Post by Lee on Apr 6, 2014 21:23:39 GMT
“The Middle Wall of Partition”
The Temple (46 years in building) was “exceeding magnifical” (Deity - planned and specified). Ephesians 2. reminds us there were three courts in it: (1) The outmost, that even Gentiles could enter; (2) the court of Israel, for native (clean) Israelites; (3) the court of Priests. Between 1 and 2 a middle wall, on which were notices prohibiting Gentiles from entering 2 on pain of death.
All this temple plan had to do with reconciling Deity and man—to fill up the wide gap to form the religio, the reunion. But had we lived then, we should have read the notice between courts 1 and 2, and turned sadly away: we could not have approached Deity, for the “middle wall of partition” stood. Read Eph, 2:13, 14, 19, 22. “But now, in Christ Jesus, ye that once were far off are made nigh in the blood of Christ. For he is our peace, who made both one, and brake down the middle wall of partition. So then ye are no more strangers and sojourners, but ye are fellow-citizens with the saints and of the household of God . . . ye are builded together for a habitation of Deity in the spirit.”
1903 Christadelphian p400
The Temple (46 years in building) was “exceeding magnifical” (Deity - planned and specified). Ephesians 2. reminds us there were three courts in it: (1) The outmost, that even Gentiles could enter; (2) the court of Israel, for native (clean) Israelites; (3) the court of Priests. Between 1 and 2 a middle wall, on which were notices prohibiting Gentiles from entering 2 on pain of death.
All this temple plan had to do with reconciling Deity and man—to fill up the wide gap to form the religio, the reunion. But had we lived then, we should have read the notice between courts 1 and 2, and turned sadly away: we could not have approached Deity, for the “middle wall of partition” stood. Read Eph, 2:13, 14, 19, 22. “But now, in Christ Jesus, ye that once were far off are made nigh in the blood of Christ. For he is our peace, who made both one, and brake down the middle wall of partition. So then ye are no more strangers and sojourners, but ye are fellow-citizens with the saints and of the household of God . . . ye are builded together for a habitation of Deity in the spirit.”
1903 Christadelphian p400