Message
Matthew 27:51
Torn By Unseen Hands
There is something about curtains that just makes us want to know what is behind them, isn’t there. Curtains have the ability to make us very curious.
Example: Visit to a Heritage Home and they always seem to have one or two areas sectioned off. So tempting just to sneak a peek.
If such is the case for us, imagine what it was like for the Israelite priests who worked at the Jerusalem Temple.
Picture of Holy of Holies
Describe the set up and the curtain.
• Physical location in the temple
• 18m high, 9m wide
• Rabbinic tradition … it was 10cm thick, and that two horses tied to each side would not cause it to rip.
Basically the veil was a big sign saying “no access”. So what was so special about the Holy of Holies? Well this was the place where God’s presence would be shown.
• the Creator … One who couldn’t be confined … showing His presence.
• ultimate holiness … being willing to dwell with those who are unholy.
What an impact this truth had! To pull back the curtain meant entering heaven. That is why no one was allowed behind that curtain except the high-priest ... and that was only once a year ... and only after some elaborate rituals had taken place.
The rules for access are in Leviticus 16
• make multiple sacrifices.
• wear special sacred garments.
• choose a scapegoat.
• afterwards he needs to bathe in water.
You just didn’t casually walk up to the Holy of Holies and walk in, no matter who you were. The place was so sacred the high priest would go in there with a rope tied around his waist just in case he was not properly cleansed and God struck him down.
The Holy of Holies was a special place. But it was also a unique place.
Behind the second curtain was a room called the Most Holy Place, which had the golden altar of incense and the gold-covered ark of the covenant. This ark contained the gold jar of manna, Aaron's staff that had budded, and the stone tablets of the covenant. Above the ark were the cherubim of the Glory, overshadowing the atonement cover.
Hebrew 9:3-5
Talk about the fact that they ark disappeared when Babylon destroyed Jerusalem. They were not placed into the rebuilt temple.
But it was still special
When the priests in Jesus day looked at the curtain between the Holy place and the Most Holy place all this would be brought to mind. Centuries of mystery. Centuries of fascination. Centuries of wonder and awe – God’s home on earth.
Now that we have that context let’s read a passage from Matthew.
Matthew 27:45-56
Imagine that you are one of the priests who were on duty on the day Jesus was crucified.
It’s a very busy day trying to bring some order back to the temple.
• Passover time … 10 times the population
• Jews from everywhere in the Romans Empire … pilgrimage
Blood and animal innards are everywhere and the smell of sacrifice still hangs heavy in the air.
Much of the talk around the temple was the crucifixion of the rebel called Jesus.
• enemy of the Pharisees.
• hated by the temple hierarchy … except maybe a few swayed priests.
You muse over the fact that one man could have such an impact.
It’s been a very unusual day. Even though it is daytime it has been dark since lunch time. There must have been an eerie feeling in the air. Yet you are kind of glad to be in the temple where there is plenty of light and the feeling of safety. What could possibly go wrong? Then, just as quickly as it disappeared, the sun comes out again.
All seems to be back to normal until you hear a noise over your shoulder. It is the most horrific sight you have ever seen. The curtain …
… the curtain which hides God.
… the curtain which covers the unapproachable.
… the curtain which horses can’t move.
… the curtain which has fascinated you ever since you became a priest.
The curtain is tearing.
... not just falling down, because the fasteners holding it up have broken.
... not just disintegrating because it is so old.
But tearing, from the top, as if two powerful hands had grabbed it and ripped it apart. And now you are staring into the Holy of Holies … a view few people have had.
What does this event signify? Well it depends on your perspective. If you were a Jewish priest, or any Jew for that matter, what do you think is going to happen next?
You are going to die. Let’s go back to our priest in the temple.
• Try to shield your eyes from seeing the presence of God.
• Would be doing your best to not take another look at the Holy of Holies.
• You would be expecting to die at any time, and surprised that it had not happened already.
But you are not dead ... and now you’re very confused.
That is what the priest is going through ... but we don’t have to be confused. The reason this has happened is very simple.
God has left the building.
For centuries He had tolerated these people.
He had seen them come with their hollow sacrifices … just all show.
(Expand:- people would come and give sacrifices, but their heart was not changed).
He had watched freedom from sin transferred into the burden of law-keeping. It was never meant to be like this.
(Expand:- Exodus was beginning … Sinai was a response of grace. Now people couldn’t even see grace).
God had watched the religious leaders turn Judaism into a self-absorbed cult. (Expand:- Always it had been God’s intention for the Jews to bring the message of salvation to other nations … they only used it to separate themselves from other nations).
In the culture of the Eastern world, during the time of Jesus people would express their sorrow by tearing their garments! By tearing the veil God is showing His grief over what the temple had become ... but also He was opening a new way to all believers!
The idea of having His presence contained in a temple was to enable the people to be drawn closer to Himself.
For them to see that He wanted to deal seriously with sin.
For them to know that He was willing to forgive and help them in their daily walk.
For them to be assured that He was listening to their prayers and respond.
But instead of being drawn closer, they went further away. Instead of seeing Him as a God who wanted to be near, they kept Him at arms-length. God came to the temple to show how gracious He was, the people thought they had God in a box.
BUT NO LONGER
Let the Most Holy Place be revealed, for now it is just another room in the temple.
Let the world see an empty room … an empty room that reflects an empty religion.
Let centuries of mystery, wonder, and awe be peeled away; it’s not necessary anymore.
God has left the building. His presence will no longer be there.
God has left the building because He has introduced a way for people to have a vibrant living relationship with Him.
To see this truth in action all you need to do is take your eyes away from the ripped curtain and place them onto a man on a cross who has been ripped by the wrath of sin.
God’s presence in the temple was a promise that He was willing to deal seriously with sin. Jesus on the cross shows this so much more.
• allowed His Son to be the victim of injustice.
• watched as His Son was lead like a lamb to the slaughter.
• turned His back on His Son and totally forsake Him.
• drained the life from His Son and made Him a corpse.
• … who for? … for us.
The curtain may be ripped but God is still with us.
God’s presence in the temple was a promise that He would forgive us from day to day. When we look at the ripped body of Christ we see this promise so much more.
• we have one like us who is with the Father in heaven defending us.
• we have a Lord and King who puts His blood on the line every time we sin.
• Christ takes the pain, we get the riches.
The curtain may be ripped, but God is still with us.
God’s presence in the temple was an assurance that He was listening to the prayers of the people and responding to those prayers. Jesus Christ on the cross just confirms such is even more so the case.
• for centuries the people had been crying, “We can’t do it on our own”
• God’s response was, “I will do it for you”.
The curtain may be ripped, but God is still with us.
God has left the building.
Gone is the ritualism and hollowness.
Gone is the burden and hopelessness.
And in its place stand … what?
Therefore since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, His body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful.
Hebrews 10:19-23
In a word what stands in the place of the temple is a RELATIONSHIP
Curtains do have the ability to makes us want to know what is behind them. Curtains have the ability to make us very curious. And today our curiosity has been fulfilled – God Himself has shown us a wonderful reality.
He doesn’t want secrecy, and fear.
He doesn’t want priests, and sacrifices and rituals.
He doesn’t want mystery, and limitations, and uniqueness.
He wants you.
He wants you to see the wonderful grace that He is offering in Jesus – access … direct access to His presence.
That’s the gift of relationship that God keeps offering.
God cleared the way for us to come to Him.
Don’t let anything hold you back.
Prayer
