If you’ve ever tried to read through the entire Bible, you know the going gets rough in Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. I struggle through the lists of laws, rules, and regulations. The precise directions for animal sacrifices that had to be offered for a multitude of offenses is mind boggling. When I’m tempted to skip ahead, I force myself to read on because nothing has given me more of an appreciation for living as a part of the New Testament church than reading the Old Testament.
The old pointed toward the new. The old system was a temporary fix. The new system is permanent. The old system used the blood of blemish-free animals and required many sacrifices. The new system required the blood of one perfect, sinless God in flesh-the man Jesus Christ. The old system allowed only the high priests the authority to approach God. The new system allows any believer, Hebrew or Gentile, to boldly come before the throne of God. Hebrews 4:16Hebrews 4:16
English: Contemporary English Version (1999) - CEV
16 So whenever we are in need, we should come bravely before the throne of our merciful God. There we will be treated with undeserved kindness, and we will find help.
WP-Bible plugin puts it this way, “Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.” What freedom! We can approach God for forgiveness of sins and ask for His power in our lives any time!
This brings us to Ephesians, Paul’s letter to the Gentiles in the church at Ephesus. Unlike many of Paul’s letters to various churches, this one was not written to confront problems in the church but rather to encourage believers and strengthen them. Early manuscripts of this letter do not include the words “in Ephesus” so this was probably a circular letter-first sent to Ephesus but then circulated to other local churches. This is a letter of unity, reminding early Christians that we are one in Christ with all other believers.
In chapter 3, Paul prays for the early believers. “I pray that out of His glorious riches He may strengthen you with power through His Spirit in your inner beings so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge….”
The Life Application Study Bible explains it this way. “God’s love is total. It reaches ever corner of our experience. It is wide-it covers the breadth of our experiences, and it reaches the whole world. God’s love is long-it continues the length of our lives. It is high-it reaches to the heights of our celebration and elation. His love is deep-it reaches to the depths of discouragement, despair, and even death.”
The love of God is a constant reminder of His presence in our hearts any time we feel shut out or isolated in this world. And if God is for us, even Satan can’t stand against us. What power! What love!
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