Three Veils of the Cross
Mark 15:33, 37; Matthew 27:51-52
And when the sixth hour was come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour. And Jesus cried with a loud voice, and gave up the ghost.
Of the veil of Heaven, it is forbidden to speak on, else would he not have covered it. Sure, God is holy and cannot look upon sin. Let us leave aside the fact for a moment as to whether the iniquity of the world was laid on him or not. Sure, Isaiah 53:6 testifies of such. But never at any moment has he ceased from being God. He might be made of no reputation as in Philippians 2:7 for a time. Yet still, there remains the "I Am" of John 18:6 which caused all his accusers to fall over backwards. Even as the sinless lamb of God at such a moment as this, he was also divinity. So, it can be seen as almost irreverent to think less. It seems that some places are the Lord's alone on which to speak. I should think that perhaps he would not have covered it so if he had wanted me to comment thereon. Thus, I shall refrain from speaking on the veil of Heaven and that touching the Spirit. This is due to the strong injunction given by Matthew 12:32 regarding whoso speaks against the Spirit; Scripture says they heap judgement unto themselves both in this life and in the one to come. Note the words "it will not be forgiven" carefully and mark such a one. Herein does the burden fall on the speaker of one such a word rather and not upon the hearers thereof at all. That is why I will refrain myself from uttering any such. The fear of the Lord is strong as well it should be. In this text, we behold as though for the first time the separation between the Father, the Son, and the Spirit while they are the same.
Some things in this present time are always seen as through a glass darkly according to 1 Corinthians 13:12. Then let us look very briefly into it if you will. The Spirit was not always separate yet distinct. Nor had the Son always dwelt among men. Revelation 21:3 tells how he will make his dwelling place among them as at the last. In times of old, he came up on whom he would, even his chosen; it was so until all his good pleasure as Isaiah 55:11 be accomplished. So, King Saul once found to his hurt when the Lord left him following his sin of 1 Samuel 16:14 in favor of another. King David also as in Psalm 51:11 lived in constant fear of the Spirit being taken from him what with his various wanderings and all. Perhaps you have heard how the spirit leaves the body during an especially traumatic event usually surrounding death. Well, at least it does in Asian cultures. I am not too sure about the rest of you but that is just what happens over there. Here, it happened to Jesus as well. It is important to note that he has not at any time ever been lost nor any less God. For he has always been that way. I care not if it is yesterday, today, or tomorrow as Hebrews 13:8 testifies; he is the same forever. My friends, God has not changed. Nor has he abandoned you as some are wont to think. You might be in a situation now, on the cross right now, feeling abandoned by the Father now. Yet at no time have you ever been left all alone. Thus, the spirits of the righteous made perfect is the first veil.
Notice how the darkness came over the whole land and how long it lasted. It was a situation far worse than any comet could ever produce. I do not know if any of you remember the panic the first comet produced. Some people back then thought the world was going to end and they still do to this day. Regardless, that is neither here nor there. Notice if you will the totality of the darkness. It was such that Heaven itself was obscured from the vision of all. See, when our eye is dark how great is that darkness. So, Matthew 6:23 makes it clear of all the bad things which follow. Yet the darkness was not to keep man from looking up but rather Heaven from looking down. It was a veil if you will that signified the Son of God judging by the testimony of those standing by. Such a darkness had not been seen or heard from since the very beginning of time. For if by him of Colossians 1:17 all things hold together, without him all things fall apart.
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; And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose,
In this we see the second veil, spread across the temple hid from prying eyes. It was this veil then which kept the Holy of Holies safely apart. God has created man in Genesis 1:27; from the beginning it was so. The veil of the temple then just as man was plainly visible being made by man at God's command for all to see. The source of the matter is the things of men. Created solely for the purpose of keeping mankind out, it served as a barrier to the holiest place of God. Exodus 13:21-22 tells how he made his home with them in times before, a pillar of fire by day and night. I can almost hear you now, 'that says a cloud.' Yes, fire might not be a cloud, but what does a fire barely suppressed do. It smolders, producing a great cloud as the intensity of it burns underneath without ceasing. It might sound tedious at first, but it is important that you understand.
It was behind this veil the priest went to offer sacrifice for sin as in Hebrews 9:11-15. Now whether that would be once yearly, or an everyday occurrence is another matter entirely. How many of you know that service to God should rarely be unreasonable be that your own body or that of another. Here also is the holiest place reserved for God alone which kept all others out. At Christ's death, the debt for sin was satisfied and payment made. It is as though the Father said, 'that is enough' and tore the veil down between the two. Therein is seen the promise of another, even the comforter, who would guide them into all truth of John 16:13. On Pentecost then, are the promises fulfilled. With the holiest place opened, it seems God walked among man once more. Yet beyond that it represented something else. Just the priest before could only enter in and that was with something for sin. But here are Heaven's gates flung open wide with all welcome who would come inside. Now I can almost hear your startled gasp 'does that mean the fallen too?' Yes, dear church indeed it does.
Whosoever will means whosoever will and whomsoever won't is in a bad position indeed. Now I know that tends to scandalize a whole lot of folks. Some have even gone so far as to teach doctrines which tend to relegate the grace of God. This serves several ends, one to keep another out and two to penalize them for their sin. I do not know about you but that is not of God. Indeed, his blood was shed for all as you are about to find be they ministering spirits, the souls of men, or even the most fallen. It is a three for one message if you will. One sacrifice unites the world by the blood of his cross. This is the sum of the third and final veil at last. Here is seen the spirits of the fallen held in prison. 1 Peter 3:18-20 tells it was for their disobedience long before the flood began. So, it describes them thus and in need of a certain Word. Looking back, the Lord had just created a perfectly beautiful world. Back then there was nothing wrong with it. But you mean to tell me that the devil, once known as Lucifer, had suddenly developed a rather severe case of anxiety. See, had he believed the God of Philippians 4:6, he might have approached the Lord with his anxious for nothing self rather than going to seek some additional help. Herein is seen how fear and rebellion almost always stem from the underlying belief that God is not good.
"Taste and see that the Lord is good" in Psalm 34:8 indeed; but some of us must be led kicking and screaming because we trust not that it is so. Well might this one that feared asked for some words of encouragement, straightening, or of the master from another at any time. Indeed, some servants like this one, are no help at all. Instead as Luke 12:45-46 tells, these are given instead to much riot, smiting everything in sight. Not content with that, these wicked servants began to party with the drunken. Now that we are back where I began, let us see very briefly the purpose of the cross. The text says when Jesus died, the graves of many of the saints were opened allowing for their resurrection. Now that would not have happened otherwise without such a Word as this. For how could one man forgive the sins of one let alone atone for those of many. So then, this veil is of the earth which also tore in two allowing the saints therefore to rise. My, what a powerful Word Christ speaks indeed, better even than the blood of Abel gone before. Then at last the Scripture tells how Jesus went himself to preach to them that had been in prison. It happened that Isaiah 9:2 might be fulfilled: "The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined." His message is for all my friends. Some of you would do well to stop hanging out with doubting Thomas and go find yourself a more faithful Friend.