Unveiled

Matthew 27:51 (New American Standard Bible)

" 51And behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth shook and the rocks were split."

There is a tradition in many countries of veiling the bride's face before the wedding. This somewhat translucent covering is thought to keep the groom from seeing the full beauty and splendor of his bride before their first (married) kiss. He gets a distorted view of her prior to the wedding, but once the veil is lifted, he can see her for in all of her wedding day splendor. I, however, have a different idea about it. Perhaps it's the bride who is being kept from seeing the beauty of her husband. (Ladies, don't get upset!) I say this because if it were the husband being kept from seeing, wouldn't we veil his eyes? Why would we cover the eyes of the one who is to see everything and uncover the eyes of the one who is to be surprised? Logic says that the first point of view is wrong.


In the Old Testament the Hebrew people were NOT able to come in and see the Lord God for all of His beauty. There were many different places in the temple that they could go, but behind the veil wasn't one of them. They were kept from seeing the full beauty of God. They had a distorted view of Him, through the veil. God was Law; just and true, but not a friend. He was their leader and guide, but not their lover. The Hebrew people were seeing the world through the veil. Their view was clouded and confusing. I'm sure that it had blind spots. I'm sure that through the veil, there were things that they just couldn't "make out". God, on the other hand, saw the world outside the veil. He saw the people and their surroundings clearly and knew exactly what was going on. He loved them through the veil.

When Christ was crucified, the veil was torn. That curtain that separated us from intimacy with God wasn't just folded back over the top of our head (as in a wedding) so that it could be put back in place later. IT WAS TORN OFF! God decided He didn't want us looking at Him through the curtain anymore. God wanted us to see Him, to know Him, for who He really is. The Father, Husband, Leader, Protector, Lover, Friend, Comforter, and Savior wanted us to know Him intimately. So He sacrificed all that He had to give clear vision!

We, the church, Christians, are the Bride of Christ. We are already married, awaiting the reception. It seems that sometimes though, we walk as though we are still wearing the veil. Confusion and clouded vision plague our lives, but rest assured that the Veil has been TORN OFF. Look with your eyes at the Groom. He will not allow you to fall!