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God's Masterpiece The Temple of God
Know ye not that ye are the temple
[sanctuary] of God, Harrison Pierce Reed III Our common dictionaries define an architect as a builder, a craftsman, a master-builder—or, as the Oxford Dictionary of the English Language so eloquently puts it, “a skilled professor of the art of building, whose business it is to prepare the plans of edifices, and exercise a general superintendence over the course of their erection.” When we think of an architect, we naturally think of a planner and designer, perhaps also an engineer, of buildings: we refer to the art of an architect as architecture; indeed, most of us have marveled, at one time or another, at the exquisite design, or the awesome grace and beauty, of a building. Hebrews 3:4 tells us, “Every house is builded by some man; but he that built all things is God.” So, in this sense, we might apply the term, arch [chief or principal] architect, to Jehovah God. The preceding articles in this issue looked at God’s work as the arch-architect of things which were, and are to be, built. Now we consider the “lively [living—Strong’s #2198] stones, [which] are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood” (1 Peter 2:5)—the Church. As with every building designed by an architect, the Church needs a foundation. Paul put it this way: “We are labourers together with God: ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building. According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 3:9-11—cf. John 14:6; Acts 4:10-12; 1 Corinthians 2:2). The building of Solomon’s Temple was a picture of the building of the Church in many ways, but with one outstanding exception: Solomon’s Temple, as with all earthbound structures, was built from the bottom up, while the Church, uniquely, is built from the top down. Jesus Christ, the great and solid Foundation of the Church, is also its Head (Colossians 1:18; Ephesians 5:23). The Church is the Body of Christ (Ephesians 1:22,23). The Foundation of the Church, our Lord Jesus Christ, was “laid” in heaven, illustrated in the Scriptures as the top or head “stone” of a singular “building”—“the head [stone] of the corner” (Psalm 118:22; Matthew 21:42; Ephesians 2:19-22). “Therefore thus saith the Lord Jehovah, Behold, I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner-stone of sure foundation” (Isaiah 28:16, ASV). So here we have, in effect, the image of an inverted building (from an earthly standpoint) with a single stone (Jesus Christ, our “precious corner-stone”) as both its top-corner and its foundation. Pastor Russell explains: “The Apostle ... shows (1 Peter 2:4-8) that ... consecrated and faithful children of God have the privilege of becoming members of a grand spiritual house, of which Christ Jesus is the head. The shape of the building to which reference is made, evidently, is that of a pyramid, and was probably suggested to his mind by the words of the Prophet Isaiah (28:16) to which he refers, saying, ‘Behold, I lay in Zion a chief corner stone, elect, precious; . . . . the same is made the head of the corner, and a stone of stumbling and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the Word, being disobedient, whereunto also they were appointed.’ “The chief corner stone in a pyramid is the top stone, which is also the model after which the whole building is being fashioned. The Prophet Zechariah (4:7) calls it the head-stone, and Isaiah (28:16) calls it a foundation-stone. At first thought these figures seem incongruous, but they are not really so when we consider that this building is not an earthly, but a heavenly building, having a heavenly foundation, and that it is held together, not by earthly, but by heavenly attraction. And it is in accordance with this thought that we are invited to come unto Christ, the chief corner stone, to be built up under him and to be fashioned for our places as living stones in this building, in accordance with the lines and angles seen in him who is the model.”—Reprints, p. 1568. Something most remarkable is mentioned about the building of Solomon’s Temple: “The house, when it was in building, was built of stone made ready before it was brought thither: so that there was neither hammer nor ax nor any tool of iron heard in the house, while it was in building” (1 Kings 6:7). So true and perfect was each and every stone fashioned for the temple that each fit precisely into the location, and to the function, for which it had been designed, carefully quarried, and cut: no further “tooling” was needed. One aspect of the advance “tooling” and fitting of the Church is instruction in love and truth: “And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: till we all come into the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature [maturity—Strong’s #2244] of the fulness of Christ: that we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; but speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: from whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.” (Ephesians 4:11-16—cf. 1 Corinthians 12:28 to 13:13; 2 Timothy 2:15). Another portion of the “tooling” is the Lord’s discipline: like rough-cut pieces of raw rock, each member of the body of Christ must be fashioned, refined and polished, perfected and fitted for the intended place. One form of such discipline comes directly from the Scriptures (2 Timothy 3:16,17; Hebrews 4:12). Another comes in experiences, temptations, and trials (Romans 5:3,4; James 1:12). Yet another is in the sharing of the sufferings of Christ (1 Peter 4:12-19). The continual exhortation to love one another is necessary because one source of painful experience is the chafing of body-members against one another. Those who love one another in the Lord may at times find it more difficult, in selected cases, to like each other. Favoritism or jealousies may occur. Paul also addressed this problem, teaching that each member is as important, and as necessary, as every other, and as worthy of respect (see 1 Corinthians 12:14-27, especially verse 26, “And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it”). The Lord’s discipline of the Church is presented in terms of parental love and caring in Hebrews 12:4-14. As in all matters, the Scriptures are honest: “Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby” (Hebrews 12:11). But that is followed by words of encouragement in verses 12 through 14: “Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees; and make straight paths for your feet, lest that which is lame be turned out of the way; but let it rather be healed. Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.” (See also Romans 8:28-39.) In the realm of God’s architecture, the Church holds a special place as a called-out and living building; the Church has the unique and high honor of being sons of God, joint-heirs with Christ, a part of the seed of Abraham, in which all the families of the earth will be blessed (Galatians 3:6-9,14,26-29). What a wonderful gift that God in his love arranged to deliver mankind from the folly of their own sin, and that he should condescend to enlist the help of a select company to assist in the work and to share in the glory he has given to his only-begotten son! How great is his love for us! (John 3:16,17; 1 John 4:9,10) “O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor? Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again? For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.”—Romans 11:33-36. |