The Great Pyramid and the Bible
Chapter 3
THE SEED OF PROMISE
What was God's purpose in leading the Jewish nation to Christ? From Gal. 3:16 we learn that the "seed of Abraham" which is to bless the world is Christ—"Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ." Although Isaac was the seed of promise (for God had said: "In Isaac shall thy seed be called"), yet he was not the seed; he merely prefigured the great Spiritual Seed of God. But why, if Christ is the Seed, were the Jews the only nation led to Him? God had sworn by an oath that all the families of the earth would receive a blessing, yet the other nations were aliens and strangers, having no hope and without God in the world (Eph. 2:12). The Apostle reveals the purpose of God in specially dealing with the Israelites. In Gal. 3:29, he says: "If ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise." St. Paul seems to contradict himself when, in Gal. 3:16 he is so careful to impress the thought that Abraham's Seed is only one, while in v. 29 he addresses the Church: "If ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed." But in 1 Cor. 12:12 the Apostle explains: "For as the body is one and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are [nevertheless] one body: so also is Christ." It was for this purpose, that they might become "members in particular" of the great antitypical Seed of Abraham of which Jesus is the "Head," that God led the Jews under the "law-schoolmaster" to Christ. Every member of this Seed must also become, like his "Head," a spirit being; and thus we read that to as many of the Jews as received Jesus, "to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name" (John 1:12). As Christ is the Son of God, so those who exercise faith in Him are called His brethren, sons of the Heavenly Father (Heb. 2:11). The faithful Israelites presented their bodies a living sacrifice after the example of Jesus, and God begat them to the spirit nature (Rom. 6:3, 4; 12:1; James 1:18). This important change is stated in John 1:13—"Which were born [begotten], not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God." (Compare John 3:1-12.) One would have expected that the Jews, laboring under the yoke of the Law in their vain endeavor to gain life, would have gladly embraced the proffered aid of Jesus when, at the end of their Age, He stretched forth His hands and said (Matt. 11:28): "Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." On the contrary we read that when He came to His own "his own received him not" (John 1:11). The religious leaders of the people had become self-righteous, and their traditions had made void the plain teaching of the Scriptures, so that the majority were unable to recognize the meek and lowly Nazarene as God's Anointed. Of all that nation only a remnant believed and became the Lord's footstep followers, and their number was far short of that predetermined by God. Does this mean, then, that Christ, the Seed of Abraham, must lack certain members? No; the Scriptures declare that after the faithful among the Jews were selected, God "did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name" (Acts 15:14). But how was it possible for God to extend this favor to the Gentiles, seeing that they were not led to Christ under the "law-schoolmaster"? The Scriptures state that there was really no difference between Jew and Gentile; all alike came short of the glory of God (Rom. 3:9, 23). The Pyramid corroborates this truth, for the Jews are only typically represented as progressing up the First Ascending Passage; the Granite Plug, symbolizing the perfect law of God, blocks the way (see diagram below). (By taking advantage of Al Mamoun's forced cavity, visitors can pass round the west side of the Granite Plug and so walk up the First Ascending Passage. But Al Mamoun was a "thief and a robber," "climbing up some other way" (John 10:1). If the masonry were restored and the cavity filled in, the Granite Plug would prevent any possibility of gaining access to the upper system by means of the First Ascending Passage. The Well-shaft is the only legitimate way to reach the parts above. It is important to realize this fact, for the corroborative symbolisms properly are based upon the original condition of the Pyramid.) Before the Jews could be accorded the privilege of becoming members in the great Seed, Jesus was required to become a "curse" for them, as it is written: "Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree" (Gal. 3:13). But not only did the death of Jesus redeem the Jews from under the "curse of the law"; it was sufficient also to redeem all men from the original curse of death; for "he by the grace of God tasted death for every man" (Heb. 2:9). It was therefore possible for individuals of other nations to become members in the Body of Christ. Acts 10 shows God first extending this privilege to the Gentiles exactly 2,081 years after the promise to Abraham (see Great Pyramid Passages, Vol. 2, p. 244). THE RANSOM-SACRIFICE—THE WELL-SHAFT
In what manner does the Pyramid corroborate this feature of the Plan of God? As we have seen, the Jews alone are represented as laboring up the First Ascending Passage to meet Christ, while the other nations are stumbling down the Descending Passage to the Pit of destruction. How, then, is it possible for the Gentiles to reach Christ, who is depicted standing far above on the level of the Queen's Chamber? Here we see the necessity for that mysterious shaft named the "Well." If the Well-shaft were lacking in the Pyramid's system, the symbolisms of the various passages and chambers would be rendered void. The symbolic meaning of this peculiar shaft is the key which unlocks the building's secret message. Christ said: "Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit" (John 12:24). Had Jesus not died He would have remained alone on the human plane. It was for this reason that He became a man, to offer Himself in sacrifice, and give His flesh for the life of the world, that both Jew and Gentile might be ransomed from the Adamic condemnation and be given an opportunity to live. In the Pyramid's figurative language, Jesus Christ falls down from the Queen's Chamber plane of human nature, into the Well-shaft condition of death; then, as it was not possible that He, the innocent One, should be holden of it, God burst the bonds of death and raised His dear Son, no longer flesh but a glorious spirit of the Divine nature; that is, He is not now represented as standing on the level of the Queen's Chamber, but high above on the King's Chamber level (1 Pet. 3:18). The Well-shaft, therefore, symbolizes both the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The surroundings of the upper mouth of the Well suggest the thought of the bursting of the bonds of death. THE PYRAMID'S ILLUSTRATION OF FAITH
The Scriptures declare that only those who have faith in the Ransom-sacrifice of Christ can pass from death unto life. The Pyramid corroborates this requirement, for no one can ascend the Well-shaft, which symbolizes Christ's Ransom-sacrifice, without exercising faith. We refer, of course, to the average visitor to the Pyramid. Finding that he cannot reach the upper system by means of the First Ascending Passage owing to the obstructing Granite Plug, the traveler might be informed, when he arrives down at the lower end of the Well-shaft, that he may climb up this way. But it is certain he would not attempt so perilous a venture; he would rightly judge that a slip and fall would prove fatal. Thus the Pyramid's symbolisms agree with the Scriptural teaching, that even though an open way is provided, man cannot by his own efforts escape the Descending Passage condemnation to death. All who visit the Pyramid may enter the interior, but only when accompanied by Arab guides who are in the employ of the government. These guides are strong and nimble and well accustomed to climbing in the numerous well-like tomb-shafts of the neighborhood. One of them might offer to go up the Well-shaft, and lower a rope to assist the traveler. Should the latter agree to this proposition, and binding the rope round him, commence the ascent, it is evident that he would be exercising faith all the way till he reached the upper end of the long dangerous shaft, which is nearly 200 feet in length. Every time he would slip and lose his footing in the shallow footholds he would realize his helplessness, and his necessity for placing implicit trust in the integrity and strength of his guide at the summit of the Well. Thus does the Pyramid illustrate the necessity for our reposing absolute faith in our great Guide, the Lord Jesus, who opened a way of escape for us. THE ISRAELITES AWAIT THEIR NEW COVENANT But what about the majority of the Jewish nation, whom God cast off because of their unbelief? Has He rejected them forever? No; but had He not found a faithful remnant, the Apostle says that the nation would have been destroyed like Sodom and Gomorrah (Isa. 1:9 Rom. 9:29). When Abraham interceded for Sodom, he was promised that if even ten righteous men were found in the city it would not on their account be blotted out. Because of the remnant of Israel, which demonstrated that the "law-schoolmaster" had been effective in preparing at least a few to receive the meek and lowly Jesus (Gal. 3:24), the unbelieving majority were not cast off forever, but merely had "blindness in part" passed upon them, until God makes with them the New Covenant, which He foretold by the Prophet Jeremiah—"Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah" (Jer. 31:31). RESURRECTION OF CHRIST, HEAD AND BODY The closing of the high calling to become members in the Body of Christ, opens the way by which human perfection under the New Covenant may be attained, by the Jews first, and afterward by the Gentiles. The Great Pyramid corroborates this important phase of the Lord's plan; but to appreciate the symbolism fully, one must have clearly before his mental eyes the actual appearance of the lower end of the Grand Gallery. In the chart above it would appear as if the Well-shaft descended directly from the floor of the Grand Gallery; but this is not really so; the mouth of the Well is situated on the west side (see drawing above). On each side of the Grand Gallery there is a stone bench which runs the entire length of the floor. These benches are called Ramps and measure about 21 inches high by 20 inches wide. The distance between the Ramps is 3½ feet, so that the floors of the Grand Gallery and First Ascending Passage are the same width. The mouth of the Well is formed by a portion of the west Ramp having been broken away; and, as we mentioned before, the appearance of the masonry surrounding the Well-mouth conveys the idea that the once covering Ramp-stone must have been violently burst out from underneath (see drawing above). If the missing portion of the Ramp were restored the Well would be sealed up. In addition to the removal of the Ramp-stone at the head of the Well-shaft, part also of the floor of the Grand Gallery is missing. It appears as if the floor of the passage originally extended upward in an unbroken line from the north wall, and that an explosion had torn away a length of about 17 feet at the lower end. Thus, two violent explosions have occurred in the Great Pyramid; or, rather, the appearance of the northern end of the Grand Gallery gives that impression; for we believe the ancient builders arranged the masonry at this part to suggest explosions for figurative purposes. If the missing portion of the floor of the Grand Gallery were restored, the Horizontal Passage leading to the Queen's Chamber would be concealed, so that anyone emerging from the First Ascending Passage and continuing on his way up the Grand Gallery, would be unaware of the existence of the Horizontal Passage. The apparent bursting away of the Ramp-stone which covered the Well-mouth graphically suggests the resurrection of Jesus Christ, when God burst the bonds of hades and raised His beloved Son from the death state (Acts 2:22-24). This provided an open way by which the Gentiles who had "ears to hear" could have access from the Descending Passage condemnation to the Grand Gallery privileges. The Scriptures teach that after the last member of the Body of Christ would pass beyond the veil to the King's Chamber condition of life, another way of life for the temporarily blinded Jews, as well as for the "residue" of the Gentiles, would open (Acts 15:13-18). This (second) bursting of the bonds of death by the Church, the Body of Christ, is symbolized by the violent breaking away of the lower part of the Grand Gallery floor, which, as the reader will readily see, while necessarily closing the "walk" of the Grand Gallery, opens and reveals, as a consequence, the Horizontal Passage leading to the Queen's Chamber. THE LAW AGE AND GOSPEL AGE CONTRASTED
The faithful among the Jews passed directly from Moses into Christ. They partook of the high or heavenly calling to joint-heirship with God's Son, and are represented as emerging from under the low roof of the First Ascending Passage, and walking with Him upward along the floor of the Grand Gallery (which at this stage is understood to be unbroken and entire) to the King's Chamber condition of the Divine nature (2 Pet. 1:4). Although both passages rise at the same steep angle, and although their floors are equally slippery, yet there is a great difference between them in two important respects. In the first place, the Grand Gallery is far higher in the roof, and there is no necessity for one to stoop as when coming up the First Ascending Passage. This illustrates a manifest difference between the two Ages. The exacting requirements of the Law Covenant were a burden to the Jew and bowed him down; but Christ became an end of the Law for righteousness to everyone who believed; and those receiving the Gospel message experienced the glorious liberty wherewith Christ makes free (John 8:32, 36). They passed, as it were, from the low, confined First Ascending Passage into the greater freedom of the Grand Gallery. The other difference between the two passages is that, should one slip when ascending the Grand Gallery, he can cling to the side Ramps and steady himself until he regains his footing; but in the First Ascending Passage there is nothing to lay hold of should one feel his feet sliding. This again illustrates an important contrast between the two Ages; for although the followers of the Lord in the Gospel Age occasionally slip from their steadfastness through temporary lack of faith or from other causes, yet they have the "exceeding great and precious promises" of God's Word to sustain and reinstate them on their upward way. They have promises that He will never forsake them; that if they confess their sins He is faithful and just to forgive them their sins and to cleanse them from all unrighteousness; that the Lord's strength is made perfect in weakness. By these and many other precious promises, all who have taken up their cross and followed the Lord are enabled to overcome. During the Jewish Age, on the contrary, those who sought to gain life by the Law had no promise of aid should they slip even in one of the commandments, as the Apostle James declares: "For whosoever shall keep the whole law [in an endeavor to merit life thereby], and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all" (James 2:10) and is therefore under the curse of the Law. To the remainder of the Jews who refused to believe and follow the Lord up the Grand Gallery high calling, God pronounced the sentence: "Let their eyes be darkened, that they may not see, and bow down their back alway" (Rom. 11:10). The Israelites have been, in effect, standing with bowed heads and backs in the low First Ascending Passage, with their eyes blinded that they cannot see in front of them the lofty Grand Gallery. Nor can they perceive that the Gentiles, who "sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood [the Ransom-sacrifice] of Christ" (Eph. 2:13), and during the Gospel Age come up, figuratively speaking, through the Well-shaft and broken Ramp into the Grand Gallery "walk" of the high calling, filling up the membership of the Body of the great Seed of Abraham. It is interesting to notice, at this juncture, that not only does the length of the First Ascending Passage agree with the period of the Jewish Law Age, but the duration of the succeeding Gospel Age is corroborated by the Pyramid-inch length of the Grand Gallery. NEW COVENANT—HORIZONTAL PASSAGE After the completion of God's selection of Body members from among the Gentiles (Acts 15:14), not one more member in the Body of Christ is required. The Jews will then have their blindness fully removed and they will see that the walk of the high calling is forever closed, that the First Resurrection is accomplished—the lower part of the Grand Gallery floor is burst away. But the Lord will graciously reveal to mankind the other way of life. He will make with them the New Covenant, with its opportunity for life on the plane of human perfection. The Horizontal Passage illustrates the New Covenant. Like the First Ascending Passage, which represents the Old Covenant, the newly revealed Horizontal Passage is low in the roof, and one has to stoop considerably when walking in it. This is in symbolical agreement with the Bible, which shows that the exacting requirements of the New Law Covenant will be operative in the Millennial reign of Christ. The Law was holy, just and good (Rom. 7:12); but the sacrifices, mediator and priesthood of the Old Covenant were incapable of reclaiming fallen men. The New Covenant will be based upon better sacrifices and will have a better Mediator and a better Priesthood, and under it all mankind will learn to observe God's righteous law and thus gain the Queen's Chamber condition of perfect human life (Isa. 26:9). The distinction between the Old and New (Law) Covenants is well illustrated by the difference between the First Ascending Passage and the Horizontal Passage. Should one slip in the Ascending Passage, he cannot prevent himself from falling; and as the angle of the floor is very steep, he immediately begins to slide backward. He will then realize, as did the Jews born under the Old Covenant, that this upward way, although "ordained to life," is after all a way to death (Rom. 7:10). Gathering impetus on that slippery inclined floor, he will fall with terrible impact against the upper end of the Granite Plug. When the Jews slipped and fell they were condemned to death by the perfect law of God, which is particularly symbolized by the Granite Plug. Thus we see that the Pyramid corroborates the declaration of the Scriptures, that there was no hope of the people of Israel attaining life by means of the Old Law Covenant (Jer. 31:31, 32; Ezek. 16:60-62). How different it is in the case of the Horizontal Passage, however, for although one walking here requires to stoop as in the First Ascending Passage, showing that he is under law, yet a slip and fall need not prove fatal. The passage being horizontal, he will not slide backward. He may be bruised, but raising himself to his feet, he can continue on his way to the Queen's Chamber. There is hope under the New Covenant, if one allows himself to be rightly exercised by the discipline of the righteous judge. Profiting by the lesson of his fall, and henceforth taking more heed to his steps, he can progress toward the condition of human perfection symbolized by the Queen's Chamber. To the Jews first will this opportunity be given. They will pass directly from under the Old Law Covenant (for they are still under this Covenant, as Christ became the end of the Law only to those who believed) into the New Law Covenant. After the Jewish nation, the Gentiles will be brought in under the New Covenant arrangement, that they also may attain human perfection. Jesus said: "And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me"; and again: "Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth" (John 12:32; 5:28, 29). By the power that Christ will exert, the Gentiles shall figuratively be raised from the Descending Passage condition of death, up through the Well-shaft to the Horizontal Passage condition of the New Covenant; for through the Ransom-sacrifice of Christ all mankind shall be redeemed (Hosea 13:14) and placed upon that "highway of holiness." The Prophet Isaiah said: "No lion shall be there, nor any ravenous beast shall go up thereon … but the redeemed shall walk there" (Isa. 35:8-10). Satan, the "roaring lion" (1 Pet. 5:8), will not be allowed to deceive man during the time of the New Covenant, for he will then be fully bound and cast into the "bottomless pit," symbolized in the Pyramid by the Subterranean Chamber (Rev. 20:1-3); and all "ravenous beasts" represented by the evil institutions of the "present evil world" (Gal. 1:4) will be destroyed in the Pit. These evil systems shall not rise, but Satan is to be loosed for a little season at the end of the thousand years of Christ's reign, to test mankind. "PRESENT EVIL WORLD" & ITS DESTRUCTION —THE DESCENDING PASSAGE AND THE PIT While the downward course of mankind is illustrated by the Descending Passage, we find that this passage more particularly represents the "present evil world" which began after the old world of the ungodly perished in the flood (2 Pet. 2:4; 3:6). Several Pyramid-inch time measurements demonstrate that the vertical line of the roof-commencement of the Descending Passage marks the date of the flood. The full length of the passage from the beginning of the roof down to the Pit, corresponds in inch-years to the complete duration of the present evil world (see calculations in Great Pyramid Passages, Vol. 2). Bible students have for many years recognized the time prophecies which indicate that the destruction of "the kingdoms of this world" began in 1914. We regard the dreadful World War, which broke out in August 1914, as the beginning of the fulfillment of these Scriptural indications. The period of the "seven times" of Gentile rule (Lev. 26:18, 21, 24, 28; Luke 21:24) ended in Autumn 1914 as foretold by the time features of the Bible (see Great Pyramid Passages, Vol. 2). We are now in the "time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation," predicted by the Prophet Daniel and referred to by our Lord (Dan. 12:1; Matt. 24:21). The Scriptures show that the preparation for the fiery destruction of the present evil world began in 1874 A.D. During the 40-year period between 1874 and 1914, the Lord was assembling the nations to pour upon them His fierce anger (Zeph. 3:8). The time measurements demonstrate that both of these prominent Biblical dates are indicated connectedly in the Pyramid, by the vertical line of the north wall of the symbolical Pit. Well may the world's foremost thinkers pronounce the present crisis in Christendom as more momentous than the Reformation, or the French Revolution. The Revolution of 1789 shook the foundations of society as with an earthquake. But the present conflict, which will eventuate in Armageddon and Anarchy, will utterly destroy "Babylon the Great" (Rev. 17:5), the last phase of the present evil world. The dates of the Reformation and the French Revolution are both indicated in the Pyramid. THE COMPLETE PERIOD OF SALVATION
"Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning" (Psa. 30:5). The permission of evil is for a wise purpose. The loving Heavenly Father designed earth's bitter experiences during the past 6,000 years as part of mankind's training, making them ready to appreciate and enjoy that glorious condition of human perfection symbolized by the Queen's Chamber. The one thousand years of Christ's reign will give an experience of righteousness, that all may know good as well as evil, and thus be prepared to choose good and live. Although the human race is pictured stumbling down the Descending Passage condemnation to death, this "cursed" condition was altered by the Ransom-sacrifice of Jesus Christ, so that Adamic death is changed to sleep, and despair is changed to hope. The whole world now "sleep in Jesus," and shall be awakened in due time. Because of God's foreknowledge that His obedient Son would delight to do His will and die as Adam's substitute, the Heavenly Father at the very beginning subjected the whole creation in hope that there would ultimately be a reversal of the death sentence (Rom. 8:20). Christ is the "Lamb slain from the foundation of the world" (Rev. 13:8). The "hopeful" state of mankind is illustrated by the Horizontal Passage, which in addition to symbolizing the New Covenant arrangement, represents from this other standpoint the complete 7,000 years of mankind's preparation for the Queen's Chamber condition of perfect human life. The first six-sevenths of the length of the passage being only 4 feet in height, illustrates the bowed condition of man under sin and degradation during the first six 1,000-year periods; the final one-seventh of the passage has greater head room owing to the (21 inches) lower level of the floor at this part, and thus represents the freedom of the seventh millennium. After the final "little season" of testing, the faithful of mankind will then be ushered into the "glorious liberty of the children of God" (Rom. 8:21). In the meantime the creation "groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now," waiting for the "manifestation of the sons of God" (Rom. 8:22, 19), who as members in particular of the great spiritual Seed of Abraham shall come forth and bless them with life everlasting on earth. |
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