House of God
by Ann Robinson-Worley
" The glory of this latter House shall be greater than the former,’ says the Lord of hosts. ‘And in this place I will give peace,’ says the Lord of hosts."
Haggai 2:9 What was God referring to in this scripture? The purpose of the temple in the Old Testament was so that God could dwell among men. It was important that He could have fellowship with His people. "Let them make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them." Exodus 25:8 "There I will meet with you, and I will speak with you from above the mercy seat" Verse 22 This temple which he directed them to build gave God an opportunity to dwell with and speak to His creation as he used to do with Adam in the garden before he fell.
In the Garden it talks about how God would come down and fellowship with Adam and Eve. " And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day" Genesis 3:8 God's desire has always been to be with us. When Moses had completed the construction of the first Temple God came down and was once again able to fellowship with man in the form of a cloud. God said, " I will dwell among the children of Israel, and will be their God. And they shall know that I am the Lord their God, that brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, that I may dwell among them: I am the Lord their God. " Exodus 29:45-46
" Then the cloud covered the tabernacle of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. And Moses was not able to enter the tabernacle of meeting, because the cloud rested above it, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle." Exodus 40:34-35 Moses could not enter into the tabernacle because the Glory of the Lord was filling it. This was the tangible presence of God. It had a substance in which our flesh could not withstand so He would come down to Moses in the form of a cloudy pillar. "And it came to pass, as Moses entered into the tabernacle, the cloudy pillar descended, and stood at the door of the tabernacle, and the Lord talked with Moses." Exodus 33:9
Moses sought to have a deeper relationship with the Lord. He hungered for more so he said, " I beseech thee, show me your Glory." and God answered him and said "You cannot see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live" Exodus 33:18-20
God knew that our flesh could not handle exposure to the full power of His Glory it would mean certain death to us so He warned Moses that He would only be able to view His back parts but not His face.
" The sight of the glory of the Lord was like a consuming fire on the top of the mountain" Exodus 24:17
It is true that no one has ever seen God at any time. Yet the divine and only Son, who lives in the closest intimacy with the Father, has made him known to us. Moses built the first tabernacle and "David found favor in God's sight, and asked that he might find a dwelling place for the God of Jacob. "But it was Solomon who built a house for Him" Acts 7:46:47 Solomon's Temple was glorious and beautiful.
" It happened that when the priests came from the holy place, the cloud filled the house of the LORD, so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the LORD filled the house of the LORD. Then Solomon said, "The LORD has said that He would dwell in the thick cloud. I have surely built You a lofty house, A place for Your dwelling forever." 1 Kings 8:10-13
It was built that God would be able to dwell with man perpetually but man continued to rebel and sin against Him so he knew that there had to be another way in which He would be able to fellowship with man. He knew that He could no longer dwell in a temple made with human hands and bring the restoration that was needed that had been lost in the garden with Adam.
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. " John 1:1-3,14
God chose to reveal his glory to man through his only begotten son. Jesus said, " The Father Himself, who sent Me, has testified of Me." John 5:37 The Father is revealed in and through Jesus when he said, "If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him. He who has seen Me has seen the Father " John 14:7,9
Jesus was sent to restore the fellowship with the Father and build him a House not made with human hands. This would be a House created through faith that would bring everlasting life to everyone that believed in His only begotten Son.
"For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!” Gal 3:26; 4:6
Jesus knew that he was going away and the House was not yet built and it was going to require the work of the Holy Spirit to complete it. He knew that we would need someone living on the inside of us who would lead us and teach us the truth.
Jesus said,"It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you: but if I depart, I will send HIM to you. And when He is come, He will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgement:" John 16:7-8 As Christians its not our job to judge or reprove others of their sins. We need to learn to leave this job up to the Holy Spirit. He will convict if conviction is needed. The goodness of God will lead them to repentance.
Paul talks about what the Holy Spirit does within us "Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and has anointed us is God, who also has sealed us and given us the Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee." 2 Cor 1:21-22 We have a guarantee of our inheritance in Christ. "God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory." Colossians 1:27
The Holy Spirit is actively at work in the hearts of everyone who has been born again today building a House of God in which we are all significant contributing members.
This house is the Body of Christ worldwide. This is why the glory of the Latter House is greater ! We are all members of the same body of believers. " Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith." Gal 6:10
" Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our confession, Christ Jesus, who was faithful to Him who appointed Him, as Moses also was faithful in all His house. For this One has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as He who built the house has more honor than the house. For every house is built by someone, but He who built all things is God. And Moses indeed was faithful in all His house as a servant, for a testimony of those things which would be spoken afterward, but Christ as a Son over His own house, whose house we are if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm to the end." Hebrews 3:1-6
"But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation, having abolished in His flesh the enmity, that is, the law of commandments contained in ordinances, so as to create in Himself one new man from the two, thus making peace, and that He might reconcile them both to God in one body through the cross, thereby putting to death the enmity. And He came and preached peace to you who were afar off and to those who were near.
For through Him we both have access by one Spirit to the Father. Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit. Ephes 2:13-22
Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious. Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. Therefore it is also contained in the Scripture,“Behold, I lay in Zion A chief cornerstone, elect, precious, And he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame.”
Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious; but to those who are disobedient, “The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone,”and "A stone of stumbling And a rock of offense.” They stumble, being disobedient to the word, to which they also were appointed.
But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.
1 Peter 2:1-10
