesus, her kind heart, her creative spirit. I could feel her vulnerability, transparency and love for me. It was simply overwhelming.

In the same way, the glory of God is the visible and sensual manifestation of all that He is.

In the book of Revelation, John tries to capture his experience of the glory of God.

In Revelation 4:1-11, John says…

1 "After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven, and the first voice which I had heard, like the sound of a trumpet speaking with me, said, "Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after these things."

2 Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne was standing in heaven, and One sitting on the throne.

3 And He who was sitting was like a jasper stone and a sardius in appearance; and there was a rainbow around the throne, like an emerald in appearance.

4 Around the throne were twenty-four thrones; and upon the thrones I saw twenty-four elders sitting, clothed in white garments, and golden crowns on their heads.

The Throne and Worship of the Creator

5 Out from the throne come flashes of lightning and sounds and peals of thunder. And there were seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God;

6 and before the throne there was something like a sea of glass, like crystal; and in the center and around the throne, four living creatures full of eyes in front and behind.

7 The first creature was like a lion, and the second creature like a calf, and the third creature had a face like that of a man, and the fourth creature was like a flying eagle.

8 And the four living creatures, each one of them having six wings, are full of eyes around and within; and day and night they do not cease to say, "HOLY, HOLY, HOLY is THE LORD GOD, THE ALMIGHTY, WHO WAS AND WHO IS AND WHO IS TO COME."

9 And when the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to Him who sits on the throne, to Him who lives forever and ever,

10 the twenty-four elders will fall down before Him who sits on the throne, and will worship Him who lives forever and ever, and will cast their crowns before the throne, saying,

11 "Worthy are You, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and because of Your will they existed, and were created."

If we were ushered into the presence of God on His throne, His glory would fill the room in light and colors. We would hear peals of thunder and the voice of the Almighty.

Psalm 96:6-10 says…

6 ''Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and glory are in his sanctuary.

7 Ascribe to the LORD, all you families of nations, ascribe to the LORD glory and strength.

8 Ascribe to the LORD the glory due his name; bring an offering and come into his courts.

9 Worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness; tremble before him, all the earth.

10 Say among the nations, 'The LORD reigns. ' ''

This beautiful song written for YEHOVAH says, “Worship the LORD in the splendor or in the beauty of his holiness.” The glory of God takes the holiness of God and allows us to see it, to feel it. Tremble before Him and say, “The LORD reigns.” The LORD sits on his throne and rules over the entire universe. His reign is over heaven and earth.

Since God’s throne is a throne of glory and of holiness, how then should we approach the throne? Do we approach with awe? With wonder? With fear? With respect? I do not know the answer. Because I cannot fully explain to you the God who sits on the throne, I cannot fully explain to you how we should come to the throne. I know His holiness and His glory, but His holiness and glory and beyond anything I could truly know.

Should we bow? Or fall to our knees? Should we fall down with our face to the ground? Should we lay still until He bids us to rise? I cannot tell you how you should approach the throne, but I can tell you this: Conduct yourself in a manner worthy of the holiness and glory of God. Know that He sits on His throne and rules over all. Fear the mighty power and authority of the King and understand what a privilege it is to have access to His holy and glorious throne.

WORSHIP: Take some time to prepare yourself for worship today. Remember, you are about to enter the presence of God, experience His glory, and behold His holiness. Pause, close your eyes, and humble your heart as you enter the holy place, the Holy of Holies. When you are ready, read through Psalm 96 several times and use it as the basis for your worship.

PRACTICE: A proper understanding of the glory and holiness of God changes the way we approach Him. When we know God as the holiest of all and when we experience His glory even once we will never be the same. Ask God to show you how He wants you to prepare to enter His presence. Write down anything that comes to your mind. There is not a right or wrong way to do this, there is only God’s way. Let him reveal any special instructions He has for you.

MEDITATION: From Moses to John, the great men of old were deeply touched and struck by the presence of God. Go back through each of the passages in this lesson and read them slowly. Imagine yourself there, experiencing God’s presence with each of the men. When you are done, take a blank piece of paper and write down three things that surprised you. Carry this with you all day long, or all week long. Take it out at different times to reflect on the glory and holiness of God.

ABIDING: By this time, it is very possible that the Father, your Spiritual Director, has led you to a place in Scripture where He wants you to abide. As you go back and read through this teaching one more time, ask the Father if there is anything in these passages specifically for you. Look for the things that reinforce what God is teaching you at this time. Write down anything you hear from Him. Spend some extra time listening to see if the Spirit has anything more to say to you or if there is a deeper teaching for you today. Write down whatever you hear. Ask the Father if there is someone, He wants you to share this with and follow through with His assignment.

© John Santaferraro, 2020