Preached June 7, 1998 at Faith Baptist Church
By Pastor Steven Mays

"THE RENDING OF THE VEIL"

TEXT MATTHEW 27:50-53
50 Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost.
51 And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;
52 And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose,
53 And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.

EXODUS 26:31-34 31 And thou shalt make a vail of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen of cunning work: with cherubims shall it be made:
32 And thou shalt hang it upon four pillars of shittim wood overlaid with gold: their hooks shall be of gold, upon the four sockets of silver.
33 And thou shalt hang up the vail under the taches, that thou mayest bring in thither within the vail the ark of the testimony: and the vail shall divide unto you between the holy place and the most holy.
34 And thou shalt put the mercy seat upon the ark of the testimony in the most holy place.

LEVITICUS 16:1-2
1 And the LORD spake unto Moses after the death of the two sons of Aaron, when they offered before the LORD, and died;
2 And the LORD said unto Moses, Speak unto Aaron thy brother, that he come not at all times into the holy place within the vail before the mercy seat, which is upon the ark; that he die not: for I will appear in the cloud upon the mercy seat.

HEBREWS 10:20
Hebrews 10:20 By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;

WHEN WE PONDER GREAT DAYS IN THE HISTORY OF THE WORLD, DAYS WITH FAR REACHING SIGNIFICANCE… SEVERAL DAYS COME TO MY MIND.

1. THE DAYS OF CREATION -- NOTICE NOT EVOLUTION, 24 HOUR DAYS

2. THE DAY GOD CALLED ABRAHAM -- FATHERED THE GREATEST NATION IN THE HISTORY OF MANKIND

3. THE DAY GOD PARTED THE RED SEA --- PERHAPS ONE OF THE GREATEST MIRACLES OF ALL TIME

4. THE DAY THEY SIGNED THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE

5. THE DAY THEY DISCOVERED AND HARNESSED ELECTRICITY

6. THE DAY ISRAEL WAS MADE A SOVEREIGN NATION AGAIN AFTER OVER 2500 YEARS

WITHOUT A DOUBT EACH OF THOSE DAYS HAD FAR REACHING SIGNIFICANCE… BUT THIS MORNING I WANT TO NOTICE AN EVENT THAT TOOK PLACE ON THE MOST IMPORTANT DAY OF ALL TIME, BAR NONE. THE DAY THE VEIL OF TEMPLE WAS RENT IN TWAIN.

THIS EVENT TOOK PLACE AT THE END OF A PASSOVER WEEK IN ISRAEL IN THE YEAR 30AD. JESUS WAS DYING ON THE CROSS ON THIS PARTICULAR DAY. GOD WAS JUDGING HIS SON ON BEHALF OF A SINFUL WORLD.

AT THE MOMENT JESUS DIED MANY THINGS WERE HAPPENING AND WITHOUT A DOUBT EACH COULD MAKE A MESSAGE IN ITSELF, BUT I WANT TO CENTER OUR THOUGHTS ON ONE PARTICULAR EVENT; THAT EVENT WAS THE RENDING OF THE VEIL OF TEMPLE IN JERUSALEM. IF THE LORD WILL HELP US TODAY I BELIEVE WE CAN SEE OUR SALVATION IN NEW LIGHT. I BELIEVE WE CAN SEE THE BENEFITS OF SALVATION IN A NEW LIGHT. I BELIEVE WE CAN BE MOVED TO DEEPER DEVOTION WITH A NEW MOTIVATION. ALL THIS CAN HAPPEN FROM UNDERSTANDING THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE RENDING OF THE VEIL IN THE TEMPLE.

I.) THE BACKGOUND OF THE VEIL

BRIEFLY OUTLINE THE OLD TESTAMENT SACRIFICIAL SYSTEM.

GO THROUGH THE BUILDING OF THE TABERNACLE AND THE TEMPLE.

EXPLAIN THE PARTS OF THE TEMPLE AND THE TABERNACLE.

GOD'S ECONOMY HAS ALWAYS BEEN THAT HE WOULD HAVE TO HAVE A BLOOD ATONEMENT FOR THE REMISSION OF SIN.

IN THE OT GOD'S PEOPLE OFFERED THOSE SACRIFICES REGULARLY.

THE WORSHIP AND SACRIFICE CENTER WAS THE TEMPLE OR TABERNACLE.

NOTICE OUR TEXT. WE SEE SEVERAL THINGS ABOUT THE VEIL.

A.) THE DISPENSATION

MATT. 27:51 And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent;

FINALLY,. WE SEE THAT THERE WAS A VEIL. IT WAS STILL WAS IN EXISTENCE. IT DIVIDED THE HOLY FROM THE MOST HOLY. UP UNTIL THIS TIME THE OT ECONOMY OF SACRIFICES WAS STILL IN PLACE.

BUT ALL OF THIS WAS ABOUT TO CHANGE. A NEW DISPENSATION WAS ABOUT TO BEGIN. THE OLD TESTEMENT SACRIFICIAL SYSTEM WAS BEING DONE AWAY WITH.

AMAZINGLY, JOSEPHUS REPORTED THAT THE VEIL WAS 4" THICK, AND THAT HORSES TIED TO EACH SIDE WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO PULL IT APART. BUT THANK GOD ONE DAY 2000 YEARS AGO, RIPPED IT LIKE A PIECE OF OLD NEWSPAPER.

B.) THE DECREE

LEV. 16: 2 And the LORD said unto Moses, Speak unto Aaron thy brother, that he come not at all times into the holy place within the vail before the mercy seat, which is upon the ark; that he die not: for I will appear in the cloud upon the mercy seat.

YOU WERE ONLY TO ENTER IF YOU WERE THE HIGH PRIEST, AND YOU COULD ONLY ENTER AT A CERTAIN TIME. OUR TEXT TOLD US THAT ITS PURPOSE WAS TO PROTECT AS MUCH AS ANYTHING ELSE.

GOD IS A HOLY GOD, MOSES WAS TOLD IN Exodus 33:20 And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live.

A Rabbi Jehudah wrote in a Jewish document called Sepher Cosri, (P. iv. . 3.) "Of that divine glory mentioned in the Scripture, there is one degree which the eyes of the prophets were able to explore; another which all the Israelites saw, as the cloud and consuming fire; the third is so bright, and so dazzling, that no mortal is able to comprehend it; but should anyone venture to look on it, his whole frame would be dissolved." In such inconceivable splendour is the Divine Majesty revealed to the inhabitants of the celestial world, where he is said to "dwell in the light which no man can approach unto." (1 Ti 6:16.)

THAT IS SOME BACKGROUND ISN'T IT !?

II.) THE BEAUTY OF THE VEIL

BEFORE I GO A STEP FARTHER LET ME SAY RIGHT HERE THAT OUR BIBLE CLEARLY TELLS US THAT THE VEIL REPRESENTS THE FLESH OF CHRIST.

Hebrews 10:19 - 20 Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;

THE DISCRIPTION OF THE VAIL

EX. 26:31 And thou shalt make a vail of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen of cunning work: with cherubims shall it be made:

NOTICE THE COLORS… EACH COLOR REPRESENTED SOMETHING ABOUT CHRIST.

And thou shalt make a vail of blue -- REPRESENTING HEAVENLY DESCENT

PHIL. 2: 5

being in the form of God,

made in the likeness of men

And thou shalt make a vail of Purple -- ROYALTY

And thou shalt make a vail of scarlet -- THE ATONEMENT

THANK GOD FOR OUR SAVIOUR!!! AREN'T YOU GLAD GOD BECAME MEN! IN ORDER THAT MEN MIGHT BECOME THE SONS OF GOD,

JOHN 1:12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:

THIS IS A BEAUTIFUL VEIL ISN'T IT?!

III.) THE BLESSING OF THE VEIL

FOLKS THE VEIL WAS RENT IN TWO.. IT IS GONE… HOW DOES THAT AFFECT US TODAY… LET'S NOTICE ALL THE BLESSINGS:

CHALLENGED TO COME IN FOR CLOSE COMMUNION

EPH. 2:13 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. 14 ¶ For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;

CHALLENGED TO COME BOLDLY IN PRAYER AS A HIGH PRIEST

HEB. 10: 19 ¶ Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,
20 By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;
21 And having an high priest over the house of God;
22 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.

NOT JUST TO COME, BUT NOW WE CAN COME ON THE MERIT OF OUR SAVIOR, OUR HIGH PRIEST, THE LORD JESUS CHRIST.

CHALLENGED TO HOLD FAST TO OUR PROFFESSION ON THE BASIS OF ALL OF OUR BENEFITS

AFTER HE GIVES US ALL THE BLESSINGS OF THE PREVIOUS VERSES, HE CONCLUDES WITH THIS CHALLENGE IN VERSE 23…

HEB. 10: 23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)

WITH ALL THE BLESSINGS OF THE RENT VEIL, WE HAD BETTER HOLD FAST TO OUR PROFFESSION, NO EXCUSE FOR SLIPPING AWAY… NO EXCUSE FOR BACKSLIDING ON GOD…

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Preached June 7, 1998 at Faith Baptist ChurchBy Pastor Steven Mays