In Old Testament times the high priest could enter the Holy of Holies once a year on the Day of Atonement into the presence of God as a representative of the people. When Jesus died on the cross, the veil in the temple was not torn from bottom to top (as would happen if it were man doing the tearing), but from top to bottom (as God miraculously had done). The inner sanctuary (the Holy of Holies) represents heaven, and the tearing of the curtain represents the tearing of the flesh of Jesus Christ; the body of Christ had to be broken and His blood had to be shed to open for us the way to God. Our way to heaven is by a crucified Savior; His death is our way to eternal life (Hebrews 6:19-20, 9:3, 10:19-20). In twelve chapters Horatius Bonar unfolds these concepts. Published in 1875, Rent Veil was written by Scottish theologian and poet Horatius Bonar. Bonar's Rent Veil treats a variety of topics, most directly the atonement.
