Into His Presence

Sermon: “Into His Presence”
By Steven D. Niswonger

Scripture Reference: Psalm 84:1-5, 10

David was a man who recognized the value of being in the presence of God. He stated that his “heart and [his] flesh cry out for the living God.” David longed to be in the presence of the Almighty, but was never allowed to be because that was the right and role of the priest alone. Instead, he had to settle for being in the courts of the Lord. Still his heart cried out for a touch, for just a moment in the presence of God. David dwelt in the house of the Lord, but could never know the presence of God. He longed to get past the outer courts and into the Holy of Holies…but he was never allowed.

Today we know and believe in the power of God’s salvation. We know that God honors the prayer of repentance. We know that God washes away our sin in baptism. We know that God fills us with the Holy Ghost when we seek after Him with a pure heart. These things are necessary. These things are valuable. But these are a means to an end. That end is a communion with God and a life lived in His presence. That is what God intends for us.

The Old Testament Temple was full of symbols that would foreshadow God’s plan of salvation and His plan for our life after salvation. The outer court of the Temple was the place of sacrifice and purification. When entering in through the gates of the Temple, the first thing you would come to was the Brazen Altar. The Altar was a place of reflection, a place of recognition, and a place of sorrow. This was the place of repentance. Repentance takes reflection and recognition so that we can see our need for God’s salvation. It is only when we see ourselves as sinners that we see how truly powerless we are to change our situation. After this recognition, sorrow comes at the realization of our trespass against God. This Godly sorrow leads us to repentance. We come to the Altar…the place of death…and we die to our old way of life.

After the Altar, there was the Laver. The Laver was a large pool of water. This was the place of cleansing. After the sacrifice at the Altar, the priests would be filthy and would need to be cleansed before entering into the presence of God. They would completely immerse themselves in the Laver, cleansing them of all the filth in which they were covered. The Laver represents baptism. This is the place of cleansing and preparation. Repentance shows us that we are filthy and makes us want to be clean; baptism cleanses us of the sins that we have committed. It was only after the priest had experience the Altar and the Laver that he was allowed to enter into the presence of God…the Holy of Holies.

Only once a year was the priest allowed into the presence of God. He had served day after day, longed day after day, and was allowed one day in the presence of God. The death of Jesus and His offering of blood unleashed the presence of God in this world. Now, He manifests Himself in the Holy Ghost and has made Himself available to all who would seek. The gift of salvation…repentance, baptism, the infilling of the Holy Ghost…gives us unlimited access to the Throne of God.

What have we done with this gift? David was happy to sit in the courts of God, outside of God’s presence, because that is all he was allowed to have. Too many today, even the saved, are happy with David’s experience. But even David’s heart and flesh cried out for something more…something that he could not have, but is available to each of us. We can do what David could not. We can get past the Altar, past the Laver, past the ceremony of religion, and into the very presence of God. He waits for us to cry out for Him, to yearn for Him. He waits for the day that we will learn to live in His presence and will push through every obstacle to reach Him.

Are you ready to enter into His presence?