In biblical terms, a "barrier" can refer to both physical and spiritual obstacles that impede progress, communication, or relationship. The concept of barriers is prevalent throughout Scripture, symbolizing separation between God and humanity, between individuals, or between nations.

Physical Barriers

Physical barriers in the Bible often serve as metaphors for spiritual truths. For instance, the veil in the Tabernacle and later in the Temple acted as a physical barrier separating the Holy of Holies, where God's presence dwelt, from the rest of the sanctuary. This veil symbolized the separation between a holy God and sinful humanity. In the New Testament, the tearing of the veil at the moment of Jesus' death (Matthew 27:51) signifies the removal of this barrier, granting believers direct access to God through Christ.

Another example of a physical barrier is the wall of Jericho. In Joshua 6, the Israelites faced the formidable walls of Jericho, which God miraculously brought down, demonstrating His power to overcome physical and spiritual obstacles.

Spiritual Barriers

Spiritual barriers are often the result of sin, unbelief, or disobedience. Isaiah 59:2 states, "But your iniquities have built barriers between you and your God, and your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He will not hear." Sin creates a separation from God, hindering fellowship and communication.

The New Testament emphasizes the removal of spiritual barriers through Jesus Christ. Ephesians 2:14 declares, "For He Himself is our peace, who has made the two one and has torn down the dividing wall of hostility." This passage refers to the reconciliation between Jews and Gentiles, illustrating how Christ's sacrifice breaks down barriers of division and hostility, uniting all believers into one body.

Barriers Between People

Barriers between individuals can arise from conflict, prejudice, or misunderstanding. The account of the Tower of Babel in Genesis 11 illustrates how God introduced language barriers to scatter humanity and prevent them from uniting in prideful rebellion against Him. Conversely, the Day of Pentecost in Acts 2 demonstrates the Holy Spirit's power to overcome language barriers, enabling the apostles to proclaim the Gospel to people of various tongues and nations.

The Bible calls believers to actively work towards breaking down barriers between people. In Galatians 3:28 , Paul writes, "There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus." This verse underscores the unity and equality of all believers in Christ, transcending social, cultural, and gender barriers.

Conclusion

Throughout Scripture, barriers serve as powerful symbols of separation and division, whether physical, spiritual, or relational. The Bible consistently points to God's desire to remove these barriers, offering reconciliation and unity through faith in Jesus Christ.1. (n.) A carpentry obstruction, stockade, or other obstacle made in a passage in order to stop an enemy.

2. (n.) A fortress or fortified town, on the frontier of a country, commanding an avenue of approach.

3. (n.) A fence or railing to mark the limits of a place, or to keep back a crowd.

4. (n.) An any obstruction; anything which hinders approach or attack.

5. (n.) Any limit or boundary; a line of separation.

5313. hupsoma -- height, that which is lifted up
... which is lifted up. Part of Speech: Noun, Neuter Transliteration: hupsoma Phonetic
Spelling: (hoop'-so-mah) Short Definition: height, barrier, bulwark Definition ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5313.htm - 6k

5418. phragmos -- a fencing in, a fence
... partition. Word Origin from phrasso Definition a fencing in, a fence NASB Word
Usage barrier (1), hedges (1), wall (2). hedge, partition. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/5418.htm - 6k

714. arkeo -- to assist, suffice
... Apparently a primary verb (but probably akin to airo through the idea of raising
a barrier); properly, to ward off, ie (by implication) to avail (figuratively ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/714.htm - 7k

3320. mesotoichon -- a middle wall
... mesotoichon Phonetic Spelling: (mes-ot'-oy-khon) Short Definition: a middle wall,
partition wall Definition: a middle wall, partition wall, barrier. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/3320.htm - 6k

1366. gebul -- border, boundary, territory
... Word Origin from an unused word Definition border, boundary, territory NASB Word
Usage area (1), barrier (1), border (144), borders (10), boundary (13 ...
/hebrew/1366.htm - 6k

4535. massach -- perhaps repulse, defense
... broken down. From nacach in the sense of staving off; a cordon, (adverbially) or
(as a) military barrier -- broken down. see HEBREW nacach. 4534, 4535. ...
/hebrew/4535.htm - 6k

Self-Made Barriers
... Or sometimes they are not willing to do their duty, and they begin at once to build
a barrier of "I can't" between themselves and their opportunity. ...
/.../naylor/heart talks/talk forty-four self-made barriers.htm

Death to Sin's Penalty is the Way Out into a Life of Justification ...
... picked off one of the dead leaves and examined the leaf-stalk through a microscope,
you would find that the old channel is silted up by a barrier invisible to ...
/.../trotter/parables of the cross/death to sins penalty is.htm

The Way of Fellowship
... God. Everything that comes as a barrier between us and another, be it
never so small, comes as a barrier between us and God. We ...
//christianbookshelf.org/hession/the calvary road/chapter 3 the way of.htm

The Blessed Hope and Its Power
... To both schools, spirit was good, matter was evil. By both therefore the body was
viewed not as a subject of redemption, but as a barrier in its way. ...
/...//christianbookshelf.org/moule/philippian studies/chapter x the blessed hope.htm

Our Reception at Hwochow
... Failure to readjust your mind to such conditions during the first years of your
missionary life may prove an eventual fatal barrier to mutual sympathetic ...
/.../cable/the fulfilment of a dream of pastor hsis/chapter vi our reception at.htm

Justice Satisfied
... The justice of God is in itself a great barrier to the salvation of sinners.
There is no possibility for that barrier to be surmounted ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 5 1859/justice satisfied.htm

Behold, I Stand at the Door and Knock
... Here are our lives, shut in, limited, self-absorbed; and here are the messages of
God, knocking at our door; and between the two only one barrier, the barrier ...
/.../peabody/mornings in the college chapel/xliii behold i stand at.htm

I Withdrew the Bolt of My Door for My Beloved; but He had Turned ...
... This is as though the soul were to say, I have removed the barrier which hindered
my total loss and the consummation of my marriage; for that can only take ...
/.../christianbookshelf.org/guyon/song of songs of solomon/6 i withdrew the bolt.htm

But Seeing that Paradise is the Home of Living Spirits...
... line of death, and by their own deed have checked his advance; they have made
themselves, in fact, a frontier between life and death, and a barrier too, which ...
/.../gregory of nyssa dogmatic treatises etc/chapter xiii but seeing that.htm

Biogenesis
... his extraordinary dividing-line severing the visible universe eternally into two;
those who in watching the progress of science have seen barrier after barrier ...
/.../drummond/natural law in the spiritual world/biogenesis.htm

Barrier (4 Occurrences)
... Multi-Version Concordance Barrier (4 Occurrences). Ephesians ... guard. So you shall
keep the watch of the house, and be a barrier. (WEB JPS ASV). ...
/b/barrier.htm - 8k

Middle (169 Occurrences)
... par-tish'-un, par-tish'-un (to mesotoichon tou phragmou (Ephesians 2:14)): 1. The
Barrier in the Temple What Paul here asserts is that Christ is our peace, the ...
/m/middle.htm - 45k

Partition (4 Occurrences)
... par-tish'-un, par-tish'-un (to mesotoichon tou phragmou (Ephesians 2:14)): 1. The
Barrier in the Temple What Paul here asserts is that Christ is our peace, the ...
/p/partition.htm - 14k

Wall (227 Occurrences)
... par-tish'-un, par-tish'-un (to mesotoichon tou phragmou (Ephesians 2:14)): 1. The
Barrier in the Temple What Paul here asserts is that Christ is our peace, the ...
/w/wall.htm - 49k

Bar (27 Occurrences)
... 3. (n.) Anything which obstructs, hinders, or prevents; an obstruction; a barrier.
4. (n.) A bank of sand, gravel, or other matter, esp. ...
/b/bar.htm - 21k

Barricade (5 Occurrences)

/b/barricade.htm - 8k

Reconciliation (11 Occurrences)
... (d) The Manward Side: By this propitiation, therefore, the barrier was removed,
and, God having assumed a gracious attitude toward the sinner, it is possible ...
/r/reconciliation.htm - 30k

Reconcile (10 Occurrences)
... (d) The Manward Side: By this propitiation, therefore, the barrier was removed,
and, God having assumed a gracious attitude toward the sinner, it is possible ...
/r/reconcile.htm - 29k

Negeb (37 Occurrences)
... It formed an additional barrier to the wilderness beyond it; against all who would
lead an army from the South, this southern frontier of Judah was always ...
/n/negeb.htm - 26k

Negev (39 Occurrences)
... It formed an additional barrier to the wilderness beyond it; against all who would
lead an army from the South, this southern frontier of Judah was always ...
/n/negev.htm - 26k

How can I have a closer relationship with God? | GotQuestions.org

Are mono-ethnic churches, churches that focus on a specific race or ethnic group, following a biblical model? | GotQuestions.org

What was the Holy of Holies? | GotQuestions.org

Barrier: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

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