Access to God

45 From noon until three in the afternoon darkness came over the whole land. 46 About three in the afternoon Jesus cried out with a loud voice, “Elí, Elí, lemásabachtháni?” that is, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” 47 When some of those standing there heard this, they said, “ He’s calling for Elijah!” 48 Immediately one of them ran and got a sponge, filled it with sour wine, fixed it on a reed, and offered Him a drink. 49 But the rest said, “Let’s see if Elijah comes to save Him!” 50 Jesus shouted again with a loud voice and gave up His spirit. 51 Suddenly, the curtain of the sanctuary was split in two from top to bottom; the earth quaked and the rocks were split.  (Matthew 27:45-51, HCSB)

What is the importance of the sanctuary curtain being torn?

This was no ordinary curtain placed to keep people from looking into the temple, like we put in our homes. No, this curtain was designed to block out all from the Holy of Holies as God described in Exodus. This curtain took many people to move and was only to be moved once a year for the high priest to go in and offer up atonement for the people of Israel. This was a very heavy curtain, but the curtain was not torn from the bottom up, as if a person cut it, no the story and language of the culture state it was torn from top to bottom at the very moment Jesus gave up his spirit for us.

But, does this mater you may be asking. Well since from the time God set up the temple when Israel left Egypt, no one was allowed into the ark and Holy of Holies except the high priest. The significance of the curtain being torn was, at that moment God through Jesus open access to all people. Jew, Gentile, Muslim, you and me. No longer do we need to go to a high priest and let them atone for us. Jesus is our High Priest and through Him we have unlimited access to God the Father.

Remember today and every day all you need to do to be forgiven is seek out Jesus and ask for him to forgive you and to come into your life. He is faithful.  7 “Keep asking,and it will be given to you. Keep searching,and you will find. Keep knocking,and the doorwill be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who searches finds, and to the one who knocks, the doorwill be opened. (Matthew 7:7-8, HCSB)