The words are those in Hebrews 10:19, 20, which reads, “Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh .”
For over 15 centuries — 1500 years — the veil had hung there, first in the tabernacle, then in Solomon’s temple, then in the temple of the Restoration, and finally in Herod’s temple — the one that took “forty and six years in building”. In the tabernacle the veil was anything between 15 feet and 20 feet high, according to what length we give the cubit, and it would not be any smaller in subsequent temples. Only the High Priest was allowed to go beyond this veil (which separated Holy and Most Holy places), and that on only one day in the year, on the great day of Atonement. On that day he entered twice with sacrificial blood, first with the blood of the bullock for his own sins, and then with the blood of the goat for the sins of the people.
Then Jesus came, and for 31 years he preached the gospel, a vital part of which was (as John the Baptist expressed it) to “take away the sins of the world” or as Jesus himself expressed it “to be put to death and the third day rise again.” His teaching and his action incensed the upper classes so intensely that finally (after they had arrested Jesus in Gethsemane) they incited the mob to cry “Crucify him” when they had arraigned him before Pilate. Weakly Pilate finally yielded to their clamour; the order was given. Jesus was crucified at 9 o’clock and in six hours, at 3 o’clock, he died.
Already there had been darkness for the last three hours, then an earthquake occurred, and last but a long way from least, as the priests performed their end of day duties they (presumably) saw the veil of the temple torn down the middle and they would hear the rending sound which accompanied it. And they would be panic-stricken (so much so, we read, that a great company of the priests believed).
Hitherto the Most Holy had been a closed chamber. Originally the ark and the cherubim over it were there; but now, as Pompey discovered when he forced his way in, the place was empty (which fact was not without its symbolic meaning!). Nevertheless, the meaning of the rent veil was clear. The way was now open to God, that new and living way to God was a glorious fact, having been accomplished by the death of Jesus.
Isaiah says it is sin which separates from God. Hitherto it had only been possible to obtain the forgiveness of sins in an anticipatory way, looking forward in faith to the one who would take away sins. For 1500 years, they had seen this done in type and shadow as the Azazel goat, on the Day of Atonement, had carried the sins of the people away into the wilderness. But 12 months later it had to be done all over again, and so on, and so on. But now, seeing it was not possible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins (even if repeated every year) we read in Heb. 10:10 “we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all” and v.12, “this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins forever” V.14, “For by one offering he hath perfected forever them that are sanctified”.
The perfect, complete sacrifice had been offered and accepted, and it needed no repetition every year. One sacrifice was efficacious for all time: the results were beneficial for ever.
The Law had waxed old, and had vanished away. It was superseded by the gospel, the good news. And what good news. Sin could now be really and truly forgiven. We can now (Heb. 10:22) “draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith” by the reconciliation Jesus has effected and the redemption he has wrought, we can “in his name” go direct to our Father in Heaven. “Like as a father pitieth his own children, even so is the Lord merciful to them that fear him.”
We have God’s word to guide and encourage us, we have the assurance that the angels of God help us. (“Guardian angels” is more than a beautiful thought, it is a wonderful reality.)
We have the fellowship of our brethren and sisters to cheer us, but additional to all this, we have a lot, such a lot, more. We have a high priest who is touched with the feelings of our infirmities. He has been tempted and tried in all points, like unto his brethren. We are his sheep; he knows us all by name. He walks in the midst of the lightstands and he knows our works. Where two or three are gathered together, he is there in the midst, and he has assured us “Lo I am with you always, even to the end of the age”.
When Jesus rose from the dead, a new era had begun. We now have fellowship with the Father and the Son. “Through death Jesus has destroyed that which had the power of death, and delivered them who, through fear of death, were all their lifetime subject to bondage” (Heb. 2:14, 15).
When we offer prayer to God, does He hear us?
What a question! Most certainly He does. And does He answer?
There is no such thing as unanswered prayer. How does He hear us, and how does He answer, when He chooses to answer us direct? (There is no need to introduce the Holy Spirit here.) As Psalm 139 so abundantly testifies, God is everywhere by His spirit. We cannot escape from it. How it operates we do not know. (We do know modern radio and television are a little step towards understanding how it is possible), but there is no doubt about it.
James says, “If any man lack wisdom, let him ask of God, who giveth to all men liberally” Of Lydia we read, “Whose heart the Lord opened”. Paul often received divine guidance, forbidding him to go into Bithynia, or to preach in Asia (Acts 16:7-9). On the other hand he received divine instructions, by a vision, to “Come over into Macedonia and help us” Paul tells us (Phil. 2:13), “It is God that worketh in you, to will and to do of his good pleasure”.
In all the above, there is no necessity to introduce the Holy Spirit. When Jesus had overcome sin, and was raised from the dead and exalted to his Father’s right hand, undoubtedly a new era had begun, a new relationship with the Father and the Son. All this is a glorious truth, in which we can rejoice and participate. If some try to insist this is by the Holy Spirit, we think they are mistaken, but not for one moment do we question that the privileges and benefits are available to us if only we will have them. To one who was certain he had the Holy Spirit the question was put by one who was equally confident he did not possess it, “What do you know that I don’t?” “Nothing.” “What can you do that I cannot?” Again the answer was “Nothing”!
The days in which we live are too critical to spend our time and energy in discussing what is largely a difference of words or the interpretation of words. When we get right down to what we all mean, the amount of common ground is so great that we feel we can forget the remainder. We conclude by saying “We commend you to God, and to the word of His Grace” for both are necessary.
Reflections on the Potter and the Clay