The Symbolism of the King and the Queen’s Chambers more fully considered.

“With a view to the proper understanding of this subject, let us first consider what are meant by “Mortality” and “Immortality.”

Mortality signifies a state or condition of liability to death; a condition in which death is a possibility, not in which death is a certainty.

Immortality signifies a state or condition not liable to death; not merely freedom from death, but a condition in which death is impossible.

Adam was mortal, that is, in a condition in which death was a possibility. He had life in full and perfect measure, yet not inherent life (not immortality as some erroneously teach). His was a life sustained by “every tree of the garden” with the exception of the one forbidden tree; and so long as he continued in obedience to and in harmony with his Maker, his life was secure, sustaining elements were not denied. Thus seen, Adam had life, and death was entirely avoidable; yet he was in such a condition that death was possible, he was mortal.

Immortality is ascribed only to the Divine nature. Originally it was possessed by Jehovah alone; subsequently it was given to our Lord Jesus in his highly exalted condition; finally it will be imparted to the Church, the body of Christ, when glorified with him—1 Tim. 6:16; John 5:26; 2 Pet. 1:4; 1 Cor. 15:53, 54.

In The Chart of the Ages above three important planes are represented:

(1) The lowest, the plane of human depravity, condemnation and death, Plane (R);

(2) Above this, the plane of human perfection, Plane (N); and

(3) The highest plane, the plane of the Divine nature, immortality, Plane (K).

These same three conditions are symbolized in the Great Pyramid (Plate XXV), by the same method of superimposed planes:

(1) The Descending Passage represents the plane of Adamic condemnation to death;

(2) The Horizontal Passage and Queen’s Chamber (more particularly the level of the Queen’s Chamber floor) represents the plane of human perfection, the condition in which everlasting life is a possibility, but not a certainty; and

(3) The King’s Chamber, the plane of the Divine nature, immortality, the condition in which death is impossible.

In his work Tabernacle Shadows, C. T. Russell points out that gold in the tabernacle symbolizes things Divine; and copper, things human. In the third volume of Scripture Studies, he makes it clear that granite and limestone in the Great Pyramid teach the same; as for instance, the Granite Plug in the First Ascending Passage symbolizes the Divine Law. An examination of Plate XI will show that the only other positions in the Great Pyramid where granite (represented in the Plate by crossed line shading) is used for constructive purposes are the Ante-Chamber, the King’s Chamber, and the five spaces above the King’s Chamber named by Col. Howard Vyse the “Chambers of Construction“—Par. 110 to-115. This would indicate that these chambers symbolize spiritual and divine things or beings, and that all other parts of the interior of the Great Pyramid, with the exception of the Granite Plug, symbolize human things or beings.

Immortality, or the Divine nature, the highest of all spirit natures, is symbolized by the King’s Chamber, which is built entirely of granite. The Queen’s Chamber, on the other hand, being built entirely of limestone, symbolizes the human nature; but inasmuch as it is seven-sided (including the floor and double- inclined roof) it symbolizes that perfection of human nature which will be obtained by all the obedient among men at the end of the “Times of Restitution,” when the will of God will be done on earth as it is done in heaven.

Another clue to the interpretation that the plane of the Queen’s Chamber signifies the plane of human perfection, the condition in which everlasting life is a possibility, is that the level of its floor is above the summit of the Well. We have seen that the Well symbolizes not only in a particular sense the death and resurrection of Christ, but also in a general sense Hades, the death state. Accordingly, the level of the Queen’s Chamber indicates that plane of being which is superior to death conditions; but the fact that this plane is only just at the summit of the Well, would indicate that in this condition there is, nevertheless, always the possibility of death, which, however, would ensue only in the event of disobedience.

Again, an important proof that the level of the Queen’s Chamber represents eternal life on the human plane is that access to it is gained either by the First Ascending Passage, or by the Well, both of which symbolize means of access to earthly life-rights.

(1) The First Ascending Passage symbolizes the Law Covenant, which did not offer spiritual life and blessings nor a heavenly inheritance, but eternal life on the human plane with earthly blessings (Gal. 3:12; Lev. 18:5; Deut. 11:1—; 28: 1—); but just as the First Ascending Passage is completely blocked by the Granite Plug, so the Law Covenant as a way to life was blocked by the Divine Law. As all were thus proved guilty before God, it was necessary that the Son of God should be born as a perfect human being under the Law, and, after proving his right to eternal life on the human plane, surrender this right for ever for the benefit of the human race, as we read: “The man Christ Jesus gave himself a ransom for all “;

“My flesh I will give for the life of the world” 1 Tim. 2:5, 6; John 6:51. It is in harmony with this that, as already shown (Par. 127), the date of the birth of the “man Christ Jesus,” as a perfect human being born under the Law and able to keep it, is indicated in the Great Pyramid at the upper end of the First Ascending Passage, and on the same level as the floor of the Queen’s Chamber.

(2) Thus we see that access to the plane of human perfection is impossible for any of the fallen race by their own works through the Law Covenant, and that the only way to life is through the ransom- sacrifice of Christ. This is symbolized in the Great Pyramid by the only means of access from the Descending Passage to the level of the Queen’s Chamber, namely, by the Well, which, from this point of view, symbolizes the ransom-sacrifice of Christ, the only “way of escape” from the condemnation of death—John 3:18. The final outcome of the ransom will be the restitution to the whole human race of all that was lost by Adam—1 Tim. 2:4-6. But only the obedient will receive eternal life, for “every soul which will not hear [obey] that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people“—Acts 3:19-23.

Access to the King’s Chamber is possible only by the Grand Gallery AND the Ante-Chamber (A two-step process). This corroborates the teaching of the Scriptures that access to the heavenly inheritance on the Divine plane is limited to this Gospel Age, and is possible only through justification AND sanctification.

The Grand Gallery symbolizes the faith-justification of this Age, the condition of those (believers in general) who, through faith in the ransom-sacrifice of Christ, have passed from the plane of condemnation, and have had imputed to them the earthly life-rights surrendered by Jesus on their behalf.

The Ante-Chamber symbolizes the sanctification of the Gospel Age, the condition of those (believers who have taken “the second step” of a full consecration, Rom 12:1) who, having been justified to human life-rights, have responded to the loving invitation of God, and have made a covenant with, him by sacrifice—Psa. 50:5. These are reckoned by God as no longer in the flesh but in the Spirit, and are prepared through sufferings for the heavenly inheritance.

There is very great difference between the Kingdom promised to the followers of Christ, and the kingdom prepared from the foundation of the world for the obedient of the rest of mankind (1 Cor 15:50; Matt 25:34); for just as “the heavens are higher than the earth” (Isa. 55:9), so the King’s Chamber, which symbolizes the heavenly inheritance and is situated upon the 50th course of the Pyramid masonry, is high above the level of the Queen’s Chamber which is situated on the 25th course, and symbolizes the earthly inheritance.

There is another method by which the Great Pyramid, under Divine arrangement, symbolizes the essential difference between immortality and mortality. See Scripture Studies, Vol. III, pp. 370-373: “As the King’s Chamber by its ventilating tubes indicates that it symbolizes a permanent residence, an everlasting condition, so the Queen’s Chamber symbolizes the fact that the condition of human perfection, when reached, may be made an everlasting state; for it also has similar ventilating tubes or air passages provided. In one case we may say it symbolizes a permanent condition, and in the other that it may be made a permanent or everlasting condition, because this is the fact as indicated both by the Scriptures and by the testimony of the stone Witness. The Scriptures say of those who attain the condition represented by the King’s Chamber that they partake of the Divine nature, and are immortal, or proof against death–that they cannot die thereafter. And they show that those others who reach the full restitution, though they will not possess that quality termed immortality, which is essentially an element of the Divine nature only, nevertheless such will be supplied with life ever-lasting under provisions already arranged by the great Architect of the plan of salvation. If they abide in harmony with God and in obedience to his will, they will live forever.

“The Great Pyramid declares these same truths; for while the King’s Chamber had open ventilators [Plate XX], the ventilators in the Queen’s Chamber were originally peculiarly covered. The air-tubes were complete from the outside of the Great Pyramid to within five inches of the surface of the inner walls of the Queen’s Chamber, the stones on either side of the Queen’s Chamber, except the said five inches in thickness, having been chiseled out, showing design on the part of the Great Pyramid’s Architect, just as every other feature shows it. As you recall from our previous study of the Queens Chamber Mr. Waynman Dixon made this discovery while examining the walls of the Queen’s Chamber. He noticed that the wall at a certain spot sounded hollow, and, breaking through the surface, he found one ventilating tube; and then by the same process he found its mate in the opposite wall [Plate XVII]. Thus the Pyramid, in harmony with the Scriptures, declares that ample provision has been made, whereby the perfect human condition, represented by the Queen’s Chamber, may be an everlasting condition to each one who conforms to its regulations and laws.”

Thus does the Queen’s Chamber with its ventilating air channels now open to the winds of heaven, suggest the thought of the “breath of life” being breathed into man’s nostrils, and man becoming a “living soul“—Gen. 2:7.

“Come from the four winds O breath, and breathe upon these slain that they may live… and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood up upon their feet, an exceeding great army” Ezek. 37:9, 10.” (Great Pyramid Passages, Pages 85-91 par. 131-143)

Continued with next post.