At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook and the rocks split.  Matthew 27:51 

 

For years, the Holy of Holies represented God’s dwelling place on earth. People traveled from distant places to visit the Temple just so that they could be near God’s presence. But few people were allowed to enter the Holy of Holies itself. A large curtain separated the area from the rest of the Temple, and only one priest was allowed to enter just once a year.

 

At the moment of Jesus’ death, the curtain hanging in front of the Holy of Holies was torn from top to bottom (Mark 15:38).  In a concrete and dramatic way, God showed the world that he would no longer dwell in the Temple, as if he ever did.  The tearing of the curtain showed without a doubt that God was out of the box that man had put him in!

 

When Pentecost came fifty [*] days later, God’s spirit came to live inside each believer. No longer would they need to travel for miles to visit a symbol of God’s presence. Instead, God’s presence would be shown to the world by the very people who believed in him.

 

Paul once wrote about God’s new living arrangement when he asked the Corinthians, “Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you?” 2 Corinthians 3:16

 

As God’s temples, Christians have the special privilege of coming into God’s presence at any time--no curtain or court can keep us away from our Father.

 

But we also have a challenge: As God’s temples, we are to show the living God to those around us. Hopefully, our neighbors and those we work with will be amazed at the difference God has made in our lives, just as the disciples once gazed in wonder at Herod’s Temple.