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Daily Devotions

Ephesians

Ephesians 
Day 
Day 90

"For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation."

Text: Ephesians 2:14

THE MIDDLE WALL OF SEPARATION

A very effective analogy was used in the phrase, “the middle wall of separation”. The former wall of Berlin illustrates clearly what a wall of separation can do. Here are some statistics about the formidable and infamous wall of Berlin.

1. Basic barbed wire fence (1961)

2. Improved barbed wire fence (1962-1965)

3. Concrete Wall (1965-1975)

4. Border Wall 75 (1975)

The Berlin Wall was specially created during the Cold War. President Khrushchev of the former USSR effectively sealed off East Germany from West Germany. The US, Britain and France, forming the Allied Powers looked on helplessly as the Wall was erected. (There were in effect four walls erected). Families became separated. The world was aghast at the development of hostility between the USSR and the Allied Forces. The Cold War did nothing but made things worse. Great suffering was endured for the next two decades. While West Germany thrived, Easter Germany suffered terribly. The Fall of the Berlin Wall took place on 9 November 1989. On 3 October 1990, the reunification of Germany was formally concluded.

What was worse than the Berlin Wall was the “middle wall of separation” that had existed for generations between Jews and Gentiles. This middle wall was an invisible but nonetheless power structure. The wall became thicker and thicker over the years. The following may be highlighted

1. Language

2. Rigid traditionalism (Customs and culture)

3. Religious beliefs and practices

4. Hostile Attitudes

5. Anti-Semitic sentiments only made things worse

6. Vengeful intolerance

7. Social interaction at the lowest minimum

BROKEN DOWN (“luo”)

How could such a wall be broken down? It would take nothing less than supreme Divine Power to bring about a collapse of such a wall. Paul presented a powerful revelation in this text. God had broken down the middle wall of separation through Christ Jesus.

Paul chose a relatively simple word (“luo”) to describe the destruction of the middle wall. The end result is that of “doing away” with the wall. The wall was effectively “destroyed” by the shedding of the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ.