When Jesus hung on the cross a terrible separation occurred.
The eternal Son, who had become sin and a curse, was in some real way separated from the eternal Father in a moment of divine judgment.
According to Mark, the moment Jesus paid the wages of sin and breathed his last, two things happened.
First – the temple curtain, separating a sinful world from the presence of God in the Most Holy Place, was torn in two.
Second – a Roman centurion looking up at Jesus publicly proclaims Him as the Son of God.
“When the curtain masking the immediate presence of God from Israel in the temple is torn open, it is a Gentile who first enters into the newly offered spiritual access through Christ.” -James Edwards
Jesus experienced an agonizing separation so that we would no longer have to.
Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.
Hebrews 10:29-22
Tom Brown is the planting pastor of Vintage Faith Church in Wichita. Tom and his wife, Mandy, have worked together in ministry for 18 years and have four children. More about Pastor Tom Brown