by Rehema Jonathan | 11 August 2023 08:46 am08
In biblical terms, pillars are the two vertical posts that support a door, standing on either side of it. This is illustrated in the story of Samson, where he tore down the gates of the Philistine city, including the two pillars.
Judges 16:3 (NKJV): “Samson lay low till midnight; then he arose at midnight, took hold of the doors of the gate of the city, and the two posts (pillars), pulled them up, bar and all, put them on his shoulders, and carried them to the top of the hill that faces Hebron.”
In this context, the pillars symbolize strength and support. These posts were crucial in the design of the city gates, providing security and stability.
Additionally, the threshold is the horizontal beam placed either at the top or bottom of a door frame. It serves as a boundary or a point of transition. A notable biblical event involving a threshold is during the Exodus when God instructed the Israelites to apply lamb’s blood to the doorposts and thresholds of their homes, which protected them from the judgment of the Angel of Death.
Exodus 12:7 (NIV): “Then they are to take some of the blood and put it on the sides and tops of the doorframes of the houses where they eat the lambs.”
The blood on the threshold and pillars was a sign of divine protection, ensuring that the judgment passed over them.
Pillars and thresholds can be constructed from various materials, such as wood, stone, or metal, and are frequently referenced in the Bible. Further references to thresholds can be found in Ezekiel 10:4, 1 Kings 6:31, and 1 Kings 14:17.
What Do the Pillars and Thresholds Represent Spiritually?
Theologically, the temple or house refers to our bodies, which are the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit. The Apostle Paul makes this clear in his letters:
1 Corinthians 6:19 (NIV): “Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own.”
This verse emphasizes the concept of believers’ bodies being the living temple of God, a sacred place where God’s Spirit resides.
If our bodies are the temple, they must have a door—which in spiritual terms refers to the heart. In Scripture, the heart is often seen as the gateway to the soul and the place where decisions, thoughts, and desires are formed.
Revelation 3:20 (NKJV): “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.”
In this passage, Jesus is depicted as standing at the door of our hearts, knocking and waiting for us to invite Him in. This illustrates the heart as the entrance to our inner spiritual life.
If the heart is the door, then it must have pillars and a threshold to safeguard what enters. The pillars symbolize the eyes, as they serve as the windows to our soul. The threshold represents the ears, as they are the entry points for what we hear. Both our eyes and ears are gateways that shape our inner lives, and they must be protected and kept pure.
Matthew 6:22-23 (NIV): “The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness.”
Romans 10:17 (NIV): “Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word about Christ.”
These verses show how our eyes and ears affect our spiritual health. If they are aligned with God’s truth, they bring light and faith into our hearts. If they are defiled, they bring darkness and corruption.
When our eyes (pillars) and ears (thresholds) are spiritually cleansed, it’s like the blood of Jesus being applied to our spiritual gates. This act purifies us and protects us from spiritual destruction, much like the Israelites’ homes during the Exodus.
1 Peter 1:18-19 (NIV): “For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.”
Through the blood of Jesus, we are cleansed and protected from spiritual harm, just as the Israelites were spared from the Angel of Death during the Passover.
However, if we allow rebelliousness in our eyes and stubbornness in our ears, it defiles our hearts. This defilement causes us to desecrate the temple of God, our bodies, and places us at risk of destruction, as Paul warns:
1 Corinthians 3:17 (NIV): “If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person; for God’s temple is sacred, and you together are that temple.”
Have You Been Saved?
Have you been cleansed by the blood of Jesus? If not, today is the day to make that decision. Repent, receive Jesus into your heart, be baptized, and be filled with the Holy Spirit.
Maranatha! (Come, Lord Jesus!)
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