You might picture the veil as something that hung in the temple. But the real separation between you and God started way before that. It began in a garden with a choice that changed everything.
It Started in Eden
God gave Adam and Eve one simple rule: eat from any tree in the garden except one. But they chose to disobey.
“And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it…” (Genesis 2:16–17)
The moment they ate that fruit, everything broke. Before this, they walked with God in the cool evening air like close friends. After their disobedience, they were hiding from Him behind trees.
“And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day… and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God…” (Genesis 3:8)
That’s when the first veil dropped. Not made of cloth, but made of fear, shame, and broken trust. Sin had created a wall between humanity and God.
The Separation Was Necessary
God had to drive them out of Eden. He placed angels with flaming swords to guard the way back. This wasn’t cruel – it was mercy.
Here’s why: God is perfectly holy, and sin can’t survive in His presence. If Adam and Eve had stayed in their fallen condition, God’s glory would have destroyed them. The separation protected them while God worked out His plan to bring them back.
The Temple Veil Made It Visible
Later, when God gave Moses instructions for the tabernacle, He made this separation visible again:
“And thou shalt hang up the vail… and the vail shall divide unto you between the holy place and the most holy.” (Exodus 26:33)
This thick curtain hung between the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place. Only the high priest could pass through it, and only once a year with the blood of a sacrifice. The message was clear: sin still separates. Access to God requires blood to be shed.
But God Had a Plan All Along
Even before Adam sinned, God already knew He would send a Redeemer. The Bible calls Jesus “the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world” (Revelation 13:8).
Jesus didn’t come to patch up the veil or create new religious rules. He came to tear it down completely. He came to be the bridge back to God.
“For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God…” (1 Peter 3:18)
The Moment Everything Changed
When Jesus died on the cross and cried out “It is finished,” something incredible happened in the temple:
“And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom” (Matthew 27:51)
Notice it tore from top to bottom – not how a person would tear it, but how God would. The way was now open. Not just to a temple room, but to God’s throne itself.
“Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace…” (Hebrews 4:16)
What This Means for You Today
The veil that once kept you away from God is gone. Jesus’ broken body became the doorway that opened access to the Father.
There’s still a kind of veil over spiritual eyes – the blindness that keeps people from seeing gospel truth. But when you turn to Christ, that veil lifts too. What was once hidden becomes clear.
“Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away.” (2 Corinthians 3:16)
You don’t have to wonder if God hears you anymore. You don’t have to question if you belong. The separation that started in Eden was completely removed at Calvary. The invitation stands: come boldly to God through Jesus Christ.
This is the most important truth in human history. Everything in Scripture points to this moment when Jesus tore down the barrier between you and your Creator. The fellowship that was lost in the garden has been fully restored at the cross.