Exodus 26:31-37: a reflection

31“You shall make a veil of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen, with cherubim. It shall be the work of a skillful workman. 32You shall hang it on four pillars of acacia overlaid with gold; their hooks shall be of gold, on four sockets of silver. 33You shall hang up the veil under the clasps, and shall bring the ark of the covenant in there within the veil. The veil shall separate the holy place from the most holy for you. 34You shall put the mercy seat on the ark of the covenant in the most holy place. 35You shall set the table outside the veil, and the lamp stand opposite the table on the side of the tabernacle toward the south. You shall put the table on the north side. 36“You shall make a screen for the door of the Tent, of blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine twined linen, the work of the embroiderer. 37You shall make for the screen five pillars of acacia, and overlay them with gold. Their hooks shall be of gold. You shall cast five sockets of bronze for them.

Among the instructions for the tabernacle is the making of the veil, a curtain of blue and purple and scarlet, woven with cherubim, that would separate the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place, where God's presence dwelt above the ark. The veil was a barrier: it marked off the innermost place, into which only the high priest could go, and only once a year. Its very presence declared that God is holy, and that access to his presence was not to be taken lightly.

Notice what the veil signified: the holiness of God, and the seriousness of approaching his presence. The Most Holy Place was not open to all comers; it was screened off by the veil, guarded, entered rarely and carefully. This was not because God was unwilling to be known, but because he is holy, and sinful people could not simply wander into his presence as if it were a common place. The veil taught reverence: that the holy God is to be approached with awe, not casual familiarity.

That reverence is worth recovering, even as we rejoice that Christ has opened the way the veil once closed. For in Christ, the barrier has been removed, and we may draw near to God; but this does not mean we should approach him casually, as though his holiness no longer mattered. The veil is gone, but the God we now approach freely is the same holy God whose presence it once guarded. Draw near to God with the confidence Christ has won for you; but do not let that confidence become casual familiarity. Approach the holy God with reverence as well as boldness, remembering, even as you enter freely through Christ, whose presence you are entering, the presence the veil once screened off, of a God who is holy. Freedom of access and reverence belong together.

Lord, among the tabernacle instructions was the veil that separated the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place, where your presence dwelt; a barrier declaring that you are holy, and that access to your presence was not to be taken lightly. Show me what it signified: your holiness, and the seriousness of approaching you. The Most Holy Place was screened off, entered rarely and carefully, not because you were unwilling to be known, but because you are holy, and sinful people could not simply wander into your presence. And thank you that in Christ the barrier has been removed, and I may draw near. But let me not, for that, approach you casually, as though your holiness no longer mattered. The veil is gone, but you, whom I now approach freely, are the same holy God whose presence it once guarded. Help me draw near with the confidence Christ has won for me; but keep that confidence from becoming casual familiarity. Help me approach you with reverence as well as boldness, remembering whose presence I enter. Let freedom of access and reverence belong together in me, Lord.