As I was teaching on Seeing Jesus in the Old Testament, I was able to track down this gem of a book: Christ in the Old Testament by Charles Spurgeon. It’s a compilation of a number of his sermons that show how he connects various people, types, and prophecies from the Old Testament to Jesus. One sermon in particular that stirred my heart and drew me into a deeper appreciation for the work of Christ was titled The Rent Veil. This is a sermon fully devoted to unfolding the Gospel mysteries and privileges that are found in the fact that upon the death of Christ “the curtain of the temple was rent in two from top to bottom.” (Matthew 27:51)
There was under the law this ordinance—that no man should ever go into the holiest of all, with the one exception of the high priest, and he but once in the year, and not without blood. If any man had attempted to enter there he must have died, as guilty of great presumption and of profane intrusion into the secret place of the Most High. Who could stand in the presence of Him who is a consuming fire? This ordinance of distance runs all through the law, for even the holy place, which was the vestibule of the Holy of Holies, was for the priests alone. The place of the people was one of distance. At the very first institution of the law when God descended upon Sinai, the ordinance was, “You shall set bounds unto the people round about.” There was no invitation to draw near. Not that they desired to do so, for the mountain was together on a smoke, and “even Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake.” “The Lord said unto Moses, Go down, charge the people, lest they break through unto the Lord to gaze, and many of them perish.” If so much as a beast touch the moun- tain it must be stoned, or thrust through with a dart. The spirit of the old law was reverent distance. Mo- ses, and here and there a man chosen by God, might come near to Jehovah, but as for the bulk of the people, the command was, “Draw not near here.” When the Lord revealed His glory at the giving of the law, we read—“When the people saw it, they removed, and stood afar off.” All this is ended. The precept to keep back is abrogated, and the invitation is, “Come unto Me, all you that labor and are heavy laden.” “Let us draw near” is now the filial spirit of the gospel. How thankful I am for this! What a joy it is to my soul! Some of God’s people have not yet realized this gracious fact, for still they worship afar off. Very much of prayer is to be highly commended for its reverence, but it has in it a lack of childlike confidence. I can admire the solemn and stately language of worship which recognizes the greatness of God, but it will not warm my heart nor express my soul until it has also blended with the joyful nearness of that perfect love which casts out fear, and ventures to speak with our Father in heaven as a child speaks with its father on earth. My brother, no veil remains. Why do you stand afar off, and tremble like a slave? Draw near with full assurance of faith. The veil is rent; access is free. Come boldly to the throne of grace. Jesus has made you near, as near to God as even He Himself is. Though we speak of the holiest of all, even the secret place of the Most High, yet it is of this place of awe, even of this sanctuary of Jehovah, that the veil is rent; therefore, let nothing hinder your entrance. Assuredly no law forbids you, but infinite love invites you to draw near to God.
