The concept of the tabernacle holds profound significance within the biblical narrative, serving as a precursor to the temple and a symbol of God's dwelling among His people. Central to the tabernacle's structure was the vail, a heavy curtain that separated the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place, or the Holy of Holies. This vail was not merely a physical barrier but a profound symbol of the separation between a holy God and sinful humanity.

Biblical Description of the Vail

The vail of the tabernacle is described in Exodus 26:31-33: "You are to make a veil of blue, purple, and scarlet yarn, and finely spun linen, with cherubim skillfully worked into it. Hang it with gold hooks on four posts of acacia wood overlaid with gold, standing on four silver bases. Hang the veil from the clasps and place the ark of the Testimony behind the veil. The veil will separate the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place."

This vail was a constant reminder of the holiness of God and the barrier that sin had erected between God and man. Only the high priest could pass beyond the vail, and only once a year on the Day of Atonement, to offer sacrifices for the sins of the people (Leviticus 16:2-34).

The Vail as a Symbol of Christ's Body

In the New Testament, the vail takes on a deeper theological significance, particularly in the context of the life and work of Jesus Christ. The author of Hebrews draws a direct parallel between the vail and the body of Christ. Hebrews 10:19-20 states, "Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way opened for us through the veil of His body."

This passage reveals that the vail, which once symbolized separation, now represents the means of access to God through the sacrificial death of Christ. The tearing of the vail at the moment of Christ's death (Matthew 27:51) signifies the removal of the barrier between God and humanity, granting believers direct access to the Father through the atoning work of Jesus.

Theological Implications

The identification of the vail with Christ's body underscores the transformative power of His sacrifice. Where the vail once restricted access to God's presence, Christ's death and resurrection invite believers into a new covenant relationship with God. This access is not limited to a select few but is available to all who place their faith in Jesus.

The tearing of the vail also signifies the fulfillment of the Old Covenant and the establishment of the New Covenant. The sacrificial system, with its repeated offerings and rituals, finds its completion in the once-for-all sacrifice of Christ. As Hebrews 9:11-12 explains, "But when Christ came as high priest of the good things that have come, He went through the greater and more perfect tabernacle that is not made by hands, that is, not of this creation. He did not enter by the blood of goats and calves, but He entered the Most Holy Place once for all by His own blood, thus securing eternal redemption."

Conclusion

The vail of the tabernacle, while initially a symbol of separation, ultimately points to the redemptive work of Christ. Through His body, believers are granted access to the presence of God, a privilege that transforms the relationship between the Creator and His creation. The vail, once a barrier, becomes a testament to the grace and mercy extended through Jesus Christ, inviting all to draw near with confidence to the throne of grace (Hebrews 4:16).Hebrews 10:20
By a new and living way, which he has consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;
Torrey's Topical Textbook

The Copies of Things in the Heavens
... the testimony, and cover the ark with the vail.4. And ... then, first, the general lesson
of the Tabernacle as a ... among men, in the temple of Christ's body, and of ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture k/the copies of things in.htm

The Day of Atonement
... he was obliged to go into the tabernacle to slaughter ... and he alone, must go within
the vail; he must ... though thanksgiving is shared in by all Christ's elect body ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 2 1856/the day of atonement.htm

The Doctrine of Jesus Christ.
... The Levitical law, the laws of clean and unclean, the tabernacle and the temple
with its outer ... 2. THE FACT THAT CHRIST'S BODY WAS ACTUALLY RAISED FROM THE DEAD ...
/.../evans/the great doctrines of the bible/the doctrine of jesus christ.htm

Cannot be Proved from Scripture, that Believers under the Old ...
... It was shut as long as the former tabernacle stood, and until Christ entered into ...
also might be able to enter into those things which are within the vail. ...
/.../arminius/the works of james arminius vol 1/article x it cannot be.htm

Scriptural Types.
... having access to God within the vail without the ... sacrifices, acceptable to God by
Jesus Christ." Heb.7 ... (3.) The typical character of the tabernacle appears very ...
/.../barrows/companion to the bible/chapter xxxvii scriptural types.htm

The Great Preparatives for the Saints' Rest.
... way consecrated for us, through the vail, that is ... when "the earthly house of this
tabernacle is dissolved ... we shall be changed." "The dead in Christ shall rise ...
/.../baxter/the saints everlasting rest/chapter ii the great preparatives.htm

A Discourse of Mercifulness
... and fame which covered her as a beautiful vail. ... hair, to the building of the tabernacle'
(Exodus 35 ... her ointments and sweet spices to anoint Christ's dead body ...
/.../15 a discourse of mercifulness.htm

"Thou Shall Keep Him in Perfect Peace, Whose Mind is Stayed on ...
... beaten sinner casts an anchor within the vail, on that ... the field, and in peace in
his tabernacle, Job 5 ... death itself is become a friend, since Christ subdued it ...
/.../binning/the works of the rev hugh binning/sermon xii thou shall keep.htm

The Kingly Priesthood of the Saints
... but there it stands; and "I know that if the earthly house of this tabernacle be
dissolved, I ... Hast thou ever been within the vail in communion with Christ? ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 1 1855/the kingly priesthood of the.htm

A Peal of Bells
... At the Metropolitan Tabernacle, Newington. ... mission of the high priest when he went
within the vail. ... war and the states shall be consecrated to Christ, but even ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 7 1861/a peal of bells.htm

What was the tabernacle of David? | GotQuestions.org

What was the tabernacle of Moses? | GotQuestions.org

What were the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place in the temple / tabernacle? | GotQuestions.org

Tabernacle: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

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