A veil is a piece of material or cloth which is worn by women to conceal their faces. It is similar to a face cover or screen which is used for the purpose of disguise or deceit. Jesus said in Matthew 15:8-9; Mark 7:7, these people honor me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the precepts of men. Jesus meant we wear the veil of deception before God.
A veil is therefore a smoke screen that hides the truth or reality but falsehood. Jesus said in Matthew 23: 27 woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like white washed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness. Our spiritual veil obstructs our direct access to God’s truth. It is said in Acts 23: 3 God shall strike you, you white washed wall! God sees beyond our veils. Some of the noble reasons why God lifts the veil have discussed below:
To give us a second chance to be real
So long as we wear the veil, we live a camouflaged life of deceit in sin. God therefore lifts the veil in order that we may have the chance to be authentic by his grace. Jesus died for us that the veil of sin which prevented us from being real to God would be pierced permanently. Paul says in 2 Corinthians 3: 14 only through Christ is the veil taken away.
When the veil is lifted, what holds us in bondage will give way for us to be made alive in Christ Jesus again. Jesus said in Matthew 27: 51-53, behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two, from the top to the bottom; and the earth shook, and the rocks were split; and the tombs also were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were slept arose, and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection they went into the Holy city and appeared to many. Read also Mark 15: 38; Luke 23: 45. God lifts the veil in order to give us opportunity for a new life again.
To expose our wrongs for correction
We are often blinded by sin to do wrong because the veil of sin obstructs our vision to see the right from wrong. The eye of our conscience goes blind and gratifies evil. Until the scales fall from our eyes, we shall remain spiritually blind. However, when the veil is lifted, we shall become conscious of the wrong and so we will migrate towards the right through Christ Jesus by grace.
It is recorded in Hebrews 6: 19 We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner shrine behind the curtain, where Jesus has gone as forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek. Jesus sees us beyond the veil and that gives us the hope that when we are truthful with him, he will forgive us of our sins. In 2 Corinthians 3: 16 when a man turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. We need Christ Jesus to have the veil removed.
To give us direct access to him
Jesus has pierced or lifted the veil which hitherto was a blockade to our access to God. By his death on the cross and the shedding of his blood for our sins as the lamb which takes away the sins of the world, he has opened the door to God for us. Romans 5: 2 say through whom (Christ) we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand, and we boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God. We can taste of God’s glory only when we stand by grace in the blood of Christ Jesus without a veil of sin.
In Ephesians 2: 18 through him (Jesus) we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. In Ephesians 3: 12 we have boldness and confidence of access through our faith in him (Christ). This access is predicated on what John 1: 11-12 says, but to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God; who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. Has Christ Jesus removed our veils behind which we hide our sins?
To give us a new way of life
God lifts the veil so as to show us the true way to God which we have lost because of sin. The blind cannot see his way clearly unless he is shown the way or he is led by one with clear sight and knowledge of the way. Paul said in Romans 6: 4 therefore we have been buried with him by baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in the newness of life. New life begins with Christ Jesus and none other if we invite Christ Jesus to pierce the veil.
In Hebrews 10: 20 by a new and living way, which he opened for us through the curtain, that is through his flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. A new way of life demands repentance and an embrace of Christ Jesus as Lord and Saviour personally. Each person is personally accountable to Christ unless the veil of sin is removed.
What is the nature of our veil?
Paul said in 2 Corinthians 4: 3 even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled only to those who are perishing. In other words, those who are perishing are veiled from seeing what is right before God. Anyone who disconnects from God connects with Satan, the master of evil. When we connect with evil, we embrace doom in death.
God watches over his world and nothing can be hidden from him. It is recorded in Song of Solomon 5: 7 the watchmen that went about the city found me, they smote me, they wounded me; the keepers of the walls took away my veil from me. When our veils are taken away, our true identities cannot be hidden any more even among men. God is the watchman and guardian of our souls and he watches from the fence of life. Soon, our veils will be lifted in death and who shall we be at that juncture?
Prayer
Dear Lord Jesus, we can no longer hide behind the veil in deception of our souls knowing that you will come so soon to unveil the truth. Graciously remove our veils with your precious blood and renew our vision by your Holy Spirit. Give us the eye of faith to see you in righteousness that we may not falter any longer. Help us to be faithful to you, in your holy name we pray, Amen!!
