Christ in all the scriptures The Veil

 Christ in all the scriptures

The veil of blue

Readings: Exodus 26v31-37; 36v35-38; 39v34; 40v3; Numbers 4v5; Hebrews 9v3v7-8; 10v20

The veil is the screen which separates God from people.  It has been well said that "what conceals Jehovah, reveals Jehovah".  We must, ever, in approaching Him, maintain that reverence to His supreme greatness-1st Timothy 6v15-16.  Indeed, in a sense, the tabernacle is God unapproachable.  Surrounded by 280 cubits of pure white linen, 5 cubits high; only one entrance gate; access to the holy place only for the priests and only after they have washed at the brazen laver; three coverings which concealed the beautiful tabernacle to the outside world; the door to the holy place; and the veil of blue which prohibits entry to the throne to all except Aaron, once a year, and Moses by Divine invitation.  Such was the aura around the Ark that God placed it beyond the human eye.

The veil always covered the Ark, even in transit.  In a similar way God screens Himself  by the blue sky, which separates Him from view...the hymnwriters speak of "somewhere beyond the blue".   Job 9v8 and Psalm 104v2 with Isaiah 40v22 say that He stretched out the heavens as a curtain, and, in the last scripture He sits on the circle of the earth.  This to portray His superior greatness over all humanity who are small like grasshoppers in His sight; at the same time His involvement in the affairs of this world.  The God, before whom the burning seraphs cover their faces, can only manifest Himself remotely.  He reveals Himself in creation-Psalm 19v1-6 and Romans 1v20; in commandments-Exodus 31v18 and32v15-16; in the inner conscience of humanity-Ecclesiastes 3v11 (R.V. "He has set eternity in their heart") and Romans 2v15.  Above us, and all around us; before our eyes; within our inner beings, God has revealed Himself.   His ultimate revelation came in Christ, who is "God manifest in flesh".  

The veil is interpreted in the New Testament in Hebrews 9v8 as signifying that "the way into the Holiest was not yet made manifest".  Note the not yet, indicating it was His ultimate intention to allow mankind a way into the very presence of God.  When Christ died on the cross, the veil was rent from the top to the bottom-Matthew 27v51, by a Divine act, which proclaimed there is now a way to God.  Hebrews 10v19 calls it a "new and living way", which means that for all who come this way, access is granted.  We ponder for a moment the wonder of this that we have a direct line to the Sovereign of the universe, we have access to God in the sanctuary!  Our prayers and worship are received, and will be acknowledged and answered in due time.  The only condition is that we come in the name, and trusting in the merit of Christ, in His person and His work.  That access is granted to saint and sinner alike; to sinners for saving grace, to saints for spiritual support.

Hebrews 10v19 says the veil is "His flesh", which brings us to the interpretation of the Old Testament symbol.  The hymnwriters have grasped the enormity of this-the carol by Charles Wesley, "Veiled in flesh the Godhead see! Hail the incarnate Deity! Pleased as man with man to dwell, Jesus our Immanuel!"  He appeared as an ordinary man, and He veiled the splendour of His being.  On the mount of transfiguration, He was seen by Peter, James, and John, in awesome mode, and John saw Him in post-incarnate wonder on the isle of Patmos.  This is His actual appearance.  All the while, in humble appearance, He moved among men, portraying ordinary humanity, yet, at times, displaying extraordinary character in demeanour and miraculous deeds.  Exodus 26 tells the story in no uncertain terms.

It was a veil of blue, He was a man of heavenly character.  Externally normal, internally superior: John 1v18 and John 3v13, He was on earth but He lived in the bosom of the Father; John 1v49, Nathanael declared Him Son of God, King of Israel; John 3v31, He came from above; John 6, no less than 8 times, He is from heaven.  He is the bread from heaven which is given for the life of the world; John 8v33 and 13v1 and many others, He spoke of returning to the Father.  John 8v29, He did always those things that pleased the Father; John 8v42, "He proceeded forth and came from the Father".  He was literally heaven on earth as is presented in John 11v27, 13v3, 14v2, 14v12, 14v28, 16v7, 16v16, 17v3.

The veil was of purple, the colour of royalty-Judges 8v26; Esther 8v15; Song of Solomon 3v10; Mark 15v17; John 19v2; Revelation 17v4.  He was a man of regal disposition, accorded royalty by many.  Matthew 1v1, "Son of David, Son of Abraham".  Ten times in Matthew's gospel alone is He referred to as the Son of David.  The significance of this is stated in 2nd Samuel 7v16.  Matthew 2v2, "Where is He that is born king of the Jews?"; Matthew 4v23, "And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom..."; Matthew 7v29 "He taught them as one that had authority, and not as the scribes"; Matthew 13v11, He taught His disciples the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven; Matthew 28v18 "All power (authority) is given unto me in heaven and in earth".  He was a servant but in all that He did He was kingly.

The veil was of scarlet, the colour of sacrifice.  He was a man of servile devotion who gave Himself to the service of men and of God.  This aspect is prevalent in the gospel of Mark.  He is the perfect servant, but a suffering servant.  He made himself available in all places and at all times.  Mark 1-3 records He was by the sea, in the synagogue, in the house, at the door, on the mountain; also that He served in the morning, and at even when the sun did set.  This sacrificial devotion, which marked Him always, culminated in the ultimate sacrifice of His life, when He gave Himself to death.  Three times over Mark refers to this, the ultimate purpose of His coming.  Mark 8v31; 9v31; 10v32-33.  Unique to Mark's gospel is the reference to the extent of the suffering involved.  Only Mark says He was DRIVEN by the Spirit into the wilderness-Mark 1v12-13; also that He was with the WILD BEASTS.  Mark 14 v33 says He began to be SORE AMAZED-the same word is used in 16v5 to refer to the astonishment of the women when they met the angels from heaven.  Jesus was similarly astonished in Gethsemane, as He was confronted by something so utterly foreign to His soul.  He was "exceedingly sorrowful unto death".  The scarlet worm which is crushed to produce the red dye for embroidery is a fitting picture of the excruciating suffering of Christ in the final days of His flesh.

The veil was of fine twined linen, the garb of priestly service.  He was a man for all men in relation to God, serving humanity in all their need.  He was the Son of Man, Luke takes up this aspect.  His gospel commences and ends with a temple scene.  He was compassionate, understanding the infirmities of men, and supplying relief where necessary.   He was a praying, dependent man-Luke 3v21; 5v16; 6v12; 9v18; 9v29.  He was a preaching man of gracious words-Luke 4v22, and powerful words-Luke 4v32.  He was a priestly man serving all kinds of men-those who were outcasts of society; focusing on women, who in that day were marginalised.  One third of Luke's gospel is devoted to healing miracles as we would expect from the "beloved physician".  He reacted with the lost, and the so-called losers; of 14 occurrences of alms in scripture, ten are found in Luke.  Jesus came to seek and to save that which was lost-Luke 19v10.

The veil was upheld with four pillars of shittim wood, overlaid with gold.  The four gospel writers, as we have just illustrated?  These are the pillars holding before our eyes the perfections of Christ.

The veil is embroidered with the golden cherubims.  They appear on the mercy seat, on the tabernacle curtains and now on the veil.  These are the guardians of the throne of God.  In Christ, the integrity of God was preserved in totality, and He is the ultimate judge of all men. This is written all through the four gospels.