The Throne of Grace

 

 

 

“Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace,
that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”

Hebrews 4:16

The First Context (2:9 – 3:6) … Jesus in His Person

  1. Jesus is crowned with glory and honor and fulfills what David wrote in Ps 8:4-8 (Heb 2:9).
  2. The Captain of our salvation, in this world and the next, became so by suffering (Heb 2:10).
  3. He took upon Himself our nature, so that we are all as one, so we are brethren (Heb 2:11-13).
  4. We are flesh and blood, so Jesus took our nature to destroy Satan’s death claim (Heb 2:14).
  5. He has delivered us from the greatest fear and bondage of all – death of the body (Heb 2:15).
  6. He was made in all ways like His brethren – us – to be a perfect high priest for us (Heb 2:17).
  7. Because He suffered temptation, He can succour (help) us when we are tempted (Heb 2:18).
  8. He is the great Person of N.T. Christianity, very far above Moses of the O.T. (Heb 3:1-5).
  9. We are Christ’s … if we hold fast our confidence and rejoicing in hope to the end (Heb 3:6).
  10. [Hebrews 3:7 – 4:11 is a parenthesis taken from Psalm 95:7-11, describing the N.T. rest.]

The Second Context (4:12 – 5:3) … Jesus in His Compassion

  1. Jesus is the omniscient and omnipotent Word of God, causing both fear and joy (Heb 4:12).
  2. His omniscient power is used to help our weaknesses and to exploit our enemies (Heb 4:13).
  3. The greatness of Jesus Christ should cause us to reject any thought of desertion (Heb 4:14).
  4. The greatness of Jesus Christ as High Priest includes His experience in our pain (Heb 4:15).
  5. Priests are chosen from among ordinary worshippers to be very compassionate (Heb 5:1-3).

The Third Context (5:4-10) … Jesus in His Passion

  1. Jesus did not presume on His office of High Priest, but God chosen Him to it (Heb 5:4-6).
  2. Jesus has endured suffering you will never face, and He obediently chose death (Heb 5:7-8).
  3. His glorification after suffering makes Him the perfect Author of our salvation (Heb 5:9-10).

The Text (4:16)

Let

  1. This imperative verb construction could be formed, “Therefore, you should come boldly …”
  2. Other similar examples can be found in this very chapter of Hebrews (Hebrews 4:1,11,14).
  3. The Holy Spirit’s choice is much more friendly and encouraging, as Paul included himself.

Us

  1. Paul has appealed to all believers including himself with this same pronoun (Heb 4:1,11,14).
  2. Only the elect, believing children of God can approach the throne of God for grace (Heb 3:1).

Therefore

  1. What is the “therefore,” there for? By His experience to sympathize perfectly (Heb 4:15)!
  2. Consider the various contexts above, with the emphasis on 4:15. Our text is the conclusion.
  3. We should conclude from the comparisons and descriptions before, to run to Christ in prayer.

Come

  1. We must move … from our worldly environment to another place … where God is (Col 3:1).
  2. From the end of the earth we can go to the throne room of Almighty God (Ps 43:3-4; 61:1-4).
  3. We do this by worship and by His word, but most of all by prayer in the Spirit (Phil 4:6).
  4. Esther could not approach her king’s throne without an invitation. But this is our invitation!
  5. How should you come? With total humility and submission to Him alone (Hosea 14:1-7)!

Boldly

  1. We cannot fear; we cannot doubt. We should come boldly to our Father God (Heb 10:19-22).
  2. We should come as adopted children, whom He gladly adopted when yet ugly and unruly!
  3. Boldly? On what basis? On the basis that Jesus has also suffered like us (Heb 2:17-18; 4:15).
  4. Hezekiah feared to approach his king’s throne with a sad face for a real need (Neh 2:1-2).
  5. But we have a great High Priest that is perfectly suited for us to come to God through Him.

Unto

  1. It is a place … where Christ sits at God’s right hand, and we take His way (Heb 10:19-22).
  2. We set our affection on things above where Christ sits by the prayer of faith (Col 3:1-2).

The

  1. There are not many thrones or other thrones to which we can go, but only to the true God’s.
  2. This is no average throne, or even a great throne. This is the infinite throne of Almighty God.
  3. This is no average throne, or even a great throne. This is the throne of grace, that is, Grace!
  4. They that observe lying vanities, or other sources of help than Almighty God Himself, forsake their own mercy (Jonah 2:8-9)! What was this man’s salvation? From a fishy mess!

Throne

  1. It is a throne, for we are going to the Command Center of God Almighty over the universe.
  2. It is a throne, because we are going to the King of kings and Lord of lords – God Almighty.
  3. It is a throne, so there should be no doubt as to ability, power, or influence to fully help us.
  4. Whose throne? The throne of Almighty God, with Jesus Christ our High Priest seated beside Him (Heb 1:3; 8:1; 10:12; 12:2; Acts 7:56; Rom 8:34; Eph 1:20-22; Rev 3:21).

Of

  1. Is it a throne of terror? Of unmitigated justice? Of just reward for our sins? No! No! No!
  2. Any throne worthy of the name should intimidate those approaching it … except this one.
  3. This is a King against Whom there is no rising up (Pr 30:31), but we may come boldly!

Grace

  1. Do not wait until you are better to come, for it is a throne of grace – demerited favor of God.
  2. A king’s wrath is as the roaring of a lion, but his favor is as dew upon the grass (Pr 19:12)!
  3. Esther feared to approach her king’s throne. They fasted three days and nights (Es 4:15-17).
  4. The grace and mercy should be seen in light of the therefore, by 4:15 … practical mercy for trying situations and pain in life, whether caused by our sins, others’ sins, or a sinful world.
  5. Consider the practical application of mercy for various trials of life (James 5:11; 3:17; Phil 2:27; II Cor 4:1; Rom 12:8; Luke 18:39; 17:13; 10:37; 1:58; Matt 17:15; 15:22; 12:7; Dan 4:27; Is 30:18-26; Pr 14:31,21; Ps 109:16; 103:6-18; 41:4; 37:21; Job 37:13; Neh 13:22; 1:11; Ezra 9:9; 7:27-28; Ex 15:13; Gen 43:14; 39:21; 24:27; etc.).
  6. The practical use of grace or gracious (Genesis 43:29; Exodus 22:27; Num 6:24-27; etc.).
  7. The practical use of gracious and merciful in combination (Psalm 116:1-9; Joel 2:12-14).
  8. God’s throne is a throne of justice to the wicked, but favor to the righteous (Ps 34:15-16).

That

  1. We pray with purpose. We do not pray merely from habit or ritual, but to arouse our God!
  2. He honors the purpose, for He has warned that we often have not for not asking (James 4:2)!
  3. If He prayed with strong crying and tears, do not forget your privilege to fast (I Cor 7:5).
  4. Our eyes wait on the LORD our God for mercy as servants and handmaidens (Psalm 123:2).

We

  1. Fools and the wicked can call all they want, but He will not hear their cries (Psalm 18:41; Prov 1:28; 15:8; 28:9; Isaiah 1:15).
  2. It is His delight to hear and answer the prayers of His elect, who faithfully call upon Him.

May

  1. “And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive” (Matt 21:22).
  2. No good thing will He withhold … He will give the heart’s desire … (Psalm 37:4; 84:11).

Obtain

  1. He has perfect knowledge of our needs before we even ask them of Him (Matthew 6:8,32).
  2. We will obtain … if we come boldly believing (I Tim 2:8; Mark 11:23-24; James 1:6-8)!
  3. Blessing and favor have already been purchased for us by the redemptive work of Christ.
  4. We have been adopted as the sons of God, so it is His good pleasure to give us good things.

Mercy

  1. The grace and mercy should be seen in light of the therefore, by 4:15 … practical mercy for trying situations and pain in life, whether caused by our sins, others sins, or a sinful world.
  2. Mercy upholds the king’s throne … thus the throne of Almighty God and Christ (Pr 20:28)!
  3. Consider the practical application of mercy for life’s trials (James 5:11; 3:17; Phil 2:27; II Cor 4:1; Rom 12:8; Luke 18:39; 17:13; 10:37; 1:58; Matt 17:15; 15:22; 12:7; Dan 4:27; Is 30:18-26; Pr 14:31,21; Ps 109:16; 103:6-18; 41:4; 37:21; Job 37:13; Neh 13:22; 1:11; Ezra 9:9; 7:27-28; Ex 15:13; Gen 43:14; 39:21; 24:27; etc.).
  4. The practical use of grace or gracious (Genesis 43:29; Exodus 22:27; Num 6:24-27; etc.).
  5. The practical use of gracious and merciful in combination (Psalm 116:1-9; Joel 2:12-14).

And

  1. It is not only mercy, but merciful graciousness that helps us, as we see in the coming words.
  2. There is no redundancy in the Spirit’s choice of words. We should rejoice in the repetition.

Find

  1. We should expect His comfort and help, for He has our tears in His bottle (Psalm 56:8).
  2. The psalms are filled with David crying for help and obtaining it from the Lord. Use them!
  3. We will not seek in vain, for He guarantees success, if we come in faith (Jer 29:13; Pr 8:17).

Grace

  1. Bathsheba feared before David her king, but she obtained her heart’s desire (I Kgs 1:15-16).
  2. The grace and mercy should be seen in light of the therefore, by 4:15 … practical mercy for trying situations and pain in life, whether caused by our sins, others sins, or a sinful world.
  3. Consider the practical application of mercy for life’s trials (James 5:11; 3:17; Phil 2:27; II Cor 4:1; Rom 12:8; Luke 18:39; 17:13; 10:37; 1:58; Matt 17:15; 15:22; 12:7; Dan 4:27; Is 30:18-26; Pr 14:31,21; Ps 109:16; 103:6-18; 41:4; 37:21; Job 37:13; Neh 13:22; 1:11; Ezra 9:9; 7:27-28; Ex 15:13; Gen 43:14; 39:21; 24:27; etc.).
  4. The practical use of grace or gracious (Genesis 43:29; Exodus 22:27; Num 6:24-27; etc.).
  5. The practical use of gracious and merciful in combination (Psalm 116:1-9; Joel 2:12-14).

To

  1. There is grace implied or spoken or theoretically, but then there is grace that helps. Consider!
  2. We need God’s grace through Christ for a reason … because we are in need of gracious help.

Help

  1. Our friends are often like Job’s friends, worthless comforters, but not Jesus Christ, for He has suffered difficulties and can succour, or help, us in any situation (Heb 4:15; 2:16-18).
  2. When you think you need no help, you had better think again, very soberly (I Cor 10:12).

In

  1. While we always have needs, if we are sober, there are also special times of greater needs.
  2. It is during these times we are pressed by necessity to realize greater dependency on grace.

Time

  1. In time of need, you must have a king that can relate, has the power to help, and will help.
  2. There are times of need more pressing than other times, and every year of living proves it.
  3. A time coming for each of us … the physical and eternal aspects of death (II Tim 1:18).

Of

  1. We have good times and bad times, and we must consider both very carefully (Eccl 7:14).
  2. We live many days, months, and years … but there are desperate times of need for His grace.

Need

  1. If you do not need His help right now (though you surely do), you will certainly need it soon.
  2. What do you need? Consider wisdom. He gives it liberally without upbraiding (James 1:5).

Conclusion:

  1. Have you tasted that the Lord is gracious, then you know the throne of grace works (I Pet 2:3)?
  2. Sing of the throne of grace, which we shall not always need … A Throne of Grace (Ingram Cubbin).