God Tore the Curtain. Matthew 27:47-53 NLT

The first part of verse 51 is such an amazing verse. "At that moment the curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn in two, from top to bottom." 

I didn't catch it the first time I read it or even the fifth. I didn't catch it until probably the 20th time I read it, the curtain was TORN FROM TOP TO BOTTOM! To be truly amazed by this we have to look at the curtain itself. 

The curtain referred to is the curtain between the Holy of Holies and the rest of the Temple. Although the Ark of the Covenant was no longer in the Holy of Holies when Jesus was crucified,  it was still believed to be the place where God resided.

The curtain was so thick and so heavy, no light got through it. No one was allowed to enter the Holy of Holies except one time a year and then only the high priest was allowed in for a limited period of time.  God was the only one who could have torn the curtain. It was too thick and heavy for any man to have torn, let alone from top to bottom. 

This curtain kept us separated from God. As long as the curtain was there, we could not approach God. When Jesus died on the cross, His sacrifice was the only, final sacrifice God needed to satisfy His wrath for our sin. He tore the curtain so we can now go directly to Him for forgiveness and mercy. 

Now lets look at another aspect of the curtain being torn. Lets go back to the Garden of Eden. When Adam and Eve committed that first sin, their eyes were opened and they discovered they were naked. God fashioned clothing for them by sacrificing animals. Humans have been wearing clothing ever since. In Old Testament times, when someone was in mourning, they tore their clothes as an expression of grief. When Jesus died on the cross, God tore His covering as an expression of mourning. 

God sacrificed animals to cover Adam and Eves' nakedness because of their sin. Jesus' sacrifice ended the need to be seperated from God because of our sin. 

Matthew 27:47-53 NLT 

47 Some of the bystanders misunderstood and thought He was calling for the prophet Elijah.  48 One of them ran and filled a sponge with sour wine, holding it up to Him on a reed stick so He could drink.  49 But the rest said, “Wait! Let’s see whether Elijah comes to save Him.” 

50 Then Jesus shouted out again, and He released His spirit.  51 At that moment the curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. The earth shook, rocks split apart,  52 and tombs opened. The bodies of many godly men and women who had died were raised from the dead.  53They left the cemetery after Jesus’ resurrection, went into the holy city of Jerusalem, and appeared to many people. 

Blessings, Cecilia