Daily Devotions
Luke
Luke 23:32-49;Matthew 27:51-52; Exodus 26:31-37; Hebrews 9 "THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE TEARING OF THE VEIL"
Day 331 – Luke 23
Text: Luke 23:32-49;Matthew 27:51-52; Exodus 26:31-37; Hebrews 9
THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE TEARING OF THE VEIL
It must have been a fearful thing for the priests serving in the Temple at Jerusalem to discover that the Veil separating the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies was torn from top to bottom! In order to understand the significance of this tearing of the Veil, we need firstly to have an understanding of how the Tabernacle and the Temple functioned.
THE BUILDING OF THE TABERNACLE (Exodus 25-40)
It was God who gave to Moses the design of the Tabernacle. In brief, we may highlight the following. The Concept of the Tabernacle (Sometimes called “The Tent of Meeting) was God’s idea.
God gave clear instructions to Moses concerning the building of the Tabernacle,
“And let them make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell
among them, according to all that I show you,
that is, the pattern of the tabernacle…”
Exodus 25:8
The Tabernacle had three main parts. Starting from the innermost part, we have the Holy of Holies, then the Holy Place, and the Courtyard of the Tabernacle.
1. The Ark of the Testimony (Inside the Holy of Holies)
God ordered that an Ark of the Testimony be made. The term “testimony” was actually a reference to the Two Tablets of stone that God gave to Moses. These two tablets of stone were to be placed inside the Ark. The laws of God represented the Covenant that God established with Israel at Sinai.
“You shall put the mercy seat on top of the Ark,
and in the Ark you shall put the Testimony that
I will give you. And there I will meet with you,
From above the mercy seat…”
Exodus 25:21-22
Only the High Priest may enter into the Holiest Place, and that once a year to make atonement for the nation.
2. The Altar of Incense (Inside the Holy Place)
The Altar of Incense was to be maintained by the High Priest. He was to offer incense before the Lord, once in the morning, and another time at twilight.
“Aaron shall burn on it sweet incense every morning…
At twilight, he shall burn incense on it,
A perpetual incense before the Lord…”
Exodus 30:7, 8
3. A Table for the Showbread (Inside the Holy Place)
A table was to be specially made, for the showbread to be placed.
“You shall also make a table of acacia wood…
And you shall set the showbread on the table
Before Me always…”
Exodus 25:23, 30
The bread on display was to be made weekly. They were to be placed on the Showbread Table every Sabbath. This was to teach and remind Israel that God would provide for the needs of the nation. (The display of bread was not to feed the Lord). Only the priests were allowed to partake of the Showbread! The Table of showbread was to be placed on the north side.
4. The Lampstand (Inside the Holy Place)
God also commanded that a special Lampstand be made.
“You shall also make a lampstand of pure gold…”
Exodus 25:31
The Lampstand was placed opposite the Table of Showbread, on the south side. Aaron and his sons were to attend to the Lampstand, morning and night (Exodus 27:20-21).
5. A Bronze Laver (Courtyard)
The Lord commanded that a Laver to be made.
“You shall also make a laver of bronze…
for washing.
You shall put it between the tabernacle of meeting
And the altar.
And you shall put water in it, for Aaron and his sons
Shall wash their hands and their feet in water from it.
When they go into the tabernacle of meeting,
Or when they come near the altar to minister,
To burn an offering made by fire to the Lord,
They shall wash with water, lest they die.”
Exodus 30:18-20
The emphasis on washing is obvious. All priests were to remember that they must be holy and clean when they served the Lord. They must not ever seek to serve the Lord with unclean and unholy hands.
6. The Altar of Burnt Offering (Courtyard)
The Lord also gave clear instructions concerning the making of an Altar for burnt offerings.
“You shall make an altar of acacia wood…”
Exodus 27:1
The burnt offering was offered to the Lord as “an atonement” for sins (Leviticus 1:4). The entire offering was to be burnt and dedicated to the Lord (Cf. Leviticus 1).
THE VEIL THAT SEPARATED THE HOLY OF HOLIES AND THE HOLY PLACE
God commanded that a special veil be made to separate the Holy of Holies from the Holy Place. We read about this in the Book of Exodus.
“You shall make a veil woven of blue,
purple and scarlet thread, and fine woven linen.
It shall be woven with an artistic design of cherubim…
Then you shall bring the Ark of the Testimony in there,
Behind the veil.
The veil shall be a divider for you between the holy place
And the Most Holy.”
Exodus 26:31-33
THE THEOLOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE OF THE TEARING OF THE VEIL
What was the significance of the tearing of the Veil? The answer is to be found in the Book of Hebrews. The following text proves quite enlightening.
“The priests always went into the first part of the Tabernacle,
performing the services.
But into the second part, the high priest went alone
Once a year, not without blood, which he offered for himself
And for the people’s sins committed in ignorance;
The Holy Spirit indicating this, that the way
Into the Holiest of all was not yet made manifest while the
First tabernacle was still standing.”
Hebrews 9:6-8
These practices were good and valid in the Old Mosaic Covenant. However, when Jesus died on the Cross, He actually abolished the Old sacrificial system. The destruction of the Veil symbolized an important truth! We read a very important word in the next passage.
“But Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come…
With His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place
Once for all, having obtained eternal redemption…
And for this reason, He is the Mediator of the New Covenant,
By means of death…
He has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself.”
Hebrews 9:11, 15, 26
When Jesus died at Calvary, He confirmed that the New Covenant has been established! We now have direct access to God the Father through the Lord Jesus Christ! How our hearts should be ever so grateful to Jesus for dying on the Cross for us.