Solomons Temple Spiritualized, Chapter 57
LVII. Of the Vail of the Temple.
THE Vail of the Temple was a Hanging, made of blue and purple, and crimson, and fine linnen, and there were Cherubins wrought thereon; Exod. 26.31, 32.
1. This Vail was one partition 'twixt the holy and most holy place. And I take it, it was to keep from the sight of the Worshipers, the things most holy, when the High Priest went in thither, to accomplish the service of God; Exod. 26.33. 2 Chron. 3.14. Heb. 9.8.
2. The Vail was a type of Two things.
1. Of these visible Heavens, through which Christ passed, when he went to make Intercession for us. And as by the Vail, the Priest went out of the sight of the People, when he went into the Holiest of all: So Jesus Christ when he ascended, was by the Heavens, that great and stretched-out curtain, received out of the sight of his People here. Also by the same Curtain, since it is become as a Tent for him to dwell in, he is still received, and still kept out of our sight: For now we see him not, nor shall, until these heavens be rouled together as a Scrole, and pass away like a thing rouled together, Isa. 40.22. Acts 1.9, 10, 11. Chap. 3.19, 20, 21. 1 Pet. 1.8.
2. This is that Vail, thorow which the Apostle saith, Jesus is, as a Fore-runer for us, entered into the presence of God. For by Vail here also, must be meant the Heavens or out-spread Firmament thereof. As both Mark and Peter says, He is gone into Heaven, and is on the right hand of God; Mark 16.19. 1 Pet. 3.22.
3. The Vail of the Temple was made of blew, the very colour of the Heavens. Of purple, and crimson, and scarlet also, which are the colours of many of the Clouds: because of the reflections of the Sun. But again,
4 The Vail was also a type of the body of Christ. For as the Vail of the Temple, when whole, kept the view of the things of the Holiest from us, but when rent, gave place to Man to look in unto them: Even so the Body of Christ while whole, kept that of the things of the Holiest from that view, we, since he was pierced, have of them. Hence we are said to enter into the Holiest, by faith, thorow the Vail, that is to say, his flesh; Heb. 10.19, 20, 21, 22.
But yet, I say, all is by faith; and indeed the renting of the Vail that Day that Christ was crucified, did loudly preach this to us. For no sooner was the body of Christ pierced, but the Vail of the Temple rent in twain from the top to the bottom: And so a way was made for a clearer sight of what was there beyond it, both in the Type and Anti-type, Mat. 27.50, 51, 52, 53. Heb. 10.19, 20.
Thus you see that the Vail of the Temple was a type of these visible Heavens, and also of the body of Christ; of the first, because, he passed thorow it unto the Father; of the second, because, we by it have boldness to come to the Father.
I read also of two other Vails, as of that spread over the face of Moses, to the end the Children of Israel should not stedfastly behold, and of the first Vail of the Tabernacle; But of these I shall not in this place speak.
Upon the Vail of the Temple there was also the figures of Cherubims wrought, that is, of Angels; to shew that as the Angels are with us here, and wait upon us all the days of our Pilgrimage in this World: so, when we die, they stand ready, even at the Vail, at the Door of these Heavens, to come, when bid, to fetch us, and carry us away into Abraham's bosom; Luke 16.22.
The Vail then thus understood, teaches us first where Jesus is, namely, not here, but gone into Heaven, from whence we should wait for him. It also teaches us, that if we would even now discern the Glories that are in the Holiest of all, we must look thorow Jesus to them, even thorow the Vail, that is to say, his flesh. Yea, It teaches us, that we may by faith through him, attain to a kind of a Presence, at least of the beauty and sweetness of them.