Do we recognize what an extraordinary privilege it is to draw near to YHWH, or has access to Him become so familiar that we approach Him casually?
Key Verse
“The veil shall serve for you as a partition between the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place.” — Exodus 26:33 (NASB)
Background Context
In Exodus 25, YHWH explained that Israel was to build a sanctuary so that He could dwell among them. He gave Moses instructions for the Ark of the Covenant and mercy seat, the table of the bread of the Presence, and the golden lampstand.
In Exodus 26:1–30, God described the curtains, coverings, frames, bases, and crossbars that would form and support the tabernacle. Now, in Exodus 26:31–37, He completes the chapter by describing two additional curtains. A screen marked the entrance into the tabernacle, while a special veil inside separated the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place.
Behind that veil would stand the Ark of the Covenant and the mercy seat. YHWH intended to dwell among Israel, but His presence remained holy, and access to Him was restricted.
(Continued and expanded after scripture.)
The Veil and Screen
31“You shall make a veil of blue and purple and scarlet material and fine twisted linen; it shall be made with cherubim, the work of a skillful workman. 32“You shall hang it on four pillars of acacia overlaid with gold, their hooks also being of gold, on four sockets of silver. 33“You shall hang up the veil under the clasps, and shall bring in the ark of the testimony there within the veil; and the veil shall serve for you as a partition between the holy place and the holy of holies. 34“You shall put the mercy seat on the ark of the testimony in the holy of holies. 35“You shall set the table outside the veil, and the lampstand opposite the table on the side of the tabernacle toward the south; and you shall put the table on the north side.
36“You shall make a screen for the doorway of the tent of blue and purple and scarlet material and fine twisted linen, the work of a weaver. 37“You shall make five pillars of acacia for the screen and overlay them with gold, their hooks also being of gold; and you shall cast five sockets of bronze for them.
Reflection on Exodus 26:31–37:
The veil was beautiful. It was made from blue, purple, and scarlet material and fine twisted linen, with cherubim skillfully worked into it. Yet its primary purpose was not decoration. Verse 33 tells us plainly that it divided “the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place.”
That separation communicated something Israel needed to understand about YHWH. The God who had rescued them from Egypt genuinely desired to dwell among them, but His desire for relationship did not make His holiness less important. Sinful people could not simply walk into His presence whenever and however they chose.
Later, Leviticus would explain just how restricted access beyond this veil was. The high priest could enter the Most Holy Place only at the appointed time and only according to God’s instructions, bringing sacrificial blood for atonement. The veil therefore stood as a continuing reminder that something still separated sinful humanity from unrestricted access to a holy God.
This is part of what makes the death of Yeshua so remarkable. Matthew records that when Yeshua died, “the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom” (Matthew 27:51). What had stood for generations as a barrier before the Most Holy Place was torn apart, and significantly, Scripture describes it as being torn from the top downward.
Hebrews helps us understand the significance. Because of Yeshua’s sacrifice, believers have confidence to enter the holy place “by the blood of Jesus,” through the new and living way He provided (Hebrews 10:19–22). The access that we now enjoy was not created by God simply deciding that holiness and sin no longer mattered. It was made possible at tremendous cost through Yeshua.
That distinction is important. Grace does not mean God lowered His standard until sinful humanity could comfortably approach Him. God provided atonement so that we could be reconciled to Him.
The veil should therefore change how we think about prayer and our relationship with God. We can speak to YHWH anywhere. We do not need to travel to a physical sanctuary or wait for a priest to enter God’s presence on our behalf. Because that access is freely available to us, however, we can begin treating it as though it were ordinary.
Imagine an Israelite standing outside the tabernacle looking toward a place he could never enter. Even the priests serving in the Holy Place could not simply walk through the veil. Yet through Yeshua, we are invited to “draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith” (Hebrews 10:22).
That should produce confidence, but it should also produce reverence.
There is also an important balance here with a theme we have repeatedly encountered in Exodus. We do not approach God according to whatever way seems meaningful to us. YHWH established the tabernacle, the veil, the priesthood, and the sacrifices according to His instruction. Ultimately, He provided Yeshua as the way through which we are reconciled to Him. Access is God’s gift, provided God’s way.
We should therefore neither stay far away as though Yeshua had not opened the way, nor approach casually as though opening that way cost nothing.
The veil reminds us what separation from God’s presence looked like. Its tearing reminds us what Yeshua accomplished.
Our response should be to draw near—gratefully, confidently, and reverently.
Application
- Draw near to YHWH confidently through Yeshua rather than living as though you must somehow make yourself worthy enough to approach Him.
- Refuse to treat prayer and access to God’s presence casually; remember the tremendous cost through which that access was provided.
- Take God’s holiness and His instructions seriously rather than assuming grace gives us freedom to approach Him on whatever terms we choose.
- When you think about the torn veil, let it deepen both your gratitude for Yeshua’s sacrifice and your desire to spend time with God.
Closing Prayer
Father, thank You for desiring to dwell among Your people and for providing the way for us to draw near to You. Help me understand what an extraordinary privilege it is to come before You in prayer and relationship. Keep me from taking that access for granted or treating Your holiness casually. Thank You for Yeshua, whose sacrifice opened the way that I could never open for myself. Teach me to draw near with confidence, gratitude, obedience, and reverence, valuing the relationship with You that came at such great cost. In Yeshua’s name, Amen.
May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you.
John Golda
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