The entrance to the sanctuary

Jesus hung on the cross. He bore all the sins of the people to make atonement for this. Shortly before his death he said to his Father in heaven: "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!" (Luke 23,46 Eberfeld Bible). After a soldier's spear pierced Jesus' side, he cried out loudly and died.

At that very time, the curtain in the temple that separated the Holy of Holies from the other parts of the temple was rent. This curtain blocked the way to the Holy of Holies. This fact symbolizes that God excluded the people from the sanctuary because of sin. Only once a year, on the Day of Atonement, did the High Priest have access to the Holy of Holies. He then made atonement for his own sins and those of the people with the blood of clean sacrificial animals.

Only the priests had access to the sacred area. Delimited parts of the forecourt and courtyard were intended for the Jewish people and the Gentiles. According to historian Flavius ​​Josephus, the curtain was about 10 cm thick and 18 meters high and could hardly be moved with its weight. When Jesus died, it was torn in two from top to bottom.

What is this story about the torn curtain trying to tell us?
Through his death, Jesus opened our unrestricted entrance into God's sanctuary. By sacrificing his life and shedding his blood, he procured forgiveness for all sins and reconciled us to the Father. The way into the holy of holies - towards God - is now freely accessible for all people who believe in Jesus and his work of salvation.

God has come out of the man-made temple and will never return there. The old covenant with its religious system has come to an end, making way for the new covenant. The temple and the ministry of the high priest were but a shadow of what is to come. Everything pointed to Jesus. He is the originator and finisher of faith. This is illustrated by Jesus, who entered the Holy of Holies through his death as the perfect High Priest. With that he accomplished perfect repentance for us.
We can benefit greatly from Jesus' entrance into the sanctuary. Through him we also receive free access to the sanctuary, which he opened up through his death. Jesus is the new and living way. He himself represents the torn veil, through which he tore down the barrier between God and humanity. Now we can face God with confidence. We thank him from the bottom of our hearts for his immeasurable love.

by Toni Püntener