the great pyramid: ancient wonder modern mystery - bible …€¦ · therefore, the great...

The Great Pyramid:Ancient WonderModern Mystery

Table of Contents

INTRODUCTION...........................1CHAPTER 1 THE GREAT PYRAMID ANDTHE UNIVERSE...............................3

Mathematics................................3Geography..................................4Astronomy..................................6

CHAPTER 2 PASSAGES AND CHAMBERS..................................................8

Descending Passage.......................8Subterranean Chamber....................8Ascending Passages.......................9The Grand Gallery.........................9The Ante-Chamber....................... 10The King’s Chamber.................... 10Construction Chambers................. 10The Queen’s Chamber................... 11The Horizontal Passage................. 12The Well Shaft........................... 12Entire Passage System.................. 13

CHAPTER 3 A MEMORIAL STONE...... 14Scriptures on the Subject................ 14The Three Prophetic Conditions....... 14

CHAPTER 4 PASSAGES AND CHAMBERSDECIPHERED................................ 15

The Bible in Stone....................... 16CHAPTER 5 PAST, PRESENT ANDFUTURE...................................... 23

The Bible’s Historical Record.......... 23Corroboration in the Great Pyramid ... 25Man’s Standing Before God............ 26Corroboration in the Great Pyramid ... 27Summary.................................. 27

CONCLUSION............................... 27How the Great Pyramid Pictures God’sPlan........................................ 28

INTRODUCTION

Land of the pharaohs, gift of the Nile, ancientEgypt has fascinated people from all walks oflife. From the discovery of the RossettaStone to the uncovering of the treasures ofKing Tut-ankh-amen, some of the richestarchaeological finds of our modern era havebeen provided by ancient Egypt. Throughthese findings we catch a glimpse of thoseancients, the way they lived, their culture,their religion, and even the way they died.They left behind countless monuments,memorializing themselves, their gods andtheir knowledge. But there stands onemonument in Egypt which testifies of a farsuperior knowledge than any othermonument of ancient Egypt. In fact, theknowledge displayed in the design of thisedifice surpasses the capability of anyoneknown in ancient Egypt.

Of the seven wonders of the ancient world,the Great Pyramid is the only remaining one.It captures the curiosity and imagination ofmany scientific and religious disciplines. Forover four millennia it has been standing onthe Giza Plateau, silently embracing itsmysteries.

It stands alone and unique, apart from allother pyramids in the world. It has beennamed the Great Pyramid because its superiorworkmanship is above and beyond any otherpyramid. When completed, the GreatPyramid was 454 feet tall, 760 feet long ateach base, covering an area of more than 13acres of land. The Great Pyramid containsmore masonry than all the cathedrals,churches and chapels built in England sincethe time of Christ.

The original outer casing stones were whitelimestone blocks polished and fitted to anangle of 51° 51'. Though most of these aremissing today, the matchless workmanshipdisplayed in the few remaining casingstones impresses even a casualobserver. These blocks each averagea massive sixteen tons. The finejoints are no thicker than a pieceof paper; included in each is afine film of cement. In itsoriginal glory the GreatPyramid must havelooked like a star onthe edge of thedesert whenreflecting thesun’s rays.The ancientStrabosaid itwas “like abuilding let downfrom heaven, untouched byhuman hands.”

The original entrance to the passage system ison the 17th course of masonry. The CaliphAl Mamoun forced his way in on the 7thcourse in AD 820.

The passage system of the Great Pyramid isuncommonly diversified. It is the only one ofmany pyramids on the Giza Plateau thatcontains ascending passages, chambersabove ground, air channels in the upperchambers, a plugged passageway, a pit and agrotto. Trial passages still remain intact in theplateau off the east side of the pyramid,where workers practiced the passage designbefore building it into the Great Pyramid.

From the top of the Great Pyramid, the viewis magnificent. On a clear day one can seenorthward into the Nile Delta, eastward toCairo, southward up the Nile to other smallerpyramids and westward over the SaharaDesert.

This ancient wonder has survived for over4000 years. Over a million and a halfsunrises have cast its shadow on the GizaPlateau. It has survived wars, earthquakes,civilizations, conquerors, storms, and evenpillagers who stripped it of its outer casing.

In our world of change, governments riseand fall, methods and machinery becomeobsolete, and buildings are erected only to be

torn down for the new. However, theGreat Pyramid, completed more than

2000 years before Christ, promises toremain for many centuries to come.

Thus, this timeless monument, byits very nature, poses an enigma

to us.

Many have studied themysteries of the Great

Pyramid. Manytheories havebeen offered toexplain itspurpose. They

assert its use as atomb, a landing pad

for space ships, anobservatory, a temple of

initiation, a refuge from a flood, astandard measure of corn, a memorial to the

Martians who supposedly built it, etc. Theoverwhelming majority of evidence supportsthe conclusion that the Creator was thearchitect of the Great Pyramid and in itsdesign. He displayed His ultimate plan formankind.

This booklet will examine some of theevidence which demands a verdict.

CHAPTER 1The Great Pyramid andthe UniverseThroughout history, scholars have studied allthat was available to them about the GreatPyramid. But not until our modern era hasinterest become so widespread andinformation so readily available that now,many thousands, perhaps millions, havestudied this ancient wonder in one form oranother.

Serious pyramid research may be said to havebegun in 1765 with Nathanial Davison.Napoleon and his team of researchers led byJomard and Coutelle followed in 1798.Colonel Howard Vyse conducted extensiveresearch in the 1830s, followed by theEnglish amateur astronomer andmathematician John Taylor in the 1850s.Astronomer-Royal for Scotland, PiazziSmyth took careful measurements in the1860s. Famed Egyptologist ProfessorWilliam Flinders Petrie surveyed the area inthe 1880s and Professor John Edgar andMorton Edgar, his brother, followed withtheir findings in the early l900s along withAdam Rutherford, David Davidson andHerbert Aldersmith.

From the discoveries of these and otherinvestigators, the Great Pyramid’sdimensions have been found to teachprinciples of mathematics, geography andastronomy.

Mathematics

The Pi Proportion

Distance Around…Square = Circle

(Perimeter = Circumference)

Area of…Square = Circle

Base = Side of Square

Hei

ght

=

Rad

ius

of C

ircle

Base x 2Height = 3.14159

= 3.14159

51°51'14".3

π

One of man’s oldest mathematical quests hasbeen to accurately determine the relationshipbetween the circumference of a circle and itsdiameter. Mathematicians denote this ratio bythe sixteenth letter of the Greek alphabet, π(“pi”). This value, which we know today as3.141592 +, was first accurately determinedby Rudolph Van Ceulin in the sixteenthcentury. It is a ratio fundamental to the studyof physical things, as it gives a mathematicallink between straight and circular geometricfigures. A proper ascertainment of this ratiois vital to mathematicians, astro-physicists,architects, and many others.

The pi ratio is one of the first mathematicalfeatures discovered in the Great Pyramid. Inthe 1850s John Taylor discovered that theoriginal vertical height of the Great Pyramidwas to its base perimeter as the radius of acircle is to its circumference. John Taylornoted that this pi proportion feature couldonly work with the unique Great Pyramidangle of 51° 51'. Thus no other pyramidcontains this relationship.

According to both Smyth’s and Petrie’smeasurements, the Great Pyramiddemonstrates the pi proportion accurately tofour decimal points. The significance of thisdemonstration is doubly impressive whenone realizes that pi had not been worked outto this accuracy until the sixth century, morethan 2700 years after the Great Pyramid’scompletion.[The pi portion works with no other pyramid.][Twice the height x pi = circuit of base][When the radius of a circle equals the height of the GreatPyramid. then the circumference of that circle equals thepyramid’s base circumference]

Geography

OrientationOrientation, when applied to a building,means the direction of its sides with referenceto the cardinal points of the compass.Orientation is an important part in theplanning of almost every building, whether itbe a solar home positioned to maximize sunexposure or an observatory set to get the bestpossible view of the heavens.

West East

North

Sout h

In the late 1800s, Piazzi Smyth took carefulobservations at the base of the Great Pyramidto test its orientation. He was astonished tofind that the central meridian line north andsouth of the Great Pyramid deviates only 4'of arc from astronomical true north. LaterProfessor Flinders Petrie’s observationsconfirmed those of Smyth. Petrie added thathe felt the Pyramid builders accuratelyoriented the Great Pyramid to true north.From the data of his measurements, he saysthere is a strong indication that the north pointitself has changed, probably by the movingof the earth’s crust.

What Smyth’s discovery actually revealedwas that the builder of the Great Pyramid hada more accurate surveying mechanism that wethought possible of his ancient day.

Many architects and builders since have triedto orient their structures accurately to truenorth with little success. Even the casualobserver will here notice that the architect’spurpose for such a precise orientation in theGreat Pyramid was to monumentalize hisknowledge of the four cardinal points.

Geographical PositionThe Great Pyramid is probably in a moreimportant geographical position than anyother building in the world. Piazzi Smythrecorded an important discovery by Mr.William Petrie, father of Flinders Petrie.William Petrie found that there is more earthand less sea in the Great Pyramid’s meridianthan in any other meridian on the earth.Therefore, the Great Pyramid’s meridian isthe natural zero meridian of the earth, muchmore suitable than that of Greenwich orParis. Also, Smyth claimed that there is moreland surface in the Great Pyramid’s generalparallel of 30° than in any other parallel on theearth. Additionally, the Great Pyramid’snether meridian, (the meridian continuouswith it on the other side of the globe) is foundto pass almost entirely through water, makingit the most suitable international dateline.

Piazzi Smyth also wrote that Egypt is in thegeographical center of the dry habitable landmass of the whole earth. He demonstratedthis with his chart: “Equal Surface Projectionof the Earth’s Sphere.” Smyth explained thatthe amount of land surface east of the GreatPyramid is equal to the amount of landsurface west of the Great Pyramid. Further,the amount of land surface north of Egypt isequal to the amount of land surface south ofEgypt.Another incredible discovery relative to theGreat Pyramid’s position was found in itslocation at the geometric focus of the NileDelta sector. Acting as a geodetic compass,the Great Pyramid encloses the entire NileDelta region within its extended northeast andnorthwest diagonals, forming a perfectquadrant.

CairoGreat Pyram id

Red Sea

Latit

ude

Nor

th

30°0'

30°30'

31°0'

32°0'

31°30'

Longitude from Greenwich

30° 31° 32°

Mediterranean Sea

Another incredible discovery relative to theGreat Pyramid’s position was found in itslocation at the geometric focus of the NileDelta sector. Acting as a geodetic compass,the Great Pyramid encloses the entire NileDelta region within its extended northeast andnorthwest diagonals, forming a perfectquadrant.

There is another interesting fact to note: TheGreat Pyramid sits between the two majorregions of our earth. The land east of theMediterranean is called the Orient, while theland west of that point is called the Occident.This is why the eastern Mediterranean area iscalled the “Middle East.” It lies in the middle,between East and West.

Unit of MeasureThroughout history each nation or regionadopted a set of measures to its own needs,producing a great variety of measuringschemes. Scientists had discussed for manyyears the need for a standard system ofmeasurement to replace the variations thatmade scientific communication troublesome,but not until after the French Revolution inthe 1790s did the discussion solidify into aforthright attempt to establish what is nowcalled the metric system. One of the majordistinctions of the metric system is that it usesthe earth’s measurement as the basis for adefinition.

500,000,000Pyramid Inches

(Axis)

North Pole

South Pole

10,000,000Pyramid Cubits

(Semi Axis)

10,000,000 meters

For the new unit of measure, the FrenchAcademy of Sciences decided it should be aone ten-millionth part of the length of theearth’s quadrant passing through Paris. TheFrench arrived at what is now called themeter, equaling 39.3 British inches.

Later, in the l9th century, Sir John F. W.Herschel noted that the French meter wasdeficient as a standard because it wasdetermined from a curved meridian of theearth, which changes in length with eachmeridian around the globe. Herschelsuggested that the only dependable basis for astandard unit of measure was the polar axisof the earth.

Herschel calculated that one ten-millionth thepolar radius of the earth equaled a little over25 British inches. He felt this was a moreearth-commensurate unit of measure, sincethe polar radius of the earth never changes.Herschel’s figuring was confirmed byorbiting satellites in the InternationalGeophysical Year of 1957-58 and wasrefined to 25.02614284 British inches.

999 Pyram id Inches = 1000 Inches

1 Pyramid Cubit =

25 Pyramid Inches

5 10 15 200 25

In the mid 1800s John Taylor, a devotedstudent of the Great Pyramid, studied themeasurements of the Great Pyramid and theirrelationship to one another. During hiscalculations he concluded that the ancient

builders may have used a cubit of about 25British inches in addition to the “royal” cubitof 20.63 British inches. He was astonishedto find that Sir Isaac Newton had earliercalculated the ancient Hebrew cubit, thesacred cubit, to be about 25 British inches.Piazzi Smyth suggested that the same cubit of25.025 British inches was used in theconstruction of Noah’s Ark, Moses’Tabernacle, Solomon’s Temple and the GreatPyramid. Smyth then divided the sacred cubitinto 25 parts which he called “pyramidinches”; each pyramid inch equals 1.001British inches.

The measurement of a single sacred cubit isfound three places in the Great Pyramid.A) The distance between the center of the

boss on the Granite Leaf to theeasternmost edge of the Granite Leaf.

B) The distance between the centermost lineof the Queen’s Chamber and thecenterline of the niche.

C) The inclined distance from the beginningof the Grand Gallery to the beginning ofthe Well Shaft.

The 35th course of masonry on the exteriorof the Great Pyramid displays the sacredcubit also. It is exactly two sacred cubits tall.

Astronomy

Distance to the Sun

Height x 10 9 (1 million) =

147,800,000 km

Nearest Earth-sun distance

10 ft.

9 ft .on corner

41.98°=> 10

9

[Height x 10^9 = 91,651,673 miles]

William Petrie, father of Professor FlindersPetrie, was the first to discover how theGreat Pyramid reveals the distance to the sun.William Petrie found that by climbing acorner of the Great Pyramid, for every tenfeet he traveled toward its center, he rose avertical nine feet. This suggested to him thefactor of ten to the ninth power (10").William Petrie found that the height of theGreat Pyramid multiplied by 10" equalled thedistance to the sun. Today, from themeasurements taken by his son, FlindersPetrie, we can confirm his discovery.

The vertical height of the Great Pyramid fromthe mean socket level to the apex is 5807.05"+7 British inches, according to FlindersPetrie. This height, multiplied by the 10"factor, renders an earth-to-sun distance of91,651,673 + 110,480 miles.

This distance, even with its plus or minusfactor, falls nicely between the perihelion andaphelion of the earth, the closest and farthestdistances of the earth’s oblong orbit aroundthe sun. The perihelion occurs in earlyJanuary when the earth is 91,341,000 milesfrom the sun. The aphelion occurs in earlyJuly when the earth is 94,448,000 miles fromthe sun.

Duration of Our Solar Year

365.242 Days = Time required for earth to travel around sun

Shown at…(1) Socket level base(2) Platform level base along angular indention

365.242Pyramid Cubits

The solar year is the length of time it takesour Earth to complete one revolution aroundthe sun.

John Taylor was the first to suggest that thebase length of the Great Pyramid measured asmany sacred cubits as there are days in onesolar year. By his persual of this suggestionhe unwittingly began what in retrospect wasprobably the most bitter debate about theGreat Pyramid.

John Taylor was hampered in his research byconflicting measurements of the base. Thebases were heaped over with sand, so everytime an explorer would measure the base,another level of masonry was covered orexposed by the shifting sands of the GizaPlateau.

Before his death, John Taylor was fortunateenough to keep his theories alive in the mindof the respected and earnest astronomer andmathematician, Piazzi Smyth. Taylor’stheories were valid enough to convinceSmyth to go to Egypt in 1864 and performthe most thorough measurements of the GreatPyramid up to his time.

While in Egypt Smyth confirmed much ofwhat Taylor had theorized, including thebase-year length measurement. Smythclaimed that the south side socket base lengthwas 9140.18 British inches equaling 9131.05pyramid inches or 365.242 sacred cubits, theexact number of days in our solar year. Thusthe perimeter of 4 times this base side lengthis 36,524.2 pyramid inches which equals thenumber of days in one century.

[Base Side = 365. 242 Sacred CubitsBase Circuit = 36.524.2 Pyramid inches]

Smyth returned to Scotland with hismeasurements and theories. After presentinghis thoughts in his books, he was scoffed atby his fellow mathematicians who could notadmit that perhaps the ancients were morelearned than they.

The next serious explorer to performmeasurements on the Great Pyramid was SirWilliam Flinders Petrie, son of WilliamPetrie. As a young boy, Flinders Petrie wasintrigued by Piazzi Smyth’s empiricaldoctrine. Petrie, a surveyor andarchaeologist, decided to go to Egypt himselfand see if these things were true. Petriereturned to Scotland and gained much praisefor his refutation of Smyth’s work.

In particular, Petrie claimed that the south-side base length measured 9069.5 Britishinches, much less than Smyth’s 9140.18British inches. Many academicians wereperfectly content with Petrie’s much desiredrefutation and sought no further explanationon the matter. However, the 70.68"difference between the two measurementswas not due to error on the part of eithersurveyor. Both men were very accurate intheir measurements but each had measuredthe length of a different base level. Smythmeasured the socket base length reasoning itto be the foundation level of the GreatPyramid. Petrie measured the length of thecasing base on the top of the 20" platform.Petrie found that the core masonry was atleast four times more accurate in true squarethan were the socket corners, therefore he feltthe sockets “only show the size of thepyramid, where it was started.” Petrie statedthat the true base of the Great Pyramid isdefined by the lowest level of casing whichrests upon the platform. Later on in the samebook, Petrie calmly confirmed Smyth’ssocket base length in a footnote. Petrie’smeasure showed Smyth accurate to within0.18".

[Petrie measured the platform level. Smyth measured the socketlevel.]

Much argument filled the corridors of thescientific community following Petrie’sassertions. However, the basic facts still

remain: Petrie’s base measures were at theplatform level, while Smyth’s were at thesocket level.

The scientific theories about the GreatPyramid were further developed and much ofSmyth’s doctrine was vindicated by pyramidinvestigators such as John and MortonEdgar, Adam Rutherford, David Davidsonand Herbert Aldersmith. Discoveries made bythese and other Great Pyramid explorers haveuncovered an enormous amount of scientificdata hermetically detailed in the measures andproportions of this ancient wonder. So manyfacts and figures of our earth and universe aredisplayed by this modern mystery that itevokes serious doubt that uninspired mancould have originated the blueprints for theGreat Pyramid.

Another scientific feature concerns the earth,the moon, and the Great Pyramid. If the baseof the Pyramid were exactly equal to thediameter of the earth at the equator, the heightof the pyramid would extend from the centerof the earth to the exact center of the moon ifthe moon were next to the earth. Thisremarkable property shows that thedimensions of the Earth and Moon wereknown by the Pyramid’s architect.

Earth

Moon1080 miles

3960 miles

51°51'14".3

CHAPTER 2Passages andChambersThe passage system of the Great Pyramid isunique among the pyramids of Egypt. Unlikethe others, the Great Pyramid contains

passages and chambers above ground as wellas below ground level. These passagesinclude a descending passage, two ascendingpassages, a horizontal passage, and a verticalshaft. There are four chambers designed foroccupancy, plus five construction chambers.

Descending Passage

The Descending Passage is the longestpassage in the Great Pyramid. It starts at thenorth side of the outer surface and plunges ata 26 degree angle for 345 feet before levelingoff and opening into the SubterraneanChamber. This dark, narrow passage is fourfeet high. Without the aid of cleats andhandrails, which have been added in moderntimes, descending it safely would be nearlyimpossible.

Subterranean ChamberThe Subterranean Chamber, also called thePit Room, is the oddest chamber in the GreatPyramid. It is about forty-six feet long,twenty-seven feet wide, and the height rangesbetween extremes of one foot to fourteenfeet. The floor gravitates toward the east wallinto a large hole called the Pit. Today thissquare-cut shaft is only about sixteen feetdeep, the remainder being filled with debris.No one knows its original depth.

Leaving the south side of the SubterraneanChamber is a low 53-foot tunnel called theDead End Passage. It appears to be acontinuation of the Descending Passagebeyond the south side of the Pit Room, but itstops abruptly. As far as we know, theDescending Passage System ends with theDead End Passage.

Ascending Passages

The Ascending Passage System is one of themost visited tourist attractions in Egypt. Itsvisual draw captivates the curious andpondering minds. Tourists are lured throughthe passages and chambers by a reverentialawe for the ancient artisans.The First Ascending Passage rises at an angleof 26 from horizontal running north andsouth. Its low end intersects the DescendingPassage 85 feet from the original northentrance of the Pyramid. The First AscendingPassage is about 130 feet long and four feethigh. The original entrance to the FirstAscending Passage is at its intersection withthe Descending Passage. However, thebuilders blocked that entrance. Like a cork ina bottle, a fifteen-ton red-granite plug iswedged into the beginning of the FirstAscending Passage, preventing anyone fromusing it.

An alternative entry to the First AscendingPassage is now available through Caliph AlMamoun’s forced passage. Al Mamounforced his way into the Great Pyramid andaround the Granite Plug into the First

Ascending Passage in AD 820 to look forhidden treasure and astronomical data.

The high end of the First Ascending Passagemeets the beginning of the Grand Gallerydeep inside the structure.

The Grand Gallery

The Grand Gallery is more spacious than theother passages. At twenty-eight feet high andsix feet wide, it is seven times higher andtwice as wide as the First AscendingPassage. Characterized by overlapped wallsand two ramp-like embankments spanning itslength on either side of the floor, the GrandGallery is the most elaborate passage of themall.Each wall is made up of seven layers ofoverlapping slabs. The two-inch thick slabsoverlap inward from the floor to the ceiling,gradually reducing the passage width to 3 1/2feet at the ceiling. The entrance and exit wallsoverlap in the same fashion. The two rampson either side of the floor actually constrictthe footpath to about 3 1/2 feet. Rectangularholes were carved into the upper surface of

each ramp, evenly spaced from beginning toend.

At the end of the Grand Gallery is a three foothigh ledge called the Great Step. It is six feetwide and five feet deep and connects theGrand Gallery’s south end to the Ante-Chamber. The most impressive view of thisspacious hallway is from atop the Great Step.Looking northward, one can see all the waydown to its beginning. From the Great Step,the Grand Gallery drops sharply for 156 feetdown to its commencement.

South of the Great Step is a small room calledthe Ante-Chamber. It leads into the King’sChamber.

The Ante-Chamber

The Ante-Chamber is a small room about 91/2 feet long, five feet wide, and 12 1/2 high.It is entered via a 3 1/2 foot square passageabout four feet long. A red granite overhangis situated about twenty-one inches into theAnte-Chamber. It is called the Granite Leafand is about four feet tall and seventeeninches thick. The Granite Leaf straddles thewidth of the chamber and hangs 3 1/2 feetfrom the floor. Protruding from the front faceof the Granite Leaf is a one-inch thick, five-inch wide outcropping called the “boss”.Other peculiarities of the Ante-Chamberinclude two five-inch-deep gutters, one oneither side of the chamber floor, broadgrooves in both the east and west walls, andfour semi-circular grooves running the heightof the south wall. The south wall of the Ante-Chamber hangs 3 1/2 feet off the floor toprovide entry through an 8 1/2-foot-longpassage leading to the King’s Chamber.

The King’s Chamber

The King’s Chamber is the most famouschamber in the Great Pyramid. It rests on the50th course of Pyramid masonry about 140feet above ground. The King’s Chamber is alittle over seventeen feet long and 34.3 feetwide. It is exactly twice as wide as it is long.The ceiling is nineteen feet high and isconstructed of nine enormous seventy-ton redgranite monoliths. The size of these blocksaverages four feet wide, six feet tall. Theyare all twenty-seven feet long, extending fivefeet beyond both the north and south walls.The entrance is at the east end of the northwall. The walls and floor are of polished redgranite. Together, the four nineteen-foot-highwalls contain exactly 100 blocks, all ofvarying sizes.In the western end of the King’s Chamberlies the red granite Coffer. It is the only pieceof furniture ever found in the Great Pyramid.The Coffer was so named because it is justthat, a box. The Coffer does not display anyhieroglyphics, which are customary of thesarcophagi in Egypt. The Coffer is a lidlessred granite box about five feet long, three feetwide and3 1/2 feet tall. There is no record ofa mummy ever having been discovered in it.The north and south walls of the King’sChamber each have a nine-inch-square holethat leads to air channels. The air channelsopen the room to the outside and bring freshair into the room.

Construction ChambersThere are five small chambers directly abovethe King’s Chamber called ConstructionChambers. Their lengths (north-south) are

the same as the King’s Chamber, aboutseventeen feet. Their widths are four feetwider than the King’s Chamber, thirty-eightfeet. The height of each ConstructionChamber ranges between about two feet andsix feet.

The entrance to the Construction Chambers isthrough a small passage opening at the southend of the Grand Gallery’s eastern wall, nearthe ceiling. This small opening is twenty-sixfeet directly above the Great Step. Theopening leads to a roughly-hewn, dustypassage which is about twenty-four feet long,thirty-two inches high and 26.5 inches wide.At the end of this passage lies the FirstConstruction Chamber. Access is nowavailable to all the Construction Chambers viaHoward Vyse’s forced passage.

The Construction Chambers’ name revealstheir mechanical purpose. They serve torelieve the King’s Chamber ceiling of theweight of the Great Pyramid’s upper portion.None of the Construction Chambers seem tohave been intended for human occupancy.Standing room is only possible in the topchamber, and access to the chambers isextremely difficult.

The ceiling stones of the King’s Chamber arethe floor stones of the lowest or FirstConstruction Chamber. The ceiling stones ofthe First Construction Chamber are the floorstones of the Second Construction Chamber.This sequence continues to the top chamber.The ceiling stones of the Fifth ConstructionChamber are arched, while the ceilings of theother Construction Chambers are flat. Thearched ceiling stones serve to displace theweight of the Great Pyramid’s upper portionaway from the King’s Chamber ceiling. Thearched stones are seventy feet above theKing’s Chamber floor.

The floors of all of the ConstructionChambers are rough and uneven because allof the forty-five monoliths that make up thefloors are different heights. Their lowersurfaces and both sides are smooth but thetops of these stone girders are unfinished.

Very few people venture up into thesecurious chambers. To do so requires special

permission from the Egyptian Department ofAntiquities. The dangers involved in gettingto them make a visit to these chambersprohibitive for the average Pyramid-goer.

The Queen’s ChamberThe Queen’s Chamber is a more traditionalpyramid chamber. It features an archedceiling and sits at the end of a long horizontalpassage.

The Queen’s Chamber rests on the 25thcourse of pyramid masonry about sixty feetfrom the ground. This chamber is 17.1 feetlong, the same as the King’s Chamber. Thewidth of the Queen’s Chamber is only 18.8feet. The height of this secondary chamber is15.3 feet at the low end of the arched ceilingand 20.4 feet at its center. The floor is flatand level, but, surprisingly, it was notsmoothed down by the builders. The whitelimestone walls and ceiling of the Queen’sChamber are covered with a heavyincrustation of salt. If cleaned and polished,this chamber would inspire its occupant witha sense of beauty and light.

No furniture has ever been found in theQueen’s Chamber, but there is a corbelledniche near the center of its eastern wall,distinguishing this chamber from the others.The Queen’s Chamber, like the King’sChamber, is equipped with air holes—one ineach of the north and south walls. Originally,these air passages were not completed butstopped short of opening into the Queen’sChamber by about four inches.

In 1872, Mr. Waynman Dixon was probingfor hidden passages with a wire when he

stuck it in an earthquake crack and discovereda void behind the southern wall. He chiseledthrough the limestone and found the airpassage. Pacing out its distance from the eastwall and height from the floor, Mr. Dixonthen pounded on the northern wall, using thesame coordinates, and found the other airpassage. These air passages now provide theQueen’s Chamber with a steady flow of freshair.

The entrance to the Queen’s Chamber lies atthe eastern end of its north wall. Entry ismade through the Horizontal Passage.

The Horizontal PassageThe Horizontal Passage connects the Queen’sChamber with the Grand Gallery. Standing atthe beginning of the Grand Gallery andlooking forward, it becomes apparent that thefirst seventeen feet of the floor is missing,along with part of the right hand ramp. Themissing floor stones provide an entrance tothe Horizontal Passage which otherwisewould be covered over and hidden. Standingat the beginning of the Horizontal Passage,one can see all the way into the Queen’sChamber. The first 110 feet of this levelpassage is 46.5 inches high. This forces theaverage-sized adult to bend over whilewalking on its horizontal plane to the Queen’sChamber. After the first 110 feet, there is astep down. At the step, the floor level drops20.68”, producing a height of 66.5 inches forthe last eighteen feet of the passage.

The Well Shaft

Near the end of the Descending Passage thereis a hole in the western wall big enough for aman to enter. This hole is the entrance to theWell Shaft. The Well Shaft is the roughesthewn passage in the Great Pyramid. It isabout 185 feet long, extending almostvertically from the lower reaches of theDescending Passage and opening up into thenorthwestern end of the Grand Gallery.There it meets the intersection of the FirstAscending Passage, the Grand Gallery andthe Horizontal Passage.

The Well Shaft is very steep. It is vertical atsome points. Its angle of ascent varies butnever drops below 49. Many explorers haveclimbed this shaft. To aid their climb, one ofthem chipped footholds in the passage muchof the way up.

There are three large earthquake fissures inthe walls of the Well Shaft. One of thefissures is wide enough for a full-grown manto crawl into.

Originally, the Well Shaft was a concealedpassage. Flinders Petrie felt the upper end ofthe Well Shaft was designed to be covered byone of the missing ramp stones in the GrandGallery, and the lower end was concealed bya stone which blended in with the DescendingPassage wall.

There is a theory that at some time after thePyramid was built one or more of theearthquake fissures may have become active,releasing a high pressure gas into the WellShaft. The gas may have become bottled-upin the Well Shaft and suddenly burst open the

upper end, spraying debris everywhere in theGrand Gallery.

The condition of the upper end of the WellShaft looks as if an explosion took place,opening up this shaft into the Grand Gallery.The explosion blew away about eight feet ofthe Grand Gallery ramp-stone covering it,and about seventeen feet of the GrandGallery’s floor and floor supports. Thistheory is supported by the record of AlMamoun’s men discovering large amounts ofdebris when they opened up the FirstAscending Passage.

The Well Shaft is divided into two parts. Thelower two- thirds of this square-cut shaft isbored through bedrock while the upper thirdis constructed through the core masonry ofthe Pyramid. The two sections of the WellShaft meet in a cave at ground levelcommonly called the Grotto. The Grotto is anatural cave which existed before the GreatPyramid was built. The walls in the Grottoare made up of conglomerate stone, much thesame type as found in the caves nearBethlehem in Israel.

The Grotto is a dusty cave about the size of alarge walk-in closet. There is no uniformityto its shape. It is about five feet at its highestpoint and about seven feet at its widest point,with a maximum length of about fifteen feet.

Entire Passage SystemThe Great Pyramid’s dual passage system isnotably unique in all aspects. Both theAscending and Descending Passages project26 degrees off the horizontal. It is the onlypyramid in Egypt that has an upward passagesystem with chambers above and belowground.

Why was it built this way? The traditionaltheory is that the Great Pyramid was built toentomb a king. However, certaincharacteristics of the Pyramid itself seem tocontradict this theory. Air passages in bothupper chambers circulate fresh air into thisotherwise closed environment; fresh air isdestructive to a mummified body.Hieroglyphics honoring the works of a deadpharaoh are not found anywhere in the Great

Pyramid. No mummy was ever found in theCoffer nor anywhere in the Great Pyramid.None of the artifacts that accompany apharaonic burial have been found, not even atrace.

The obvious question is: Why was it builtand why so elaborately? Why is it so muchgreater than any other pyramid in the world?

Ancient Egyptian references to the GreatPyramid’s passage system have beendiscovered and are now included in theEgyptian Book of the Dead, a collection ofEgyptian inscriptions and papyri found intombs and mummy wrappings. These ancientEgyptian records of different periods and indifferent forms were recently given the title,Egyptian Book of the Dead.

W. Marsham Adams explains in his book,The Book of the Master, how the GreatPyramid’s passage system is recorded in theBook of the Dead. “The papyrus in questionwas found in the coffin of a priest named AufAnkh...” It is called Book of the Master ofthe Secret House. Adams states that in thispapyrus the passages and chambers of theGreat Pyramid were named according to thereligion of the builders. He continues,saying, “The passage system not only givesus a clue of the doctrines which they taughtbut also to the nature of the creator, hisoriginal relation to the creature, and themeans by which the creature is admitted toparticipate in the mysteries of the creator.”

The distinguished Egyptologist ProfessorGaston Maspero testified, “The pyramids andthe Book of the Dead reproduce the sameoriginal, the one in words, the other instone.”

The discovery of these names supports ourinitial conclusion and rejects the tomb theory.These ancient references open up a newpassage of understanding in our quest for thepurpose of this magnificent edifice. A fewpoints encourage us to try to decipher themeaning of the mysteries of the GreatPyramid.

First, the Great Pyramid is describedsymbolically in ancient Egyptian records,

which implies that it was meant to beunderstood symbolically at some future date.

Second, the Great Pyramid’s passages andchambers are referred to as life, not death.Therefore the ancients believed its purposerelated to life.

Third, the builders permanently enshrinedtheir religion in diagrammatic form in thepassage system. Thus the Great Pyramid wasbuilt to symbolize this religion.

We will now examine the encoded messageand religious mystery of the Great Pyramidwhich is found to be reserved for our day andour understanding.

CHAPTER 3A Memorial StoneFew who have studied the Great Pyramidrealize it is mentioned in the Bible. Yes, boththe pyramidal shape and the structure itselfare mentioned in man’s oldest book, the HolyBible.

The Bible speaks of the pyramidal shapeusing the topstone of a pyramid as a pictureor analogy of Jesus Christ.

Scriptures on the Subject

Psalm 118:22: “The stone which the buildersrefused is become the head stone of thecomer.” Here, the psalmist prophesies therejection of the Messiah by the Jews and hissubsequent leadership in the Kingdom ofGod.

Isaiah 28:16: “…Behold, I lay in Zion for afoundation a stone, a tried stone, a preciouscorner stone, a sure foundation…” Isaiahrefers to the Messiah as a precious comerstone.

Ephesians 2:20: “…Jesus Christ himselfbeing the chief comer stone…” The apostle

Paul calls Jesus Christ the “chief comerstone.” A chief corner stone is peculiar to apyramidal shape which has five corners.Only the chief corner stone, the top stone,determines the shape of the whole building,just as Jesus Christ set the pattern for Hisdisciples to follow.

1 Peter 2:5-6 also speaks of Jesus Christ asthe “chief comer stone,” while Jeremiah32:20 and Zechariah 4:7 suggest the GreatPyramid itself.

Isaiah 19:19-20 is of prime significancebecause it speaks of the Great Pyramidspecifically.

Isaiah 19:19-20: “In that day there shall be analtar to the LORD in the midst of the land ofEgypt, and a pillar at the border thereof to theLORD. And it shall be for a sign and for awitness unto the LORD of hosts in the landof Egypt…” Isaiah’s curious prophecy hasbeen a source of confusion to those who havestudied the Bible in ages past. Not until thelast 150 years has this prophecy beenproperly understood. Upon examining thesetwo verses of scripture the reader finds thatthe Great Pyramid fulfills the prophecy inevery detail.

The Three PropheticConditions

There are three requirements of prophecy setforth in Isaiah 19:19-20, all of which arefulfilled by the Great Pyramid. They are:l) It must be in the midst (middle) of the

land of Egypt.2) It must be at the border of the land of

Egypt.3) It must be a sign and a witness unto the

LORD in the day of the LORD.

The first and second requirements aregeographically proven. The Great Pyramid isin the middle of Egypt. It is also located at theborder of Egypt. In any other country thesetwo requirements would be self-contradictory, but not so in Egypt. Fromearly history, Egypt has been divided intotwo sections, Upper Egypt and Lower Egypt.Upper Egypt is the southern portion of that

nation which stretches from the Sudaneseborder northward to the Giza Plateau. At theGiza Plateau the land elevation abruptlydrops. Lower Egypt begins here and coversthe rest of Egypt northward to theMediterranean Sea including the entire NileDelta region.

Mediterranean Sea

The Great Pyramid of Giza

EGYPTUpper Egypt

Lower Egypt

The Egyp tian word “Giza” means “border”.

The Great Pyramid stands on the GizaPlateau in the middle of Egypt, betweenupper and lower Egypt. Thus, it also standsat the border of Egypt, at the naturalboundary separating Upper and LowerEgypt. The word Giza in the Arabic languagemeans “border.” The semantics of the title,The Great Pyramid of Giza, acknowledges itslocation at the border of Egypt.

The third requirement of Isaiah’s prophecystates that it must be a sign and a witnessunto the LORD in the day of the LORD. It isgenerally accepted by students of the Biblethat we are now living in THAT day. Thetime that will witness the ushering in ofGod’s Kingdom as well as see thedestruction of Satan’s contrary devices.Therefore, now is the time for the pillar ofIsaiah’s prophecy to be a sign and a witnessunto the LORD.

The word sign in the original Hebrew is theword owth, (oth) and it simply means asignal. The word witness in the originalHebrew is the word ed, (ayd) which means atestimony or a recorder. Simply stated, thepillar of Isaiah 19:19-20 is prophesied to be asignal bearing testimony, or bearing record of

the LORD, the God of the Bible, the Creatorof the universe.The word pillar in Isaiah’s prophecy in theoriginal Hebrew is the word matstsebah,which means a memorial stone, a stonecommemorating something specific, whetherit be a person as in Genesis 35:20 or acovenant as in Genesis 31:44-48. The pillarof Isaiah’s prophecy is a memorial stone untoGod.

Careful study finds that the Great Pyramid isfound to be that memorial stone. Itmonumentalizes two aspects of God’sknowledge.l) It bears testimony of God’s knowledge of

the universe.2) It bears record of God’s plan for the

salvation of man as He has explained it tous in the Holy Bible.

CHAPTER 4Passages andChambers DecipheredIf the Great Pyramid is indeed the sign andwitness unto the God of the Bible, how doesit present a witness of Him? The definition ofthe word witness is “anything that serves asevidence, a sign.” Therefore, the GreatPyramid should be able to give evidence ofthe God of the Bible:l) that He exists, is real, and2) that what He says is true. The Great

Pyramid must corroborate the teachingsof the Bible.

How does the Great Pyramid give evidenceof God? Chapter 1 explains how the GreatPyramid gives evidence of supernaturalintelligence. Uninspired man could not haveknown the tremendous amount of scientificdata hidden within the measures andproportions of the Great Pyramid. Even ifuninspired man did know these things, thechances that he could have consolidated theminto the single expression of the GreatPyramid are beyond human imagination.Thus, the Great Pyramid, as a scientificharbinger, declares the Creator of theuniverse, which the God of the Bible claimsto be.

How does the Great Pyramid corroborate theteachings of the Bible? As already noted,there were never any hieroglyphics on thewalls of the passages and chambers toexplain this relationship. In the past century,however, Pyramid students have discovereda far more sublime expression of Biblicalteachings in the passages and chambers ofthis magnificent structure. The entire passagesystem has been found to corroborate,symbolically, the teachings of the Bible! TheGreat Pyramid was discovered truly to be thatsign, that symbolic witness, unto God.

The Bible in Stone

God’s Plan for a llrevealed inthe Bible …

and confirmed inthe Great Pyramid(Eph. 3:11)

The Bible speaks of three ultimate destiniesof men. The Great Pyramid has threechambers, three ultimate destinations. Eachof the chambers is reached through apassage. Each of the destinations of the Bibleis reached through a way. The three ways ofthe Bible are:(l) the broad road that leads to destruction,

Matthew 7:13,

(2) the narrow way that leads to life,Matthew 7:14, and

(3) the highway that leads to holiness, Isaiah35:8. The Great Pyramid’s wholepassage and chamber system symbolizesGod’s plan for mankind as presented inthe Bible.

Three Ways of the Bible(1) The broad way that

leads to destruction Matthew 7:13

(2) The narrow way

that leads to life Matthew 7:14

(3) The highway that leads to holiness Isaiah 35:8

Three Destinations of the Bible

(1) Death, obli vion

�Ecclesiastes 9:10

(2) Heavenly salvation�1 Peter 1:3-4

(3) Earthly salvation�Isaiah 35:10

ÒFor behold, I create new heavens and a new earthÑ Isaiah 65:17

Descending Passage and PitRoom

The Bible speaks of man’s general passageand common destiny as an hereditary descentto destruction. It says that all mankind wereplunged into a downward course of suffering

because of father Adam’s disobedience.(Romans 5:12) Jesus calls it a broad road todestruction--broad because everybody mustwalk it; all of Adam’s children must die.(Matthew 7:13; Ecclesiastes 3:19-20; Genesis3:17-20).

The Bible describes man’s life-descent. TheGreat Pyramid depicts this in the DescendingPassage system. The Descending Passage isthe long, low and steep passage that leadsfrom the entrance straight to the Pit Room. Inthe picture, the Descending Passagerepresents the broad road that men descendon their way to the grave. The DescendingPassage is a fitting picture of the strugglesand difficulties of man’s life because it is lowand cramped. Man cannot stand uprightbefore God. He is condemned before Godbecause of Adamic sin. The DescendingPassage is steep and long. Man has no surefooting in this passage just as he lacksstability in his life without God. He cannotchange his course by himself. If he were toslip in the passage, he would tumble all theway down to its end, entering the Pit Roomthat much sooner than normal. Man oftenaccelerates his own natural descent into thegrave by his lack of wisdom in his life.

The Pit Room represents the death state,oblivion, described in Ecclesiastes 9:10. TheBible calls death the pit of destruction.(Psalms 55:23; Isaiah 38:18) The Pit Room isan appropriate picture of the death state. It islarge, there is no way around it, and in itsoriginal condition the entire floor gravitatedtoward the Pit Shaft. The Pit Roomsymbolizes the natural end of man’s

downward course--death, destruction. “Thewages of sin is death.” (Romans 6:23)

Ascending Passage and GranitePlug

In the Bible, the first opportunity man had toescape death was through the Law God gaveto the nation of Israel. God told Israel that ifthey kept the Law they could live, but if theydisobeyed it they would die. They soondiscovered the Law was God’s perfectstandard, and they as imperfect people wereunable to keep it.

The First Ascending Passage branchesupward from the Descending Passage. Itrepresents the opportunity God gave to Israelto escape from their downward course intodeath and have full access to Him and Hisgift of life. This passage is low and veryuncomfortable to ascend. One must stoopover to walk it, picturing Israel’s bondageunder the perfect Law of God. However, thepassage is completely blocked at its entranceby a large piece of red granite. Red granite isonly used in two places in the construction ofthe Great Pyramid. Being a superior type ofstone, it symbolizes in each location asuperior form of life or principal—that ofheavenly or divine com pared to the humanlife or principal shown by limestone. Here, inthe First Ascending Passage, the red graniteplug pictures the divine standard of God, theLaw. Thus, the plug, denying entrance to theFirst Ascending Passage, represents theLaw’s power to deny imperfect men fullaccess and reconciliation to God. The ApostlePaul states that the Law which he thought tobe unto life, he found to be unto death.(Romans 7:10) Israel could not keep God’sperfect standard.

The Well Shaft

After some sixteen and a half centuries fromthe giving of the Law, there was a man whowas able to obey it. In fact, it was by hisobedience to the Law that he proved to beboth the Messiah of Israel and the Savior ofthe entire human race. The Bible teaches thatthe only real hope of salvation from death isthrough Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ, by hisdeath and resurrection, is said to haveabolished death and opened up a new andliving way. That whosoever believes on himshould not die but have everlasting life. (IITimothy 1:10; Hebrews 10:19-20; John 3:16-17, 36; 6:47)

Jesus Christ has provided the only real hopeof rescue. It is this hope of rescue that ispictured in the Well Shaft. The Well Shaft isthe only original means by which one mayleave the Descending Passage and gain accessto the upper chambers of life. Jesus Christ isthe only means by which man may haveaccess to and obtain life. (Acts 4:12)

Jesus has provided this hope to two groups,l) His followers, disciples, and 2) theremainder of mankind. To the first groupJesus invites them to share his life, death andthe glory of his resurrection. (Matthew 5:10;11 Timothy 2:12; Romans 6:3-5) Hisinvitation was to a very privileged life ofsacrifice and a special salvation. (Romans12:1; 11 Peter 1:4) The second groupincludes all other members of the humanfamily. God’s promise to them is to be a fullrestoration to life that they would haveenjoyed if they were perfect and could obey

God’s commandments. (Acts 3:20-21; Isaiah65:17-25) The Apostle Paul explains: “Forsince by man (Adam) came death, by man(Christ Jesus) came also the resurrection ofthe dead. For as in Adam all die, even so inChrist shall all be made alive.” (l Corinthians15:21-22) By the single act of Jesus’sacrificial love, his death, he has opened upthe way of salvation to all men. The twoupper chambers picture the Bible’s twosalvations provided ultimately for all men.

The King’s Chamber, made all of red granite,pictures the divine nature that is promised tothose faithful to the teachings of Jesus in thispresent life. But before one may obtain thedivine nature, there are steps that must betaken to prove their faithfulness. These arepictured by the Grand Gallery and Ante-Chamber.

The Grand Gallery

Having emerged from the cramped andstooped position in the First AscendingPassage into an upright position in the GrandGallery, one experiences a feeling offreedom. The Grand Gallery is seven timeshigher and twice as wide as the FirstAscending Passage. The feeling of freedomcontrasts Israel’s bondage under the Law, tothe liberty feature of the law of Christ. Israelunder the Law of God was judged worthy orunworthy by their actual deeds. Under thisarrangement none was found worthy becausenone could keep God’s perfect standard. Butunder the law of Christ, the Christian isjudged by his heart intention—by his faithand not by his works. (Romans 3:20,28;Galatians 5:1,13) It is the “liberty wherewith

Christ has made us free” that is pictured inthe expanse of the Grand Gallery.

The Grand Gallery and the Ante-Chamberpicture respectively the calling and the life ofa Christian. The decision to become aChristian is not mandatory at this time. It is avoluntary decision that each Christian hasmade some time in his life. Basically, thedecision to become a Christian involves threesteps. Firstly, it involves a calling. Theprospective Christian is called of God andmust exhibit a desire to follow Jesus’example. Secondly, the Christian must makea commitment of sacrifice to God. (Romans12:1) This commitment must include a givingup of self will to take on the will of God.Thirdly, the new Christian must live out hislife of self-sacrifice faithfully. The GrandGallery pictures the first step, the calling.

The Christian is called to a life of self-sacrifice, following in the footsteps of JesusChrist. He is called to be transformed by therenewing of his mind and character, to takeon the mind of Christ. He is called to sufferwith Christ now and reign with Christ later.He is called to experience the joys of God’spromises, of knowing something of God’sgreat love and His plan to bless all thefamilies of the earth through Jesus. (Acts3:19-21; Romans 12:1-2; 8:17; 1 Corinthians2:16; Philippians 2:5; 2 Timothy 2:11-12)The prospective Christian is lifted out of thedownward course toward death, through theWell of Life, to the beginning of the GrandGallery by means of Jesus’ sacrificial death.

Even though the Grand Gallery is large, it isnot easy to travel. It is just as steep as theFirst Ascending Passage. In its originalcondition it did not have the handrailsprovided today for tourists. It is slippery andthe only things to hold on to for the ascentwere holes on either side of the passage. Theholes, embedded in the ramps on either side,span the entire length of the passage. Theseholes are a beautiful picture of the helps orassistances given to the prospective Christianto grasp the significance of God’s promisesof life and understand His calling. Since theprospective Christian is called by faith andnot by sight God gives the prospectiveChristian just enough knowledge and

experience to lead him to the next step. Hisprogress will depend on how much heappropriates these assistances to himself byfaith. The prospective Christian must graspeach assistance of God’s leadings and thenby faith go on to the next promise. When theChristian reaches a full appreciation of God’sinvitation to become Jesus’ disciple, he maymake the full commitment as Jesus asked.This step of full dedication is represented atthe top end of the Grand Gallery.

At the end of the Grand Gallery sits theperch-type platform called the Great Step.From the top of the Great Step one can lookall the way down through the First AscendingPassage to the Granite Plug. In the picture,the prospective Christian can stand on theGreat Step and look back at his calling. Hecan recall how God had helped him to thisdecision. He can see the Well Shaft openingand remember how Jesus Christ opened upthis opportunity for him to have access to thehighest chamber, of heavenly life. He canlook all the way down the First AscendingPassage to the Granite Plug and rememberthat he has a far greater opportunity than thenation of Israel under the Law. And finally,he can think of what lies beyond the GranitePlug, the descent into death, and he will bereminded that he is but dust, that his humanframe is frail and his life span is short whencompared to eternity. (Psalms 39:4; 90:12;103:14) The awe of realizing that God soloved the world that He gave His onlybegotten Son, for him personally, and for thewhole world, (John 3:16) will urge him todedicate himself unto God’s will. (Romans12:1-2)

The Ante-ChamberTotal dedication to do the will of God isbasically a three step process. Jesus statesthat if any one will follow Him in doing thewill of God, he must first deny himself, putoff self will, secondly take up his cross, takeon the will of God, and thirdly, follow Him,Jesus, in doing the will of God. (Matthew16:24)

Walking the 3.5 foot high passage leading tothe King’s Chamber, one has to stoop threetimes and is able to stand up only twice. Thefirst stooping represents the first of the three

steps—self-denial. All earthly hopes andambitions must be voluntarily put asidebefore one can take on the will of God. Afterthe first stoop one may stand up in a shortspace of 21 inches in the Ante-Chamberbetween the south wall of the Grand Galleryand the Granite Leaf. Stooping under theGranite Leaf represents the second step, thetaking up of one’s cross, the taking of thewill of God, the presenting of one’s body asa living sacrifice. (Romans 12:1) The redGranite Leaf pictures the divine will of Godto which one must abjectly yield and bendand subsequently take as his own if he is tobe a follower of Jesus. After stooping underthe Granite Leaf, one can stand straight in thelarger portion of the Ante-Chamber. This arearepresents the life of a Christian-who istotally devoted to the will of God. Here theChristian is instructed by God, that he mayobey the third step, follow Jesus. He is tofollow Jesus’ example, to follow Histeachings, and eventually to follow Himfaithfully into His death. This transition ofphysical death is represented by the thirdstooping in the path leading to the King’sChamber. Continuing on into the King’sChamber one stands up straight to see the redgranite glory of the King’s Chamber,picturing heaven itself.

The King’s Chamber

The King’s Chamber is the highest of thethree chambers, or destinations. It representsthe highest level of existence offered to manby God. Made entirely of red granite, theKing’s Chamber fitly represents the heavenlysalvation, the divine nature promised to allthose who are faithful in following the

footsteps of Jesus. (Revelation 2:10; II Peter1:4) Immortality, a death proof condition,will be given to those who receive the divinenature. (Romans 2:7; I Corinthians 15:53-54;John 5:26)

The King’s Chamber contains the only articleof furniture in the Great Pyramid, the Coffer.The lidless Coffer gives the King’s Chamberthe ancient name, The Open Tomb ofResurrection. The Coffer, as the ancientname implies, never had a lid. This uniquefact pictures Christ’s victory over death itself,opening up the prison house of death, just asthe Garden Tomb stone was removed atJesus’ resurrection in Jerusalem.

The Horizontal Passage

Returning to the beginning of the GrandGallery, the traveler meets the entrance to theHorizontal Passage. The Horizontal Passageleads from the bottom of the Grand Gallery tothe Queen’s Chamber. The Horizontal

Passage is separated into two parts by a 20inch drop, or step, in the floor near theQueen’s Chamber. Sir Flinders Petrierecorded the length of this passage and foundthe last part of it measured exactly one-seventh the length of the entire passage. Thispeculiar design proves to be very meaningfulin the symbolic picture.

Grand Gallery

Firs t Ascending

Passage

Well Shaft

Queen’s Chamber

Horizontal Passage

6000 Years

1000 Yrs

The Horizontal Passage represents the lengthof the entire plan of God, from the fall ofAdam, to the end of the millennial age. TheBible tells us this period is seven thousandyears long. The seven thousand years isdivided into two parts. The first six thousandyears from the fall of Adam to the secondadvent of Jesus Christ is a period ofmankind’s educational turmoil under thereign of sin. During this period, all peoplelearn the oppression of sickness, sufferingand finally death incurred as a result ofAdam’s sin. This oppression is representedby the 46.5 inch height of the first six-sevenths of the Horizontal Passage. Thefeeling of walking here is very similar to thatexperienced when walking in the DescendingPassage.

The last thousand years is called the“Kingdom of Christ.” (Ephesians 5:5)During this period, Jesus Christ and hischurch will restore all things on earth back tothe perfection that existed in the Garden ofEden. (Acts 3:19-21) In that last thousandyears, all peoples will learn by experience thejoy of obeying God’s law. All will have theopportunity of knowing, understanding andloving their Creator, God. As a result, theywill be able to walk uprightly before God.

This last one-thousand years is representedby the 66.5 inch height of the last one-seventh of the Horizontal Passage. The

traveler is able to stand upright and walk intothe Queen’s Chamber. Thus, the two heightsof the Horizontal Passage symbolicallycontrast mankind’s oppression under thereign of sin in the first 6,000 years, to theirliberation from this bondage by Christ andHis Church in the following 1,000 years.The reign of Christ and His Church willfulfill God’s promise to Abraham to bless allthe families of the earth. (Genesis 22:15-18)At the end of the thousand year reign, theHorizontal Passage ends and mankind entersinto the condition of perfect human life for alleternity. This is the time in the scriptureswhen Christ will have put all things under hisfeet, when He will have accomplished hisredemptive work on the behalf of all mankindand will deliver up His rulership unto God. (ICorinthians 15:24-28)

The Queen’s Chamber

At the end of the Horizontal Passage thetraveler enters the Queen’s Chamber, thethird of the passage system’s destinations.Whereas the Pit Room represents Adamicdeath inherited as a result of Adam’sdisobedience and the King’s Chamberrepresents the Christian’s hope for a heavenlyresurrection, the Queen’s Chamber representsperfect human life on earth. It will be the lifewhich Christ will restore to the human raceby His reign.

This earthly salvation is commonly referredto in the Bible as the Kingdom of God and isvariously described as a paradise on earth.(Isaiah 2:4; 35:1-10; 65:17-25; Micah 4:3-5;II Peter 3:13; Revelation 21:4)

The fact that the Queen’s Chamber is madeentirely of white limestone pictures theunique standing mankind will have beforeGod. By virtue of Jesus’ sacrificial death anda successful probationary trial in Christ’sKingdom, each faithful of mankind will standunblemished before God. (Isaiah 1:8) Nolonger will man die a hereditary death. Manwill be judged by his own actions only.(Jeremiah 31:29 30) He will now possessperfect human life with the opportunity to liveforever.

SummaryThe parallel between the Bible’s descriptionof God’s plan for man and the GreatPyramid’s passages and chambers is bothprofound and sublime. The harmony betweenGod’s justice and love revealed in the Bibleand confirmed in the Pyramid is deep-reaching. God created mankind to livehappily on earth according to the laws of Hiscreation. If he had obeyed, mankind wouldhave lived in harmony with his Creator. Butsin began man’s descent into death,(Descending Passage and Pit Room).However, God provided two opportunities ofescape from man’s descent. The firstopportunity was by perfect obedience toGod’s perfect Law (The First AscendingPassage and the Granite Plug), but no onecould keep that Law. Thus far the upperchambers of life were unattainable.

The second opportunity of escape is foundthrough Jesus’ ransom sacrifice and one’sfaith in Him to provide rescue, (Well Shaftand Grotto). Through His ransom sacrificewe see two possible destinations of salvation:a heavenly and an earthly resurrection.The heavenly resurrection is open to thosewho now see and appreciate the grandeur andmagnificence of the Divine promises, (GrandGallery), and who go on to become Jesus’disciples, (The Great Step and the Ante-Chamber). As these are faithful to God’s willin their life, they will be rewarded by Godwith a heavenly resurrection of immortal life,(the King’s Chamber and its lidless Coffer).

The second destination of salvation is theearthly resurrection. This salvation, alsosecured for Adam’s family by Jesus’ ransomsacrifice, will be attained by two phases of a

person’s life, (Horizontal Passage). The firstphase occurs between his birth and death,during the 6000 years of sin, sickness,suffering and death since Adam’sdisobedience, (the first six-sevenths of theHorizontal Passage). The second phaseoccurs between the awakening from the deadof all peoples during Christ’s Kingdom oftraining and blessing, and the end of HisKingdom, (the last one-seventh of theHorizontal Passage). By learning the lessonsof the Kingdom, mankind will know how toobey God perfectly and may enter into perfecteternal life on earth, (the Queen’s Chamber).

The gracious simplicity of God’s plan,explained in the Bible and embodied in theGreat Pyramid, is both brilliant and inspiring.Such a message is beautiful in itself. Itsconfirmation in the Great Pyramid strikesawe into the heart and mind of the thoughtfulobserver. It stimulates a reverence for such amighty Creator, Savior and Architect, whichstrains the powers of the human soul.

CHAPTER 5Past, Present andFuture

Sir Robert Menzies was the first to discoverthat the passage system of the Great Pyramidis a diagram of Biblical history. He firsttheorized what has now been very wellestablished, i.e., Biblical history was chartedout in the Great Pyramid’s passage systembefore most of the events ever occurred.From the development of Menzie’s theory wealso find that the beginnings, intersectionsand endings of the passages distinguish theorder of the dispensations and ages of Biblehistory. Thus, the passage system not only

symbolizes important events of Biblicalhistory, it likewise organizes them insequence as they occurred.

The sequence of Bible events displayed bythe Great Pyramid is truly remarkable, for itagrees with the Bible’s historical record. Thisagreement is perfectly logical because theBible claims that the Great Pyramid is itsstone-witness. However, before one can seeand appreciate the sequence of Bible historyshown forth in the Great Pyramid, Biblehistory must first be understood from thesource, the Bible. The next part of thischapter will condense and outline thesequence of Bible history.

The Bible’s Historical Record

The past, present and future of Biblicalhistory is divided into three major epochs, ordispensations.

The first dispensation lasted from the fall ofAdam to the flood. (II Peter 3:6)

The second dispensation started with theflood and ends with the world-widereplacement of human society by theKingdom of Christ at the time of Christ’ssecond advent. (Matthew 13:30, 36-40; IIPeter 3:7; Galatians 1:4)

The third dispensation begins with Christ’sKingdom. The scriptures indicate that thethird dispensation continues forever. (II Peter3:13)

The second of these dispensations is dividedinto minor time periods called ages whichcharacterize the method with which God dealtwith man during that particular time period.

The Patriarchal AgeThe first age is the Patriarchal Age. Duringthis age, God dealt with the patriarchs of theOld Testament as individuals. Godcovenanted with Noah, Abraham, Isaac andJacob based on their trust in Him. (Genesis9:9-17; 22:16-18; 26:24; 35:9-15) He gavethem the status of “Friend of God” basedupon their works of faith. (James 2:21-26;Hebrews 11:8-9) This age started at the floodand ended at the death of Jacob when the

nation of Israel was born. (Deuteronomy26:5)

The Jewish AgeThe second age is the Jewish Age. This agebegan with the birth of the nation of Israel athe death of Jacob. During this age God dealtwith the Jewish people as a group and calledthem the nation of Israel. The nation of Israelwas God’s chosen people, chosen because ofthe faith of their fathers: Abraham, Isaac andJacob. (I Chronicles 16:13; Isaiah 44:1) Godtold Israel that if they kept the Law theywould receive eternal life, but if theydisobeyed they would die. (Romans 10:5,Leviticus 18:5; Nehemiah 9:29) The nation ofIsrael soon found that they could not receivelife because they were unable to keep theLaw. The Apostle Paul recognized this andwrote, “…by the deeds of the Law there shallno flesh be justified….” (Romans 3:20)None of the children of Israel was able toobtain life through the Law because itrepresented God’s perfect standard.

After some eighteen centuries, there was aperfect man, (God’s son) who was able toobey God’s perfect standard. Jesus Christwas born a Jew, under the Law. He obeyedevery requirement of that Law. Therefore, Hewas entitled to the eternal life promised forsuch obedience. Rather than keep the eternallife to which He was entitled, He sacrificedit. By His sacrificial death, He brought anend to the Law and opened up a new andliving way. (Colossians 2:14 15; Hebrews10:19-20) By Jesus’ fulfillment of the Law,He brought an end to it’s requirements.(Matthew 5:17-18) The Jewish Age endedshortly after Jesus’ death when God endeddealing exclusively with Israel.

The Gospel AgeThe third age is the Gospel Age. This agebegan when God started dealing with allmankind based on their faith in Jesus asGod’s means of salvation from sin, ratherthan on obedience to the Jewish Law. Thespecial privilege of this age of the GoodNews, the Gospel, is the invitation offered toeach believer to be one of Jesus’ disciples, tofollow in the footsteps of Jesus Christ.(Matthew 16:24) Each disciple, if faithful tothe commitment of discipleship, will receive a

heavenly reward of eternal life and will reignwith Christ as part of His Church in Christ’sKingdom. (Romans 8:17; Revelation 20:4;11 Timothy 2:12; John 10:27-28; Romans2:7)

The Gospel Age with its special privilege ofdiscipleship, and its reward of heavenly lifewith Christ, is the last age of the seconddispensation. Both the Gospel Age and thesecond dispensation end with the violenttermination of mans’ centuries-old socialstructure. Brought about and ruled over bySatan, mans’ corrupt social system must fallapart when Satan is bound during the 1,000years of Christ’s righteous government.(John 14:30;12:31; Ephesians 2:2) Thistermination is required in order for the worldto receive the blessings God has promised forthe next dispensation and its ages.

The Third DispensationThe third dispensation begins with Christ’ssecond advent. The Bible does not suggest anend to this dispensation. (Isaiah 45:17; Luke1:33) We can infer that it is the dispensationof eternal life and therefore has no end.

The Millennial AgeThe first age of the third dispensation is thelast age described in the Bible. It is theMillennial Age. (Revelation 20:6) TheMillennial Age begins with the second adventof Christ. The work of the Millennial Age isthe restoration of the human family to the life,privileges and responsibilities once enjoyedby Adam and Eve before they sinned. (Acts3:21) Jesus and His faithful disciples will dothis work. They will restore all people whowish to obey God’s commands to perfecthuman life and reconciliation to God.

The Millennial Age ends 1000 years after itbegins. At its end, Christ and His Churchwill return the perfected human family toGod. (l Corinthians 15:25,28) Following theend of the Millennial Age the scriptures tell ofa little season during which all people will betested by God one last time before He awardseach person everlasting perfect human life.(Revelation 20:3, 7-9) After the little seasonthe scriptures indicate mankind will live in autopia-type condition for eternity. (Isaiah11:6-9; 65:25)

Corroboration in the GreatPyramid

WorldBefore Flood

Age of Patriarchs

Jewish Age

Gospel Age

Millennial Age

The world to come — 2 Pet. 3:13The present evil world — Gal. 1:4

1

32

“There shall be no more death, sorrow, or crying… the former

things have passed away.” — Rev 21:4

The corroboration of Bible history is seen inan overview of the entire passage system.The passage system symbology begins withthe fall of Adam and ends in any one of thethree destinations: death, life or immortality.The passage system, when segmented into itsdifferent parts, neatly arranges thedispensations and ages of Bible history.

First DispensationThe first dispensation lasts from the fall ofAdam to the flood. Symbolically, thisdispensation begins at the foot of the GreatPyramid’s outer casing and ends at theoriginal entrance.

Second DispensationThe second dispensation begins at the floodand ends at the second advent of JesusChrist. Symbolically, this dispensationbegins at the entrance of the passage systemand ends at both the Great Step and theentrance to the Subterranean Chamber.

Patriarchal AgeThe Patriarchal Age lasted from the flood tothe death of Jacob. At the death of Jacob,God began dealing with the nation of Israelrather than with the individual patriarchs.Symbolically it is fitting that the beginning ofthis age be marked by the entrance of thepassage system, (the Noachian flood), and itsend by the Granite Plug, (God’s Law withIsrael).

Jewish AgeThe Jewish Age is when God dealtexclusively with the nation of Israel.Symbolically, this age began with their LawCovenant with God, (the Granite Plug), andended at the death of Jesus Christ, (GrandGallery).

Gospel AgeThe Gospel Age begins with the death ofChrist and ends at His Second Advent. Thisage is exclusively represented by the GrandGallery. The Grand Gallery represents Jesus’call for discipleship which is held open onlyin the Gospel Age.

Third DispensationThe Third Dispensation is shown in each oneof the chambers. The Third Dispensation iseverlasting, the three chambers pictureeverlasting conditions:King’s Chamber immortality,Queen’s Chamber eternal human life,Subterranean Chamber eternal death.

The Millennial AgeThe Millennial Age is the first age of theThird Dispensation. This 1000 year periodwill witness the restitution of mankind.Symbolically, the Millennial Age isrepresented as part of the Horizontal Passage.The Horizontal Passage is found to be aseparate picture; apart from the passagesystem as a whole. This does not take awayfrom the Bible-Pyramid corroboration. Infact, the Horizontal Passage sums-up theentire plan of God.

The Horizontal Passage, divided into its twoparts, pictures the two parts of God’s plan ofthe ages. The last part of the passage picturesthe 1000 year recovery program of theMillennial Age. The length of the last partagrees proportionately with the length of thefirst part which pictures the six thousandyears from the fall of Adam to the SecondAdvent of Jesus Christ.

In the last part of this passage the averageman can stand up straight, while the sameman must stoop over for the first part of thepassage. This feature contrasts man’sfreedom in the Millennial Age under Christ’srighteous government with man’s bondage in

the first six thousand years under the curse ofdeath.

Thus we see the past, present and future, asdetailed in the Holy Bible, is symbolicallyoutlined in the passages and chambers of thiscolossal edifice. If one were to stop here inhis study of the passage system’s witness ofBible history, he would surely have drawncloser to its full intended meaning. However,just as a well written play comes alive whenwe see ourselves portrayed in one of theactors, God’s plan of the ages takes ongreater significance when we consider ourindividual standing before our Creator.

[A man must bend over in the first 6/7ths of the HorizontalPassage. The same man may stand up in the last 7th.]

Man’s Standing Before God

2. Divine Nature

3. Human Perfection

1. Human De pravit y (Death)

Granite ⇒ DivineLimestone ⇒ Human

50th masonry course

25th masonry course

Mankind’s standing before God as a groupand as individuals has played an importantrole in the shaping of Biblical events and isintegral in the Bible-Pyramid relationship.Our understanding of this feature of Biblehistory will help us see where we standbefore God as individuals, and whatopportunities He has provided for us.

There are three basic planes (levels) of beingdescribed in the scriptures. These threeplanes are as follows:a) Plane of Human Depravity b) Plane ofHuman Perfection c) Plane of Spirit Birth

Plane of Human DepravityAdam, created perfect, was banished fromthe perfect conditions of the Garden of Edenand assigned to this plane because of hisdisobedience (Genesis 3:17-19; 2:17) Theentire human race is born onto this planethrough their inheritance of the curse put onfather Adam. (Romans 5:12) However, allwas not lost for the human race. Godpromised Adam He would send a savior.

(Genesis 4:15) That Savior was revealed tobe Jesus Christ. (Luke 2:10-11)

Plane of Human PerfectionAdam and Jesus are the only two men whowere perfect human beings. Adam wascreated perfect, Jesus was born perfect.(Genesis 1:26; Hebrews 3:7,9,10; 5:9)

Jesus enjoyed the same close relationshipwith God that Adam had and lost in theGarden of Eden. (Matthew 3:17) ThroughJesus’ perfect capacities, He was capable ofperfect obedience to God under the JewishLaw. Jesus did keep the Law and proved tobe worthy of everlasting life, but Hewillingly gave His life at His crucifixion.

Adam lost perfect human life for himself andthe entire human race by his disobedience toGod. Jesus earned perfect human life forhimself and the entire human race by Hisobedience to God. By Jesus’ ransomsacrifice, mankind’s standing with God willbe changed from Human Depravity to HumanPerfection. This is how Jesus is the Savior ofthe world.

Jesus had the ability to redeem all humanityfrom the depraved plane after Hisresurrection. However, He is waiting (thelength of the Gospel Age) so He can developa special class and award them a specialreward.

During the Gospel Age, Jesus has extended aspecial invitation to all who appreciate Him asthe Savior. This invitation is given to Hisfollowers to do much the same with theirlives that He did with His, to lay down theirlives just as He did, (including their justifiedhuman lives purchased for them by Jesus).Jesus promises immortality to those who are“…faithful unto death.” (Revelation 2:10; ICorinthians 15:53-54)

Plane of Spirit BirthThis Plane is reserved for Jesus and Hisfollowers. (II Peter 1:4) Spirit birth is givento those who look to Jesus and follow Him inthe “narrow way” of sacrifice. (Matthew7:14; Romans 12:1) Christians are given thisreward because of their obedience to Jesus’call during the Gospel Age. This level of

being is not bound by restrictions of thehuman environment. The plane of spirit birthis a spiritual existence much higher thaneternal human life. (I Corinthians15:40,43,44,49,5°)

Corroboration in the GreatPyramid

The Great Pyramid pictures the three basicplanes of being described in the Bible. Itportrays these planes in the same symbolicmanner as it portrays the dispensations andages of Bible history. While the beginnings,intersections and endings of the passagesdistinguish the order of the dispensations andages of Bible history, the three levels of thepassage system picture the three planes ofbeing described in the Bible.

The Plane of Human Depravity is the level ofthe low end of the Descending Passage whereit meets the Subterranean Chamber. Allmankind has arrived here after their longdescent in sin, sickness, pain and death,brought upon them by father Adam’sdisobedience.

The Plane of Human Perfection is the level ofthe Horizontal Passage where it meets theQueen’s Chamber. All mankind will be raisedup from the Plane of Human Depravity to thePlane of Human Perfection by virtue ofJesus’ ransom sacrifice, the Well Shaft.

The Plane of Spirit Birth is portrayed by thelevel of the King’s Chamber floor. The Planeof Spirit Birth has been offered throughoutthe Gospel Age. This level-of being isawarded to those who see Jesus as theirSavior and follow Him during the GospelAge. These followers, Christians, aredelivered through the way of escape (WellShaft) early, through their faith in Jesus astheir Savior. Through faith, Christiansrecognize the opportunity to follow Jesus upthe Grand Gallery to the Great Step and intothe King’s Chamber to a spirit birth.

Summary

The wisdom, justice and love of God’s planof the ages is powerful enough to inspire the

most depraved among us. We see that thedispensations and ages of history were farfrom just a random ordering of events. Wesee there was a designed purpose behindevery event, each contributing to the meaningof God’s final purpose for man.

We see His wisdom in letting naive man get ataste of the results of disobedience to DivineLaw—while at the same time providing forultimate salvation. We see God’s justice inproviding Jesus as the Savior--a perfecthuman life given for a perfect human life. Wesee God’s love by opening the Plane of SpiritBirth to those willing to put off theirdepraved tendencies and follow Jesus. Wesee His love not limited to a fortunate few butextended to all humanity, all of whom havebeen blinded by the Great Deceiver. Finally,the Bible-Great Pyramid correlationenlightens us to our own standing beforeGod. Whether we are now alienated fromGod, or drawn to Him through Jesus theSavior, we see the opportunity to followJesus’ footsteps and draw closer to ourCreator.

We take comfort in knowing that God is incontrol of our turbulent society; He does havea plan which will ultimately display Hiswisdom, justice and love for all peoples.

ConclusionOnce an ancient wonder, the Great Pyramidhas become a modern mystery to most of ourprogressive society. Most, believing it to be atomb of a venerated pharaoh, cannot explainthe absence of all traditional evidence ofsuch.

When preconceived notions are laid aside, theexpression employed by the architect revealsthe secrets of the Great Pyramid. The piproportion, the length of the base, thedistance to the sun, the incredible accuracyand workmanship in the passage system, thefulfillment of Bible prophecy, thechronological record of Biblical history, thecorroboration of the glorious Biblicalpromises for the world of mankind, all ofthese, and many more combine to form themost significant building placed upon thisearth.

The significance of the Great Pyramidunfolds as one moves about and studies itsseparate parts. However, like many artforms, its full meaning is perceived only afterthe configuration of the total expression isunderstood. The shape of the GreatPyramid’s exterior is simple yet sublime in itsproportions—ordinary, yet singularlyscientific in it’s measurement. The interiorpassages and chambers symbolically diagramGod’s divine plan of the ages. The passagegoer is made to feel, in moving through thespaces, not only that each passage is relatedto the one before and after it but that eachpassage and chamber advances the concept ofthe whole: a form that is greater than the sumof it’s parts.

Consistent with His style employed in theBible, God has revealed His message to us ina form we can see and understand. Once thepurpose of the Great Pyramid is deciphered,the message becomes exciting, for it touchesthe lives of every one of us!The message of the Great Pyramid is thesame as that of the Bible. Specifically tomake known unto the world the “goodtidings of great joy which shall be to allpeople.”Poets, philosophers, and prophets have longexpressed the profound desire of the humansoul for peace, brotherhood, harmony withGod and an end to death. The Great Pyramid,which to the casual observer symbolizes theshape of the ancient past, becomes, in thelight of the Bible, the shape of things tocome.

How the Great PyramidPictures God’s Plan

THE PRESENT EVIL WORLDThis is the “night of weeping” from which allmen groan to be released. (Romans 8:22,19)There is some righteousness in the world, butevil predominates. See The Divine Plan of theAges, chapter 4.

AIR PASSAGESSymbolizing that life will be provided for allmen on earth (Queen’s Chamber), andfaithful followers of Christ in heaven (King’sChamber). See The Divine Plan of the Ages,chapter 10.

GRAND GALLERY28 feet high, 155 feet long, but only 6 feetwide. Its steep, narrow, but vaulted climbaptly symbolize the privileges and difficultiesof the “narrow way to life” which Christ’sfaithful followers walk at the present time andthroughout the Christian Age. It leads to theKing’s Chamber, which represents heaven.See The Divine Plan of the Ages, chapters 5,10.

FIRST ASCENDING PASSAGEThe first upward corridor in the Pyramid, itrepresents the promise of life that was givento all Jews who would keep the law. It isblocked at its lower end by an immovable 50-ton granite plug. Granite in the GreatPyramid symbolizes that which is divine.Thus the granite plug demonstrates that nonecould gain life during the Jewish age becausenone could keep the perfect requirements ofthe divine law. See The Divine Plan of theAges, chapter 12.

DESCENDING PASSAGEA slippery, downhill passage. Jesus called itthe “Broad Way” to destruction. (Matt. 7:13)All men have traveled this path toward death,but all men will gain a complete opportunityfor life through Christ in the resurrection. SeeThe Divine Plan of the Ages, chapter 11.

THE “WELL”Not really a well, but a way of escape forthose in the lower reaches of the Pyramid. Itsymbolizes Christ whose death as a ransom

sacrifice will provide a way of escape forall—even those in the “pit” of death. See TheDivine Plan of the Ages, chapter 9.

THE PITIts sides and ceiling are finished, but its flooris extremely uneven. Thus it is “bottomless.”This symbolizes the condition of death. Allmen will be raised from the dead by Christ.(Read Job 33:24 and Acts 24:15) See TheDivine Plan of the Ages, chapter 9.

THE WORLD TO COME(wherein dwelleth righteousness) — This isthe “morning of joy” which all men pray forwhen they utter the words, “Thy Kingdomcome, thy will be done on earth….” The first1,000 years of this endless age is set aside inGod’s plan for the restoring of man and theconquering of sin and death. (Acts 3:19-21, 1Corinthians 15:25) See The Divine Plan ofthe Ages, chapters 4, 14.

KING’S CHAMBERThe largest room in the Pyramid is also themost beautiful. With its granite walls and life-sustaining air passages, the King’s Chamberis symbolic of divine life—immortality. Thisis the condition of Christ’s faithful followersin heaven. They will rule and bless mankind.(Revelation 20:6) See The Divine Plan of theAges, chapter 5.

QUEEN’S CHAMBERThis large chamber symbolizes theeverlasting home for all men—planet earth.After they reach perfection in Christ’sKingdom, “there will be no more death,neither sorrow nor crying, nor any morepain.” (Revelation 21:4) See The Divine Planof the Ages, chapter 6.

HORIZONTAL PASSAGE6/7 of its length is cramped and low. The last1/7 has room for a man to walk upright. Thissymbolizes the l,000-year rest, or Sabbathwhich God has in store for his human family,following the 6,000 years of the “night ofweeping.” See The Divine Plan of the Ages,chapter 11.

The Great Pyramid

The Great Pyramid is the most unusualbuilding in the world. The scientificknowledge of its builders is startling—and asan engineering feat it is unmatched. Thesolutions to many scientific and mathematicalproblems were monumentalized in the GreatPyramid forty-one centuries ago. Could thePyramid builders have been four thousandyears ahead of their time? Or did God himselfinstruct them in the secrets of the Universe.

S i z eIn sheer mass, the Great Pyramid dwarfs allother buildings in the world. Its ninetymillion cubic feet of solid rock weigh6,840,000 tons. That is enough stone tobuild a sidewalk 3 inches thick, and 2 feetwide, <around the world>. The number andweight of the Great Pyramid’s stones wouldbe comparable to a pile of 3 millionautomobiles. The Great Pyramid is as tall as a40-story building, and the circuit of its baseis over 1/2 mile. Clearly, whoever built theGreat Pyramid, wanted it to remain!

DescriptionThe main body of the pyramid wasconstructed of 2-ton blocks of yellowlimestone. This structure was then coveredby a white limestones casing, which gave thePyramid a smooth, polished exterior. Forover 3,000 years, the Great Pyramidglistened, snow white and flawless under thedesert sun. During the last 1,000 years,however, vandals have destroyed the beautyof the Great Pyramid by removing most ofthe casing stones. Today the pyramid has astair-stepped exterior. Its summit, once asharp pinnacle, is now a large flat area, about50 feet square.

Inside, the Pyramid has a peculiar system ofpassages and chambers. These chambers arecarefully constructed of polished whitelimestone and red granite. Though thepassages are carefully planned and wiselyengineered, their curious arrangement hasbaffled many investigators. The common ideathat the Pyramid was intended to be a tombdoes not explain the function of the passages.For example, the “King’s Chamber”<seems> like a burial chamber—but the fact

that it contains no inscriptions, that nomummy was ever found there, and that the“coffer” is so large that it could only havebeen built in, caused many investigators toconclude that for whatever purpose the GreatPyramid was built, it was not to be a tomb.

WorkmanshipArchitects and builders in every age havebeen amazed at the precision work of theancient artisans. The interior and casingstones, some of them weighing 50 tons, werecut to an accuracy within 1/50th of an inch.The joints between stones can scarcely bedetected with the naked eye. The mortarbetween stones was so strong that afterthousands of years, the stones shatteredbefore the cement would yield.

Fergusson, in his <History of Architecture>,declared, “No one can possibly examine theinterior of the Great Pyramid without beingstruck with the astonishment at the wonderfulmechanical skill displayed in its construction....Nothing more perfect mechanically hasever been erected since that time.”

The Great Pyramid—Its ScientificFeatures

Squaring the Circle“The squaring of the circle” has been one ofman’s most difficult mathematical challenges.Yet the Great Pyramid by its proportions is aphysical solution to that problem. (Seediagram). Twice the height of the Pyramid,divided by the distance around the baseequals π. (The Greek letter “pi”, representsthe number 4.14159). Also, the area of theGreat Pyramid’s base equals π times theheight of the Pyramid squared. The Pyramidis accurate in these proportions to within onepart in 10,000. Such accuracy in computingthe π proportion was not rediscovered untilthe 6th century A.D.—more than 2,500 yearsafter the Pyramid’s construction. No otherpyramid in Egypt has this unique property.

The π proportion is a built-in feature of thegranite “coffer” in the King’s Chamber. Theheight of the coffer is related to the sum of itstwo sides in the same way that the radius ofof a circle is related to its circumference.

AstronomyNot only does the Great Pyramid face north,but the entrance passage is a polar starpointer. The long, narrow tunnel of thedescending passage is like an observatorywhich points straight to the North Star. Thewalls of that tunnel are aligned to within 1/50of an inch over a distance of 150 feet.

Distance to the SunAt noonday the pinnacle of the Pyramidpoints to the sun. Does the height of thePyramid give us a clue to the distance to thesun?

A person climbing the Pyramid would findfor every 10 feet of progress toward themiddle of the Pyramid, he would haveclimbed 9 feet toward the top. This suggestsa number: 109. Multiplying the total height ofthe Pyramid by 109, the answer is found tobe 91,840,000 miles. That is, exactly 1,000million Pyramids would reach the sun.

The Great Pyramid’s MeasurementsThe world’s standard of measure is themeter—supposedly one 10-millionth of thecurved line along the earth’s surface from theNorth pole to the equator. Sir John Herschel,a leading British astronomer in the early1800’s , suggested that a better standardwould be one 10-millionth of the earth’s halfaxis—the straight line from the pole to thecenter of the earth. Unknown to Herschel,this distance had been the measuring rod ofthe Great Pyramid 4,000 years before!

The Queen’s Chamber contains a peculiarniche that indicates Herchel’smeasure—precisely 25.205 inches. Studentof the Great Pyramid call that distance the<pyramid cubit>.

A solid granite “ruler” in the antechamber ofthe Great Pyramid marks another standard ofmeasure—the <pyramid inch>. The<pyramid inch> is 1/1000 of an inch longerthan our inch and is exactly 1/25 of the<pyramid cubit>. Modern measurements bysatellite have confirmed that 500,000,000pyramid inches would equal the axis of theearth.

Time FeaturesThe length to the Pyramid’s base side is 761feet. What is it in the Pyramid measure? It is365.242 pyramid cubits—precisely thenumber of days in a year.

If we were to stretch a line around the base ofthe Pyramid, and then measure it, whatwould its length tell us? The number ofpyramid inches in that line would be<exactly> the number of days in one century.

The Cardinal PointsWhat is true north? That is not as easy aquestion as it might seem. A modernmagnetic compass is usually off 3 to 4degrees. But the builders of the GreatPyramid found true North within less than0°5' of arc. This accuracy has never beenequalled in any building to the present day.

Key to its own LocationThe Great Pyramid’s peculiar passage angle(26°18'9.7”) tells its location more accuratelythan can a surveyor’s sextant. An imaginaryline extending from the Pyramid’s entrancepassage, out into space, would cross theearth’s axis of rotation at a distance precisely6 earth diameters away from the center of theearth. If the Pyramid were built even 100 feetaway from its site, or if the passage anglewere minutely different, or if the earth were afraction large or smaller—this remarkableproperty would be lost.

The Origin of the Great PyramidIf the Great Pyramid was not built byEgyptians as a tomb, who built it? Egyptianshistory speaks of a tribe of nomadic“shepherd kings” who invaded Egypt, closedthe pagan temples, and initiated a differentreligion. Herodotus, the father of History,tells that the building of the Pyramid wassupervised by a shepherd king named“Philitis.” Many Pyramid students believethat the God of the Bible spoke to Philitis ashe spoke to other men in ancient times. Godsent Philitis and his nation to Egypt. ThereGod instructed him how to build thePyramid. God was the architect, Philitis wasthe general contractor, and the Egyptianswere the laborers. Khufu (also calledCheops), the king of Egypt, cooperated withPhilitis in the supervision of the work.

It is commonly thought that droves of slaveswere whipped into service in the constructionof the Great Pyramid. This is not true.Actually the construction of the Pyramidsolved a massive unemployment problem.Every year the Nile flooded for three months,covering the farmland and idling 100,000farmers. Philtis mobilized the idle workforce, transforming the Egyptians into anation of skilled artisans. Sir Flinders Petrie,the well-known Egyptologist, wrote: “Muchnonsense has been written about theoppression of the people, their tears andgroans. With the splendid organizationevident in the work, the people must havebeen well managed, and there was nohardship whatever in carrying out thework....The immense gain to the people wasthe education in combined work and technicaltraining.”

When the Pyramid was finished, Philitis andhis tribe left for Palestine. The Egyptiansreturned to their original religion, and builtnearly 100 pyramids and tombs and temples.

Great Pyramid StatisticsHeight 486 feetLength of base 761 feetArea 13 acresVolume 90,000,000 cubic

feetAngle of Side 51°51'14.3”Angle of Passages 26°18'9.7”Number of Core Stones approximately 3

millionLargest Stones 70-ton granite

blocks in King’sChamber Ceiling

Average Core Stones 2 tonsAverage Casing Stones 3-5 tonsBuilding Date (Based ofAstronomical Evidence)

2170 B.C.beginning;2140 B.C.completion

Orientation of Sides with respectto Cardinal Points

within 3/4 inch(0°5' of arc)

Pole Star at date of building .Alpha DraconisStar on Apex Meridian atmidnight, Spring Equinox, 2170B.C.

.Alcyone Pleiades

Temperature of King’s Chamber 68° (20° C) year-round

Accuracy of Casing Stone Joints 1/50th inchAccuracy of Descending PassageBore

1/50th inch in 150feet

How Was it Built?Though many theories have been offeredabout the methods of the ancient builders,one thing is clear. The Great Pyramid couldnot be the mere product of unlimited suppliesof brute labor. As the eminent Egyptologist,Sir Flinders Petrie, expressed it: “Muchnonsense has been written about theoppression of the people; their tears andgroans. From the splendid organizationevident in their work, the people must havebeen well manages, and there was nohardship whatever in carrying our thework...The immense gain to the people wasthe education in combines work and technicaltraining.”

Apparently the technical methods introducedby the Great Pyramid builders (whichsurpassed everything before and after it) werepassed down from generation to generation.As Prof. Petrie indicated, the construction ofthe Great Pyramid became an education thatgave 1,500 years of Egyptian civilization theability to leave the world its most renownedarchitectural feats.

What Were the Construction Methods?Everyone has seen book illustrationsdepicting teams of slaves pulling stones upgigantic ramps of rock and sand. Is thisrealistic?

The weight of evidence would indicate thatthe “ramp theory” is inadequate.1. While a ramp might have worked in a

small pyramid or for the lower courses ofthe Great Pyramid, increasing the heightof the ramp greatly multiplies its volume:to double the height of the ramp, it take 8times as much fill material. This a straightramp would equal or surpass the pyramidin mass and would require as much labor.

2. The “spiral” ramp is not much better. Itwould require extremely long pullingdistances as it rose, and would besusceptible to cave-ins.

3. The ancient Greek historian, Herodotus,writing almost 2,000 years after thePyramid was built, reported that woodenmechanisms were used for raising stones.

4. Olaf Tellefsen, a Swedish engineer,suggested that simple weight arms wouldhave been quite adequate to give theneeded leverage.

5. Flinders Petrie found ancient sheet ironembedded within the Second Pyramid,and concluded that the largest monolithscould have been inched along on sheetsof iron with crowbars and levers.

The ancient sites had barracks that wouldhouse 4,000 workers. Herodotus reportedthat 100,000 workers labored during the 3months each year that the Nile flooded theirfarmland. According to Herodotus, it took 10years to prepare the site and build the mile-long causeway from the Nile to the site, and20 years to erect the Pyramid. These numberswould indicate a yearly schedule as follows:returning each spring, the huge labor forcedelivered 125,000 rough stones to the site.The finished stones, which the 4,000 masonshad been preparing since the previous year,were moved into place. Each gang of 8 menbrought 10 stones across the Nile during the3-month stint. Each group of 4 masonsfinished an average of one casing stone permonth plus one core stone every 3 days allyear round. With the aid of some well-conceived tools and expert management, itwould seem the manpower of Egypt wassufficient to handle the task.

As Peter Tompkins expressed it, “...It musthave required the organizing capacity of agenius to plan all the work, to lay it out, toprovide for emergencies and accidents, to seethat the men in the quarries, on the boats andsleds, and all the masons’ and smithies’shops were all continuously and usefullyemployed,...that the water supply wasample, and that the sick reliefs were onhand....If one takes into account theproblems of quarrying, roughing out,transporting over two million core stones,and finishing come 115,000 enormous casingstones to a precision of 1/100 inch, thenraising...them into their correct place in aunified polished structure,...the mindboggles at the enormity of the effort.”

Scientific Discoveries Shed Light on thePurpose of the Great PyramidThe purpose of the Great Pyramid remainedhidden during the long years of theintellectual slumber of civilization. As thespirit of discovery and investigation revivedafter the Renaissance, explorers with ascientific perspective began to examine theGreat Pyramid. They were too late to preventthe Arabs from despoiling its casing stones(13th century). But the magnetic intrigue ofthe Great Pyramid’s passages motivatedgenerations of explorers, beginning in the17th century, to remove the rubble and beginthe work of deciphering the Great Pyramid’smessage.

Summary of Scientific Discoveries Aboutthe Great Pyramid1638 — John Greaves measures the “King’sChamber” and explores the passage system.

c. 1700 — Isaac Newton, working withGreaves’ measurements, computes the“profane” cubit of 20.63 inches and the“sacred” cubit of about 25 inches.

1798 — French “savants” explore the interiorand estimate the base length. They discoveran ancient Nilometer near Syene calibrated in20.63 inch cubits.

1836 — Colonel Howard-Vyse clears rubblefrom the base, uncovering a few casingstones. From their optical precision hemeasures the angle of the faces to be 51°51'.His men unblock the ancient air passages tothe “King’s Chamber,” which provideventilation and keep the chamber at a constant68° (20°C.)

He blasts his way into the upper chambersabove the “King’s Chamber,” and theorizesthat they were engineered to prevent theimmense weight above from collapsing the“King’s Chamber.”

1860 — John Taylor discovers that the51°51' angle of the faces endows the Pyramidwith the exceptional property of “squaring thecircle.” The Pyramid’s height is to its baseperimeter as the radius of a circle is to itscircumference. That is, the height of the

pyramid, divided into the distance around thebase, equals “pi” (π): 3.1416.Taylor computes the cubit to be about 1/366thof the base (the base length was as yetuncertain) and predicts it to be about 25British inches—the “sacred” cubit proposedby Newton for the Pyramid, Tabernacle, andTemple.

c. 1850 — John Herschel proposes that amore scientific alternative for the Frenchmeter would be 1/10,000,000 of the earth’shalf-axis. This value, 25.025 British inches,is almost precisely the cubit discovered byNewton and Taylor.

1864 — Piazzi Smyth, Royal Astronomer forScotland, explores the inside and outsidewith more accurate tools. He verifiesTaylor’s findings and discovers that:(1) The Great Pyramid reveals π to thenearest 1/10,000. (The academic world wasshocked by the revelation that the GreatPyramid’s mathematics was at least 1,00years ahead of its time.)(2) The “Pyramid Cubit” (25.025 Britishinches) divides into the base length 365.242times—exactly the number of days in a year.Other discoveries by Smyth:The number of inches in the base diagonalsequals the number of years in theprecessional cycle of the equinoxes: 25,694.The height of the Pyramid x 109 = a veryclose approximation of the distance from theearth to the sun (Ascent ratio = 10:9).

1881 — Flinders Petrie surveys the Pyramidand finds the orientation to be within 3/4 inchof true North (an error of less than 5 minutesof arc)—making it the most accuratelyoriented building ever constructed.Petrie’s measurements of the base lengthdisagreed with Smyth’s and for a timediscredited the 365.242 cubit base length.Unfortunately, many in the academiccommunity took the opportunity to lampoonSmyth.

1910 — David Davidson and Morton Edgardemonstrate that the base length did indeedindicate the number of days in a year in twoways:

(1) by measuring the <socket level base>(Petrie had measured the platform base) <or>(2) by measuring the platform base along theangular indentation (hollowing) of the coremasonry.

1959 — Satellite observations in theInternational Geophysical Year verifyHerschel, Smyth, and Taylor in computingthe “Pyramid Cubit” to be exactly1/10,000,000 of the earth’s half axis.

Other Recent DiscoveriesThe ratio of the Great Pyramid’s height toapothem is 1.618—the famous GoldenSection.If the base of the Pyramid were exactly equalto the equatorial diameter of the earth, theheight of the pyramid would extend from thecenter of the earth to the exact center of themoon if the moon were tangent to the earth.

The Great Pyramid and the BibleThe scientific discoveries of the GreatPyramid led to the question: “Where did thebuilders get their knowledge?” Someresearchers felt divine inspiration would be areasonable explanation if prophetic or Biblicalevidence were found. Gradually the evidencehas accumulated, to the point that manyinvestigators see a definite link between theBible and the Great Pyramid.

1. History record a clear-cut difference inreligious belief between the builders of theGreat Pyramid and the ancient religiousleaders of Egypt.2. The supposed builder of the Pyramid,Philitis, is described as a nomadic shepherdking. The Bible records a tribe of nomadicshepherds called Philistines who left Egyptfor Gaza not long after the building of thePyramid.3. The absence of any hieroglyphicinscriptions, the historical evidence that noone was ever buried anywhere in the GreatPyramid, the lack of any lid for the “coffer,”the fact that the coffer was too large to havebeen carries in, the presence of open airpassages to the so-called burial chamber—allargue against the tomb theory, and thereforeinvite another explanation for the purpose ofthe Pyramid.

Evidence of Biblical ConnectionsIsaiah (19:19,20) predicted that a certainmonument in Egypt would one day offertestimony in support of the Bible. Thismonument was to be “in the midst of theland,” and “at the border.” The GreatPyramid is certainly “in the midst of Egypt.”It is also at the border of “upper” and “lower”Egypt in a village called “Gizeh” whoseArabic name means “border.”

The unique passage system has baffledinvestigators for centuries. One reason is thestriking contrast between the Great Pyramid’spassages and those of all the other pyramidsof Egypt, which are known as tombs. Thesimple fact is that no naturalistic theory ofpassages has yet offered a completeexplanation for their peculiar arrangement.Many investigators, however, haveconnected on the striking similarity of thepassages to the message of the Bible, whenthe passages are viewed in a symbolic orallegorical sense.

The thoughtful mind will naturally hesitate toattribute elaborate symbolic meanings to therooms in an ancient and mysterious building.However, in view of the absence of any cluesother than the passages themselves, and inview of Isaiah’s reference to the GreatPyramid as a corroboration of the Bible, itwould seem justified to analyze the passagesfor symbolic meaning. Numerousinvestigators did so, and agreed that thepassages and chambers correspond nicely tothe historic and prophetic periods of theBible. When a remarkable 1 Pyramid-inch-to-the-year chronology was discovered whichverified the time periods with preciseaccuracy, the answer became obvious: theArchitect of the Great Pyramid was notburying a dead Pharaoh; he was enshriningan immortal idea in the simple language ofanalogy and mathematical proportion.

the great pyramid: ancient wonder modern mystery - bible …€¦ · therefore, the great...

Documents