August 2, 2001(27)
I WILL BUILD MY CHURCH. The personal pronouns and <my> show who is building the church and for whom it is being built. Mt. 16:18 It is to be a spiritual house. Not earthly and carnal. A house motivated by the Spirit and furnished with all spiritual blessings, gifts, fruit and ministries. It is His palace, His Temple, His dwelling, as such it must be wholly consecrated, dedicated and surrendered unto Him. 1 Pet. 2:5 Those serving in His house are to be holy unto the Lord. How spurious are the efforts of men who to try to put the house together. This is a house that only the Lord can build. All other efforts are in vain and will but fail. Ps. 127:1 Wisdom is the builder of the house. It is built properly and according to the blueprint. It is established as a spiritually proper house by understanding, comprehension of the Word. Through knowledge it is filled within with treasures of rare and exquisite value. Pr. 24:3-4
THE HOUSE OF GLORY. The first house, built by Solomon. A structure of beauty and elegance. Built at great expense and with all the best of materials. Now, this house, lacking the splendor of Solomon’s Temple. Built with great opposition and many difficulties. In the seventh month, the month of the feast of tabernacles. The feast that is yet to be fulfilled in the church. We celebrate Passover and Pentecost not only in commemoration but as literal experiences in our lives, Salvation and the in filling of the Spirit. Tabernacles will complete the introduction, in a Spiritual sense, of the feasts. The prophet Haggai, whose name means <festive>. How fitting. Came to Zerubbable, <born in Babylon>. Babylon is confusion. There is great confusion throughout all churches of our world today. Not from one particular cause but a great multitude of causes. Babylon also represents the antichrists church of the last days. While Zerubbabel was born in a time of confusion. The hand of the Lord was upon Him and he was wonderfully blessed and led of the Lord to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the house of worship. He is a type of Christ as the instigator and architect of the house. The names of the other individuals named are likewise of interest. Shealtiel . Obviously a spiritual man, a man of prayer. No doubt he had asked of the Lord that this project come to pass. Joshua, <Jehovah-saved or Jehovah Savior>. Josedech, <Jehovah-righted, or cleansed, to make right>. Sounds like the work of the Holy Spirit. Haggai 2:2 Who has seen Solomon’s Temple, history, the past. To you In comparison it may seem as nothing. Hag. 2:3 We compare the church of today with the Book of Acts, then with the early outpouring of the Holy Ghost in the last century. There is much to be desired. Nevertheless, the glory of the latter will be greater than the former. Combine the two, into one, and it is to be still more glorious. This will be THE HOUSE that the Lord himself has built. Its grandeur, its majesty will excel any that have gone before, for this is the work of His hands and is His doings. Therefore it must be perfect.