“Suddenly, the curtain of the sanctuary was torn in two from top to bottom, the earth quaked, and the rocks were split.”(v. 51)

It is possible, however barely, that a man could have torn the curtain in the temple—if he started from the bottom.

(It’s still not super likely. The fabric was heavy. Imagine trying to undo a thickly woven blanket with your bare hands. You’d struggle.)

Yet, when Jesus gave up His spirit on the cross, this curtain was torn “from top to bottom.”

That required an act of God.

And how could it have been otherwise? The curtain itself was—theologically, not just materially—an impassable barrier. It was the ultimate separator. It kept people out of the holiest place, away from God’s mercy seat. Only the high priest could pass through—once a year—and even he had to bring a special offering to cover his sins before he ministered there. It was the clarifier of our unworthiness relative to God’s presence.

And Jesus’ death shredded it, from top to bottom! An act of God! Because nothing short of the act of God—the giving of His Son, the Son’s sinless sacrifice, and the willing assumption of all human sin onto His account—could remove the barrier. Now you and I can enter His presence, receive His mercy when we repent, and worship Him intimately and personally.

Thank God for the act of God today.

— Tyler