#33 THE VEIL WAS TORN 8-25-26

For centuries, a veil stood between God and man. In the temple, the veil separated the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place, the Holy of Holies. Behind that veil was the manifest presence of God. No ordinary man could enter there. Even the high priest could enter only once a year, and he entered alone, carrying the blood of sacrifice for the sins of the people (Leviticus 16:2, 14-17, 33-34; Hebrews 9:7).

The veil was a picture of separation. God was holy, and man was sinful. God dwelt behind the veil, while sinful humanity remained outside. The veil proclaimed a sobering truth: sin had created a barrier between the Creator and His creation.

But then Jesus came.

At Calvary, the Son of God offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice for sin. When Jesus died, something happened in the temple that heaven wanted every generation to remember. The veil was torn from top to bottom (Matthew 27:50-51).

Notice the direction. It was torn from top to bottom.

Man did not tear the veil. God did.

That is the gospel in a single picture. We could never remove the barrier between ourselves and God by our own goodness, religion, morality, or merit. We could not climb our way into God’s presence. We could not work our way into His favor. We could not make ourselves righteous enough to stand before Him. God did for us at Calvary what we could never do for ourselves (Romans 8:3-4).

The torn veil means that the way into God’s presence has been opened through Jesus Christ. What was once restricted has now been made available. What was once distant has been brought near. Because of Christ, we do not have to stand outside the presence of God. We can come boldly before His throne of grace, knowing that we will find mercy and grace when we need it most (Hebrews 4:16).

Think about that. The sinner can come into the presence of the Holy God because of the sacrifice of the sinless Son of God.

The torn veil does not tell us that God became less holy. It tells us that Christ became the perfect sacrifice. God did not lower His standard of righteousness. He satisfied His righteous demands through the blood of His Son. Jesus opened the way.

The veil was torn because Jesus was wounded. The barrier was removed because Christ bore our sin. The way was opened because the Savior died.

So when you feel unworthy to approach God, remember the veil. When you are conscious of your failures, remember the cross. When Satan tells you that you must remain far away from God, remember that the veil has been torn.

God opened the way.

We do not come boldly because we are worthy. We come boldly because He is worthy. We do not approach God because of what we have done. We approach Him because of what Jesus has done.

The veil was torn from top to bottom. Heaven opened the way.

And because Jesus died, we can come home.

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Father, thank You for opening the way into Your presence through Jesus Christ. Help us never to forget that we stand before You not because of our own righteousness, but because of the righteousness and sacrifice of Your Son. Give us boldness to approach Your throne, humility to receive Your mercy, and faith to trust completely in what Christ accomplished at Calvary. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

BDD