It has often been said that when the veil of the Temple was rent in the midst from the top to the bottom, at the death of the Lord Jesus, that it indicated that the way was opened for God to come out to men and for men to go in to God through that rent veil. We see no such meaning in that event. God was not within that veil. How could He be when there was no Ark of the Covenant there, and no golden mercy-seat sprinkled with blood? And why should we wish to go into an empty chamber, which even when filled was only the shadow of good things to some? Then what was the meaning of it? That that whole system of material religion that had found its centre in the Holiest in the Tabernacle and Temple was done with. As one would rend a worn-out and useless garment, so God rent that veil. If we would see God coming out we must turn from the Temple with its great stones and costly, for it had already been left desolate to an unbelieving people, and we must look upon Calvary, and upon the Son of God there, delivered to utmost shame and death. It was when the flesh of Jesus was rent in death, for the true veil was His flesh, that God came out in the fullness of His love, then He was fully manifest. No longer did He dwell in the thick darkness, hidden from the eyes of men by a material veil. We can now say, God is light, and in the full shining of that light we can add with rapture, God is love. But it was in Christ, and Christ in death, that this was seen. There and there alone we see the full manifestation of what God is. "Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins."
And we can enter now into His most holy presence without fear, we have a title to do so, which the blood of Jesus has given us, but the way we enter is the same way in which God has come out in blessing to us. It is through the veil — not the rent veil of the Temple — as the Holy Spirit has carefully and definitely explained to us — but through the veil, that is to say, His flesh. The death of our Substitute has become the way of life and blessing to us, the way to God. It has removed our sins, it has met the question of our sinful nature; it excludes the rebellious and self-sufficient flesh, but it has become most attractive to those whose life is hid with Christ in God. Our Forerunner is Jesus; He has entered within the veil for us, into the true Tabernacle, which the Lord pitched and not man, and seeing that we have such a High Priest who is made higher than the heavens, we can draw near with a true heart and full assurance of faith, by a new and living way, which He has dedicated for us — and what a word is that! Shall we be indifferent to and despise a way that He has dedicated for us at such a cost, through the veil, that is to say His flesh?
David tells of the delight that he found in the house of the Lord in more than one of his psalms. It seems to have been more attractive to him than his own house, and the privilege of visiting it more to be prized that his kingdom and crown, and yet he could not pass within the veil, nor was God revealed then as now in the fullness of His love, nor did David know, what we now know, that God's delight in having us near to Him is greater than ours could ever be to be there, nor had he, as we have, a Forerunner, who has entered in for us, and whose reception there assures us of ours. We have better cause to enter than he, we have a better title than he ever had. Then let us not be behind him in our affection for the presence of the Lord and in appreciation of our great privilege, but let us draw near, and if we have not yet learnt the meaning of Hebrews 10:19-22, let us pray earnestly that the Lord will teach us by His Holy Spirit what it means.