Notes
But whenever someone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. For the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image.
2 Corinthians 3:16-18
This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him.
2 Corinthians 5:17-18
Jesus knew that his mission was now finished, and to fulfill Scripture he said, “I am thirsty.” A jar of sour wine was sitting there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put it on a hyssop branch, and held it up to his lips. When Jesus had tasted it, he said, “It is finished!” Then he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.
John 19:28-30
The light from the sun was gone. And suddenly, the curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn down the middle. Then Jesus shouted, “Father, I entrust my spirit into your hands!” And with those words he breathed his last.
Luke 23:45-46
What does it mean to step into God’s holy presence? The purpose of having a personal relationship with God is for Him to begin a process of transformation in us, so that we become more like Him. Then, we can turn around and reflect Him to those around us, so others will come and see Him. Jesus gives us access to the Creator so that we can be an accessory to His Kingdom.
That first covenant between God and Israel had regulations for worship and a place of worship here on earth. There were two rooms in that Tabernacle. In the first room were a lampstand, a table, and sacred loaves of bread on the table. This room was called the Holy Place. Then there was a curtain, and behind the curtain was the second room called the Most Holy Place. In that room were a gold incense altar and a wooden chest called the Ark of the Covenant, which was covered with gold on all sides. Inside the Ark were a gold jar containing manna, Aaron’s staff that sprouted leaves, and the stone tablets of the covenant. Above the Ark were the cherubim of divine glory, whose wings stretched out over the Ark’s cover, the place of atonement. But we cannot explain these things in detail now.
When these things were all in place, the priests regularly entered the first room as they performed their religious duties. But only the high priest ever entered the Most Holy Place, and only once a year. And he always offered blood for his own sins and for the sins the people had committed in ignorance. By these regulations the Holy Spirit revealed that the entrance to the Most Holy Place was not freely open as long as the Tabernacle and the system it represented were still in use.
Hebrews 9:1-8
The high priest would only enter the Most Holy Place once per year, to offer a blood sacrifice on behalf of the rest of the people. Jesus’ blood on the cross represents the final sacrifice He made; now as His followers, we can enter God’s presence anytime, anywhere. Through Jesus, we have constant and personal access to the Creator of the universe.
Each item in the Ark of the Covenant shows us something about God’s heart:
The manna represents God’s provision. God is our provider; He gives us our daily bread. We will change the world if we live like we truly trust Him as our Provider. We show that trust is giving Him the first fruits of what we receive. The tablets represent God’s perfection. The Ten Commandments were given to Moses so the people would know how to conduct themselves and realize that they had missed God’s standard.
The law shows us that we don’t measure up to His perfection - and this is not so that we try to strive to live up to the law using our own power, but so that we realize our need for Jesus, the Savior.
The staff represents God’s power. Staffs were used by those in leadership and authority. As believers we have access to God’s power, so that we can do work for His Kingdom while we’re still here on Earth.
Then the Lord said to Moses, “Tell the people of Israel to bring you twelve wooden staffs, one from each leader of Israel’s ancestral tribes, and inscribe each leader’s name on his staff. Inscribe Aaron’s name on the staff of the tribe of Levi, for there must be one staff for the leader of each ancestral tribe. Place these staffs in the Tabernacle in front of the Ark containing the tablets of the Covenant, where I meet with you. Buds will sprout on the staff belonging to the man I choose. Then I will finally put an end to the people’s murmuring and complaining against you.”
Numbers 17:1-5
For God in all his fullness was pleased to live in Christ … For God wanted them to know that the riches and glory of Christ are for you Gentiles, too. And this is the secret: Christ lives in you. This gives you assurance of sharing his glory. So we tell others about Christ, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all the wisdom God has given us. We want to present them to God, perfect in their relationship to Christ. That’s why I work and struggle so hard, depending on Christ’s mighty power that works within me.
Colossians 1:19, 27-28
But the people’s minds were hardened, and to this day whenever the old covenant is being read, the same veil covers their minds so they cannot understand the truth. And this veil can be removed only by believing in Christ. Through God’s power and authority over our lives, we are given gifts to do certain things well. In the Church, the body of Christ, there is a place for you to see and reflect the glory of God to a world that so desperately needs it. Let God’s glory and majesty get deep into your soul, and reflect it to the world.
2 Corinthians 3:14
Group Questions
- Why is it significant that the temple veil was torn when Jesus died?
- What does it mean to trust God as our provider?
- What does having access to God mean?
- How can we help remove the veils from the eyes of those who have yet to meet Jesus?
Prayer
Thank you for providing Jesus to be the final sacrifice. We want our lives to demonstrate that we are under new management - that our old lives have gone and our new lives have come. Let your glory sink into our souls and work through us.