Why the Curtain is Open!
I wonder how it felt to be able to walk right past that veil that had been torn in two and enter into that most sacred place: the Holy of Holies?! Before the ripping, only the High Priest was allowed to go into the Holy of Holies – because God said that was how it was to be. The high priest was symbolic for the people: he represented them to God. The high priest was their go-between. He petitioned God for the sins of the people as he sprinkled blood on top of the mercy seat, all for the sins of the people.
There was that curtain.
It is called the veil – separating the tabernacle from the Holy of Holies. This veil shielded a holy God from sinful man. Anyone going behind that veil (unless he was the high priest) would surely die. Even the priest could only go there once a year, on the Day of Atonement.
Behind that curtain, no one else could see, and no one else could go, under penalty of death – because God said so.The high priest was no less divine than are we; he was no less human than are we. Yet he was chosen by his tribe and by God to be the representative of his people to Jehovah God.
There was the priest.
He washed and put on special garments. The high priest followed the laws and on the appointed day, he went behind that curtain where no one else could go. There, he met with God. There, he sprinkled blood from the slain lamb on the mercy seat. There, he atoned for the sins of the people. There, behind that curtain, he met God.
All that changed on Easter.
It started with a death on Friday.
There was a tomb.
Yet the story didn’t end when the body was put into a tomb. It wasn’t finished when a stone so large that no one could move it alone was put in front of the opening to that tomb. I can imagine God and His angels smiling as they watched those soldiers put that stone in front of the tomb. Perhaps God said, “Wait until Sunday!”
There was an earthquake.
The stone got moved back from the opening of that tomb for all the world to see that the tomb was empty. That stone wasn’t moved so Jesus could come out of the tomb. He was already gone! That stone was moved so all the world could see that He had risen just like He said He would!
There was the tearing of that curtain.
That temple veil was split in two – from the top to the bottom. A veil hanging between the tabernacle and the Holy Place, all 60 feet in length, was torn in two. It wasn’t torn by man, for man could not have reached that high or torn that wide to sever the threads.
In an instant, that separation between man and God was gone. Now man could walk right into that holy place to meet with God because Jesus had become the Forever High Priest.
There is a 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 waiting 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. No longer separated from God by a priest or a time frame, we can walk into His chamber any time and place our burdens on His lap.
There is a 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 opened curtain, we can draw near to God with confidence.
Because of that open curtain,
I belong.
It might be 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!
Our family has used this book for years. There are many ideas for family devotions and celebrations throughout the year. Just this week I used the scriptures and the banner for the Easter celebration in my kids’ class. I recommend this highly.
