Mark 15:38
Symbols
are very powerful things. A flag draped casket. The picture of a soldier
greeting their child with open arms. The Twin Towers in flames. A wedding ring.
The title “Married.” A red cross. The Washington Monument. The Eiffel Tower.
The Great Wall of China. The Statue of Liberty. The Berlin Wall. The “I” in IPhone, and IPad. The
Nobel Prize.
Some
symbols represent hope. Some remind us of tragedy. Some of life, some of death,
some of openness, some of oppressive restriction, some of freedom, and some of
intellectual achievement. Symbols have the power to capture our imagination and
carry us to another place and time. They can carry our hearts to a different
feeling and conviction. They can motivate us to action and swell our chests
with pride. Symbols have power because we give them power.
There
is a symbol in our text today, a symbol that has lost its meaning to most
people, even most people who read these words. What’s the big thing about a
torn curtain? What was that curtain’s purpose? Why was it there?
When
we look at the history of God’s presence here on earth, especially and
specifically His interrupting presence in the corporate life of the Jewish
people in ancient history, we see a vacillation between closeness and distance.
Let’s take a look at some of these points in time.
The
LORD has Moses lead the children of Israel out of Egypt. Along the way the LORD
demonstrates His presence in a pillar of cloud and fire. This pillar kept the
Egyptian army at bay. It also let the Jews know that the LORD was present with
them, protecting them, guiding them, saving them.
When
the LORD called Moses up to the top of the mountain to receive the Law, He
entered that cloud. The people weren’t even allowed to step on the mountain
under penalty of death. And when Moses came down, his face radiated with brightness,
the radiance of the LORD. In the end, he put a veil over his face so the people
wouldn’t have to look at the glory fading.
When
it came time to set up the Tabernacle, the central structure in worship of the
LORD, there were a series of cloth walls and tents, each one with more
restrictive access than the previous. The outermost curtain separated ordinary
life from the gathering place for worship. This curtain showed where living,
loving, commerce, community, cattle, and kettles took place. Most of life was
spent outside these walls. For a select few, the Levites, their lives bridged
these two realms. They worked inside the walls, but lived outside. Ordinary
folks could enter on certain occasions.
The
second curtain stood at the entrance to the Tabernacle. It was where most of the
ritual acts of worship took place. Only Priests could enter that space. It was
hidden and mysterious to most people, since they could never enter that space.
They had heard what would take place inside there, but never could experience
it for themselves. A few dozen people would be in there every day performing
the prescribed worship activities.
The
final curtain separated this worship activity building from the Holy of Holies,
the place where God’s presence dwelt. There were times in history when the base
of the pillar would come and rest inside this small area. The Ark of the
Covenant with the Mercy Seat were inside this area and the Chief Priest only
entered this space once a year on the Day of Atonement. On that day the blood
that represented the sins of the people would be sprinkled on that seat,
standing between the commandments inside the Ark and the presence of the LORD
in the cloud.
The
curtain that stood at the entrance to this most restricted area was 3-4 inches
thick. It was what protected all of life from the burning presence of the LORD.
It kept people away from His forgiveness. It created distance between people
and their God.
And
it is this curtain that was torn when Jesus gave up His life. This symbol of
restricted access, only the High Priest, only once a year, only with the proper
pedigree and sacrifices. Now the curtain is torn. This access is open to all
regardless of background, regardless of sin, regardless of time and place. God’s
presence, His forgiveness and redemption is open to all. The very thing that
held the LORD at a distance is destroyed.
And
it started in heaven and reached to earth. It was torn from top to bottom as
though the LORD’s hands had reached down and ripped it Himself. We can have
access to Him because Jesus gave up His life. Sin no longer restricts us. We
are free to enter God’s presence.
Jesus is open for business.