The Great Pyramid

In the Beginning

Of the seven wonders of the ancient world only the Great Pyramid near Cairo exists today. Around thirty-five pyramids were constructed in Egypt, all on the west side of the Nile. The Great Pyramid is the largest. It covers thirteen acres of the Giza plateau and would be about 480 feet high if the capstone were in place.

Archaeologists are most interested in the Great Pyramid because of its many unique features. Theories abound as to why it was built, the most popular being that it was a tomb for a pharaoh as were all the other pyramids. But why were rooms built high above ground level (in addition to the usual subterranean chamber) in this structure and not the others? Why no hieroglyphics on the walls describing the ­exploits of the pharaoh? Why were there working ventilation tubes—a unique feature of this structure—to one room and non-working tubes to the other? The guesses offered are fanciful at best.

The scientific and mathematical knowledge embedded in the Great Pyramid’s construction lead some Bible Students to conclude the architect was God. Built long before the ten commandments were given to Moses in the mount, it stood then as it does now as a silent witness to God’s plan for man. Like a parable in stone, the Great Pyramid “speaks” without words.

In this issue of The Herald, we look at the passages and rooms within this structure and see how they beautifully illustrate what God has planned for the ultimate blessing of all mankind. A Distant Revelation provides the overview for this subject. The Giza Plateau looks at the Great Pyramid in the context of its setting. Subsequent ­articles look in detail at all the important features found inside.

We end with a verse-by-verse examination of Isaiah 19, a chapter containing a cryptic reference to an altar and a pillar in the land of Egypt. Though serious students of the Bible differ about whether the Great Pyramid teaches anything at all, so many details fit that it is unlikely to be the result of coincidence. We trust that after reading this issue, our readers will be in a better position to make up their own minds.