How can a person become acceptable to God? How can a person gain access to God, fellowship and commune with Him? How can a person come to know God in a real and personal way—so personal that the person can know that God is looking after and caring for him? Some religions say that God is impersonal therefore you cannot have a relationship with Him. Can a person gain and maintain a relationship with God?
Matthew 27:50-51 (NIV): "And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit. At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook and the rocks split."
But a very significant thing happened when Jesus died on the cross: the veil that separated the outer sanctuary (the Holy Place) from the inner sanctuary (the Most Holy Place) was torn. And it was torn from top to bottom. God had to tear it because the veil was sixty or more feet high.
The heavy curtain or veil that separated the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place (or Holy of Holies) symbolizes our separation from the presence of God. Not just anyone could enter into the presence of God. Only the High Priest could enter and only once a year. The veil represents a spiritually darkened vision. It symbolizes eyes that are blinded.
2 Corinthians 4:3-4: “And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.”
This is Satan's purpose: to keep people from believing the Gospel and from becoming followers and worshipers of the Lord Jesus. How does he blind a person's mind? By appealing to his flesh, by enticing him with the lust of the eyes and the lust of the flesh and the pride of life. If Satan can get a person to focus his life upon himself and the world, the person will become enslaved to his flesh and the things of the world. But when Jesus died, the veil was torn. The torn veil symbolizes direct access to God. Now through the body of Christ, you and I can enter the presence of God. We can enter God's presence and pray any time, any place. You have direct access to God.
Hebrews 10:19-20 (NASB): “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”
God has rent the veil through the flesh of His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. The veil symbolized the body of the Lord Jesus. When the body of the Lord Jesus was rent, the veil of the tabernacle was rent and the way was opened up into the presence of God forever. It means that when the body of Christ was rent upon the cross, man was no longer separated from God by sin and imperfection.
The veil being torn is not the end of the story. Early on Sunday morning, Jesus declared victory over sin and death by rising from the dead. Jesus had to rise otherwise the veil should not have been torn.
Because of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, we all have the opportunity to enter the presence of God freely and openly, to know God personally and intimately, to fellowship and commune with God, and to have God guide and direct, look after and care for, provide and protect, strengthen and deliver us with joy, rejoicing, assurance, confidence, and victory over all the trials and temptations in life. The veil was torn for you. God wants to have a personal relationship with you. Don’t let anyone stand in your way of getting to know God. Don’t let past hurts in the church, disappointments from church leaders, hypocrisy of some in the church, or shame from your past keep you from a living relationship with God the Father.
Jesus’ body was rent (like the veil) so that all can come to God the Father by accepting Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior. The veil is torn. You have direct access to God. This Easter will you come to Him?
Matthew 27:50-51 (NIV): "And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit. At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook and the rocks split."
But a very significant thing happened when Jesus died on the cross: the veil that separated the outer sanctuary (the Holy Place) from the inner sanctuary (the Most Holy Place) was torn. And it was torn from top to bottom. God had to tear it because the veil was sixty or more feet high.
The heavy curtain or veil that separated the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place (or Holy of Holies) symbolizes our separation from the presence of God. Not just anyone could enter into the presence of God. Only the High Priest could enter and only once a year. The veil represents a spiritually darkened vision. It symbolizes eyes that are blinded.
2 Corinthians 4:3-4: “And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.”
This is Satan's purpose: to keep people from believing the Gospel and from becoming followers and worshipers of the Lord Jesus. How does he blind a person's mind? By appealing to his flesh, by enticing him with the lust of the eyes and the lust of the flesh and the pride of life. If Satan can get a person to focus his life upon himself and the world, the person will become enslaved to his flesh and the things of the world. But when Jesus died, the veil was torn. The torn veil symbolizes direct access to God. Now through the body of Christ, you and I can enter the presence of God. We can enter God's presence and pray any time, any place. You have direct access to God.
Hebrews 10:19-20 (NASB): “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”
God has rent the veil through the flesh of His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. The veil symbolized the body of the Lord Jesus. When the body of the Lord Jesus was rent, the veil of the tabernacle was rent and the way was opened up into the presence of God forever. It means that when the body of Christ was rent upon the cross, man was no longer separated from God by sin and imperfection.
The veil being torn is not the end of the story. Early on Sunday morning, Jesus declared victory over sin and death by rising from the dead. Jesus had to rise otherwise the veil should not have been torn.
Because of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, we all have the opportunity to enter the presence of God freely and openly, to know God personally and intimately, to fellowship and commune with God, and to have God guide and direct, look after and care for, provide and protect, strengthen and deliver us with joy, rejoicing, assurance, confidence, and victory over all the trials and temptations in life. The veil was torn for you. God wants to have a personal relationship with you. Don’t let anyone stand in your way of getting to know God. Don’t let past hurts in the church, disappointments from church leaders, hypocrisy of some in the church, or shame from your past keep you from a living relationship with God the Father.
Jesus’ body was rent (like the veil) so that all can come to God the Father by accepting Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior. The veil is torn. You have direct access to God. This Easter will you come to Him?
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