“And Jesus cried with a loud voice, and gave up the ghost. And the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom.”

John 19:30 reveals Jesus’ cry: “It is finished!” Then He died of His own volition. And as Mark tells above, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom.

The veil in the temple was likely modeled after the veil of the tabernacle, which was a curtain of many layers of heavy, thick material. It was made according to God’s direction, as spelled out in Exodus 26. God told Moses that everything was to be made according to the pattern that he had seen in the mount. The veil was hung at the entrance to the Holy of Holies, the place of God’s presence. When the tabernacle was replaced with the temple, a veil was included. The temple that Solomon built had one, and so did the temple at Jesus’ time. The builders of those temples knew that a veil was needed, because the Holy of Holies was the place of God’s presence among them.

Going into God’s presence was not something that just anyone could do. According to God’s direction, only the high priest was allowed to enter through the veil. Neither could it be at any time. He was only allowed to go in once a year. God told Moses, in Exodus 33:20, that no man can see Him and live. The veil and the rules concerning entry, prevented incidental or uncaring entry into God’s presence. What a great mercy on God’s part! He made it impossible for that to happen to anyone, and gave the high priest rules by which he could safely enter His presence.

Upon Jesus’ death, that veil was torn. It was torn from the top. God did it! Jesus’ death opened the way into God’s presence.

In the book of Hebrews, it is revealed that the tabernacle was a pattern or model of things in heaven; God’s throne room. That includes the veil. In Hebrews 10:19-22 we read, “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; and having an high priest over the house of God; let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.” The writer of the book of Hebrews speaks of a veil through which entry into God’s presence is still to be made. With Jesus’ death, the pattern of heavenly things no longer had a veil. But, the heavenly things themselves still have a veil. Hebrews 10:20 states that the veil is the Lord Jesus Christ.

Consider these two veils. The veil of the tabernacle was made at God’s direction. But it was made by the hands of men, who are defiled by sin. God’s direction about how to make the veil could not remove that stain. That was the veil that was torn by God when Jesus died. That was the veil before the pattern of God’s throne room.

The veil that is Christ’s flesh is the true veil of the true tabernacle. That veil was torn by man, but was placed by God. Revelation 13:8 calls Jesus the Lamb that was slain before the foundation of the world. His place as veil at the entrance of the throne room of God was His place in eternity past, before creation, and continues to be His place.

There are still ones that can enter, and ones that cannot. For some, Jesus is a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense, as 1 Peter 2:8 puts it. They refuse to believe in Him. They refuse to believe that they need Him. And as Jesus put it in John 15:23, “He that hateth me hateth my Father also.” For these ones Jesus is a veil that prevents entry into God’s presence. For them there is no going in and going out. Until they see Jesus as their Savior, their way to God is blocked.

Others have taken Jesus as their Savior. They have believed in Him and on Him. For them, the veil is a place of entry into God’s presence. Those that are allowed to enter can do so boldly, as Hebrews 10 says. Like the high priest that entered once a year with the blood of sacrifice, so now entry is by Jesus’ blood. Unlike the priest, there is for them continual access to God’s presence.

The veil of the tabernacle and temple prevented access to God. That veil was torn by God. The veil on the throne room of the King of the Universe is the Lord Jesus Christ. Through Him whosoever will come to Him has free and bold access to God. Without Him there is still no access, there is no hope.

Through Thy precious body broken
Inside the veil;
O what words to sinners spoken
Inside the veil!
Precious as the blood that bought us,
Perfect as the love that sought us,
Holy as the Lamb that brought us
Inside the veil!

When we see Thy love unshaken
Outside the camp;
Scorned by man, by God forsaken,
Outside the camp;
Thy loved cross alone can charm us,
Shame need now no more alarm us,
Glad we follow, naught can harm us
Outside the camp.

Lamb of God, through Thee we enter
Inside the veil;
Cleansed by Thee, we boldly venture
Inside the veil;
Not a stain; a new creation;
Ours is such a full salvation;
Low we bow in adoration
Inside the veil.

Unto Thee, the homeless stranger
Outside the camp,
Forth we hasten, fear no danger
Outside the camp.
Thy reproach, far richer treasure
Than all Egypt’s boasted pleasure;
Drawn by love that knows no measure,
Outside the camp.

Soon Thy saints shall all be gathered
Inside the veil;
All at home, no more be scattered,
Inside the veil.
Naught from Thee our hearts shall sever;
We shall see Thee, grieve Thee never;
Praise the Lamb! shall sound for ever
Inside the veil! (Elizabeth Dark)