Exodus 26 – June 21

Yesterday we began to explore the tabernacle and its various pieces of divinely mandated furniture. The key point to remember is that everything that God designed was intentionally done in order to point forward to Jesus Christ. Our primary focus yesterday was on the mercy seat that covered the ark of the covenant that represented the fact that Jesus would come and mercy would cover the law. It was the place where God said that He would meet with His people. If you were living in the days of Moses, you would probably be both terrified and overjoyed that God would choose to allow His presence to manifest with the people in that place. Imagine the scintillating emotion that must have filled the hearts and minds of the people as they heard Moses explain this concept: God would dwell with His people. 

Then, as the people kept listening, imagine how quickly that joy would evaporate when they began to realize that the presence of God was not accessible to them. Perhaps you noticed the incredible frequency of the word ‘curtain’ in this chapter. That word is employed 24 times. What is the purpose of curtains? Chiefly, in our day, it is to block visibility. In their day, curtains were also used as tent doors. A closed curtain indicated that visitors were not welcome at that time. The tabernacle was designed with the clearest possible message – not everyone is welcome here. 

The largest of the curtains was employed to separate the holy place from the holy of holies. “And you shall make a veil of blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen. It shall be made with cherubim skillfully worked into it. And you shall hang it on four pillars of acacia overlaid with gold, with hooks of gold, on four bases of silver. And you shall hang the veil from the clasps, and bring the ark of the testimony in there within the veil. And the veil shall separate for you the Holy Place from the Most Holy.” (vs. 31-33) The purpose of the veil was to display that there was a thick separation between man and God’s presence. This veil was roughly 4 inches thick – the thickest fabric ever known to be created in all of historical literature. It was a signal and a warning that people were not welcome to enter. Only one person could go in once a year. Only the high priest carrying the blood of a spotless lamb could go in to intercede for the people. To everyone else, the way was closed. This curtain would eventually hang in the temple, and then either it or a replacement of it was in the rebuilt temple that stood during the time of Jesus.

How is it that under the Old Covenant we see this barrier of separation between God and man, but under the New Covenant we are told that we can, “with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need?” (Heb. 4:16) What changed? The cross changed everything. “And Jesus uttered a loud cry and breathed his last. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom.” (Mark 15:37-38) The death of Jesus ended the barrier of separation between God and man. God tore that impossibly thick fabric from top to bottom. The curtain was just a picture of what was going on in the spiritual realm. Consider the following passages of Hebrews that describe Jesus’ work as figuratively going beyond the veil.

Hebrews 6:19-20 - We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.

Jesus went into the Holy place behind the veil first “as a forerunner” – meaning that we will follow Him into God’s presence.

Hebrews 9:11-12 - But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation) he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption. 

The offering that Jesus carried behind the veil was not that of an earthly lamb. It was His own, effectual, powerful, redemption-securing blood.

Hebrews 9:24 - For Christ has entered, not into holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf.

The tabernacle (and later the temple) were just pictures of heavenly realities. They were symbolic representations of God’s presence and relationship to man. Jesus did not offer blood in the earthly tabernacle or temple, for those are just shadows of a greater reality. He offered His blood to God Himself in heavenly places.

Hebrews 10:19-22 -  Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

The old curtain is gone, destroyed, torn in two, disposed of. For those who are in Christ, we have a new curtain – a new doorway into the presence of God. This curtain does not scream “YOU ARE NOT WELCOME HERE!” like the old one did. This curtain has done everything necessary to allow us to “draw near” to God in the holy place that has been opened forever by His grace.