Our Entrance into the Holy of Holies | Message 4
One of the most dramatic moments in the New Testament occurs at the very moment Jesus died on the cross.
Matthew records:
Matthew 27:51
“And behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.”
The veil that separated sinful humanity from the presence of God was suddenly ripped apart.
The tearing of that veil was not done by human hands. Scripture makes it clear that it was torn from top to bottom, indicating that God Himself removed the barrier.
The Old Testament Tabernacle had always taught that God is holy and that sinful humanity cannot approach Him freely. But when Jesus Christ died, everything changed.
The tearing of the veil revealed one of the greatest truths in Scripture: through Christ we now have access to God.
The Veil Separating the Holy of Holies
Inside the tabernacle was a sacred place called the Holy of Holies. This was the place where the Ark of the Covenant rested and where the presence of God was symbolically revealed above the mercy seat.
The entrance into the Holy of Holies was blocked by a curtain known as the veil.
No one was permitted to pass beyond that veil except the High Priest—and even he could enter only once a year on the Day of Atonement.
Scripture warns:
Leviticus 16:2
“Tell Aaron your brother not to come at just any time into the Holy Place inside the veil… lest he die.”
The veil was a constant reminder that sinful people cannot casually enter the presence of a holy God.
Jesus’ Death Tore the Veil
When Christ died, that veil was torn apart.
One Bible scholar wrote that the tearing of the veil began at the top, showing that God Himself initiated the act. With the death of Christ, the old system of law and sacrifice had reached its fulfillment.
Another commentator noted that the tearing of the veil demonstrated that the way into God’s presence had now been made open.
For centuries, the idea of ordinary people approaching God directly would have been unthinkable. But through Christ’s sacrifice, God now invites people everywhere to come into His presence.
The veil had been removed.
The Veil Was a Picture of Christ
The New Testament tells us that the veil represented something far deeper than fabric.
It symbolized the body of Jesus Christ.
Hebrews 10:19–20
“Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh.”
Just as the veil had to be torn for people to enter the Holy of Holies, the body of Christ was broken so that we could be reconciled to God.
Through His death, Jesus made peace with God on our behalf.
Jesus’ Resurrection and the Torn Veil Teach Us Powerful Truths
1. Jesus Made Peace With God on Our Behalf
The veil was made of fine linen, representing purity and holiness.
Yet humanity could never enter God’s presence on its own.
Jesus came as the sinless Son of God and became the perfect sacrifice.
Because of His death and resurrection, peace with God is now possible.
Romans 5:1
“Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
2. The Barrier Between God and Humanity Has Been Removed
The Ark of the Covenant sat behind the veil inside the Holy of Holies. Inside the ark were the tablets of the law, Aaron’s rod that budded, and the golden pot of manna. Above it rested the mercy seat.
This sacred place had always been inaccessible to ordinary people.
But Jesus removed the barrier.
Through His sacrifice, believers are now welcomed into fellowship with God.
This truth carries an important challenge for the church today.
If Christ has removed the barrier between God and humanity, we must also work to remove barriers that keep people from coming to Christ.
Lost men and women, lost young people, and lost children need to hear the gospel and experience the grace of God.
3. Jesus Removed the Curse and Condemnation of the Law
The law revealed humanity’s guilt and separation from God.
But Christ removed the curse that the law placed upon us.
Galatians 3:13
“Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us.”
Colossians 2:14
“Having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us… He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.”
Through the cross, the condemnation of sin was removed.
Jesus satisfied the justice of God and made salvation possible for everyone who believes.
Romans 3:26
“That He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.”
4. Jesus Gives Us His Holiness at the New Birth
The gospel does more than forgive sin—it transforms lives.
Hebrews 12:14
“Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord.”
At salvation, Christ gives believers His righteousness.
Romans 4:24–25
“It shall be imputed to us who believe in Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead.”
Because of Christ, believers are declared righteous before God.
Yet this righteousness is meant to lead us into deeper fellowship with Him.
A theologian once observed that many Christians live on the right side of Easter but the wrong side of Pentecost. They understand forgiveness but never experience the fullness of spiritual power and fellowship that God intends.
Christ not only forgives us—He invites us into a living relationship with Him.
Removing Barriers for People to Come to Christ
During World War II, a pastor named William Sangster led a large church in London that seated thousands.
When German bombs fell on the city, people from every background crowded into the church basement hoping to survive the bombing.
Rich and poor, adults and children, sober and drunk—all pressed together in the same place seeking shelter.
There were no barriers in that moment.
People simply wanted safety.
Sangster later became seriously ill and eventually lost his ability to speak. On the last Easter Sunday he experienced before his death, he could only write with his fingers.
He wrote these words:
“How terrible to wake up on Easter and have no voice to shout, ‘He is risen!’ Far worse, to have a voice and not want to shout.”
His message still echoes today.
Do you want to shout, “He is risen!”?
The Evidence of the Resurrection
Christ’s resurrection confirms everything the cross accomplished.
After His resurrection, Jesus appeared repeatedly to His followers.
He appeared to Mary Magdalene, to the women at the tomb, to Peter, to two disciples on the Emmaus Road, to the disciples gathered together, and even to more than five hundred people at one time.
He appeared to James, His half-brother, and later to the apostle Paul.
These appearances provide powerful evidence that Jesus truly rose from the dead.
The resurrection proves that the sacrifice of Christ was accepted by God.
The Invitation of the Torn Veil
The tearing of the veil was God’s invitation to humanity.
Through Jesus Christ, the door into God’s presence is open.
No priest is required. No additional sacrifice is necessary.
Christ has already done everything required to bring us to God.
The only question that remains is whether we will accept the invitation.
Through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, we now have bold access into the Holy of Holies.
And that access changes everything.
