Now Jesus, letting out a loud sound, expires. And the curtain of the temple is rent in two from above to the bottom. Now the centurion, who stand by opposite Him, perceiving that, crying thus, He expires, said, "Truly, this Man was the Son of God!"
Marks Account 15: 37-39, Concordant New Testament
When I used to attend church, there was definitely a priority where people were seated. The front two rows were usually reserved for pastors, church leaders and invited guests. Behind that were seats reserved for the school ministry classes, college and high school. The rest was simply find your own seat. Yet what always got to me was how the church went to great lengths to prop up a few people. Later on I came to see this as the mainstream church hierarchy. I thought of this this week as I went over one of the most important events in the scriptures. That being the tearing of the curtain in the temple upon the death of Jesus on the cross. This event was known for its symbolism more than anything. God accomplished this for a definite reason. See, in the Jewish temples of Jesus' day, there was a certain section which "normal, sinful man" could not enter. The temple veil represented a barrier into the presence of God. It marked the barrier between Father God and the wickedness of mankind. To pass through the veil was NOT allowed. It was the Lord Himself who commanded that the ark of the covenant would be placed behind the veil in the tabernacle. The Lord commanded that the veil would be a "Divider for you between the holy place and the most holy {Exodus 26:33}. These were just a few of the instructions the Lord gave unto Moses for the building of the tabernacle. So it was that sinful man was to be separated from the presence of the Lord. Yet, even in the days of Moses the Lords intent was to shatter that barrier. For Gods desire was never to be separated from His creation. This is contrary to the lie which was spoken to Adam and Eve by the deceiver in the garden. By taking of the fruit of the tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, the first couple were infected with the lie that they could be "Like God" {Genesis 3:5-6}. The belief that they were separated from God. This belief continues to permeate Christian teaching and theology to this day. But, God had a plan. He did not want His children to be forbidden from His presence. So it was that He dispatched His Son that He would become the sin of sinful man upon the cross {Paul to the Corinthians (2) 5:21}. At the cross, the veil of separation was broken.
When, then, Jesus took the vinegar, He said, "It is accomplished!" And reclining His head, He gives up His spirit.
Johns Account 19: 30, Concordant New Testament
Some time ago, I mentioned to a friend that we should not think of the cross of Jesus as the end of the line, but the beginning. The cross did not defeat Jeus. The cross could not hold Him. What the cross did do was put to death the old sin nature which all men prior to Christ had been born with {Paul to the Romans 3:23}. It is Jesus who gave Himself that we would no longer be slaves to our sins. We should no longer consider ourselves sinners, but free of that which once was {Paul to the Romans 6:11}. That which we were told separated us from the presence of the Lord has been put to death. The veil has been torn! Knowing this, it is clear to understand just why God tore the temple veil in two that day. We are no longer prevented from His presence. On the contrary, through Christ, we are now in union with He and the Father {Johns Account 14:20}. It's no coincidence that I've never heard of this truth spoken of in the mainstream church. For just like their hierarchy based seating, the church needs the idea of sin to keep their pews filled. I choose not to live that lie. Praise be to God that the veil has been torn once and for all!
~Scott~
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