1. The Construction of the Veil in the Tabernacle and Temple
God commanded Moses to make a veil of blue, purple, and scarlet thread and fine woven linen, with cherubim skillfully woven into it. The veil was hung on four pillars of acacia wood overlaid with gold. It separated the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies. Behind the veil was the Ark of the Covenant, the mercy seat, and the presence of God. No one was permitted to enter behind the veil except the high priest, and he could only enter once per year on the Day of Atonement, with the blood of the sacrifice. The veil represented the separation between a holy God and sinful humanity.
2. The Significance of the Veil: Separation from God
The veil was a constant reminder that sin separates man from God. The cherubim woven into the veil recalled the cherubim placed at the entrance of the Garden of Eden, guarding the way to the tree of life. The message was clear: sinful man cannot approach a holy God. The veil was not merely a physical barrier; it was a theological statement. It declared that access to the presence of God was restricted, limited, and conditional. Only through the prescribed sacrifices and through the appointed high priest could anyone enter, and even then, only once per year.
3. The High Priest Entered Behind the Veil with Blood
On the Day of Atonement, the high priest took the blood of the bull and the goat and entered behind the veil. He sprinkled the blood on the mercy seat seven times. He came with incense so that the cloud would cover the mercy seat and he would not die. The entire ceremony was a shadow of the work of Christ. The high priest entered an earthly copy of the heavenly reality. Christ entered heaven itself, not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood. The veil foreshadowed the separation that only the blood of Christ could overcome.
4. The Tearing of the Veil at the Crucifixion
At the moment Jesus died, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. Matthew records, "Then, behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom." The tearing was from top to bottom, indicating that it was God's act, not man's. The veil was approximately sixty feet high, thirty feet wide, and as thick as the palm of a hand. It could not be torn by human hands. The tearing signified that the way into the Holy of Holies had been opened. The separation was ended. Access to God was now available to all who come through Christ.
5. The Symbolism of the Torn Veil: Access to God
Paul writes, "Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holy of Holies by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh." The veil was a type of the flesh of Christ. His body was broken, and through the breaking of His body, the way into God's presence was opened. Just as the veil was torn, so His flesh was torn. Just as the veil could not be entered except through the high priest, so heaven cannot be entered except through Christ. The torn veil declares that all who come by the blood of Jesus have access to God.
6. The High Priest Now Invites All to Enter
Under the Old Covenant, the high priest entered alone. No one else could follow. Under the New Covenant, the Great High Priest, Jesus Christ, has entered heaven itself. But He has not entered alone. He has opened the way for all who believe in Him. When He died, He did not shut the door behind Him. He tore the veil so that all could enter. The writer of Hebrews urges believers, "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."
7. The Tearing of the Veil and the End of the Old Covenant
The tearing of the veil also signified the end of the Old Covenant system of sacrifice. The temple, the priesthood, the sacrifices, and the veil were all shadows. When the substance came, the shadows passed away. The tearing of the veil made the physical temple obsolete. Within forty years, the Romans would destroy the temple entirely. But the spiritual reality remained: God's presence was no longer confined to a building. Believers themselves become the temple of the Holy Spirit. Access to God is not through a place but through a Person.
8. The Veil and the Boldness of New Covenant Worship
Under the Old Covenant, worship was characterized by distance, fear, and restriction. The people stood at a distance. Only the priests could approach. Only the high priest could enter the Holy of Holies. Under the New Covenant, worship is characterized by boldness, confidence, and access. Believers are invited to come boldly to the throne of grace. The veil has been torn. The way is open. No priest is needed besides Christ. No sacrifices are needed besides His. Believers can enter the presence of God at any time, in any place, through prayer and praise.
9. The Veil and the Unity of Jew and Gentile
Paul writes that Christ has broken down the middle wall of separation, abolishing the law of commandments contained in ordinances. The veil not only separated man from God but also Jew from Gentile. The temple had a physical wall separating the Court of the Gentiles from the inner courts. That wall symbolized the separation. When Christ died, He tore down the wall. Both Jew and Gentile now have access to the Father through Christ by one Spirit. The tearing of the veil opened the way for all nations.
10. The Veil as a Type of Christ's Body
The writer of Hebrews explicitly calls the veil a type of Christ's flesh. The veil was the barrier. Christ's flesh was the barrier. But when His flesh was broken, the barrier was removed. The veil was woven of blue, purple, and scarlet. Blue speaks of heaven; Christ came from heaven. Purple speaks of royalty; Christ is King. Scarlet speaks of sacrifice; Christ died for sins. The cherubim woven into the veil spoke of angelic witnesses. All of this finds its fulfillment in Christ, who has opened the way for all who believe.
Conclusion
The veil of the temple separated the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies, barring access to the presence of God except for the high priest once per year. At the moment Jesus died, the veil was torn in two from top to bottom, signifying that access to God was now open through the broken body of Christ. The veil was a type of Christ's flesh. Through His death, believers have boldness to enter the Holy of Holies. Let every believer draw near to God with confidence, knowing that the veil has been torn and the way is open.