Preparing The People

by Michael Elliott, Manchester, England | Category: Lovers Of God's House | Dec 1999

As we come to the concluding article in our present series it is good to remind ourselves what we learn from 1 John 4 about love. Firstly in verse 7 he tells us, 'love is of God' - that is God's unconditional love; secondly in verse 16 he says '...God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him' - that is accepting and knowing God's love; finally in verse 19 he says, 'We love Him (God) because He first loved us.' - that is loving and therefore doing those things that please God.

Progression

There is a progression of thought - revelation, acceptance and obedience and this progression has been evident as we have considered over the past year those who themselves were lovers of God's house. Beginning with Jacob who glimpsed the truth of the house of God. Attention was then drawn to the appreciation Moses and Aaron showed of the pattern of the house and priestly service within it. David's God-given desire to build a house for God was noted, subsequently resulting in Solomon's message to Hiram king of Tyre, 'And behold I propose to build a house for the name of the LORD my God, as the LORD spoke to my father David' (1 Kin. 5:5). In His dealings with those who had a deep love for the things of God we note that their love results from God's love and revelation to their own hearts. There was never any place for self-satisfaction. Men were being used by God to build His house, the Place of the Name so that Solomon was caused to wonder, 'But will God indeed dwell on earth? Behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain You. How much less this temple which I have built!' (1 King. 8:27), to which the answer was 'yes' because he had acted in accordance with divine will and purpose.

God's dealings with David and Solomon culminating in the building of the Temple had been seen in principle in His dealings with individuals from the days of the Patriarchs. Jacob's experience recorded in Genesis 28, of being in an 'awesome place' (v.17) resulted in him recognizing that God was revealing to him that the place where he had slept was none other than the house of God, the gate of heaven. He called the place Bethel, the house of God and made a life-long vow of service and tithing to his God (vv. 20-22). Later his name was changed to Israel and God revealed to him His future purposes through His chosen people (Gen. 35:9-15).

Vision

Lovers of God's house have always been men and women of vision. Moses was eighty when God spoke to him from the burning bush and revealed Himself as the 'I AM' (Ex. 3:14). He and his brother Aaron were to go before Pharaoh to ask that God's people might be brought out of Egypt. There was a purpose in divine intervention, consequent upon the people's acceptance of the covenant that God wished them to accept, for then they would become the people of God, 'a kingdom of priests and a holy nation' (see Ex. 19:5,6). What a wonderful day when all that God had entrusted to Moses was completed, 'Then the cloud covered the tabernacle of meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle' (Ex. 40:34).

Division into two kingdoms

The years of the kings, begun so promisingly with the establishing of the Temple by Solomon, soon resulted in the split of the nation into the two kingdoms as the vision was lost. The northern kingdom Israel, beginning with Jeroboam I produced a succession of evil kings resulting in their extinction at the fall of Samaria in BC 722. The southern kingdom Judah produced some good and some wicked kings. Particular mention has been made in previous articles of a number of those godly kings including Asa, Josiah and, particularly, of the wholehearted devotion of Hezekiah of whom it is recorded, 'He trusted in the LORD God of Israel, so that after him was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor who were before him (2 Kin. 18:5).

Throughout these years the prophets continued in their faithful work but by the time the Old Testament draws to a close the people have largely lost their love for God's house. Malachi, in preparing the way for the Messiah, challenges them by saying, 'Bring all the tithes into the storehouse... and prove Me now in this... if I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you such a blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it' (Mal. 3:10). Some did respond positively and a book of remembrance was written recording their rekindled love for the God of the house of God.

The Lord's love for God's house

The love for God's house was always prominent in the life of the Lord Jesus. Early on at the beginning of His public ministry the Lord came to the Temple and dealt with those who had made His Father's house a house of merchandise. They had lost the vision of what God required and His actions caused the disciples later to remember the Scripture in Psalm 69:9, 'Zeal for Your house has eaten Me up' (John 2:17).

Nearly twenty years before, as a young boy of twelve, again at the time of the Passover, He had been taken by His parents to Jerusalem (see Luke 2:42). They had not realized He had 'lingered behind in Jerusalem' (v.43), for He must be about His 'Father's business' (v.49). There He was, 'sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions'. Little wonder 'all who heard Him were astonished at His understanding and answers' (see vv. 46,47). He would have wished those teachers had continued to listen to Him during the years of His public ministry but they were to reject Him and He was finally to say to them, 'See! Your house is left to you desolate; for I say to you, you shall see Me no more till you say, Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!' (Mat. 23:38,39).

God-fearing men and women

The teachers and leaders may have rejected the Lord but there were God-fearing men and women whose hearts loved God and longed for the coming Messiah. God was still working in the lives of those who despite national rejection loved the place of the Name. We meet two of them at the time the Lord Jesus was brought to the Temple by Mary and Joseph to fulfil the requirements regarding His birth. Simeon 'was just and devout, waiting for the Consolation of Israel...' (Luke 2:25). Here was a man humbly living out his life in the fear of God and earnestly waiting for the coming Messiah. He had received revelation he would not die before he had seen the Lord's Christ. Led by the Spirit he came into the Temple his heart overflowing with praise as he took into his arms the One who was God's salvation. The One who was, 'A light to bring revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of Your people Israel' (v.32). Little wonder Joseph and Mary marvelled at the Spirit's outpouring and at the further revelation that the Child was destined for the fall and rising of many in Israel (v.34).

Anna we are told, 'did not depart from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day' (Luke 2:37). Hers was dedication borne out of love for the people of God and her desire to see Israel's Messiah. She too was used by the Holy Spirit to proclaim glad tidings as she 'spoke of Him to all those who looked for redemption in Jerusalem' (v.38).

My messenger

Finally we come to John the Baptist and his parents Elizabeth and Zachar-ias. John's mission was announced to Zacharias on the occasion when by lot it was his turn to burn incense in the Temple. As he came forward to serve at the golden altar the angel Gabriel, sent from God spoke to him saying, 'Do not be afraid Zacharias, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John' (Luke 1:13). John's birth was to be an answer to the prayers of godly parents who loving the Lord and His house longed to see the arrival of the Messiah. Gabriel foretold:

...many will rejoice at his birth. For he will be great in the sight of the Lord... He will also be filled with the Holy Spirit... he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God... he will also go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah... to make ready a people prepared for the Lord (vv.14-17).

This message was itself confirmation of the prophecy in Malachi 3:1,2. Zachar-ias was literally made speechless (see v.20), because he had doubted, but great rejoicing was to follow, and subsequently at the naming of John his tongue was loosed. Filled with the Holy Spirit, Zacharias prophesied about the Lord's purposes in sending John to prepare the way of the Lord (see Luke 1:68-79).

In closing let us remind one another of our need to express our love for the house of God by continued obedience to His Word, bearing spiritual fruit according to our privileged calling. For the conditional nature of our standing in the house of God is clear:

...whose house are we, if we hold fast our boldness and the glorying of our hope firm unto the end (Heb. 3:6 RV). Biblical quotations from the NKJV except above.

Michael Elliott, Manchester, England | Dec 1999
Lovers Of God's House