From Veil to Victory:
A Permanent Home
Have you ever considered just how remarkable it is that the Creator of the universe chooses to make His home within us? In this message, I want us to understand the incredible journey from God’s presence dwelling in the tabernacle to His Spirit permanently residing in the hearts of those who belong to Christ. What was once separated by a veil has now been opened through the finished work of Jesus.
Our God has always desired to dwell among His people. The story of the tabernacle, the temple, and ultimately Jesus reveals just how far God was willing to go to restore that relationship.
Primary Scripture: Exodus 26:31–35
1. God’s Desire Has Always Been to Dwell Among His People
In Exodus 26, we read about the veil that separated the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place in the tabernacle. Behind that curtain was the Ark of the Covenant, representing the presence of God among the Israelites. Only the high priest could enter the Most Holy Place, and that was permitted only once a year on the Day of Atonement.
The tabernacle was God’s provision for His people as they journeyed through the wilderness. It was a tangible reminder that He was with them, guiding them and providing a place where they could meet with Him.
But there was a deeper problem that needed to be addressed. Humanity had been separated from God because of sin. Sin means missing the mark, falling short of God’s glory. Just as an arrow can be released toward a target but still fall short, our sin separates us from the holiness of God.
The sacrifices offered in the tabernacle provided a temporary covering, but they pointed toward something greater. God’s ultimate desire was not simply to provide a place for people to visit His presence. He wanted to restore fellowship with them.
2. God Himself Tore Down the Veil
The veil represented the separation between a holy God and sinful humanity. Over time, as the tabernacle gave way to the temple, this barrier remained a powerful reminder that access to God’s presence was restricted.
But everything changed through Jesus Christ.
When Jesus died on the cross, the temple veil was torn from top to bottom. This was no ordinary event or accidental damage. It was a declaration of divine intervention. God Himself removed the barrier that separated us from His presence.
Through the perfect sacrifice of His sinless Son, the way was opened for us to come directly to the Father.
We don’t have to earn our way into God’s presence. We don’t have to follow a checklist or prove ourselves worthy through our efforts. Jesus completed the work that we could never accomplish ourselves.
As I shared in this message, God initiated, God moved, God worked, and God finished. There is nothing we can add to the work He has already completed.
That doesn’t mean God has no purpose for our lives or that obedience no longer matters. Rather, our service flows out of our relationship with Him. God is more concerned with who we are than simply what we do for Him.
3. You Are Now the Dwelling Place of God
One of the most remarkable truths of the New Covenant is that God’s presence is no longer confined to a physical structure.
In 1 Corinthians 6:19–20, Paul reminds us that our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit. We have become the dwelling place of God Himself.
The Holy Spirit doesn’t simply visit us occasionally. He inhabits us. He doesn’t just inform us; He transforms us.
Second Corinthians 3:18 describes how we are being transformed into the image of Christ with ever-increasing glory through the work of the Spirit. And in Ezekiel 36:26–27, God had already promised that He would give His people a new heart and put a new spirit within them.
Think about what that means. The God who created the heavens and the earth, who spoke the universe into existence, chooses to make His home within us.
What an extraordinary expression of His love!
The old tabernacle was temporary, restricted, and accessible through the high priest once a year. Through Jesus, every believer now has constant access to the Father. God’s presence is no longer a temporary visitation but a permanent habitation.
4. Don’t Stitch the Veil Back Together
So, if Jesus has already torn the veil, why do we sometimes live as though there is still a barrier between us and God?
Even after accepting Christ, we can find ourselves trying to earn God’s favour through our accomplishments. We can become afraid of what might happen if we allow Him into certain areas of our lives.
There are closets and doors within our hearts that we would rather keep shut. Perhaps there are things we don’t want exposed, struggles we don’t want to confront, or areas where we are afraid to surrender control.
But God isn’t trying to expose those things to condemn us. He wants to bring His light into those places so that He can heal us, transform us, and set us free.
Sometimes we are the ones stitching the veil back together.
God tore it for a reason. He wants us to experience the fullness of the relationship He has made possible through Jesus. We don’t need to be afraid of the very God who saved us and desires to do a deeper work within us.
As we come together each week, we should also remain open to the new and fresh things God wants to do in our lives. We shouldn’t be so attached to what He did yesterday that we become unwilling to embrace what He wants to do today.
A Permanent Home
As I reflect on this journey from the tabernacle to the temple, to Jesus Christ, and finally to the believer, I am reminded that God’s desire has always been relationship.
Earlier in the message, I shared the story of two young men, Sam and James, whose journeys toward faith began through Youth for Christ programs and years of relationships, encouragement, and discipleship. Thirteen years later, both had professed their faith and been baptized. Their stories remind us that God uses ordinary, imperfect people to accomplish His purposes as we love, encourage, and walk alongside others.
We are not called to earn God’s favour through our efforts. We are called to know Him, allow Him to transform us, and share His love with those who have yet to discover Him.
So I want to leave you with two questions:
- Are you still trying to relate to God through a veil?
- Are you living as though God is far away, or have you invited Him to make a permanent home in your heart?
The veil has been torn. The work is finished. His presence is available to us every moment of every day.
Let’s stop trying to stitch the veil back together and allow the Holy Spirit to do the transforming work He desires to accomplish within us.