The great pyramid passages and chambers

15: 14. But the Gentiles were not born under the Law symbolized by the First Ascending Passage, but were born away down on the plane of Adamic condemnation to death symbolized by the Descending Passage, and, therefore, far away from the Grand Gallery privileges of the high calling to sonship. Nevertheless, although Jesus came to his own people, the Jewish nation, being born under the Law, that he might redeem them that were under the Law that they might receive the adoption of sons (Gal. 4: 4, 5), his ransom-sacrifice was all-sufficient to reach right down to those who were “aliens from the commonwealth of Israel,’ even as the Well, the Great Pyramid’s symbol of the ransom-sacrifice, descends all the way down to the lower parts of the Descending Passage—Plate IX. Thus, those “who sometimes were far off" from Israel's covenants of promise, and enemies of God through wicked works, were ‘‘ made nigh by the blood of Christ” (Eph. 2: 12, 13); and during this Gospel Age they have passed, symbolically, from the Descending Passage up to the Grand Gallery by means of the Well, that is, they have passed through faith in the ransom-sacrifice of Christ from the plane of condemnation to the plane of justification, in order that they may have the glorious privilege, also by faith, of partaking in the high or heavenly calling of God in Christ Jesus, which the unbelieving Jews lost. It is not through any works of theirs that they have been justified and have peace with God, but the way having been opened by the death of Christ, they have accepted by faith this gracious provision which God has made for them, by which they may escape the condemnation which is upon the world—John 3: 18.

183 But as with the Jewish nation, so also with the other nations, only the few, a “little flock”’ in all, have exercised saving faith. On their downward course the other nations have passed the Well, the ransom-sacrifice of Christ, without seeing it; or if they did, they have had no faith in it asa way to life. To the majority of the Jews it was a cause of stumbling, just as the upper mouth of the Well may be a cause of stumbling to one who emerges from the First Ascending Passage; and to the majority of the Gentiles, it appears to be foolishness, just as the lower end of the Well appears to be merely a side-track from the lower part of the Descending Passage1 Cor. 1 : 23.—Plate X. They little know the drawing power of God, which he exerts on behalf of those who have faith in this way to life and immortality—John 6 : 44.

184 It is appropriate that the upper end of the Well should be so centrally situated, namely, at the junction of the First Ascending Passage, the Horizontal Passage, and the Grand Gallery, because it symbolizes the ransom-sacrifice of Christ which is the centre or hub of the great plan of salvation—Plate XVIII. Just as the Well is situated at the end of the First Ascending Passage and at the commencement of the Grand Gallery, so it was the death of Christ which closed the Law Dispensation and commenced the Gospel Dispensation; and just as the Well is also at the beginning of the Horizontal Passage leading to the Queen’s Chamber, so the ransom-sacrifice of Christ was the beginning of the great scheme devised by God for the ultimate salvation of the world.

185 The great height of the roof, the steep slippery floor, and the help afforded during the ascent by the Ramps,—the stone benches which run the whole length of the Grand Gallery at the base of the side-walls,—symbolize well the upward progress of those who have faith sufficient to advance along the pathway of the just. Through their faith in the ransom-sacrifice of Christ, they are now at peace with God, and are

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