Entering into God’s Presence through Coverings, Curtains, Veils and Gates – Part One

Entering into God’s Presence through Coverings, Curtains, Gates

In order to understand the purpose of coverings, curtains and gates in the Bible, we need to look at why there is a need to keep God’s Holy Presence separated from this sinful and defiled world. I will expound on this topic in several posts.

In the beginning, God walked with Adam and Eve in the cool of the evening. It is believed that they were able to communicate with God without words. God knows all things, including our thoughts, and He created Adam and Eve with the ability to perceive His thoughts as they communicated with one another in the garden. It is also believed that there was no barrier between God’s Throne and the garden. Adam and Eve could not only marvel at the vastness of the starry heavens above them, but they could also see into God’s very Throne Room of the third heaven. There was no veil, no curtain, no covering, no door, no gate standing between man and God. In the beginning, all things were created good and pure and holy, causing the angels to sing and shout over what God had created. (Job 38:7)

Then Lucifer, or Satan, rebelled and led a third of the angels against God, and was cast out of God’s third heaven down to earth. Chaos and darkness covered the earth and the first and second heavens. Everything which God had created became tainted and defiled by Satan’s disobedience. Job said even the heavens became unclean in His sight. (Job 15:15)

It would take the death and resurrection of Christ to defeat Satan and to cleanse the heavens, so that those who died believing in the Lord could go straight to Paradise and rest with Christ. (Hebrews 9:23-24) Until Christ died and took the thief to Paradise with Him and opened the graves of many Old Testament saints (Matthew 27:52), those who died believing in Jehovah of the Old Testament were held in a place called Abraham’s Bosom. (Luke 16:22) Now when believers die, they go straight to the Lord. (II Corinthians 5:8)

Adam and Eve disobeyed God’s commandment to not eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. In doing so, they gave their authority to rule and subdue the earth to Satan. John says that the whole world lies under the control of the evil one. (I John 5:19) Jesus did not dispute the devil’s claim to be able to give Christ the kingdoms of this world if He would worship him (the devil) as god. (Matthew 4:19) Physical and spiritual death entered the world through Adam’s disobedience. It took the death of Christ to redeem man from Satan’s authority and make the New Birth of eternal life possible. (Romans 5:17-19)

Since God cannot dwell where sin and defilement are, and since Satan has temporary authority over this earth, God had to close off the direct communication between Him and mankind. He sealed off His Throne Room from earth. He covered His Glory from the eyes of mankind. He placed cherubim before the gate of the garden, forbidding Adam and Eve to enter it again in their fallen state. He has hidden that garden from mankind, even though they have searched for its location. I believe it will be revealed when Christ returns as King of kings to rule the earth in righteousness, and restores all things to its original created order.

God is Holy and Pure and Righteous and Love and Peace and Joy and all Goodness. He is also the Judge of the whole earth, and all flesh shall stand before Him to give account of the things done in their bodies on earth. He is Just and Truth, and weighs the intentions and motives of the hearts of men. Angels record our thoughts, our motives, our intentions and our actions; and those books will be opened at Judgment. (Revelation 20:12) As believers in Christ, the judgment for our sins has already taken place, and continues to take place, as we spend time in His Word and in prayer, allowing His Holy Spirit to convict us of what is displeasing before Him and to turn away from it. The Judgment Seat of Christ will be for rewards for what we have done for the Kingdom of God and for what we have overcome in this life to be faithful to Christ. (I Corinthians 6:11)

Unbelievers will have to stand at the Great White Throne Judgment and be held accountable for their sins, since they have not asked Christ to be their Savior and to forgive them of their sins. This is what Paul said, that some men’s sins are open going before to Judgment (Believers), and some men’s sins follow (unbelievers). (I Timothy 5:24)

Satan blinds the minds of those who do not believe, to keep them under his authority and lost to the saving knowledge of Christ and His Word. (II Corinthians 4:4) Only Christ can take away that blindness, or that veil, from their eyes. (II Corinthians 3:16) This is why we, as believers, need to pray for unbelievers, by asking God to open the eyes of their understanding to hope of His calling. (Ephesians 1:18)

There is a separation of God and His Holy Presence from mankind. Satan exacerbates this by blinding the understanding of mankind with deception about God and the Bible. Originally, there wasn’t any barrier between God and Man. Christ has conquered death, hell and the grave to give us direct access to the Throne Room of Jehovah. We have to confess our sins and ask Christ to rebirth us into His Kingdom. When we do, He empowers us by the Holy Spirit to overcome the flesh and the world, separating ourselves to do and think those things that please Him. He removes the covering of darkness over our hearts and our minds. He changes the nature of our spirit to be able to perceive Him dwelling in us and to desire the living bread of His Word. This is called Sanctification, and we have to be willing to change into His likeness before He can empower us to keep His teachings. He gives us, as our High Priest, direct access to God’s Throne and direct forgiveness of all that offends His Holiness. The covering, the curtain, is removed, the gate is opened and we are free to feed on His Word, in His Presence, 24/7, each and every day of our lives.

To be continued…..

Click here to read Part Two of Entering into God’s Presence through Coverings, Curtains, Veils and Gates.