How does Exodus 40:28 connect to the New Testament's teachings on holiness? The curtain in Exodus 40:28 “Then he put up the curtain at the entrance to the tabernacle.” (Exodus 40:28) • A literal, physical veil was hung at the doorway of the tabernacle, marking a clear line between the holy space where God dwelt and the outer courts where the people stood. • By God’s design this curtain was not decorative; it declared that only those made ritually clean could approach His presence. Why that curtain mattered • Separation: Holiness means “set apart.” The curtain physically illustrated the separation between sinful humanity and the holy God (Leviticus 11:44–45). • Protection: Any unauthorized entry would bring judgment (Numbers 3:38). • Invitation through mediation: Only priests, cleansed and robed, could pass the veil, pointing to the need for a qualified mediator. New Testament echoes of the curtain 1. The torn veil at Calvary • “And behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.” (Matthew 27:51) • God Himself removed the barrier; Christ’s death satisfied every demand of holiness. 2. A new and living way • “Therefore, brothers, having 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 flesh…” (Hebrews 10:19-20) • The Exodus curtain prefigured Christ’s body; His sacrifice opens direct access. 3. Ongoing separation—from sin, not from God • “For God did not call us to impurity, but to holiness.” (1 Thessalonians 4:7) • Believers now stand inside the veil, yet are still commanded to live distinctly from the world. Holiness applied to believers • Identity: “You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation.” (1 Peter 2:9) • Indwelling: “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit…?” (1 Corinthians 6:19) • Conduct: “Be holy in all you do.” (1 Peter 1:15-16) Key takeaways • The curtain of Exodus 40:28 asserts God’s absolute holiness. • The torn veil in the Gospels shows that holiness is met perfectly in Christ. • Hebrews presents free access that never nullifies the call to personal holiness. • New-covenant believers live as God’s set-apart dwelling, guarded not by fabric but by the indwelling Spirit who empowers holy living. |
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