Behind the second veil...

Hebrews 9:1-10 (NASB) from the daily reading in the One Year Bible

The Old and the New

Now even the first covenant had regulations of divine worship and the earthly sanctuary. ² For there was a tabernacle prepared, the outer one, in which were the lampstand and the table and the sacred bread; this is called the holy place. ³ Behind the second veil there was a tabernacle which is called the Holy of Holies, ⁴ having a golden altar of incense and the ark of the covenant covered on all sides with gold, in which was a golden jar holding the manna, and Aaron’s rod which budded, and the tables of the covenant; ⁵ and above it were the cherubim of glory overshadowing the mercy seat; but of these things we cannot now speak in detail.

⁶ Now when these things have been so prepared, the priests are continually entering the outer tabernacle performing the divine worship, ⁷ but into the second, only the high priest enters once a year, not without taking blood, which he offers for himself and for the sins of the people committed in ignorance. ⁸ The Holy Spirit is signifying this, that the way into the holy place has not yet been disclosed while the outer tabernacle is still standing, ⁹ which is a symbol for the present time. Accordingly both gifts and sacrifices are offered which cannot make the worshiper perfect in conscience, ¹⁰ since they relate only to food and drink and various washings, regulations for the body imposed until a time of reformation.

Behind the second veil there was a tabernacle which is called the Holy of Holies… the priests are continually entering the outer tabernacle performing the divine worship, ⁷ but into the second, only the high priest enters once a year, not without taking blood, which he offers for himself and for the sins of the people committed in ignorance. Even if man had been able to rightly live by the law, there was still a separation between man and God.  Even Moses, who received the law from God and who spoke to God could not enter into God’s holy presence and see His face. In Exodus 33:18-20 , Moses makes that very request to God.

Moses said, “I pray You, show me Your glory!” ¹⁹ And He said, “I Myself will make all My goodness pass before you, and will proclaim the name of the Lord before you; and I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show compassion on whom I will show compassion.” ²⁰ But He said, “You cannot see My face, for no man can see Me and live!”

The law and all the sacrifices that were part of it could not remove the sinful nature from man. There was still a separation between man and God. Jesus was the one who initiated the new covenant. In Matthew 27:50-52, we read the account of Jesus final moments on the cross.      Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit. ⁵¹ Then, behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split, ⁵² and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised…   John 19:30 tells us what Jesus cried out.       He said, "It is finished!" And He bowed His head and gave up His spirit.           “It is finished” The finished work of the cross, everything that Jesus came to accomplish was finished on the cross. The veil of the temple was torn from top to bottom because through the finished work of the cross there is no longer a separation between people and God. 2 Corinthians 5:17-19 says: if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! ¹⁸ All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: ¹⁹ that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them.

To be reconciled means that we are restored. We are reconciled or restored to the relationship that God intended from the beginning. When God created Adam and Eve, He walked with them and talked with them. They fellowshipped and communed with the God who created both them and the universe. That’s what we have been reconciled and restored too. The old covenant, based on the law, had many rituals, requirements and regulations. We, through the finished work of the cross have been restored, reconciled to God, for relationship not for ritual.

There are many today who still try to find God through the ritual of religious activity. To seek God through religion rather than through relationship is to diminish the work of the cross. The veil is gone. We are too: come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.(Hebrews 4:16) We can come boldly into the very presence of God because the finished work of the cross has reconciled us to the relationship God intended for us from the beginning. In john 4:23-24, Jesus describes the relationship we are to have with the Father, the way we should worship Him:

…an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers. ²⁴ God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.”

Our worship of God is not through religious ritual. It is in spirit and truth. Through the finished work of the cross we have been given the indwelling Holy Spirit of God. Through the Spirit we fellowship and commune with God. There is no longer any need for sacrifice for our sins, yet we are called to: present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. ² And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.  (Romans 12:1-2)    “A living sacrifice, our spiritual service of worship”; That’s how we are to live. That’s the relationship we are called to.

The finished work of the cross restores and reconciles us to God, to worship and to walk by the Spirit. Galatians 5:16-25 says:    Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. ¹⁷ For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. ¹⁸ But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. ¹⁹ Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery,  fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, ²⁰ idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, ²¹ envy, murders,  drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. ²² But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³ gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. ²⁴ And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. ²⁵ If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

Heavenly Father, Lord Jesus Christ, precious Holy Spirit thank You that You do not desire or call me to worship You through religious ritual, but rather through the finished work of the cross You have reconciled me to a relationship with You. The veil of the temple has been torn. You have given me Your Holy Spirit. I desire to walk in the power of the Spirit, to give my life as a living sacrifice, to worship in Spirit and truth, that both in my life and through my life; Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.   Amen.