“Professor Smyth’s belief was that the Granite Coffer had been made in the form of a sarcophagus partly as a “blind” as to its true purpose, and partly for a symbolical reason… he says that the Coffer is not only “a symbolical sarcophagus,” but also,

“One adapted likewise to something further and more expressly connected with CAPACITY MEASURE.”

In our study on the Great Pyramid, we dealt more with the scientific and mathematical significance, but here we would like to consider a possible symbolic meaning.

Capacity is a measure to find how much a container or item can hold when it is filled.

This could very well relate to the man Christ Jesus who was filled with the full measure or capacity of God’s spirit, the image of God in the flesh.

In the Scripture we read:

“When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God (Jesus could receive the spirit without measure, whereas all imperfect members of his Church may have a measure of the spirit only) descending like a dove (an emblem of peace and purity, representing the fullness of Jehovah’s spirit of love in Jesus) and alighting upon Him.” (Matt 3:16)

“Then Jesus, being FILLED with the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness.” (Luke 4:1)

“God gave not the spirit by measure UNTO HIM.” (John 3:34)

We have only a certain capacity, and can receive only according to our capacity; only as we get free from the spirit of the world can we be filled with the holy Spirit. In the case of our Redeemer, he was the perfect one and had full capacity, and there was nothing to hinder him from receiving the spirit “without measure,” but we, being imperfect, receive it only limitedly, nevertheless it is written:

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.” (Matt 5:6)

“This does not imply a miraculous filling. The spirit of the Lord, the holy disposition, the spirit of truth is for those only who diligently seek it, who put forth effort. Such will make use of their time, knowledge and opportunities for seeking the bread of eternal life which Satisfies, and thus repeatedly filled as full as the present poor earthen vessel will contain. With the filling comes the enlargement of our capacities, and still further filling and a further enlargement, and so on.” (edited)

“A measure of the spirit is given to every man [in the true, consecrated Church] to profit all.” (1 Cor 12:7) It is the same gift to all, the same spirit working amongst all, and the duty of each one is to use this gift of the Lord for its increase.

Jesus obtained the power of the spirit (Luke 4:14) in the same way his followers may obtain it; viz., by entire consecration to God, faithfulness to that consecration, and by communion with him in prayer, and meditation upon his Word.

“Reason alone would guide us not to think of the King’s Chamber in the Great Pyramid as a tomb, even if we did not know of its symbolic and scientific purpose; for this noble apartment is provided with well-constructed air-channels, —and a dead king does not require air!

And our King is not dead, but risen and alive forever more.

Of course, this is all speculative in nature, where or even if our Lord’s fleshly body might be presented, we know not.

In our next post we will return to the original statement made by our Seventh Day Adventist in regards to the First Resurrection and consider the last point made.