And Jesus cried out with a loud voice, and breathed His last. Then the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. (Mark 15:37-38)
And the veil was torn
So we could have this open door
And all these things have finally been complete ("This Man," Jeremy Camp, from Restored, 2004)
And all these things have finally been complete ("This Man," Jeremy Camp, from Restored, 2004)
Nevertheless when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. (2 Corinthians 3:16)
Oh how I love those days...those moments...when the veil is taken away...
Several weeks ago, during a children's Bible study class, we were sharing about Jesus's crucifixion and resurrection. The talk turned suddenly to the event that occurred moments after Jesus's death, that of a veil being ripped from top to bottom: amazing in the physical realm and centrally symbolic in the spiritual. But this was not just "a veil"; this heavy piece of linen, woven of purple and gold, was said to have been anywhere from 20 to 60 feet long, 30 feet wide, and 4 inches thick (Biblehub.com, The Tabernacle Place). I challenge you to tear something that enormous! But even more eye-opening to those back then and for us to this very moment is that this revered curtain was known by most to be that which separated everyone else but the high priest from a place called "The Holy of Holies." This location in the tabernacle was where only the God-selected representative of the people could go only once a year to come before the Presence of God. Non one else was allowed! Here, he would offer a sacrifice to make up for ("atone" for) the peoples' sins (Hebrews 9:7). But it never lasted very long. He had to do it again...and again...and again...and again...But now that Jesus had offered His body on the cross once and for all there was no longer any need for the priest, for the sacrifice, or for the veil. We could now all have the chance, through Jesus, to enter the Holy of Holies...into the Presence of our Creator...our Father...into the Presence of the Living God (Hebrews 9:11-12).
(Stop and really, really THINK about that before going on...)
But another symbol of the veil came to mind as well (can you think of it?). Here comes the bride, all dressed in white...Traditionally, what piece of material did the bride wear that would cover her face until the moment she and her beloved became one for the rest of their lives? YES! The veil. In doing a little research, I found that this was/is, in fact, an earthly tradition, with no biblical precedence found. BUT, on that same children's Bible study day, it too came to mind as a more gentle "parallel" to the veil being ripped from the Holy of Holies. It is at that moment that the husband (bridegroom) lifts the veil from the woman's (bride's) face that he can look directly into her eyes and see her (and her him) clearly: they can see each other "face to face". What a beautiful picture of being able to now come into God's Presence...of being "married" to the Bridegroom of our souls (Jesus)...of having Him (can you picture it?) come tenderly to us, wanting to lift the film of the world, the lusts of our flesh (1 John 2:15-17), the lies of the enemy (John 8:42-44; 2 Corinthians 11:14), the worry (Matthew 6:25-34), the weight, the oppression (2 Corinthians 4:16-17)...to lift the veil from our face, look into our eyes, and tell us "You're mine; I have come to be with you forever...I have come to set you free." That's what He wants to do for us individually...that's what He does do for His Body, the Church, corporately (if we would only come back together...but that's a whoooole other story...1 Corinthians 1:10-11; 11:17-19; Ephesians 4:11-17) (Ephesians 5:22-32).
So if the veil has been taken away...gently lifted...RIPPED in two...so that we can now sit at the feet of Jesus and come into the Amazing Presence of God, then why is there so little joy at times, so little peace, so little love (Galatians 5:22-23), more a feeling of imprisonment than a sense of freedom? Because in the spiritual sense, we can become covered by - or enshroud ourselves with - a "veil" that tends to obscure or entirely block out our True Love's face...the Presence of God...just like a cloud covering the sun. If you would (even if you have to split this devotional in two), take a moment to read this from Hannah Hurnard's amazing allegory Hinds' Feet on High Places (1975):
It was not, however, that the sun always shone, even there on the borderland of the High Places. There were days of mist when all the gleaming peaks were completely blotted out by a curtain of cloud, so that if one had never seen them it would have been impossible to be sure that they really existed and were round about, quite close at hand, towering high above the mist and clouds into the clear blue sky above.
Every now and again, however, there would be a rent in the veil of mist, and then, as though framed in an open window, would appear a dazzling whiteness. For a moment one of the vanished peaks would gleam through the opening as if to say, “Be of good courage, we are all here, even though you cannot see us.” Then the mist would swirl together again and the window in heaven would close.
On one such occasion the Shepherd said to Much-Afraid, “When you continue your journey there may be such mist and cloud. Perhaps it may even seem as though everything you have seen here of the High Places was just a dream, or the work of your own imagination. But you have seen reality and the mist which seems to swallow it up is the illusion.
…“Remember, Much-Afraid, what you have seen before the mist blotted it out. Never doubt that the High Places are there, towering up above you, and be quite sure that whatever happens I mean to bring you up there exactly as I have promised.” As he finished speaking another rent appeared in the curtain of mist, and one of the peaks of the High Places framed in blue sky shone down on them. (Pp. 188-189).
It is far too easy for even those who believe that the tabernacle veil was torn in two and who have had the supernatural veil lifted from their faces to "see" Jesus their Bridegroom to go back to living in "the mist"...to have the veil descend over the face once again and to believe that is the reality. But like the Good Shepherd (Jesus) above said, Remember...what you have seen before the mist blotted it out (the Reality of Jesus and His Kingdom...the "High Places")...before the veil comes down again. And how to do that? Sometimes it is God Who will lift that veil gently, giving us a way out of temptation to stray from Him (1 Corinthians 10:13 - although sometimes it's not such a gentle endeavor to accept the way out if we want to stay in!). Other times He will need to rip it in two through discipline; through consequences (Hebrews 12:5-7, 11). Very often we have to participate in lifting that veil through quiet prayer (Luke 11:1-4 ); or ripping through it by force (Matthew 11:12), like Paul who "died daily" (1 Corinthians 15:31) and with all of his might "pressed on" in order to continue following Jesus (Philippians 3:12-14), or like Jesus Himself Who, through his own agonizing prayer in Gethsemane to live in His Father's Reality and not in his own desire (Luke 22:41-42), sweat drops of blood (Luke 22:41-44). Whichever way, it is critical to not live as if the mist...behind the veil...is the ultimate reality. Because it's not.
...because on the other side of that veil
...is the "High Places"
...is the "High Places"
...is the Presence of the Living God
...is Jesus...our Savior, our Lord, our Friend, our Bridegroom
And whatever happens...you...I...don't want to be left out of that Wedding Feast! *** (Revelation 22:16-21)
But [in fact] their minds were hardened [for they had lost the ability to understand]; for until this very day at the reading of the old covenant the same veil remains unlifted, because it is removed [only] in Christ. But to this day whenever Moses is read, a veil [of blindness] lies over their heart; but whenever a person turns [in repentance and faith] to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty [emancipation from bondage, true freedom]. And we all, with unveiled face, continually seeing as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are progressively being transformed into His image from [one degree of] glory to [even more] glory, which comes from the Lord, [who is] the Spirit.
*** Please listen to the link/song above.
In Jesus Name (and Love),
Amen. 
