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Examples in the Bible

of People Who Entered the

Throne Room of God

—to stand before the Lord before they died

King David on Drawing Near the Throne of God 

King David wrote of being thirsty for God. He also told us how he "came to God" to fill his desires:

"O God, You are my God; I shall seek You earnestly; My soul thirsts for You, my flesh yearns for You, In a dry and weary land where there is no water. Thus I have seen You in the sanctuary, To see Your power and Your glory" (Ps. 63:1,2).

King David had a thirsty soul. He understood, that earthly things and relationships were not enough to quench his thirst for God. He lived in a "dry and weary land" and wanted more. So, David quenched his thirst by entering the "sanctuary" and drawing near to God. The verse above says he drew close enough to God to quench his thirst by "seeing" the power and glory of His God. Then, three verses later he says, "My soul is satisfied as with marrow and fatness, And my mouth offers praises with joyful lips" (Psa. 63:5). It worked for David to draw near and "drink" from God. It will work for you!

King David spoke much about entering into the throne room of God and staying there. David said, "One thing I have asked from the Lord, that I shall seek: That I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, To behold the beauty of the Lord And to meditate in His temple. For in the day of trouble He will conceal me in His tabernacle; In the secret place of His tent He will hide me; He will lift me up on a rock" (Psalm 27:4,5). 

You too can draw near by entering the throne room of God. The Bible says, "Let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace" (Heb. 4:16). What about David? Was he talking about entering a physical sanctuary in this example? He was not. It was Hebrew law that kings were not allowed inside the tabernacle—only the priests. We know he did go inside the tabernacle one time, but that was because he and his men were in need of food (Mark 2:25,26). This brief visit cannot account for the depth of what is expressed above and other places throughout the book of Psalm (see also Ps. 27:4,5 and 93:12-13). 

It was in a spiritual sense that David entered the sanctuary to fill his desire for God. When Jesus told us, "come to Me," He was talking about our need to enter the throne room and stand before Him, just like David did.

Abraham

King David wasn’t the only one in scripture to apply the principle of drawing near to God in this way. Abraham told his servant to go and find a wife for his son, but the servant was unsure about whether he would be successful. Abraham was able to respond with great confidence. Listen now to why Abraham was so confident, "The Lord, before whom I have walked, will send His angel with you to make your journey successful" (Gen. 24:40b). Your basis for confidence can and should be the same. 

Walking "before the Lord" was an important spiritual activity for Abraham. The context of the Old Testament makes that clear.  

Of Elijah, Elisha and Standing Before the Lord

Consider Elijah’s words about being before the Lord, "Now Elijah...said to Ahab, ‘As the Lord, the God of Israel lives, before whom I stand, surely there shall be neither dew nor rain these years, except by my word.’" (1 Kings 17:1). Elijah was confident because he was standing before the Lord. That he was one who stood before the Lord appears to have been what Elijah felt was the most significant characteristic about himself, "Elijah said, ‘As the Lord of hosts lives, before whom I stand, I will surely show myself to him today" (1 Kings 18:15).

Elisha was Elijah’s disciple. It is recorded two times in scripture that Elisha describing himself in the same way as his teacher, "As the Lord lives, before whom I stand" (2 Kings 5:16). On the other occasion, Elisha had to explain to king Jehoshaphat that, because of standing before the Lord, it was only out of respect that he even saw the king: "...As the Lord of hosts lives, before whom I stand, were it not that I regard the presence of Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, I would not look at you nor see you." (2 Kings 3:14). In a way that was more real than most Christians care to imagine, Elisha kept His spiritual eyes on God! We can do the same. With all of these men, their confidence—even their identity—was tied to his being one "who stands before the Lord."

I am convinced that the secrete to the power of God in the lives of Elijah and Elisha was that they stood before the Lord. Ask most any Christian and they will tell you that they have access to the Father. But, do Christians today take advantage of their access to the Father like those who have gone before us? Do you? You could. This principle applies to us just as much as it did with David, Abraham, Elijah, and Elisha.

Angels Before the Throne

The angels stand before God too. When the angel spoke to Zacharias who was John the Baptist’s father, he described himself as, "I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God" (Luke 1:19). Right then—at that very moment—while he was speaking to Zacharias the angel was before the Lord. That they stand before God is why they shine with the glory of God. Jesus said, "See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that their angels in heaven continually see the face of My Father who is in heaven." (Matthew 18:10). Though the angels are here with us, they never leave the throne room of God. They keep looking at the Lord. We aren’t angels, but Elisha, David, and others, did something that was similar. Those men were human just like us.

Much more is possible for us Christians than what is commonly accepted. You can learn to enter and stay before the Lord. In the case of the angels, if the leave their "proper abode" they fall under judgment from God (Jude 1:6 ). Some day I hope that the quality of my "abiding" grows to the place where I shine like Moses (Exo. 34:29), or like Steven (Acts 6:15). I am convinced the possibility is real for you too.

Old Testament Priests

The Old Testament priests were to stand before the Lord, "the Levitical priests...shall come near to Me to minister to Me" (Ezekiel 44:15). It was while standing before the Lord that they were to do the work of service (Deut. 10:8). We should do the same thing because we too are priests. The Bible says of Jesus, "He has made us to be a kingdom, priests to His God and Father to Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen." (Rev. 1:6). Therefore, this next verse applies directly to us, "My sons, do not be negligent now, for the Lord has chosen you to stand before Him, to minister to Him, and to be His ministers" (2 Chron. 29:11a).

Jesus is God, but also fully man. While He was on earth, He had to depend on the Father just like us. Someone once said, "Jesus came to show us what a man filled with God is like." We should learn from His example. I believe Jesus was standing before the Father when Peter, James, and John went with Him up on the mountain and saw Him, "...radiant and exceedingly white..." (Mark 9:1-8). Consider His words about our being with Him, "where I am."

Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. He who loves his life loses it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it to life eternal. If anyone serves Me, he must follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also" (John 12:24-26).

Look again at the last line in those verses. When Jesus said, "where I am," I think He was referring to His being in the throne room standing before the Father—in the same way as what we need to do. When Jesus prayed in the garden, His disciples were with Him, but that wasn’t enough. Jesus wanted more. He wanted His disciples to be with Him "where I am," so that by being in the throne room, they too could see the glory given Him from before the world began: "Father, I desire that they...be with Me where I am, so that they may see My glory which You have given Me...before the foundation of the world." (John 17:24; see also John 14:3). He also said, "Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me" (John 14:11). I think Jesus applied the principle of "abiding" in the same way as King David, Elijah, and Elisha. We should do the same.

King David often wrote of himself being like a lush green tree planted in the throne room before the Lord: "But as for me, I am like a green olive tree in the house of God" (Psalm 52:8a). He also wrote, "The righteous man will flourish like the palm tree, He will grow like a cedar in Lebanon. Planted in the house of the Lord, They will flourish in the courts of our God. They will still yield fruit in old age; They shall be full of sap and very green," (Psalm 92:12-14).

Similar to David, Jesus referred to Himself in the same way: "For if they do these things in the green tree, what will happen in the dry?" (Luke 23:31). He spoke the words below to a Hebrew woman on the side of the street, when He was carrying His cross to be crucified. I think as Jesus spoke these words to the woman He was feeling sorry for the future of Jerusalem. Jerusalem was destroyed seventy years later. In other words, if the Jews, who were "dry" and without the Holy Spirit, could crucify the King of the Jews who was standing before the Father—even then, consider what would happen to their nation for doing so. There is another place Jesus is referred to as a green tree. There it is said that His fruit is for the healing of nations (Rev. 22:2).

The prophet Ezekiel wrote about people, like you and I, being like trees: "By the river on its bank, on one side and on the other, will grow all kinds of trees...Their leaves will not wither and their fruit will not fail. They will bear every month because their water flows from the sanctuary, and their fruit will be for food and their leaves for healing." (Ezekiel 47:12). I especially like that it says their leaves are for healing because their water flows from the sanctuary of God. Consider the verses below showing a relationship between trees and end times.

Then He told them a parable: ‘Behold the fig tree and all the trees; as soon as they put forth leaves, you see it and know for yourselves that summer is now near. So you also, when you see these things happening, recognize that the kingdom of God is near. Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all things take place’ (Luke 21:29-32).

Could it be that "all the trees" during the last days refers to those who enter, stand before the Lord, and who drink water that "flows from the sanctuary" of God?

Entering the throne room and staying before the Lord may be a new idea to you. Or, you may already sense God’s desire that you draw near. You may also feel alone in your quest. It won’t always be like that. As time goes on, more and more people will join you.

And it will come about in the last days That the mountain of the house of the Lord Will be established as the chief of the mountains...And the peoples will stream to it. Many nations will come and say, ‘Come and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord And to the house...That He may teach us about His ways And that we may walk in His paths’ (Micah 4:1,2).

Again let me emphasize that entering the throne room and standing before the Lord is right. Even though the thought of doing so may be frightening to you drawing near in this way, is the safest thing you could do. God is good. It is best that you trust Him.

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I am praying for the Lord's abundant blessing on your efforts to direct your heart toward Him.

Barry.

     Come and Drink — Continued...

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(C) Barry Hall 1999

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