What's Behind The Curtain?

I never did like the Wizard of Oz as a kid. Ok, it was those flying monkeys that gave me the creeps. All the smoke, the fire, and the harsh tone of voice that came from Wizard made we want to go hide under my bed. You can well imagine how happy I was when Toto finally pulled back the curtain and revealed the little old man so gentle and sweet-the great Oz. Once that curtain was pulled back, the mysterious Oz was approachable.

I just cannot proceed to the resurrection of Christ without commenting on one of my favorite passages in the Gospels. It too speaks of a curtain and the revealing of someone great and mysterious.

With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last. The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. And when the centurion who stood there in front of Jesus heard his cry and saw how he died, he said, "Surely this man was the Son of God!" Mark 15: 37-39

"The curtain of the temple was torn" is just so captivating to me. Jesus was not even near the temple; He was slowly dying on a horrible cross. Although Jesus was not at the temple it seems people were aware that the curtain had been torn, not by man, but by God. It gives me goose bumps! Such a little phrase this is, yet it is THE story of the Bible and all of history.

This curtain was hung between the Holy Place and The Most Holy Place or the Holy of Holies. You might remember that the Holy of Holies was where Gods presence was and that once a year only the High Priest could enter there on the Day of Atonement. The curtain was woven out of blue, purple and scarlet threads into the form of a cherub and then sown onto white linen. The cherubim are and were the guardian angels of God's holiness. If anyone besides the High Priest made it past the curtain they would surly die.

Just as Jesus breaths his last human breath the curtain tears from top to bottom. Its significance makes you want to shout "Glory to God!" The tearing of the curtain tells us that for the first time in human history every man, woman, and child had direct access to God! Yes, priests and pastors still have their function but anyone can come directly to God because of the death and resurrection of Christ and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. For centuries, the righteous ones had longed for this; the promise they were holding on to. Jesus brought us all back into a right relationship with God. It's back to the Garden of Eden where we can once again commune with the living God because of His indwelling Spirit! It's what God wanted from the beginning.

There were many who understood the significance of this event, including Jewish priests. Acts 6:7 tell us that there were priests who became followers of Jesus. "So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith." Maybe they became followers of Jesus because they saw the curtain supernaturally tear. Could it be that they were the ones who told the other followers like Peter and John what had actually happened. It was certainly a significant event that did not fall on deaf ears.

By the time the book of Hebrews was penned, followers of Jesus knew quite well what this tearing of the curtain meant to them. "Therefore, brothers, 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, this 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 own hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water."

Yes, we have access to God because that curtain was torn, but the more amazing thing to me is that God came after me. I did not tear the curtain, God did! God is the pursuer in His relationship with humanity. He made it possible to bring His creation back from the curse of the garden. He is the one who is deeply in love with us and committed to us. When that curtain was torn I would imagine all of heaven sang for joy and all the demons of hell stood up to take notice.

We must get this drilled into our heads and our hearts-God wants us. He wants to walk with us, talk with us, hear from us, guide us, love us, counsel us, console us, reveal to us-God is for us!

St. Augustine the Catholic and Charles Spurgeon the Protestant both agreed upon this point of God's love. It was St. Augustine who wrote, "God loves each of us as if there were only one of us to love" and Charles Spurgeon penned, "He knows your case as thoroughly as if you were the only creature He ever made, or the only saint He ever loved." Both these great men of faith came to understanding that they were loved not because of their gifts or sacrifice, but because the God who is love, chose to love them.

I am encouraged by the words of Meister Eckhart from the 13th century, "For however devoted you are to God, you may be sure that he is immeasurably more devoted to you."

He made it possible for us to come to Him at anytime so let's take Him up on it. As Meister Echart also wrote, "God is at home, it we who have gone out for a walk" Let's ring His door bell and spend some time with Him this week. The curtain is gone and His door is open.

Peace,

Dan

Copyright 2008 Eternity Minded Ministries