Why the Curtain is Open!

The veil is torn – and the curtain is open!

On Resurrection Sunday, everything changes. Yet that change began on Good Friday. The open path into the Holy of Holies is evident. Before the ripping, only the High Priest is allowed in the Holy of Holies. The high priest is symbolic for the people: he represents them to God. The high priest is their go-between. He petitions God for the sins of the people and sprinkles blood on the mercy seat.

The curtain.

It is called the veil – separates the tabernacle from the Holy of Holies. This veil shields a holy God from sinful man. No one can go behind the veil unless he wants to die. Even the priest can only go there once a year, on the Day of Atonement.

Beyond that curtain, no one else can see, and no one else can go, under penalty of death – because God says so.The high priest is no less divine than are we; he is no less human than are we. Yet he is chosen by his Levitical tribe – and by God – to represent his people to Jehovah God.

All that changes at Easter. It starts with a death on Friday. Yet that is merely the beginning.

Jesus’ last words

Jesus gives Himself on the cross when He says, “It is finished!”

That is when the curtain in the temple is torn from top to bottom. The earth shakes, the rocks are split. The story doesn’t end there!

the tearing of the curtain

The tearing of the veil at the moment of His death symbolizes that His sacrifice is sufficient atonement for all sins. Now, no one is barred from entering the Holy of holies. The way is open for all people, for all time. It is open for Jews and Gentiles alike. No more sacrifices, no more shed blood, no more high priest who must atone for the sins of the people. Jesus opens the way and makes that sacrifice, once and for all.

That temple veil is split in two – from the top to the bottom. A veil hanging between the tabernacle and the Holy Place, all 60 feet in length, is torn in two.  It is not torn by man. The threads of the veil are severed by almighty God. This happens on Good Friday when Jesus dies, not on Easter Sunday. The completed Sacrifice removes the veil once and for all!

In an instant, that separation between man and God is gone. Now man can walk right into that holy place to meet with God because Jesus is the Forever High Priest.

The story continues and Jesus’ body is buried.  It doesn’t end when Jesus’ body is put into the tomb.

The stone

The story isn’t finished when a stone – so large that no one can move it alone – is put in front of the opening to that tomb. I can imagine God and His angels smiling when they watched those soldiers heave that stone in front of the tomb. Perhaps God said, “Wait until Sunday!”

The stone is moved back from the opening of that tomb for all the world to see: the tomb was empty. Its movement is not necessary so Jesus can come out of the tomb. He is already gone! That stone is moved so all the world can see that He is risen just like He said.

The place behind the curtain.

You and I can go into that holy place and meet with God at the mercy seat. We don’t need to stand outside in the temple courtyard while we wait on a priest. Jesus is our Great High Priest.

He waits to meet with us. We can walk into His chamber

There are two symbols I love about Easter: the empty tomb and the veil that is forever split. The tomb is empty because our Savior is alive. We can walk into HIs chamber at any time and place our burdens on Him. There is no earthly priest needed to mediate.

The Mercy Seat.

There, at the Mercy Seat, there is a place I can go to obtain mercy – and find grace – to help me.  I don’t know about you, but I need that every day. The days I don’t go into that Holy place? I am missing so much!

We can have the confidence to walk into that inner sanctuary, that Holiest of Holy places, and meet at the feet of Jesus. Because of that open curtain, we can draw near to God with confidence.

Because of that open curtain,

I belong. 

It might seem like Good Friday and we might have worries and concerns. We might be suffering spiritual, emotional, or physical pain.

Yes, because of that open curtain, Resurrection Sunday has come!

This is a repost from eight years ago.