The True Easter Story: The Curtain Veil Was Torn from Top to Bottom!

Matthew 27:51 - At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split

The veil in the Temple was a large woven curtain of purple, scarlet and blue. It was 60 feet long, 30 feet wide, and 3.5 inches thick. The veil was so heavy that it took 300 priests to wash it. Each year a new curtain veil was made and tested for strength by hitching it between two teams of horses who tried to tear it apart. The veil symbolized the separation of a holy God from sinful mankind. Behind the veil was the "Most Holy Place," which was considered to be part of Heaven, not Earth. It held the Ark of the Covenant and the Mercy Seat.

Only the High Priest could enter the "Most Holy Place," and that only once a year on the Day of Atonement. If anyone simply walked behind the veil into the "Holy of Holies" they would immediately be struck dead by the Shekinah-glory above the Mercy Seat. Therefore, before going behind the veil the high priest put on a robe hemmed with bells and a rope was tied around his ankle. As long as those outside the "Holy of Holies" could hear the bells jingling, they knew that the high priest was still OK. But if the bells stop jingling, he would be presumed dead. In that case no one dared go behind the veil to get him!!! Instead, they would pull on the rope to drag his dead body out of the "Holy of Holies."

When Jesus died on the Cross, God tore the Temple Veil from top to bottom to signify that Jesus had removed the barrier between Heaven and Earth. Because of Jesus’ sacrifice at Calvary there is no longer any separation between us and God. Consequently, we now have access to the very throne of God!