The House Of God

by G. Prasher | Category: General | May 1943

We desire in this article to show what the Scriptures set forth on the subject of God's temple, especially as to whether God does really dwell in a temple on the earth, or whether the heavenly temple alone is His place 0f dwelling?

It is our wish also to note the futility of any mere profession which is not accompanied with godliness of living, in agreement with that holiness which becometh the house of the LORD for evermore (Psalm 93.5).

To begin with let us be very definite on the truth that God has a house, or temple, in heaven. Solomon, in his dedicatory prayer, says, "When Thy people shall pray toward this place:. yea, hear Thou in heaven Thy dwelling place; and when Thou hearest, forgive" (1 Kings 8.30). Here it is clear that while Solomon had built God a house in Jerusalem yet at the same time God had a dwelling in heaven.

This dual thought in connection with God's dwelling must not blind us to the fact that at no time has God recognised two dwellings on the earth at one time. He has a dwelling in heaven, "the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, not man" (Hebrews 8.2; see also Revelation 14.19), and He may have a dwelling upon the earth at the same period, but never has He had two dwelling places on the earth at once.

The tabernacle in the wilderness and at Shiloh, the temple built by Solomon, and that built by Zerubbabel give proof of this. In each of those periods there was not another earthly dwelling.

Though the heaven of heavens cannot contain God, yet in very deed He is pleased to dwell on the earth, and take up His abode in a structure reared by the hands of persons whose hearts have been stirred by the Spirit of God, and instructed by His word.

When we consider the immeasurable majesty of Jehovah we must surely concede that it is only a matter of degree between the wonder of His dwelling on earth, and that of His dwelling in the heaven, since the heaven of heavens cannot contain Him (1 Kings 8.27). "I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit."

Bayith, house, and hekel, palace or temple, are two words used in the Old Testament for God's dwelling on the earth. Hekel, is used for all the buildings-those raised by Moses, by Solomon, and by the Remnant. The tabernacle in the wilderness, though so very small, was a palace for the God of heaven equally with the grand structure built by Solomon. Remnant builders for God to-day may take courage and build, laying to heart the message through the prophet: "Be strong, all ye people of the land, saith the LORD, and work: for I am with you, saith the LORD of hosts." "Build the house, and I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified" (Haggai 2.4 ; 1.8).

Mishkan, dwelling, and ohel, tent, may also be studied with profit in the subject before us. Mishkan is used very often to describe God's desert dwelling, and it contrasts with ohel, tent, in this way, that whilst the former denotes the actual dwelling, the shrine of God, the latter is more associated with the place of meeting for men. Mishkan points to the place where God actually dwelt-" The God of Israel, whose habitation (mishkan) is in Jerusalem " (Ezra 7.15 : see also Psalm 132.5).

We come now to the New Testament, and here we find the same precious truths. Hieron, temple, was the part which men frequented, the meeting place: "And all the people came early in the morning to Him in the temple (hieron), to hear Him" (Luke 21. 88). This was the place where the people congregated. Naos, a dwelling place, an inner sanctuary, is the place where God's presence was, His shrine.

In this shrine were the table which speaks of fellowship; the lampstand which speaks of testimony; the altar which speaks of worship; and behind the veil was the ark with its mercy-seat and cherubim. The high priest's annual visit here with blood of the slain victim speaks of Christ who "through His own blood, entered in once for all into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption" (Hebrews 9.12).

This Hebrew epistle presents an exalted Christ whose Person and work invite a holy priesthood within the heavenly sanctuary to worship God. Through Him we can enter there in spirit, though our bodies remain down here on earth.

Do these facts annul the truth of God's dwelling on the earth in our day? We believe, certainly not! Does the fact ~f the king's speaking from the throne to the legislative assembly deny that he has a house in Northern Britain? Surely not! The heavenly sanctuary is our place of worship, yet at the same time the God of the heavenly sanctuary desires to have a place wherein to dwell on earth among men.

Then who or what are the temple or house of God in this dispensation? 1 Corinthians 6.19 shows us that the body of every believer is a temple of the Holy Spirit. Yet God does not use the term house in this connection. One believer could not form God's house. We are taken a step forward in 1 Corinthians 3. 16, where referring to the church 6f God in that city the Holy Spirit says: "Know ye not that #e are a temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? (Literally, "Ye are temple of God," for, as we shall see, this church was but a part of the temple). Then in 2 Corinthians 6.16 the assembly is spoken of thus-" Ye are temple of the living God."

The larger or complete thing is referred to in Ephesians 2.21, 22: "In whom each several building, fitly framed together, groweth into a: holy temple in the Lord; in whom ye also are builded together for a habitation of God in the Spirit." The buildings here are the churches of God throughout different parts of the world, which, far from being independent, isolated units, were so linked together that they formed one great structure, namely, the temple or house of God. "A spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood," is how Peter speaks of the gathered saints in the churches throughout the five provinces (1 Peter 2.5).

Hebrews 3.6 shows the conditional side: "Whose house are we if we hold fast our boldness and the glorying of our hope firm unto the end." In apostolic times there was a concrete thing on the earth-the churches of God so- united into one that they formed a habitation for God in the Spirit. To be in and -of this involved obedience to the truth, to the faith (1 Peter 1.2, 22; Acts 6.7); and when there was a letting go of the truth, a departure from God and His word, whether manifested doctrinally or morally, the position in the house was forfeited (see 1 Corinthians 5.1-5, 18; 1 Timothy 1. 19;20).

Nor could we rest upon our oars and say: "The temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD, are these," if all the time the statutes and the judgements of the LORD were despised, and trust put in lying words that cannot profit (Jeremiah 7. 1-15). There is an ever present need, and we require instruction as to how to behave ourselves "in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth" (1 Timothy 3.15).

In some parts of Scotland there is a custom followed up from time to time, known as. the riding of the marches, when certain boundaries are marched round, and thereby, so to speak, those demarcation lines are freshened and revived. Perhaps what we -are doing in this article may be compared to this. We do well to ride the marches in the truth of God.

G. Prasher | May 1943
General