In His Name
“You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in My name, He may give it to you.”—John 15:16
In the Old Testament, there was a great separation between God and man. This can be most clearly seen in the Jewish Temple. The Temple was God’s manifest dwelling place, where He would reveal His presence among men. In the Temple were certain courts where men and women could enter. Picture a target with four bands around it and God at the center. The outer layers each represent a different court. The outermost layer was called the Court of the Gentiles. Those who were not Jewish could enter into this court, but were prevented from going to the next court, and to do so meant death. The next layer was the Court of Women. Jewish women could go to this court, but like the Court of Gentiles, they could go no further under penalty of death. The third layer in was the Court of Israel. This was closer than the Court of Gentiles and the Court of Women, and this was where Jewish men could go, but like the previous two layers, they could go no further under penalty of death. The fourth and final court was the Court of Priests. This was where Jewish priests went, and no further. While the Court of Priests was the last court of the “target,” there was still a closer area known as the Holy Place. The aforementioned areas were all part of the Temple complex, while the Holy Place was actually part of the sanctuary itself. Different priests entered to discharge various duties, but no priest, except the High Priest, was allowed to enter into the most sacred area, the Holy of Holies. While the High Priest was allowed into the Holy of Holies, he was only allowed in once a year on the Day of Atonement when he would sprinkle the blood of a perfect lamb on the Ark of the Covenant, thus atoning for the sins of all Israel. The Holy of Holies was separated from the Holy Place by a beautiful thick curtain. It was an elaborately woven fabric 60 feet high and 30 feet wide and about 4 inches thick. The curtain acted as a type of barrier between man and God. Man was not allowed to enter under penalty of death, unless specifically allowed. But, when Jesus died, the utterly remarkable happened: the four-inches-thick curtain miraculously tore in two (Matthew 27:51). What did that mean? It meant that the previous barrier that was between God and us was no longer; we could have access to God the Father through Jesus Christ (Hebrews 10:20).
God doesn’t answer our prayers because of who we are, but because of who Jesus is. Jesus is the means by which we can enter God’s presence (Hebrews 9:24). By our faith in Him, we passed through the torn veil with Christ into the presence of God the Father. He is the great mediator between God and man (1 Timothy 2:5) and intercedes for us before the throne of God (Hebrews 7:25). That’s why we conclude our prayers with “In Jesus’ Name. Amen.” It’s not a magical formula, but a realization that our prayers can only be answered through Jesus’ intercession before the throne.
So pray in confidence, because we have been brought into the presence of God the Father through Jesus Christ, and because of who Jesus is, God delights in hearing and answering our prayers. Amen.
In the Old Testament, there was a great separation between God and man. This can be most clearly seen in the Jewish Temple. The Temple was God’s manifest dwelling place, where He would reveal His presence among men. In the Temple were certain courts where men and women could enter. Picture a target with four bands around it and God at the center. The outer layers each represent a different court. The outermost layer was called the Court of the Gentiles. Those who were not Jewish could enter into this court, but were prevented from going to the next court, and to do so meant death. The next layer was the Court of Women. Jewish women could go to this court, but like the Court of Gentiles, they could go no further under penalty of death. The third layer in was the Court of Israel. This was closer than the Court of Gentiles and the Court of Women, and this was where Jewish men could go, but like the previous two layers, they could go no further under penalty of death. The fourth and final court was the Court of Priests. This was where Jewish priests went, and no further. While the Court of Priests was the last court of the “target,” there was still a closer area known as the Holy Place. The aforementioned areas were all part of the Temple complex, while the Holy Place was actually part of the sanctuary itself. Different priests entered to discharge various duties, but no priest, except the High Priest, was allowed to enter into the most sacred area, the Holy of Holies. While the High Priest was allowed into the Holy of Holies, he was only allowed in once a year on the Day of Atonement when he would sprinkle the blood of a perfect lamb on the Ark of the Covenant, thus atoning for the sins of all Israel. The Holy of Holies was separated from the Holy Place by a beautiful thick curtain. It was an elaborately woven fabric 60 feet high and 30 feet wide and about 4 inches thick. The curtain acted as a type of barrier between man and God. Man was not allowed to enter under penalty of death, unless specifically allowed. But, when Jesus died, the utterly remarkable happened: the four-inches-thick curtain miraculously tore in two (Matthew 27:51). What did that mean? It meant that the previous barrier that was between God and us was no longer; we could have access to God the Father through Jesus Christ (Hebrews 10:20).
God doesn’t answer our prayers because of who we are, but because of who Jesus is. Jesus is the means by which we can enter God’s presence (Hebrews 9:24). By our faith in Him, we passed through the torn veil with Christ into the presence of God the Father. He is the great mediator between God and man (1 Timothy 2:5) and intercedes for us before the throne of God (Hebrews 7:25). That’s why we conclude our prayers with “In Jesus’ Name. Amen.” It’s not a magical formula, but a realization that our prayers can only be answered through Jesus’ intercession before the throne.
So pray in confidence, because we have been brought into the presence of God the Father through Jesus Christ, and because of who Jesus is, God delights in hearing and answering our prayers. Amen.
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