EASTER Day 8 -Jesus' work in Heaven

SUNDAY- THE RESURRECTION!

Read:

Luke 24: 1-48

Psalm 24:7-10

Activities:

 Open Resurrection Egg 12

Jesus work on the earth

When Jesus died on the cross God’s plan for salvation was accomplished. Sin was paid for. Because Jesus died, men could be cleansed from sin. Jesus satisfied God's wrath for sin. Men could now know the Holy God and approach Him. One of the signs of this new access to God was the temple veil being torn in two at Jesus' death. It is one of my favorite parts of the story. Can you imagine being a priest in the temple or being out side in the courtyard? You are doing your normal work, having your normal conversation, or coming to present your offering and you hear that the veil that separates the most holy place in the temple has ripped. This veil was the thickness of a man's hand. It tore from the top to the bottom. Of all the rules and rituals of the temple, the biggest, most important one was that no one was to go behind the veil. If you did you would die. Now the veil is torn.

What was the veil?

There were two areas in the temple. The sanctuary contained the furnishings, the table of show bread, the lamp stand, the altar of incense. Only priests were allowed in the temple. There was another room or section of temple called the Holy of Holies. The veil separated the Holy of Holies from the rest of the temple. The Holy of Holies was the most sacred place of the temple, also called the innermost sanctuary. It is where God's presence dwelt. It contained the ark of the covenant. A box with two cherubs or angels on it.  In between the angels was the mercy seat where God would dwell or sit. Only one priest could go past this veil and only one day a year, on the day of atonement. The veil was a symbol of God's unapproachability. 

The Tabernacle was a picture of things to come. God had made a way that man could approach and know Him, the tabernacle. The tabernacle was the place and the sacrifices were the means. The tabernacle allowed men to sacrifice to God to pay for their sins so that they could temporarily commune with.  This is as close, as intimate, as revealing, that a holy God could be to sinful man.

The really cool part is that the earthly tabernacle was made after the model of the real one. Hebrews 9:11 “But when Christ appeared as high priest of the good things to come, He entered through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation;” The real tabernacle is heaven itself.  Hebrews 9:12 says, “and not through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood, He entered the holy place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. The Bible never mentions Jesus entering the Holy of Holies in the earthly temple, which would have been a pretty big thing to do and blasphemous to the Jews. The Bible can only be speaking of heaven itself.

Jesus work in heaven

When Jesus died and that veil tore. It was a picture of what He was doing in heaven. The veil being torn symbolized Jesus breaking the barrier between God and man and opening the access to God. But literally Jesus was opening up the gates of heaven for all men to come in. He opened up the dividing wall, door, gate, veil, whatever you want to call it, between a holy God and sinful man. He entered the real tabernacle in heaven where God dwells, seated on His throne of grace (Heb 4:16) guarded also by angels (Revelation 4). He opened God's heavenly sanctuary, the true tabernacle for men to come in.

Jesus was the first man to enter heaven. Do you realize He left heaven a spirit and came back a man? Heaven did not recognize Him, “Who is this King?” the heavenly citizens ask in Psalm 24. The Psalm describes the king as one who won a battle, was mighty, strong and victorious. His victory was over sin.

The real Holy of Holies has been opened up, not just for one man to enter once a year,  but for all men to access any time. The presence of God does not sit on a man-made ark with hand-crafted cherubim, but on the ultimate throne of grace surrounded by angels who guard His throne and never cease to worship Him. And we can enter that throne room, that most holy place because of Jesus' work.  This was God's plan. The tabernacle, the veil, it all pointed to a perfect sacrifice, a perfect tabernacle, and a perfect solution.

We don't go camping for a week now or have a huge holiday for Easter like I did as a kid (see story in day 1).  But, Easter is a big deal in our home because what Jesus did was a big deal. I love, love celebrating Easter because of Jesus' amazing work on earth and in heaven.

May you have a blessed Resurrection Day and Abundant Days for His glory and your good!

Kristin Overman