The darkness was again lifted from Calvary, and hung like a pall over Jerusalem. At the moment in which Christ died, there were priests ministering in the temple before the vail which separated the holy from the most holy place. Suddenly they felt the earth tremble beneath them, and the vail of the temple, a strong, rich drapery that had been renewed yearly, was rent in twain from top to bottom by the same bloodless hand that wrote the words of doom upon the walls of Belshazzar’s palace. The most holy place, that had been sacredly entered by human feet only once a year, was revealed to the common gaze. God had ever before protected his temple in a wonderful manner; but now its sacred mysteries were exposed to curious eyes. No longer would the presence of God overshadow the earthly mercy-seat. No longer would the light of his glory flash forth upon, nor the cloud of his disapproval shadow, the precious stones in the breastplate of the high priest. {3SP 166.2}

Mørket hævede sig atter fra Golgatha og hang ligesom et ligklæde over Jerusalem. Netop i det øjeblik, da Kristus døde, var der præster, som tjente i templet foran forhænget der adskilte det hellige fra det allerhelligste. De mærkede pludselig, at jorden skælvede under dem, og at forhænget i templet, et kostbart tæppe, som man fornyede hvert år, blev revet (167) fra øverst til nederst af den samme blodløse hånd for dem, der skrev dommen på væggen i Belzasars palads. Det allerhelligste, som menneskelige fødder kun havde betrådt én gang om året i et helligt ærinde, blev nu afsløret, så at alle og enhver kan se derind. Herren havde altid før beskyttet sit tempel på en forunderlig måde; men nu stod dets hellige hemmeligheder åbne for enhver. Gud vil nu ikke længere overskygge den jordiske nådestol med sin nærværelse. Hans herligheds lys kommer nu ikke mere til at skinne på de kostelige stene i ypperstepræstens brystplade; ej heller vil hans mishag kaste en skygge derpå.