Within the Veil

Sung by Charles Billingsley

Back in 2005, I had the opportunity to visit Thomas Road Baptist Church in Lynchburg, Virginia. I was thrilled to learn that visitors would receive a free music CD, and I have enjoyed listening to that CD many times over the years, especially a song sung by Charles Billingsley called Within the Veil. I had never heard it before, and I still have never heard it anywhere else. I don’t know if other people are familiar with the song or not, but it absolutely gives me chills, partly because of Billingsley’s voice, but mostly because of the ideas expressed. I believe Billingsley wrote the song with Cheryl Rogers. They are listed with the lyrics on the Genius.com website. You can hear a short excerpt there, but the whole performance is on Spotify, particularly on my playlist GodSongsRemembered. It is also available on YouTube.

Having taken a graduate level biblical studies course on the book of Exodus in 1995, I was familiar with the meaning of the “veil” mentioned in the song. Perhaps not everyone knows that the “veil” refers to part of the ancient Israelites’ Tabernacle and the later Jewish Temple. Because I understood the meaning of the veil, I found the song to be very profound, as it speaks of being in the very Presence of God Almighty.

The Israelites worshipped in the Tabernacle while they were wandering in the wilderness for 40 years, after Moses led them out of slavery in Egypt. God’s instructions for building this Tabernacle (a tent) and for worshipping there were very specific.

So what was the “veil”? The veil was a long curtain that separated the Holy Place, or Sanctuary, from the Holy of Holies. A helpful diagram can be found here. No one could enter the Holy of Holies except the High Priest once a year on the Day of Atonement. What was in the Holy of Holies? The Ark of the Covenant was there, and it held the stone tablets with the Ten Commandments, manna from the wilderness, and Aaron’s staff (an almond branch that had budded). It represented God’s Presence and was also known as the Mercy Seat. This is where the High Priest would enter yearly to make atonement for the sins of the people. He was the only person permitted to enter that space, but he had to come also with an atoning sacrifice for his own sins.

When Solomon had the Temple built in Jerusalem, this basic pattern was still followed, as it was also in the later Temple built by King Herod—the one in existence during the life of Christ.

Stunningly, when Jesus died on the cross, the veil in the Temple was supernaturally ripped from top to bottom, representing free access to God’s presence. Perhaps the Jewish people do not interpret it that way, but that is the way Christian scholars interpret it. We are not limited in our access to God as the Israelites or the Jews once were. We do not now need any priest except Jesus Christ in order to commune with Almighty God, but we do need to come with acknowledgement of our sin and a “sacrifice.” Only our faith in the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross for forgiveness of sin will suffice. Those who have trusted in Christ can go directly to God with their petitions and prayers, and certainly, the day will come in Heaven when we are literally in God’s presence. Try to imagine that.

I had a dream years ago about going into the literal, physical presence of God. I don’t claim to have any secret knowledge; I can only tell you what my dream was. I dreamed He was in a large tent, seated high on some kind of platform, and there was a gentle breeze blowing as I walked before His throne and into His Presence. I remember my feeling of awe in the dream, and I remember I was welcomed. I felt no fear, just happiness.

Those who have accepted Christ have access to the Presence of God even today, but someday that Presence will be physical—more visible. It overwhelms me to think about that.

Contemplate the lyrics. In my opinion, the song is true to the concepts revealed in the Tabernacle and Temple and is scripturally sound. If you haven’t already done so, listen to the song now. Enjoy and be blessed.

Lonely Golgatha
Two thousand years ago
And the Giver of all life
Gave up His human soul.
All the earth would tremble.
Deep thunder clouds would form,
And in the center of the temple
The holy veil was torn.

And on that day Was made a passage way
Into the very presence of the Lord.

And I walked within the veil,
And saw the Glory of God,
The Father beheld,
And felt the touch of Him
Who knew me so well.
Then I fell on my knees and worshipped
Within the veil.
Ooh, yeah.

Within the veil,
There's a consuming fire
That purifies my thoughts
And changes my desires.
Offerings of confession
With every word I speak,
But His forgiveness gives me strength
When temptation has me weak.

And I return each day
To that Holy Place,
Where His arms are opened wide
To welcome me,
To welcome me.

And I walk within the veil
And see the Glory of God,
The Father beheld,
And feel the touch of Him
Who knows me so well.
Then I fall on my knees and worship Within the veil.
Oh, within the veil.

One final day
I'll touch the door of death.
My soul will enter heaven
With the sound of my last breath.
The long and lonely journey
Will have been worth it all.
And I'll stand before my Father
In fulfillment of my call.

Then I'll see His face
In that Holy Place.

And I will walk within the veil,
And see the glory of God,
The Father beheld,
And feel the touch of Him
Who knows me so well.
Then I will fall on my knees and worship.
Then I will fall on my knees and worship.
Then I will fall on my knees and worship.
Oh, I'll worship, within the veil.

Ooh, yeah,
Within the veil,
Oh, within the veil.
I will fall on my knees and worship,
Oh, I'll worship, within the veil,
Within the veil,
Within the veil.

Article (except song lyrics) copyright 2005 Kitty Barrera. All rights reserved.