The Veil
When we hear the word veil, we typically think of the beautiful covering a bride might wear over her face as she walks down the aisle. When I walked down the aisle, my veil was borrowed. It was a bit too large and not anything I would have chosen for myself. It felt more awkward than pretty.
A bridal veil is meant to only obscure the bride’s face; many other veils are made to completely hide what is on the other side.
Exodus 26 talks about a veil that hung over the opening between the temple's Holy Place and Most Holy Place. According to verse 33, the purpose of that veil was to keep people separated from the Most Holy place where God's presence lived.
God gave detailed instructions for making the veil. It was elaborate! Angels were woven into the design with blue, purple, and scarlet thread and fine linen. It hung from 30-foot-tall gold-covered pillars and measured at least thirty feet wide and four inches thick.
Hebrews 9, verses 7 an 8 in The Passion Translation read:
"And the high priest was permitted to enter into the Holiest Sanctuary of All only once a year, and he could never enter without first offering sacrificial blood for both his own sins and for the sins of the people. Now the Holy Spirit uses the symbols of this pattern of worship to reveal that the perfect way of holiness had not yet been unveiled."
The Most Holy place held the Ark of the Covenant. On top of the Ark sat the Mercy Seat of God, where God's presence resided. The High Priest entered the Holy of Holies by going behind the veil. Even when the high priest entered the Holy of Holies, he carried incense from the altar of incense as well as blood from a sacrifice. Smoke from the incense veiled his view of the Ark of the covenant and the Mercy Seat.
In Hebrews 10:1 we read, "The old system of living under the law, presented us with only a faint shadow, a crude outline of the reality of the wonderful blessings to come. Even with its steady stream of sacrifices offered year after year, there still was nothing that could make our hearts perfect before God." TPT
Many people sincerely desired to be in God's presence but could not fully know it yet because of the enormous barrier, a veil, between them and the fulfillment of their desire.
If anyone tried to enter the place where God’s presence was on their own, they would die.
All of Israel was dependent on a high priest carrying incense and the blood of an animal to go beyond the veil for them.
Everything in the law pointed to what had not yet become reality on earth. The veil hanging in the temple was no exception. When God gave Moses instructions for the original veil He intended to, one day, trade this symbol for spiritual reality.
The day Jesus was crucified was that day.
Matthew 27 talks about Jesus’ crucifixion. In verses 50 and 51 it says "Jesus passionately cried out, took his last breath, and gave up his spirit. At that moment, the veil in the Holy of Holies was torn in two from the top to the bottom. The earth shook violently, rocks were violently split apart," TPT
Simultaneously Jesus gave up his spirit for our redemption and the veil in the temple tore in two. At that very moment Jesus became the veil for us to pass through to approach the Mercy seat of God.
Through his death, Jesus' blood took the place of the veil of separation hanging between us and God's presence; hanging between us and forgiveness; hanging between us and our fellow man. Jesus' blood has become our access to God's presence.
Hebrews 10:19 and 20 says: "Now we are brothers and sisters in God's family because of the blood of Jesus, and he welcomes us to come into the most holy sanctuary in the heavenly realm- boldly and without hesitation. For he has dedicated a new, life-giving way for us to approach God.” TPT
Just as the veil was torn in two, Jesus' body was torn open to give us free and fresh access to him!
When my husband looked at me through my veil at our wedding, he did not notice anything awkward or ill-fitting. He did not think about everything I couldn’t do or have any doubts about our ability to conquer life together. His gaze through that veil was one of admiration. His heart saw only flawlessness and hope for our future.
Just like a groom looks at his bride through the veil covering her face and only sees perfection, God looks at us through the blood of Jesus and sees only beauty and righteousness. His thoughts about us are filled with good plans for the future.
Read Romans 5:1 “Our faith in Jesus transfers God’s righteousness to us and He now declares us flawless in His eyes. This means we can now enjoy true and lasting peace with God, all because of what our Lord Jesus, the Anointed One, has done for us.”
Today I invite you to receive communion. As you do, remember and acknowledge Jesus' blood as the veil that makes a way for you to enter the Holiest Place, God’s presence, and receive mercy.
Know that your participation in communion is worship to God.
When He looks at you through the veil of the blood of Jesus, He sees beauty and flawlessness.
Gratefully receive forgiveness and reconciliation, and confidence to approach God, knowing He only has good plans for you.