The biblical writers were quite adept at thinking of new ways to describe biblical concepts (presumably it helps that what they were writing was God-breathed—2Tim 2:15). The writer of Hebrews tells his readers to "Come boldly before the throne of grace" in Heb 4.16.
In the ancient world where kings were common, a throne was thought of as a seat of power, not of grace. The one who reigned had absolute power over his territory—as God certainly does. In Hebrews though, the writer describes a throne that is much different from the world's image of a throne. Here it is a throne of grace. Louw-Nida lexicon says that the word "grace" here means "good will" or "favor."
God's throne, then is a place of favor and good will, where God's people come for mercy and grace to help us when we are in need of it—and oh how we do need it.
The question then is not whether a citizen of God's territory can find grace at the throne, for it is certainly available. The question is: Are you, O Christian citizen of heaven, going to go to the throne for grace and every present help?
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