And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, He gave up His spirit. At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. Matthew 27:50-51
We all mourn differently. In the Eastern culture of the Bible, grief is displayed outwardly – tearing the clothes, wearing sackcloth or putting ash on the head. Even today we see photos of a grieving father, in the height of his pain, tearing his shirt. He reaches across the heart to grip the garment and pulls downward, tearing the material. This custom has been going on for thousands of years. When we witness someone in great distress, or have maybe experienced it ourselves, it’s not uncommon to see them gripping at their chest as their emotional pain becomes physically manifest. Our culture might say, “My heart has been ripped out.”
When Jesus died on the cross, the Temple curtain was ripped. A point was made to let us know it went from top to bottom. This four-inch thick material didn’t just split – it was torn.
Hanging from sixty feet high, and thicker than carpet, no group of men could have accomplished this. God tore that veil – at the moment of His Son’s death. It creates a vivid picture of a Father in mourning, precisely as the crucifixion was complete.
So often I find God’s love in the details. He expresses to us in a relatable way the great cost of our redemption. I find it far too easy to minimize my sin and the price that was paid to rescue me. Knowing I am helpless, He did it all. Christ paid the price. And in the tearing of the curtain He not only showed we now have access to His presence, but He demonstrated a Father’s pain.
Do I grieve at my sin, knowing the suffering He endured to make me whole? Is my heart ripped out at my iniquity? God’s is.
Amazing grace how can it be, that You conquered death to set me free. You turn my mourning into celebration, my sorrow into dancing. You show me Your love, top to bottom.
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