In Exod. 26:31-35 we find the instructions given to Moses as to the veil. He is told what material to use, the manner of its workmanship, where and how to hang it. It was to divide between the holy place and the most holy, and signified that the way of approaching God was not made known. It did not mean that there was no way by which men could go to God, but that the way had not then been made manifest. Subsequently, (Lev. 16:) we find instructions are given as to how the high-priest was to come into the place within the veil. He could not come at all times, only on stated occasions. Once a year only could he enter in there, and then it must be with the blood of a sacrifice.

All this speaks unmistakably of a way to God, but of a way not then made known. On the ground of sacrifice and with the blood of it one man, the high-priest of the nation of Israel, could go in just once a year where the symbol of the presence of Jehovah was. This declared that the way for man to go to God was by sacrifice, but the sacrifice on the ground of which the high-priest went in only once a year was not the sacrifice which opened up the real way to God. The veil unrent proclaimed that the true way of approaching' God was still unrevealed. The sacrifice by which Aaron went in once a year was a type of the true and perfect sacrifice, and his entrance within a type of the entrance of the High-Priest of the heavenly sanctuary. He went in, but not through a rent veil. The veil still unrent declared that if the way in was by sacrifice, the true sacrifice-the one which really opens up the actual way to the presence of God, had not yet been provided.

But if the unrent veil signified that the true way was not yet made known, it also implied that it would be made known. Faith, then, using what was a figure for the time then present, and what had been imposed on them until the time of reformation, looked forward to the time of the revelation of the true sacrifice and the manifestation of the true way of approach to God.

Turning now to the New Testament, we find that when Christ died as a sacrifice, the veil of the temple was rent from the top to the bottom. This rending of the veil declared that the true way to God had been made known. The sacrifice of Christ is the true ground of approach to God. His death, His blood, has opened up the way to His presence. The rending of the veil of the temple, when Christ died, was the sign that the way to God which faith had been taught to look forward to had been opened up. The sacrifice which the yearly sacrifice pointed to had been made and the way to God of which the veil was a witness, while declaring it to be un-manifested, was now revealed.

Looking back now in the light of this it is not difficult to understand how the veil of the tabernacle was a type of Christ's flesh. The real veil was the holy, heavenly man Jesus. When His flesh was rent, when He died, when His blood was shed, the true way for man to go to God was made manifest, the way for man to enter the presence of God was opened up.

The epistle to the Hebrews takes this view. It looks at the veil as Christ's flesh. It considers the
sacrifice of Christ as the ground of approach to God. It tells us that the way to God has been opened up by Christ's death, that it is the blood of Jesus that gives us boldness to enter into the holy places.

We find in the epistle that Christ is spoken of as having "passed through the heavens" (chap. 4:14), as having " entered within the veil' '(chap. 6:19,20),as "set down on the right hand of the Majesty on high" (chap. 1:3), as "set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens" (chap. 8:i), " as a minister of the sanctuary" (chap. 8:2), as having "entered in once for all into the holy place" (chap. 9:12), as having entered "into heaven itself" (chap. 9:24), as appearing " in the presence of God" chap. 9:24), and as having made a way-a new and living way through the veil (chap. 10:20).

Now all these passages speak of Christ having gone in to God, or as being in His presence on the ground of His death. But we might ask, Was He not entitled to be in the presence of God on the ground of His own personal rights and titles? Surely, He did not die for Himself. But He undertook to open up a way for us. It was a question, not of how He could go to God, but of how we could go. Only He could answer it. But if He answers it He must die as a sacrifice. If He undertakes to make a way for us to God He must go in Himself by the way of death. No other way of going in for Him would open the way to us. For us to enter into God's presence He must first find entrance for us, and that could only be by death, by shedding His blood. Thus it is clear that the veil between us and God was the veil of His flesh. He has passed it by rending it, by dying.

Having passed it thus, having thus gone in to God for us, we know the way by which we may draw nigh to Him. Our way to God is the way He has made for us-the way of His death.

If we think of Him as gone in for us, He is there in all the reality of His humanity-a true man still, touched with all the feeling of our infirmity, and so we may be bold to come for sympathy, succor and help-the grace and mercy we need.

He is there also as our Forerunner (Heb. 6:20). He necessarily went in first, but having gone in as Forerunner, He is the guarantee that we shall reach the place He has entered for us. Thus we have a sure and steadfast hope. Whatever the storms here we have an anchor in there where He has gone.

Again, His priestly activity there will not be interrupted or superseded. He ever lives to intercede for us. He is incessant in His care. Will never weary of the work He is doing for us, and it will never pass from His hands. A constant, unfailing Intercessor, He is able to save us right along the way to the very end of it.

All the affairs of the place in which He is are in His hands. The sympathy, succor and help we need He gives. The day by day salvation He effects and the sacrifices of praise we offer to God are presented to Him by the One who has gone in to God for us. In every way provision is made for us, but it is all found in Him who is there for us.

The veil being now rent, the sacrifice having been made, His blood having been shed, and He being there in God's presence on that ground-and there for us, we may boldly come. We may draw nigh with a better hope than Israel had. We can boldly enter in. We can draw near with true hearts in full assurance of faith. C. C.