“In his letter to the Hebrews, the Apostle frequently refers to a vail. He is writing to those who were familiar with the earthly tabernacle, its arrangements and services. The Apostle endeavors to show that it was only a type or figure designed to illustrate spiritual truths.

There were three curtains, two of which were called vails. Let us see: If we had visited the Tabernacle in the wilderness, the first object to meet our attention as we approached would have been the white linen curtains which completely surrounded everything (both the Tabernacle proper and its court) so high that we could not see over it, and reaching to the ground so that we could see nothing under it. All the work within is hidden from our eyes.

This is “THE CURTAIN” or vail of ignorance and unbelief. This vail now prevents the world from understanding the work of sacrifice for sin, etc., now going on inside (in the church). This curtain now covers the hearts and minds of the heathen (the world) and the Jews. “The vail is upon their heart,” “the same vail untaken away.” This vail of ignorance and unbelief obstructs their view during this gospel age, while God is taking out a people as the body of the High Priest, etc., and receiving through this High Priest the “sin offering.” But soon their full ransom will be complete and accepted, and then “the vail shall be taken away.” (2 Cor. 3:14-16.)

This is the same thought given us by the Prophet when he declares, God “will destroy in this mountain [kingdom, the glorified church] the face of the covering [death, which is] cast over all people, and the vail [blindness, ignorance and unbelief, etc.] spread over all nations.” (Isa 25:7)

But now, for the purpose of developing a peculiar people, this great temporary barrier is allowed to remain, and there is only one way through it called “THE GATE.”

This gate represents belief in Jesus as the way of approach to God. Once seeing the gate we may look in and see the altar and laver, indicating to us that His sacrifice paid the price of our ransom. We are still of the world, but seeing the love of our Creator and of Jesus as manifested in our purchase, we are impressed with the thought of the “exceeding sinfulness of sin,” and realizing for the first time, the “great love wherewith he loved us,” we say, Lord we can never repay your goodness and love, but let us do something which will show our appreciation.

The Father says to us: Have you heard the call of my word? It is that any of you, may, if you will, enter by this road which my only begotten Son trod, into full son-ship, partake of the Divine nature and have spiritual bodies, etc. We could not understand all that was meant. Our ears were dull of hearing, but we felt grateful and desired to show it, and went forward. Passing through the “gate” (or entrance curtain) we entered in through faith. We are no longer without, among unbelievers, but within, among “the household of faith“– the Levites.

It is important here to understand that the “gate” is only the entry way to this road. In order for one to share in the Lord’s glory, in his inheritance it is not only necessary that one pass through the gate and trod the road following in the Master’s footsteps, but that they likewise reach its end, that is travel the full length of the road. This road beginning at the gate proceeds through the “courtyard” past the altar and the laver and then enters in through the “first vail” into the “Holy” of the Tabernacle, and from there it goes on to the “Second Vail” where it ends in the “Most holy”.

 Unfortunately many only go so far as to enter the courtyard and there they dally or stall out having been sidetracked by the blind guides of Christendom into believing they have accomplished everything necessary to their sharing in the Master’s reward. Such unfortunately will lose out on the great prize for which they were called, because the prize is not given to those who simply enter the race it is given to those who complete the race.

Having entered the courtyard we look to the brazen altar, and are told that it represents sacrifice, and that God expects self-sacrifice. We look at the “laver” full of water, and are told that it represents the word of God, and that we are to use it and put away sins–be “clean through the word.”

We make some trifling sacrifices upon the altar, and splash a little in the water, and feel perfectly contented (this is the condition of most of the professing church today, the church of Laodicea, those who have stalled out on the road). We act and play and dally very much as those of the world who are yet outside beyond this “curtain“–in unbelief.

But God has sent to us heralds (messengers), who, coming in among the company, proclaim, “We beseech you, brethren, by the mercies of God“—if you feel gratitude for the manifest love of God, and desire to please Him and enter into the blessings to which you are called— “your high calling“–that you do more than you have yet done. If you would follow the example of our Lord, as you have agreed to do (when you first enter by faith through the gate, that), you must not only lay these (the meager things you sacrificed) upon the altar, but YOUR ALL. I beseech you that “you present your bodies A LIVING SACRIFICE, holy, acceptable to God, your reasonable service.”

Some heed not the voice; they are so much engaged with the earthly toys (possessions, worldly prospects, jobs, careers, family and etc., the chance for earthly fame, wealth and pleasure), but some are aroused. They leave those earthly trinkets, and give their attention to following the example of Jesus and the apostles, presenting themselves to God as living sacrifices, and “reckoning themselves dead indeed to sin” and to the “world” (and its desires).

They have now undergone a complete change. They have now entered from the “COURT” into the “TABERNACLE” itself, passing through “THE FIRST VAIL.” (This word translated vail is from a different Greek word from that translated vail in 2 Cor 3:14-16, referred to above, as representing the “curtain.”)

Those who pass through this first “vail” into the “HOLY PLACE” are (on their way to fulfilling) their “covenant by sacrifice,” and are called saints.” (R153)

We continue with our next post.