Sapphire: Welcome to the Inner Courts
Sapphire.
I have been seeing sapphire lately, and I would like to share one of those encounters with you.
Worship had just begun. I no longer remember which song was playing, but during the second song, I saw a vision in my mind.
A man was standing in what appeared to be a vast, circular room. There were no visible walls, yet somehow I knew the room was circular. As the man took a step forward, the floor beneath his feet became sapphire blue.
Before him stood a throne, and Jesus was seated upon it.
Then I heard:
“Welcome to the inner courts.”
The music continued to play. During worship, I often fold my arms or hold my hands together. It reminds me that I am still on the earth—that I am still standing in a room filled with other people. It is also a way of creating a quiet space where I can focus on the Lord while worshipping alongside other believers.
The final song that morning was Refiner, which seemed fitting in light of the sapphire imagery.
Exodus 24:10 AMPC says:
And they saw the God of Israel [that is, a convincing manifestation of His presence], and under His feet it was like pavement of bright sapphire stone, like the very heavens in clearness.
The vision seemed to align with this verse. They saw a convincing manifestation of God’s presence, and beneath His feet was something like pavement made of bright sapphire—clear as the heavens.
Throughout Scripture, sapphire is connected with the manifestation of God’s glory. It can also point to the purity of a priestly heart and to the strength of the foundation God establishes in seasons of restoration.
A Pure Heart
Sapphire was among the precious stones placed upon the high priest’s breastpiece. The priest carried the names of Israel over his heart as he came before the Lord.
In a similar way, as we open the gates of our hearts to God, we allow Him to cleanse us and prepare a dwelling place for His presence.
There is a tension between practicing righteousness and resting in the righteousness Christ has already purchased for us through His blood. We do not pursue purity to earn access to God. We pursue purity because Christ has already brought us near, and we desire to reflect the One who now lives within us.
He cleanses our hearts, refines our motives, and transforms us from one degree of glory to another.
A Strong Foundation
In Exodus 24, the Lord’s feet rested upon what appeared to be pavement made of sapphire.
The sapphire pavement carried the weight of the manifestation of His glory. In the vision, it seemed to represent a meeting place between heaven and earth—a foundation beneath those who carry the presence of God and stand before His throne.
God is establishing strong foundations within His people: foundations clear as the heavens, purified by His presence, and strong enough to carry what He desires to release through them.
The Kingdom Is Within You
Luke 17:20–21 AMPC says:
Asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He replied to them by saying, The kingdom of God does not come with signs to be observed or with visible display,
Nor will people say, Look! Here [it is]! or, See, [it is] there! For behold, the kingdom of God is within you [in your hearts] and among you [surrounding you].
Luke 17:20–21 TPT says:
Jesus was once asked by the Jewish religious leaders, “When will God’s kingdom come?” Jesus responded, “God’s kingdom does not come simply by obeying principles or waiting for signs. The kingdom is not discovered in one place or another, for God’s kingdom realm is already expanding within some of you.”
We do not need to look far for the Kingdom, because the Kingdom of God is already within us.
We do not have to spend our lives chasing encounters somewhere outside ourselves. We can begin by turning our attention toward the One who already dwells within us.
His Kingdom is expanding within us.
His Kingdom is expanding among us.
And His Kingdom is expanding through us to surround us.
I believe the Heavenly Father is saying that there is a call to separate ourselves from the ways of the world and come more fully into His Kingdom.
There is also an invitation to enter the inner courts of heaven. We have been made worthy to enter through the blood of the Lamb. The Lord continues to purify us and transform us from one degree of glory to another.
We have been invited to be seated with Christ in the heavenly realms—to remove our sandals and step onto the solid foundation of the sapphire pavement.
We are being called into purity: to have clean hands, pure hearts, and the clarity of sapphire.
The invitation is before us:
Enter the inner courts.
And here's the Heart of the Heavenly Father (Watch and Read along)
