“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.” (Matthew 27:50, 51)
The moment when Jesus died had been prophesied and anticipated since sin entered this world and separated us from God. The open fellowship with God that we were created to enjoy was interrupted and the consequence of our sin placed a veil between us. From that time on we could no longer come directly into His presence. In the tabernacle (and later in the temple) this barrier was physically represented by an enormous curtain (veil) that covered the entrance to the “Holy of Holies”. For hundreds of years it guarded the inner part of the temple where they kept the Ark of the Covenant which represented the presence of God. No one was allowed to go into the “presence” except for one exception…the High Priest…once a year.
When Jesus died on the cross He removed the barrier (our sin) that separated us. The Scripture says that the curtain was torn in two from top to bottom! What did the priests think in the temple that day? So many strange events. Three hours of darkness followed by an earth quake that shook the very foundation beneath their feet and then a loud ripping noise. As they turned toward the sound they must have been shocked to see, exposed for the first time, the Holy of Holies…God’s presence. What has just happened that has caused such a series of cosmic events? Salvation has come. Reconciliation has been made possible. The fellowship that we were created to enjoy with God in the garden can now be experienced again. The writer of Hebrews describes it like this:
“Therefore brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, His body, and since we have a great High Priest over the House of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith…” (Hebrews 10:19-21)
It is also good to notice that the Scripture says that the curtain was torn from top to bottom. It was an act of God not us. God did through Jesus what we could not do. God took the initiative and has invited us into His presence…into relationship again. There is no longer a separation. This is the Gospel! This is the Good News! Today read these words of the Apostle Paul:
“What then shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all – how will He not also, along with Him, graciously give us all things?…Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?…No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present or the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord!” (Romans 8:31-39)
Because of His sacrifice…no more separation! There is no more curtain.
Come into His presence today.