A veil is a piece of material that is used to conceal something. For brides, it is used to conceal the face of the bride. It is usually an opaque material that conceals or enhances the appearance of the bride’s face. In Biblical times it must not have been as transparent as they are today. That is how Laban tricked Jacob into marrying Leah instead of Rachel in Genesis chapter 29. In a wedding ceremony, the veil is lifted after the vows are made, and the couple is pronounced husband and wife. The veil is always used to separate one thing from another.
In the Jewish temple, there is a veil between the Holy place and the Holy of Holies. The veil represented a separation of God’s perfection and mankind’s iniquity. The veil was one thick curtain that was one piece of fabric and 15 feet high. It separated the area where God dwelt between the cherubim’s covering the ark of the covenant. One person, the High Priest, could enter the Holy of Holies once a year. He entered on the Day of Atonement to sprinkle the blood of a bull as an offering for the priest and his household, and the blood of a goat for the people. This was to make an atonement for their sins and push back the wrath of God for one more year.
We see in Matthew 27:51, Mark 15:38, and Luke 23:45 that the veil in the temple was torn from top to bottom. The sun was covered, darkness covered the earth, and there was an earthquake. All of this coincided with Jesus committing His spirit to the Father. His death affected all of creation.
Matthew 27:51 “And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;”
Mark 15:38 “And the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom.”
Luke 23:45-46 “And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst. And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost.”
For us, the tearing of the veil was symbolic of an opportunity extended to us. The opportunity to enter into God’s presence without an earthly priest. We can go to the Father directly. In Hebrews 6:19, the writer states that we have a hope that is the anchor of the soul. Our hope is not in something that can change; it is in the promise to enter the Holy of Holies where God himself resides. We are allowed “within the veil.” Commentator Albert Barnes says the idea in this verse is, “that the hope of the Christian enters into heaven itself; it takes hold on the throne of God; it is made firm by being fastened there. It is not the hope of future riches, honors, or pleasures in this life – for such a hope would not keep the soul steady; it is the hope of immortal blessedness and purity in the world beyond.”
Hebrews 6:19 “Which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast, and which entered into that within the veil;
Now that the veil has been removed, anyone who accepts Jesus as their personal Savior has access to the true and living God. We have a new and living way to gain access to God and entrance to Heaven. Not only do we have access, but we can also come to God boldly as a child approaches their father. We not only have access, but we also belong there as God’s children. A.W. Tozer said, “God wills that we should push on into His presence and live our whole life there.”
Hebrews 10:19-20 “Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;”
If we truly realized what we have in Christ, the access we have to God the Father, and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, we would be bold in our walk with Christ and our testimony to others. We are to have a burning desire to be in His presence. However, most who claim the name of Christ, are content to know they are “positionally” in His presence, but don’t have the desire to pursue Him and acknowledge Him continuously. We miss so much joy and peace because we allow this world to rob us of the constant acknowledgment of God. The veil has been removed! We are no longer separated and held at bay from God. It is up to us to take hold of this truth and all it richly allows us.
When I think of the removal of the veil and what it symbolized, my mind soars to the Heavens, where one day I will be there eternally. I can’t help but think of the love the Father has for me, that He would send His Son to die so that I could gain access to Him. I pray that you also feel this way, and know of His presence, not sporadically, but continuously throughout each day.
