The Veil of Separation

The veil which hung between the Holy Place and the Most Holy was most significant, for we are told in Hebrews that it represented the flesh of our Lord Jesus Christ, that is, it represented Him as a man here on earth. The veil was composed of fine twined linen, ornamented with threads of blue and purple and scarlet, and cherubim were wrought upon it, setting forth the justice and judgment of God. The fine twined linen pictures, as it always does in Scripture, perfect righteousness, the spotless and righteous life of the Lord Jesus Christ, the sinless One, in whom is no sin, for He knew no sin. The blue suggested His heavenly character. He was not a mere man, born as other men are; He was the Son of man from heaven. The purple spoke of royal dignity. He was the Son of David, the Son of Abraham, the One who came to reign on earth, the righteous King.
The scarlet is most significant. It literally means, “The splendor of a worm.” This seems a strange expression to us, but it need not be. In Mexico there is a little insect that feeds on cactus, called the cochineal. It is ground up in a mortar and its blood makes a crimson dye. Also in Palestine, there was a little worm called the tola. When it was crushed, it produced the scarlet dye which was used in making the beautiful garments that clothed the nobility. In Psalms 22:6, the Lord says, “I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people.” He took the lowest place, the place of a worm, and was crushed in death that you and I might be clothed with the beautiful garments of righteousness and glory. The scarlet speaks of suffering and of glory. Think, then, how wonderfully that veil sets forth the Lord Jesus Christ, the heavenly One, the kingly One, the suffering One, the righteous One.