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Jesus cried again with a loud voice, and yielded up his spirit. Behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from the top to the bottom. The earth quaked and the rocks were split. Matthew 27:50'51 WEB.

Under the old covenant, the high priest entered a room in the temple called the "Holy of Holies," once a year on Yom Kippur. The Day of Atonement. The ark of the covenant was kept there. The manifest presence of God dwelt above the mercy seat. No one but the high priest was ever allowed to enter this inner room. The "Holy of Holies" was a perfect cube. It's height, width, and length were all about fifteen feet.

There was a thick veil (curtain) the high priest had to pass through to do this. The curtain had many layers which formed a maze for the high priest to enter. Early Jewish tradition describes the outer veil as thick as a man's hand (about four inches), sixty feet tall, thirty feet wide. It was so heavy that it took three hundred priests to manipulate it. The curtain was renewed each year and was said to be strong enough that if horses were tied to each side of it, they could not pull it apart.

The veil was a barrier between sinful man and a Holy God. If someone had stumbled in there unprepared, they would have fallen dead in His presence. The manifest presence of God was shielded from mankind by this thick curtain. The veil. Only after careful preparation, the high priest could enter the Holy of Holies and make atonement for the people's sins, once a year.

When Jesus was crucified, the temple's veil was torn in two, from top to bottom. God reached down and simply pulled it open. This made way for us to enter directly into the Lord's manifest presence. Jesus atoned for our sin. We can now enter into the Lord's presence wherever we are. In a hospital, in prison, or at home, the Lord's door is now open for those who want it. The perfect sacrifice of Jesus on the cross atoned for our sin. It removed the barrier that separated us from God's presence. Those who were once forbidden are now welcome.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, I pray that I experience more of Your presence in my life. Please help me walk closely with You, and to live a life pleasing to You. In the name of Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen!

Note: Ladies, today is Thankful Thursday at the "Ladies in Distress" group (our RHM women's group)! You are welcome to join in our weekly sharing of thankfulness for the Lord's presence and any blessings you may have experienced, big or small! "Ladies in Distress" is a private group, so if you have any problems joining, just post anywhere and we will help you :). Here is the link: Ladies in Distress

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