When the tabernacle was built in the wilderness, it was a place where the presence of God would reside with his people. There was a beautiful screen at the entrance to the tabernacle. It was there to keep out all people except priests. Moses was also instructed to make a veil, a beautiful one that matched the color and the design of the innermost curtains. Royal colors for the King of kings and skillfully embroidered images of cherubim on this veil which hung from golden pillars that stood on silver bases. God said to Moses, “And the veil shall separate for you the Holy Place from the Most Holy.” The veil around the Ark of the Covenant kept out all people and all priests except the high priest, who could only enter one day of the year. It was called the Holy of holies. Think of this. The tabernacle was the only place in the world where you could enter God’s presence then. But there was no way for the common people to get in. The Holy place was only for the priests. The Holy of holies was only for the high priest. The people could see the outside but they never got even a tour of the inside of the tabernacle. They saw the curtains and the furniture being moved from place to place in the wilderness wandering. But they were never invited in, and this was not to keep them from God’s presence but to protect them from it! This separation behind the veil pointed to the holiness of God. It reminded the people that God punishes sin but that he also provides mercy and grace through the sacrifice made by a mediator: Moses, the priests, and the high priest. Though the people could not get into the tabernacle, a mediator could go in and make sacrifices for them. For all the people of God.
Do you see the beauty of what God was doing? There was a door that no one could enter except those set apart and chosen by God. There was also a veil that kept even priests, almost all of them, from the presence of God. The rest of the people could not go in or go out because of the veil.
Then, Jesus left heaven and came down to be with us. And he said, “I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.” And he did. And at the moment Jesus died, Matthew, the gospel writer who wrote for the Jews, the people still behind the veil, tells us, “And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom.” The Holy of holies was open to all because the greatest High Priest, the only one who offered himself as the sacrifice, had torn down the wall of separation by his blood.
The separation has been removed and God is with us. In us. You may not be feeling that right now. You may believe God is unhappy with you because of your sin or you may believe that God loves you because he has to (He’s God!)…but that he doesn’t really like you. You might find it hard to concentrate while reading the Bible. You might find it hard to be excited about coming to church or you might struggle to feel warm towards God while others sing praise to him. You might struggle to know how to pray. Can I be honest with you? We all feel those same things at times. What do we do about it? We don’t try to think of how we can work our way back into his favor or into his presence. We have his favor in Christ and we have his presence.
What do we do? Turn to him. If you need forgiveness, turn to Christ. He is with you. If you need comfort, turn to Christ. He is there for you. Jesus is the door. If you need strength or healing or hope for the future, turn your eyes upon Jesus. Turn to him. He is all you need.
J. Mark Fox 