The significance of the veil that was rent asunder at the death of Jesus Christ

When our blessed Lord was crucified on the cross, miraculous events took place. The bible tells us, that for the space of three hours, darkness covered the earth, and after he yielded up his spirit: the earth shook and the rocks were split. The tombs were opened, and many bodies of the saints which had fallen asleep were raised back to life, and they entered the holy city of Jerusalem and appeared to many. One of the Roman soldiers who witnessed these miracles, suddenly cried out and said, 'Truly this Man was the Son of God" (Matthew 27; 54). But one of the most important event that is oftentimes overlooked which took place at the death of Jesus Christ on the cross of calvary, is in respect to the veil that separated the holy place from the most holy place. The thick curtain that separated the holy place from the holy of holies was torn into twain when Jesus gave up the ghost: And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit. And behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth shook and the rocks were split (Matthew 27: 50-51). So the question that might be asked is that, who ripped the veil from top to bottom, and for what purpose was it rend asunder?

In the history of the Jewish people, the temple played a significant role in their religious life and in their relationship with God. The temple was the place where sacrifices for sin took place. Priests offered sacrifices for sin on a daily basis to atone for the sins of the people in the holy place (Hebrews 10; 11), but only the high Priest was mandated once every year to enter within the veil into the innermost chamber to make reconciliation for the sins of the people (Hebrews 9; 7). "Josephus was a Jewish historian who recorded that the veil which separated the holy place from the most holy place was four inches thick. He says that the veil was ripped from top to bottom the very moment Jesus expired, and that could only have happened as ordained by God himself". No one could rend asunder the thick veil save God alone. Through the death of Christ, the veil was supernaturally torn apart from top to bottom. This event is significant because it marked the end of the sacrificial system under the old covenant. The once and for all time sacrifice of Christ was more than sufficient to atone for the sins of his people. The blood of a lamb without blemish, the sacerdotal work of earthly priests and the high priest, the mercyseat, the thick veil, the ark of the covenant and the rest are no longer necessary, because the true Lamb has been slain for us (Revelation 5; 6). The sacrificial system were types and shadows, but Jesus is the body of those types and shadows. Those animal sacrifices were prophetic symbols that pointed to the coming and work of the antitype, the substance of those types and shadows, who is none other than Jesus Christ himself (Colossians 2; 17). 

The death of Jesus Christ brought an end to those animal sacrifices, because those sacrifices were in themselves powerless to permanently expiate the sins of the people and to pacify their conscience. Jesus Christ alone fulfilled the law to the uttermost, therefore there is no need for any more sacrifices for sin. The old covenant is done away with, it is obsolete, we under the new covenant established on better promises of which Jesus is the Mediator (Hebrews 8; 6). The torn veil is also very significant because it signifies that the way into the holy of holies has been opened to us all. Under the law, the high Priest represented us before God, but now we have unlimited access into the very presence of God. Sin was a stumbling block which hindered us from the presence of God, but the debt of sin has now been fully paid through the death of Christ, which has opened the way for us to fellowship with our father. Learn this, when the veil was rend asunder, the divine presence of God moved away from the most holy place. This means that God's presence no longer resides in the earthly temple, a temple made with human hands. Today, we can come to God any day and at anytime, we have direct admittance to God through our Lord Jesus Christ. We are justified and forgiven of all our sins, and we are reckoned as the children of God through our faith in Jesus Christ, therefore we can come boldly to commune with our father by the energy of the Spirit in us. A new and a living way has been opened for us to gain access into the divine presence of God: Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh (Hebrews 10:19-20). 

This is an act of pure grace on the part of God to grant us confident access into his presence through the atoning work of Christ. The author of Hebrews exhort us with these inspired words: Therefore, since 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 cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need (Hebrews 4: 14-16). Beloved, it is important to know that God no longer dwells in the temple made with hands, but he has taken perpetual residence within us. He has condescended to live in us individually and as a corporate body. We are the temple of God where God dwells by his Spirit, for it is written: Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? (1 Corinthians 3:16). The Spirit of God, who is the third person of the triune God lives in us. The divine presence of God no longer dwells in the holy of holies which housed the ark of the covenant, but dwells within the church both individually and corporately, we are the temple of the living God (1 Corinthians 6; 19, 2 Corinthians 6; 16). The veil has been ripped into twain from top to bottom, therefore walk with the knowledge that the sacrifice of Christ is enough, your sins are forgiven and you can fellowship with your heavenly father at any point in time. God bless you

                                A thought to ponder

 Sin was a stumbling block which hindered us from the presence of God, but the debt of sin has now been fully paid through the death of Christ, which has opened the way for us to fellowship with our father

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