OT/NT - approaching God

[jkobilan]

As I was listening to Steve's old lecture series on Exodus, he brought up a subject that confuses me.

He said (as have many others) that only the High Priest could approach God in the Holy of Holies one day a year, and no one else could approach him or come into his presence. But now we can in the NT.

But what does it mean to approach God? I think of it as prayer, and I certainly don’t approach him physically. All kinds of people in the OT who were not the High Priest prayed to God and he responded positively, so prayer doesn’t seem like the answer. What is the difference between the OT & NT in regards to approaching God?

What happened when the veil was torn that didn't happen in the OT?

[kaufmannphillips]

The New Testament does not specifically articulate a meaning for the tearing of the veil.

One might understand it in cultural context as the tearing of G-d's "garment" in grief (cf. Genesis 37:34; Job 1:20; 2 Samuel 13:31).

[jkobilan]

Interesting thought about the grief.

Many Bible teachers say that the veil being torn is symbolic of the fact that we can now enter into God's presence, when before only the high priest, only one day a year could enter into His presence.

But would does entering into His presence mean?

[kaufmannphillips]

jkobilan wrote:
Many Bible teachers say that the veil being torn is symbolic of the fact that we can now enter into God's presence, when before only the high priest, only one day a year could enter into His presence.

On what basis do they say this?

[Jason]

On what basis do they say this?

Well, the purpose of a veil is to hide something and in the case of the temple/tabernacle it was the Holy of Holys that lay hidden, save for Yom Kippor when the high priest could enter. Thus the veil was not meant to be breached by "commoners." One might easily conclude that, given the theology of Hebrews, the splitting of the veil is a picture of a separating wall being removed. Since a veil is used to hide something, the tearing of a veil seems to suggest something coming to light. This may not be a true interpretation but I think it's a good one.