THE TABERNACLE was divided into two rooms — the holy place, and the holiest, or most holy place. Within the most holy place was the ark where God dwelt between the cherubim. It was separated from the holy place by a beautiful curtain made of blue, purple, scarlet, and fine twined linen, with figures of cherubim embroidered upon it. This curtain was called the Veil. Like the curtains of the tabernacle, the veil speaks of Christ, His glorious Person now and what He will be in the future glories of His millennial reign. Hebrews 10:2020By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; (Hebrews 10:20) speaks of the veil as “His flesh"; that is, Himself as that blessed Man down here. He was truly God and Man in one blessed Person; yet, just as the veil in the tabernacle hid from without the very presence of God, so the flesh or manhood of the Lord Jesus when He was down here, concealed from the eyes of men His Godhead glory. But at the same time that way into the most holy place was through the veil, so Christ is the only way to God. He could say to Thomas, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me.” John 14: 6.
The veil was fastened by golden hooks upon four golden pillars, which were fixed on four silver sockets. From Leviticus 16 we learn that no one but the high priest was allowed to go into the most holy place, and he but once a year, on the great day of atonement. The reason for this was because, “The Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing.” Heb. 9:88The Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing: (Hebrews 9:8). God could not fully reveal Himself, He could not go out to the sinner, or bring the sinner in to Himself, until the question of sin could be taken up and settled once and forever. But when the Saviour was crucified, you remember that the veil of the temple was rent in twain — or torn in two — from the top to the bottom. For it was God that rent that veil, to show that by the death of Jesus the way was now open into the blessed presence of God for guilty sinners — a new and ling way, as it is called in Hebrews 10:19,2019Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, 20By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; (Hebrews 10:19‑20). To pass within the veil is now the blessed privilege of any who come by the Lord Jesus. That way is now open for all, and is always open.
The four pillars, like the boards of the tabernacle, stood in sockets of silver. We read of “the four corners of the earth,” and “the four winds,” so no doubt these four pillars would tell how the work of Christ was opened up for blessing to go out to the whole world, and the redeemed from every kindred and tongue and people and nation come and worship “within the veil.”
Years, ago, a servant of Christ was riding on a train when a clergyman came and sat down beside him. As they talked together of Christ, the clergyman asked, “Where do you worship?” “Within the veil,” was the simple but beautiful answer.
ML-07/26/1970