Access

At noon the whole country became dark, and the darkness lasted for three hours. About three o’clock Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” This means, “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?” Jesus cried out again in a loud voice and died. Then the curtain in the Temple was torn into two pieces, from the top to the bottom. Also, the earth shook and rocks broke apart. (Matthew 27:45, 46, 50, 51 NCV) Jesus cried out in abandonment on the cross, because humanity abandoned God—starting with the first man and woman, then generation after generation. But His death brought access into the very presence of God. The curtain in the Temple, a picture of the separation of humanity from God's presence, was torn apart from top to bottom, showing that God removed the separation that blocked access to Himself. ©Word-Strong_2013