The Torn Temple Veil

April 01, 2021

THE TORN TEMPLE VEIL

"And behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom" (Mt 25:51).

In the ancient Jewish temple, a large veil blocked access to the ‘Holy of Holies’, where the presence of God dwelled. It was a constant reminder that sin separated us from God. Nobody was allowed in except for the high priest; and then, only once a year. On the ‘Day of Atonement’, the high priest had passed through the veil to offer a sacrifice for the sins of Israel. This continued for generations because the sacrifice could never be good enough. Fortunately, it was just a foreshadowing of what was to come. More than 2000 years ago, something changed, a new sacrifice was offered, a perfect sacrifice, one final sacrifice for all time. Jesus Christ laid down His life for us. He paid the ultimate price so that the sins of all men and women could be forgiven. At the moment of His death, the large veil in the temple, the very thing that represented centuries of separation from God, was torn in two from the top-down, showing that this era of separation was over. With His own blood, not the blood of goats and calves, He entered the ‘Holy of Holies’ once and for all time and secured our Redemption forever.

“Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes Him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life” (Jn 5:24).