The Veil is Torn in Two!

By Pastor Harold Warner

I will never forget that day. As history confirms, it was the day that changed the world!

I don’t think anything could have prepared me for the events that occurred that day, and I realize that words are almost inadequate to describe them all. I’ve already told you that “we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.”

What I do know is that it was an extremely long and grueling day, as events just kept on building and propelling us into all that followed.

It really all began the night before. From a child I’d observed our sacred yearly Passover celebration, but I knew this would be like no other when Jesus said, "You've no idea how much I have looked forward to eating this Passover meal with you before I enter My time of suffering. It's the last one I'll eat until we all eat it together in the kingdom of God.”

In spite of the arguments that erupted among us about who was the greatest (looking back, I’m ashamed to have to admit that’s what we were doing) it was still wonderful to spend such intimate time with the One I had come to know and love as the Christ, the Son of the living God.

I’m not sure how I managed to weather the shock of Jesus’ statement that night, “one of you shall betray Me!”  You’ve got to be kidding, that’s impossible! How could that be? More importantly, who could do such a thing?  I was lying closest to Jesus at the table and Peter (who always wanted to be in the know) kept nudging me to ask “Lord, who is it?”

In the end I had to be honest enough to ask, “Lord, is it I?” The words almost stuck in my throat.

While I didn’t get a direct answer, there was some kind of exchange between Jesus and Judas, after which Judas left early to take care of some urgent business.

I forgot all about it, though, when Jesus changed the conversation to the New Covenant in His body and His blood. Wow! Who could forget the promise we’d held to for centuries of the new covenant God would make with his people?

I had almost memorized Jeremiah’s words: "Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel .... I will put My law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be My people. And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, 'Know the Lord,' for they shall all know Me, from the least of them to the greatest... for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.”

Then Jesus took the bread and blessed it, breaking it and giving it to each of us, and He did the same with the cup after supper, telling all of us, “Do this in remembrance of Me.”

It all seemed to seal the almost sacred atmosphere we were experiencing that night.

I hated to see it all end, but we eventually sang a hymn of praise together, and then went out with the Master into that fateful night.

You talk about feeling special! I was stunned and honored when Jesus asked me and my brother James – and of course, Peter – to accompany Him to a place which He frequented for prayer, a place called Gethsemane.
He asked us to watch with Him, as He was obviously troubled over all of these converging events.

Jesus had always been a rock-like personality to me; always concerned for others more than Himself and willing to help bear their burdens. That night he seemed to be carrying some burdens none of us could fully grasp or comprehend.

I wish I could give you a more detailed account of that precious moment. But… well, to be honest... I kept falling asleep. I know it disappointed the Lord, but after that long day I just couldn’t keep my eyes open. Even with my acknowledged drowsiness I did sense that something pretty momentous was taking place.

I’m sure I heard Him pray, “Nevertheless, not My will, but Yours be done!”

If you saw His demeanor the way I did, you too would’ve known that He definitely meant it! There was no wavering about Him when we departed from that garden.  

The rest of the night dissolved into pretty much of a blur because things started happening so fast. The night was suddenly interrupted by the noise and the torches of a large group of men approaching us.

There were also soldiers among them, along with officials from the chief priests and Pharisees. They were asking for Jesus of Nazareth, which seemed odd to me since they’d seen Him at the temple all week during the Feast of Unleavened Bread.

Now, you may not believe me, but I was there and saw it with my own eyes. When Jesus said to them, “I am He,” they were all like bowling pins knocked down by a perfect strike! They all drew back and fell to the ground. It was pretty awesome to see!

I didn’t know it, but Peter was carrying. He had his sword with him. He drew it and attempted to lop off the head of one of the intruders. Thankfully, he missed, but the guy’s ear was missing and was a bloody mess.  Jesus instantly took command and told Peter to put away his weapon. Then, amazingly, he healed the man’s ear! In the end, we were greatly outnumbered and overpowered, and felt pretty helpless as they took Jesus into custody and led Him away.

We were left standing there bewildered asking, “What’s going on?  Where are they taking Jesus?  What did He do wrong to be arrested and treated like this?”

In the end, to our shame, we all just turned away and tried to distance ourselves as much as possible from this chaos and the threats it carried. It was not our finest hour.

Because of my family connections I discovered that they had taken Jesus in the middle of the night to the house of Annas, the high priest’s father-in-law. I can’t even begin to describe the mockery of justice that followed! This wasn’t a legal trial by any stretch of the imagination.  It was a kangaroo court, shuffling Jesus about from the high priest over to Pilate, the Roman governor. I even heard they made a quick trip over to the palace of Herod, of all people!

I couldn’t believe the verdict that came back: Crucify Him! Death by execution? For what?

What crime had He committed? Was it loving the unlovely, or healing the sick, or giving people hope?

Was it because He kept choosing to operate outside of the establishment’s accepted guidelines? I have to tell you, my head was swirling with all the things that seemed to be snowballing out of control.

Things really started to turn ugly.  The degree of hatred and animosity fueled by obvious envy was beyond belief. There was something downright demonic about it.

Pilate issued the order to have Jesus scourged. That meant 39 lashes that tore a man’s flesh. While scourging doesn’t always kill the prisoner, the one undergoing this brutal suffering almost wishes it had! The Roman soldiers had a field day as they put a robe of purple on His battered body, and a reed-scepter in His hand, as they proceeded to hit Him and spit on Him while taunting Him to prophesy who was doing it, if He really was the King of the Jews.

Before I knew it, the night’s rush to justice ended as they were leading Jesus away to be crucified that day.  Rome has crucifixion practically down to a science. They make the prisoner carry his own cross, or at least the upright beam, as they parade him through the streets. This is designed for two things: first, to further humiliate the prisoner; but also to send a message of fear to the gawking crowds: “You don’t ever want to oppose or stand up against Rome!”

To me, the saddest part is that no one came to Jesus’ defense. Where were all the people He had healed? What about those who had been so amazed at the divine authority evident whenever He spoke?

Even I was silent because, after all, who’s going to listen to a simple ex-fisherman anyway?

The gruesome procession finally ended at Golgotha, a favorite execution spot outside the city.  Here they nailed Jesus to the cross between two thieves.

It seemed as if time stood still; almost like heaven was holding its breath. Plus, the ominous darkness that settled on the land added to the somber quality of these unparalleled events.

I kept thinking back to when John the Baptist first saw Jesus in His public ministry and cried, “Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!”

The only interruption was the hateful insults that continued to be hurled at Jesus. Everyone in that crowd joined in: the two thieves, the Pharisees who were sent to witness the execution, and of course, the soldiers themselves. No one cared or had the decency to realize that His own mother was standing in that horrific place in the midst of that crowd, along with myself and a few of the other women.  Besides us, I think the only one who got it that day was the Roman soldier in charge who later exclaimed, “Truly this was the son of God!”

And at the end – I can still hear it today: Jesus’s final cry from the cross. In the midst of his horrible agony and incredible suffering came the unmistakable note of triumph and victory, “It is finished!”  

I’ve recounted all this because one thing stands out in my mind. Nothing like this had ever happened.

But at that specific and fateful moment when Jesus died, the veil of the temple – the veil that separates the Holy Place from the Holiest of Holies – that veil was torn in two, ripped from the top to the bottom!

Now, there is no question that this was supernatural. That veil is up to 4 inches thick, and God Himself tore that veil in two like you would a piece of paper!

Do you know what that means? It’s almost too good to be true. Yes, relationship with God has now been made possible! My sin that has separated me from God in exactly the same way that veil has separated people from the Most Holy Place – my sin has now been paid for! And now... now, there is access into the presence of God for everyone! I can come with boldness to my King’s wonderful throne of grace!

Do you hear me? Relationship with God is now a glorious reality and a precious privilege! Salvation has been made available to all who would come to my Jesus!

I don’t have any problem saying my Jesus – because, praise be to God, He died for me that day!

“And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.”  Eternal life isn’t just living a really, really long time. Eternal life is relationship with God!

That’s why I had to write and tell you my story, because it’s such good news!

“That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the Word of life… the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it, and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us… that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ!”

That’s why I wait now for the day when I shall see Him, uninterrupted for eternity!

Oh happy day when Jesus washed my sins away!