I hope you had lovely Easter. It’smy favorite holiday of the year. I love Easter dresses and the pretty flowers that bloom, but most of all I love the Risen Savior that the holiday celebrates. This year, I reflected on Matthew 27:50-51, which says, “And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up his spirit. And behold, the veil of the Temple was torn in two, from top to bottom.”
The veil referred to here is the veil in the Temple, which separated the holy place from the Holy of Holies, or the Most Holy Place. The Holy of Holies was the part of the Temple where the Ark of the Covenant was stored. Only the high priest was allowed to enter the Holy of Holies, and then only once per year. It was the portion of the Temple where the Spirit of God dwelled. Common people, because of their unholiness, were never allowed to enter the Most Holy Place or they would die. Their unholiness could not stand up to the holiness of God. They were unworthy of being in His presence.
When Jesus, our Perfect Redeemer, became our Sacrificial Lamb and gave up His spirit on the cross, the Bible says that the veil was torn in two. No longer was there a separation between unholy man and Holy God. And did you notice that the veil was torn from top to bottom, symbolizing this restoration came from God to man and not the other way around? Without our Redeemer, we are dead in sin and completely hopeless. Without Him we have no way of ever being in communion with God. But Hallelujah, He arose on the third day, breaking the power of sin and splitting the veil, so that we can enter freely into fellowship with God. That is the true meaning of Easter!
I've always loved the significance of the veil being torn from top to bottom. What a beautiful picture.