The Veil

For the past week or so this topic has been weighing greatly on my heart. I've been reading the book of Leviticus. The first few chapters I just sped through because it was so repetitive and gross. Over and over I kept reading things like this...

The Sin Offering for Common People: (aka Me)

Leviticus 4:27

²⁷ “If any of the common people sin by violating one of the Lord’s commands, but they don’t realize it, they are still guilty. ²⁸ When they become aware of their sin, they must bring as an offering for their sin a female goat with no defects. ²⁹ They must lay a hand on the head of the sin offering and slaughter it at the place where burnt offerings are slaughtered. ³⁰ Then the priest will dip his finger in the blood and put it on the horns of the altar for burnt offerings. He will pour out the rest of the blood at the base of the altar. ³¹ Then he must remove all the goat’s fat, just as he does with the fat of the peace offering. He will burn the fat on the altar, and it will be a pleasing aroma to the Lord. Through this process, the priest will purify the people, making them right with the Lord, and they will be forgiven."

Reading over and over again how to kill a ram, pigeon, goat, or whatever it may be and how to pull its organs out and splatter blood in a certain way is just a little too much for me. I was quickly reading through all of this like it wasn't important when God tugged on my heart and gave me a full realization of what was going on.... I would have been the one anxiously trying to find a perfect animal to sacrifice to the Lord so my sins would be forgiven so I wouldn't go to hell. I would have to make sure every step was done just right so my sins would truly be forgiven. When I realized all of this my mind was racing and sounded something like this... "How did these people live like this? How could they ever find hope? How many animals would I have to sacrifice in a day for my sin? Did they ever get to heaven? THANK YOU GOD FOR SENDING JESUS!" After 24 years I came to understand Jesus in a way that I never understood before. I knew what he did and why it was important. But, I never took the time to really know what it would have really been like for me before Jesus came. (I urge you to read the first few chapters of Leviticus to have a taste of what life would have been like without Jesus.)

Before Jesus came, Christians had 600 rules to follow then all the actions that needed to take place to be redeemed from broken rule. Thank goodness for Jesus, because I just wouldn't be able to keep up with all of that. But, what irks me more than anything is when churches don't understand or recognize the greatness of salvation. I feel like it's a HUGE slap in the face for Jesus. When Jesus died on the cross the veil was torn between people and God and He became the FINAL sacrifice! That means...we obviously no longer have to sacrifice animals but that also means that you do not need to find forgiveness through a priest, church or communion! We are forgiven through Christ's blood. This is the only way! I remember when I was younger thinking that the only way I could be forgiven of my sin was through communion. So, near the end of the week I'd be itching to get to church Sunday so my sins could be forgiven. I remember also praying that I wouldn't die before Sunday because I thought I'd go to hell because I didn't take communion to have my sins forgiven. How crazy is that? Although, I was young and just didn't understand, there are still some believers who truly believe that idea of forgiveness is through the church. It makes me so sad because believing this keeps the individual from grasping the power of Jesus. The Lord is soo huge and limitless, but sometimes we get distracted by traditions or misunderstandings to be able to reveal His glory. I am incredibly thankful for understanding my salvation. It took me about 8 years to fully surrender and accept my salvation. I sometimes get upset with myself because I wasted so much of God's time but I know that I am new and can still try to make a difference. This post may be like a "duh miranda" post for some but for me it was an incredible discovery for my walk with God.

The Veil Before:

Exodus 26: 31-33³¹ “For the inside of the Tabernacle, make a special curtain of finely woven linen. Decorate it with blue, purple, and scarlet thread and with skillfully embroidered cherubim. ³² Hang this curtain on gold hooks attached to four posts of acacia wood. Overlay the posts with gold, and set them in four silver bases. ³³ Hang the inner curtain from clasps, and put the Ark of the Covenant^[a] in the room behind it. This curtain will separate the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place.

The Veil After:

Matthew 27:51 "Then, behold, the veil of the temple was town in two from top to bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split.