The second veil

In the tabernacle

1. The second veil or curtain divides the holy place from the holy of holies.

2. The curtain or veil is hung upon four pillars which represent the incarnate person of Christ as presented by the four gospel writers. Matthew emphasises Christ as the King; Mark emphasises Christ as the servant of Jehovah; Luke portrays Christ as the Son of Man; and John emphasises Christ as the Son of God. This is a very big veil and four pillars are used to suspend it. Actually, we have four pillars representing the person of Christ and this veil is hung upon these four pillars.

3. The colours in the veil or the curtain are blue, depicting the deity of Christ; purple, the kingship of Christ; scarlet, the redemptive work of Christ; and white, the impeccability of the incarnate person of Christ.

Already we see in the veil those things which portray who and what Christ is.

4. Embroidered on the curtain were cherubs. The cherubs represent the essence of deity as well as a reminder to those who faced that curtain of the existence of the angelic conflict; it is a reality. 5. The hooks on which the curtain was hung referred to the sustaining ministry of God the Holy Spirit to the humanity of Christ during His first advent. As royalty His body was indwelt by the Holy Spirit, and His soul was filled with the Spirit.

6. The Levitical priesthood could not go past the veil. It was reserved for the royal priesthood after the strategic victory of Christ. Until Christ came in the flesh through the virgin birth, lived His 33 years, went to the cross and died for us spiritually and then died physically, was buried, rose again and ascended to the right hand of the Father, the holy of holies was off limits to all people, including the Levitical priesthood. The only exception was the high priest once a year on the Day of Atonement, and then after seven days of ritual purification, and then after very stringent ceremonies outside. He was permitted to enter the tabernacle three times. Once into the holy place to offer incense on the golden altar, and twice he entered the holy of holies, once with the blood of a goat and once with the blood of a young steer or bullock. So this veil is the most important of all.