I think verse 22 of Hebrews 10:19-25 is the most important part of the passage. If we don’t understand what he means by the words “draw near” I think we miss the whole thing. So what does it mean?

Drawing near has the idea of proximity, right? He is calling for us to get closer. The question is where and how? We need here is a definition here. And I think there’s a story to help us.

Exodus 20 and the Mountain

I think we should compare this command to “draw near” with a scene of the people of Israel in the Old Testament. It’s back in Exodus 20. Moses has just led the people of Israel out of their slavery in Egypt. They have crossed the Red Sea and in Exodus 19 they have come to Mount Sinai.

So the people are encamped around the mountain and Moses goes up to the mountain to hear from the LORD.  And the LORD tells him, Exodus 19:4-6 —

“You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself. 5) Now therefore, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine; 6) and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. These are the words that you shall speak to the people of Israel.”

Then God tells Moses to tell the people, “I am coming to you in a thick cloud, that the people may hear when I speak with you, and may also believer you forever.” He says that when the trumpet sounds a long blast that they should come up to the mountain (v. 13).  So Moses tells the people, and then the trumpet sounds, and it gets louder and louder, and the people don’t go up the mountain. In fact, this is there response, Exodus 20:18-21,

“Now when all the people saw the thunder and the flashes of lightning and the sound of the trumpet and the mountain smoking, the people were afraid and trembled, and they stood far off 19) and said to Moses, “You speak to us, and we will listen; but do not let God speak to us, lest we die.” 20) Moses said to the people, “Do not fear, for God has come to test you, that the fear of him may be before you, that you may not sin.” 21) The people stood far off, while Moses drew near to the thick darkness where God was.”

So God has told the people to draw near, but instead they “stand far off.” Now, we saw in 19:4-5 and God has told them: I am your God, you are my people. I saved you from Egypt. You are a treasured possession to me, a kingdom of priests. In other words, God has saved the people from their slavery and has called them into a relationship with him. He’s saying, I saved you, come be in relationship with me. Fellowship with me.

But when the time came for the people to draw near they stand off and say, “no, Moses, you draw near. We can’t be close to this God, we can’t hear him speak.” And Moses tells them that they fear God the wrong way. The people are sinful to the point that they’re unbelief deafens them to the very call of God to draw near in relationship.

Our Definition

And we come to Hebrews 10 and see the same words, “draw near.” Here’s our definition: draw near means to live in a rich God-accomplished relationship with God.

Rich … (v. 22a)

It’s a rich relationship, not a mechanical relationship. Now maybe we have a relationship with God in that we know, “okay, Jesus died for me. God is my father. I am his child. Yes. Got it.” But we are told to draw near “with a true heart in full assurance of faith.” This is a full and rich and satisfying relationship, a sweet relationship, one that feels real.

God-accomplished … (v. 22b)

Now the God-accomplished relationship part is really important. This relationship we’re called to is not us building a tower, or climbing stairs, or somehow trying to maneuver our way to get close to him.

Notice the language, we are to draw near “with our hearts sprinkled clean from a evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.” This echoes the New Covenant, and at least one takeaway here is the God-centeredness of this work in the New Covenant.

The promise of the New Covenant is that it’s God writing his law on our hearts and in our minds (v. 18; cf. Jer. 31:33), he’s giving us his Spirit and cleansing us from sin. The point is that God has initiated. He has given the invitation. He has effected the salvation. And more than saving us from slavery in Egypt, God tells us to draw near to him because of the relationship he has accomplished for us by the blood of Jesus.

So there it is. Now, what actually keeps us from drawing near? I’ll follow this post up with some thoughts on “drawing near” inhibitions.