EXCEPT THE LORD BUILD THE HOUSE

Building anything for God is a very serious matter, and this applies to material as well as to spiritual things. In particular, in the O.T. there had to be built structures suitable for the dwelling place of God: “let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them”, Exod. 25. 8.

The pattern had to be according to God’s will: Moses had to “make all things according to the pattern” shown to him on the mount, Heb. 8. 5. The people who then made the tabernacle by following the pattern had to be chosen by God. Natural expertise had to be superseded by spiritual expertise. Thus God chose Bezaleel, and filled him with wisdom and every ability necessary for the construction, Exod. 31. 1-5. Also in Aholiab and in all those who were wise hearted, God put wisdom “that they may make all that I have commanded thee”, v. 6. Thus the work was finished to God’s satisfaction, 39. 32.

Similarly with the temple: David gave Solomon the pattern, but confessed that it was “the pattern of all that he had by the spirit”, 1 Chron. 28. 12, the Lord having made known the pattern “in writing by his hand upon” David, v. 19. Solomon did not work according to the flesh, but God would be with him until the house of the Lord was finished, v. 20. God would give Solomon “a perfect heart … to build”, 29. 19. Thus it was not in vain that the house was finished, 2 Chron. 5. 1.

Many difficulties were overcome when the second house was built after the captivity, but at last it was finished, Ezra 6. 15. But the same cannot be said about Herod’s temple in the N.T. This was a work according to the flesh and unbelief, and even at the beginning of the Lord’s ministry it had taken 46 years to build, John 2. 20.

Today, the Lord builds His church directly: “I will build my church”, Matt. 16. 18, the Lord adding and not man, Acts 2. 47. Yet He uses His servants who are devoted to Him. Through the grace of God given to him, Paul laid the foundation, 1 Cor. 3. 10; only those with Spirit-given gifts then build upon this foundation which is Jesus Christ. By this grace, Paul laboured more abundantly that the others, 15. 10, doing all things through Christ who strengthened him, Phil. 4. 13.

“Your labour is not in vain in the Lord”, 1 Cor. 15. 58.