Before The Throne of God Above

Originally published as “Advocate” by Irish poet Charitie Lees Smith Bancroft in 1863. It gained some popularity through the 1870s and was published in 1884 in Charles Spurgeon’s “Our Own Hymn Book”. But after that, it seemingly got lost in the shuffle for nearly 100 years. It reappeared in a few hymnals in the 1970s. Later, in 1997, Vicki Cook of Sovereign Grace Music put the poem to new music, and through subsequent recordings by various artists, it regained popularity.

If you read the news, listen to the radio, watch the news, or even talk to your neighbor… you are aware that the world is not perfect. While that may be the understatement of the century, we live in and with pain, struggle, tragedy, and everything else. Certainly, there is positive news, but it’s often overshadowed no matter how hard we try to focus on it. For example, during Covid, Ryan Reynolds started a hugely popular YouTube channel called “Some Good News”. It lasted 9 episodes and hasn’t been restarted. Maybe we just love bad news more?

Regardless of whether we live or die for drama in our lives, there is no shortage of it to go around. So what do we do with everything on our minds and on our hearts? How do we process it all? Through prayer. Seems silly to say it, but how often do we need to be reminded of that? This song reminds us that we have an advocate in Jesus.

As the writer of Hebrews points out, (Hebrews 8:1-2) “….we have such a high priest, one who is seated at the right hand of the the throne of the Majesty in heaven, a minister in the holy places, in the true tent that the Lord setup, not man.” Of course, that person is Jesus the Son of God.

Before the throne of God above
I have a strong, a perfect plea;
a great High Priest, whose name is Love,
who ever lives and pleads for me.
My name is graven on his hands,
my name is written on his heart;
I know that while in heaven he stands
no tongue can bid me thence depart,
no tongue can bid me thence depart.

The first verse gives reference to a number of scriptures.  In Hebrews 6:19-20 we read, “We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.”

In Romans 8:34 Paul says, “…Christ Jesus is the one who died – more than that, who was raised – who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.”

Isaiah 49:16 says, “Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands.”

Finally, in Romans 8:1, we find the reason for the last lyric of this verse: “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”

When Satan tempts me to despair
and tells me of the guilt within,
upward I look, and see him there
who made an end of all my sin.
Because the sinless Savior died,
my sinful soul is counted free;
for God the Just is satisfied
to look on him and pardon me,
to look on him and pardon me.

In Hebrews 4:14-16 we read, “Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

Behold him there! the risen Lamb,
my perfect, spotless righteousness;
the great unchangeable “I AM,”
the King of glory and of grace!
One with himself, I cannot die,
my soul is purchased by his blood;
my life is hid with Christ on high,
with Christ my Savior and my God,
with Christ my Savior and my God.

God allowed Stephen to peer into heaven just before he was stoned. Paul records this in Acts 7:55-56, “But he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. And he said, ‘Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.'”

In closing, I’m reminded of Psalm 63:1-4 O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water. So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary, beholding your power and glory. Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you. So I will bless you as long as I live; in your name, I will lift up my hands.”

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