Rent in Sunder Culmination

It is a way that Christ has consecrated for us through the veil, that is, his flesh. The veil in the tabernacle and temple signified the body of Christ; when he died, the veil of the temple was rent in sunder, and this was at the time of the evening sacrifice, and gave the people a surprising view of the holy of holies, which they never had before. Our way to heaven is by a crucified Saviour; his death is to us the way of life. To those who believe this he will be precious, Matthew Henry, Acts to Revelation, Volume 6, page 752. 

I ask that you consider the magnitude of what you just read.

When Jesus gave up the ghost on the cross, at the selfsame moment, the veil in the temple tore apart from top to bottom, and this, during the evening sacrifice. While the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world was sacrificed for you and me, your brothers and sisters, mother, father, uncles, aunts, grandparents, and long lost cousins, there was an animal sacrificed. The Jews in the temple where either in the right place at the wrong time, or the wrong place at the right time: 

1. Right place, wrong time: the temple was the perfect place for the passover, but how wrong was it to not be by the side of the Saviour?

2. Wrong place, right time: not being by the side of the Saviour, the Jews that experienced and witnessed the rending of the veil, the curtain that forbade them entrance into the throne room of God, may be just what they needed to see, to run to Jesus, and fall at his feet. 

Sunder: split apart: a universe sundered ages ago in a divine war

The meaning sunder is astounding. A universe, split apart ages ago, in a divine war. Does this not perfectly describe the spiritual warfare we know happens all around us, sight unseen, often tangible, and frequently evidenced in the behaviours of our fellow man? 

It can feel at times, as though my mind is in two places at once. I can be working on something and then there enters in, an offshoot thought that must be corralled, or captured, and placed in a line up for consideration at a later date; but man alive, I was in utter shock when I realized the timing of what Matthew Henry presented, and I had trouble being in two places at once, never having recognized the gracious gift God gave, to all the people that witnessed startling, heart pounding, blood rapidly flowing phenomena, on that day of culmination. God ended the Old Testament ordinances with the immediate and abrupt death of Christ on the cross, signified by the in sunder veil being torn apart. Animal sacrifice was a shadow of the purest Sacrifice, and nothing can compare, to Jesus dying for us and atoning for our sins.  

That is not all. Let us take a look into the scriptural account in the book of Matthew 27:50-54:

Jesus, when he cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. 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, and came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many. 

Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God. 

Listen again with me, to the words spoken by the centurion that was watching Jesus while he hung on the cross: Truly this was the Son of God. 

1. We don't choose when our spirit leaves the body, Jesus did.

2. The veil that hung in the temple was rent from top to bottom; a sure sign of the end of the Old Testament covenant, and the introduction of the new, where you and I have access to the throne room of God, through Jesus our LORD, our Mediator, our Advocate, our Redeemer, our High Priest.

3. The earth quaked and shook the people; so significant was this crucification, this death, this life altering sacrifice, that the earth trembled and so did the people.

4. Rocks rent; rocks split apart... the coinciding of these events with the immediate giving up of the ghost that Jesus accomplished, with eye witnesses accounting for all that is written, is beyond comprehension to modern man, except for to those that by faith, enthusiastically embrace the retelling, and become elated at the scene! Jesus was able to separate his spirit from his body, a feat you and I will never be able to achieve. 

5. Graves were opened, and many bodies of saints which slept, arose. When Jesus resurrected, so did previously dead saints - they went into the holy city, and were seen by many. Can you imagine your auntie Gloria, saying, Hey kiddo, nice to see you! Jesus gave me new life, and I get to tell you all about him. 

6. The centurion was the spokesman for those that gathered at the foot of the cross, and watched Jesus. He looked at a dead man, hanging there, and spoke vital, life altering truth, by declaring, after experiencing what is described in Matthew and elsewhere in The Bible, Truly this was the Son of God. 

Dear one, do you, with the centurion, declare: Truly, this was the Son of God; and do you now, see Jesus as your way into the holy of holies?  

Again, I refer you to Matthew Henry:

Our way to heaven is by a crucified Saviour; his death is to us the way of life. To those who believe this he will be precious.

Is Jesus precious to you? 

The warfare of old continues still. Souls are booty for Satan, and so precious to God, that he gave his one and only perfect Son, to save the world. What does this mean, to you?