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SIGNS ATTENDANT ON OUR LORD’S DEATH
THE incarnation and death of God’s co-equal, co-eternal Son are facts so incredible, that nothing but a concurrence of the most unquestionable proofs can justify us in believing the Scripture report concerning them. But God has been pleased to give us proofs equal to the occasion. The birth of Christ was attested by a multitude of angels, who were sent from heaven to announce and celebrate the event: and the death of Christ was attested by a variety of signs and wonders, which could not fail to impress all whose minds were open to conviction. The miraculous darkness for the space of three hours at mid-day has been already noticed: and we have now to notice two other phenomena, the earthquake, and the rending of the veil. We may suppose indeed that these two events might happen without any particular interposition of Providence to effect them, or any particular end to be answered by them: but such a construction is altogether precluded, both by the prophetic declarations respecting them, and by the light thrown upon them in the New Testament. It shall be our endeavour at this time,
I. To illustrate these phenomena—
These, like the miraculous darkness, may be considered as testimonies from God to the truth of Christ’s Messiahship: but we shall direct our attention to them rather as signs, or emblematic representations, of mysteries at that time accomplished. In this view let us notice,
1. The earthquake—
[This had been predicted by the Prophet Haggai [Note: Hag_2:6-7; Hag_2:21.]: and though we might have justly regarded the expressions used by him as designating only some great political convulsion, yet we have reason to think that they had a literal accomplishment in the event before us. It must be remembered, that, at the giving of the Law, “the whole of Mount Sinai quaked greatly [Note: Exo_19:18. Psa_18:7.].” Thus at the termination of that, and the introduction of the Christian, dispensation, a similar miracle was wrought; “the earth quaked to its very centre; and the rocks were rent asunder:” and we are warranted by an inspired Apostle to declare, that that phenomenon shadowed forth the abolition of the whole Jewish economy, and the establishment of Christianity in its place [Note: Heb_12:26-27.]. It is observable, too, that the Apostle lays all the stress on one particular word of the prophet; (a word which superficial readers would have overlooked;) and shews, that it was intended by God himself to foretell, and to explain, the earthquake which we are now speaking of. The tabernacle and all the things belonging to it were “made” by the hands of men, and therefore were not intended to continue beyond a certain period: but, under the Christian dispensation, every thing is spiritual and of Divine origin, and consequently is destined to endure for ever: the removal of the former, therefore, and the establishment of the latter, being fixed in the Divine counsels, they were predicted by the prophet, and expressly marked in that one word which the Apostle so correctly notices; “This word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken, may remain.”
What obligations do we owe to God for the light which the New Testament reflects on the Jewish writings, and for the confirmation which it receives from them! No uninspired author could ever have discovered such mysteries in so obscure a passage; nor can any one who beholds this inspired exposition of it, withhold his admiration of the unfathomable depths of God’s wisdom and knowledge.]
2. The rending of the veil—
[This was not a mere accident arising from the earthquake, but an appointment of God for the fuller manifestation of his own purpose and grace.
There were two veils in the temple; the one separating the holy place from the outer court, and the other separating the holy place from the holy of holies. This latter veil was for the purpose of screening from the view of men the ark and the shechinah, that bright symbol of the Deity. This was the veil that was “rent in twain from the top to the bottom:” and the rending of it denoted three things; first, That the rending of Christ’s body was the means of bringing us nigh to God; next, that the mysteries which had hitherto been hid in God were now fully revealed; and, lastly, that a new way of access to God was now opened for all people.
Christ speaks of his own body as being typified by the temple [Note: Joh_2:19; Joh_2:21.]: and well he might do so, since “in him dwelt all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.” But as opening a way for our admission to the Divine presence, it was more particularly typified by the veil; the rending of which marked the violent nature of his death, and the blessed effects resulting from it. This is declared by an inspired Apostle, who, speaking of our having “a way consecrated for us through the veil,” adds, “that is to say, his flesh.” And this accords with innumerable assertions of Holy Writ, which declare that “Christ hath made peace for us by the blood of his cross,” and that, whereas we were once “alienated from God, and enemies to him in our minds by wicked works, he hath now reconciled us to him in the body of his flesh through death [Note: Col_1:20-22.].”
Moreover, the mystical intent of all the types and figures was now exhibited in the clearest view. As the veil on the face of Moses intimated, that the Jews could not discern the end and reason of the ceremonial law, and “the taking away of that veil in Christ” enables us to “behold, as in a glass or mirror, the glory of the Lord;” so the rending of the veil shews us, that all the ends of the ceremonial law were fulfilled in Christ, and that to us is given the substance of what the Jewish Church possessed only in types and shadows. If we do not now comprehend the glorious designs of God in the work of Redemption, it is not because he has interposed a veil to hide them from us, but because we have a veil upon our own hearts, which we have not desired him to take away. It must be our fault, I say, and not his; for from that hour in which Christ died upon the cross, and especially from that hour when the Holy Spirit descended on the day of Pentecost, to reveal him unto men, “the face of the covering that had been cast over all people was destroyed, and the veil that had been spread over all nations was taken away [Note: Isa_25:7-8.].”
But that which was most fully and most immediately intended by the rending of the veil, was, to open for all people a free and personal access to God, that so they might obtain all his blessings for themselves, without the intervention of carnal sacrifices, and an earthly priesthood. To shew to men that no such access was allowed them under the law, was the use and intent of the veil [Note: Heb_9:7-8. “The Holy Ghost this signifying, &c.”]; and to make that way open both to Jews and Gentiles, was the design of God in rending the veil [Note: Heb_10:19-20. with Eph_3:18.]. This further appears from the time when the veil was rent: for it was at the time of the evening sacrifice, when the priests were in the holy place, trimming the sacred lamps, and offering incense before the Lord. They, of course, must have beheld the interior of the sanctuary; and therefore had in themselves an evidence, that God had opened for them a new way of access unto his throne. This is called “a new and a living way;” new, because it never was revealed before; and living, because it would secure eternal life to all who should come in it; whereas, if even the high-priest himself had presumed to enter through the veil on any other than the day of atonement, or in any other manner than that prescribed by the law, he would have been struck dead upon the spot, or have been put to death as a presumptuous transgressor: but now every person in the universe may come to God, and find acceptance with him at his mercy-seat: if only he take the blood of his great Sacrifice, and bring it by faith to the throne of God, he shall find that there no longer exists any difference between “Jew and Greek, bond and free, male and female, but that we are all one in Christ Jesus [Note: Gal_3:28.].”]
Such is clearly the import of these phenomena: we now come,
II. To shew the improvement we should make of them—
Here we might suggest many things; but for brevity’s sake we shall confine ourselves to two, which are particularly suggested by the holy Apostle. We should,
1. Receive and honour the dispensation which God has introduced—
[Consider the nature of that dispensation which preceded it; how dark, how unsatisfactory, how burthensome! — — — Compare with it the dispensation under which we live, a dispensation of light and liberty, of peace and joy — — — See the two contrasted by the Apostle [Note: Heb_12:18-24.]; and then hear him declaring the abolition of the one, and the establishment of the other, and prescribing our duty in reference to that which we are privileged to enjoy [Note: Heb_12:25-29.]: hear too the argument with which he enforces an obedient attention to it: He reminds us of the judgments which fell on Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, for refusing to comply with God’s former appointments, which were carnal and earthly, and appeals to us respecting the impossibility of our escaping, if we disregard those which are spiritual and heavenly, since God, at this time, no less than formerly, is, to those who offend him, “a consuming fire [Note: Heb_12:29.].” Comply then with the commands of God, and “receive not the grace of God in vain.” Only remember wherein the main difference between the two dispensations consists: the one consisted altogether of forms and shadows; the other contains the substance: in the one, the sacrifices were beasts of the field, and the priests who offered them were guilty creatures like ourselves; in the other, Christ is our Sacrifice, and our great High Priest; and in his mediation and intercession must be all our salvation and all our hope. The earthquake shook the whole legal fabric, and removed it all, so that the Church is liberated from all its observances: in like manner must all legal principles be removed from us; and the freedom granted to the Church, must be realized in our hearts — — — In a word, we must be “new creatures in Christ Jesus: old things must pass away, and all things must become new.”]
2. Avail ourselves of the liberty which he has conferred upon us—
[God invites us all to come to him without fear: He says, “Draw nigh to me, and I will draw nigh to you” — — — But here is the difficulty. To be outward-court worshippers is easy enough: but to get within the veil, to approach God as seeing him that is invisible, to pour out our souls before him, to ask with a full assurance of obtaining whatsoever we stand in need of; to live in the habit of such intercourse with him as enables us to say, “Truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ;” this requires continual watchfulness and unintermitted exertion. Yet this is the state to which we ought to aspire. The Apostle, after having, in a fore-cited passage, told us, that we have “boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which he hath consecrated for us through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; and having an High Priest over the house of God;” adds, “Let us draw near with a true heart; in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience [Note: Heb_10:19-22.].” This is the glorious privilege to which we are brought. None need to stand at a distance: the golden sceptre is held out equally to all; and “we may ask what we will, and it shall be done unto us.” We are all, without exception, “a royal priesthood;” he who “hath loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood, hath also made us kings and priests unto our God [Note: 1Pe_2:9. Rev_1:5-6.].” Let none then stand at a distance as unworthy to approach him, but let us go even to his throne, and “open our mouths wide that he may fill them” — — —]