Building: Divine versus Man's
– G. A. Rainbow

Estranged from God by sin, man began to build up an independent system – a city. The first city was built by Cain. Genesis 4: 17.

After God judged the world with the flood, Nimrod – Cain's successor – built many cities for his kingdom. Gen. 10: 8-12.

• The most important of these cities historically was Babel – which incurred Jehovah's displeasure and scattering judgment. Genesis 11: 1-9.

Beginning with Noah, Abraham and the other patriarchs, God's people were content to build an altar, thus maintaining direct personal relations with Jehovah while living as strangers in a foreign country.

• Abraham is "the father of all them that believe", Romans 4: 11. He "waited for the city which has foundations, of which God is the artificer and constructor" or builder, Hebrews 11: 9-10.

After God transferred earthly government to the nations, Nebuchadnezzar the first great Gentile ruler boasted,

• "Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power and for the glory of my majesty?", Daniel 4: 30.

• For this, God abased him and he was brought to own the greatness of God.

But the great Gentile powers, once respectful of the God of the heavens, under the influence of the god of this world have shown that they are in fact the natural issue of their fathers Cain and Nimrod.

• In the days of our Lord the Gentile kingdoms had culminated in the Roman empire, a vast dominating system – political, military, cultural, religious and economic.

Later, after the Jewish remnant returned from the Babylonian captivity, a system developed in which the mind and will of man dominated, by means of the baneful influence of the Pharisees and the Sadducees – and what was of God came under reproach.

The turning point in the Lord's ministry is Matt. 11: 13-30.

• He reproaches and rejects the Jewish system and calls the "babes" to Himself.

• As David did, He accepts the place of rejection, Matthew 12: 1-8. Disregarding the man–made regulations for the Sabbath, He identifies Himself as Son of man in relation to all men, outside both the Jewish system and the Gentile system.

• Then follows the blasphemous charge as to Beelzebub. Jesus exposes and seals His opposers' fate with the sign of Jonas.

• In Matthew 12: 46-50, He refuses natural family claims, leading to the identification of a new generation, and paving the way for the universal outlook opened up in His teaching by the sea. Matthew 13.

• There are continued evidences of His rejection in chapters 14 and 15.

• Finally He turns again to the sign of Jonas – and then "He left them and went away", Matthew 16: 1-4.

• The disciples finally understand His warning as to the "leaven" of the "doctrine of the Pharisees and the Sadducees", Matthew 16: 5-12.

The foregoing is preparatory to the Lord setting up His own system following the ultimate act of rejection – crucifixion – and the consequent evidence of God's approval of Him – resurrection.

Peter states this clearly in an early gospel preaching:

• "Jesus Christ the Nazaræan whom ye have crucified, whom God has raised from among the dead …

• He is the stone which has been set at nought by you the builders, which is become the corner stone.

• And salvation is in none other, for neither is there another name under heaven which is given among men by which we must be saved", Acts 4: 10-12.

• See 1 Peter 2: 7, where Psalm 118: 22 is again quoted.

The Pharisees and Sadducees had already rejected Jesus. As the official "builders" in Israel they had decided that they could not absorb Him into their system. Indeed, they did not want Him.

Jesus "demanded of His disciples, saying, Who do men say that I the Son of man am ?", Matthew 16: 13. The people evidently had a much higher regard for Jesus than the rulers, but only as one of the prophets.

• Simon Peter, however, has a special revelation from the Father, and speaks for the disciples: "Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God", Matthew 16: 16. Compare John 6: 68-69.

At this pivotal point, the owning of His person, Jesus declares Himself as the Builder of an entirely new and different system.

• "Thou art Peter" a stone, "and on this rock" the truth of His Person "I will build My assembly".

He rejects the corrupt Jewish system and the violent Roman system (alluded to in "Caesarea" – named after the emperor) and announces the building of His own assembly, an impregnable position for "hades' gates shall not prevail against it", Matthew 16: 18.

The superiority of this new system, connected with the confession of Jesus as both "Apostle" (declarer) and "High Priest" (sustainer) is set out in Hebrews 3: 1-6:

• "For He has been counted worthy of greater glory than Moses, by how much He that has built it has more honour than the house … but Christ, as Son over His house, whose house are we, if indeed we hold fast the boldness and the boast of hope firm to the end".

Paul speaks of the stability of the divine system and what is becoming to it:

• "that thou mayest know how one ought to conduct oneself in God's house, which is the assembly of the living God, the pillar and base of the truth", 1 Timothy 3: 15.

• He immediately connects this with the great foundation truth of "the mystery of piety" – the mystery of the Person of Christ and the Incarnation.

Acts 2 records the formation of Christ's assembly at Pentecost.

• Then those who accepted Peter's preaching – the resurrection and exaltation of Jesus and the presence of the promised Holy Spirit here – and who fled from the corrupt generation, were added to the number of those who had been formed into the house of God.

Despite the continued opposition of hades' gates, through the Jews and other opposers, the work of God flourished and the divine system could not be overthrown.

• It was like "Jerusalem … built as a city that is compact together", Psalm 122: 3.

Although the public ruin of the church is manifest on all sides, the divine building continues:

• "Jesus Christ Himself being the corner-stone, in whom all the building fitted together increases to a holy temple in the Lord; in whom ye also are built together for a habitation of God in the Spirit", Eph. 2: 20-22.

The final result will be similar to that of which the prophet spoke:

• "And he shall bring forth the headstone with shoutings: Grace, grace unto it!" – and so, "who hath despised the day of small things?" Zechariah 4: 7, 10.

Peter speaks of the ongoing work of divine building.

• The stone rejected by human builders as unsuitable to their system is the living stone, the Son of the living God. Matt. 16: 16-18; Acts 2: 8-12; 1 Peter 2: 4-10.

Paul confirms Peter, and speaks of Christ as "marked out Son of God in power, according to the Spirit of holiness, by resurrection of the dead", Romans 1: 4.

He is chosen by God and precious, but many will stumble at Him through unbelief. However, those who believe – the living stones – come to Him and

• "are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood" (Godward), "to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ" and

• "a kingly priesthood" (manward), "a holy nation, a people for a possession, that ye might set forth the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness to His wonderful light", 1 Peter 2: 5, 9.

Paul and John enlarge on another feature of divine building.

• The divine system not only supersedes man's system and is constituted impregnable because it is Christ's own building – but

• that which has begun in time on earth will go through and be manifested in heavenly glory in the millennial kingdom, and will finally culminate in eternity.

John's ministry, held in reserve for the last days, gives the public display of all that for which Paul laboured.

• Paul also deals with man's responsibility in building in 1: Corinthians. See the next chapter.

"While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul, having passed through the upper districts," alluding to spiritual elevation "came to Ephesus", Acts 19: 1.

• He had been at Ephesus briefly before and had left Priscilla and Aquila there, having preached in the synagogue, with the intention of returning.

• Nothing is said of any fruit from his service at that time but, while he was absent, Aquila and Priscilla helped Apollos by unfolding "the way of God more exactly", Acts 18: 26.

In Acts 19: 1-8, on his return to Ephesus Paul found certain disciples, and inquiry drew out that not only had they not received the Holy Spirit but they were quite unaware of His present availability.

• Through Paul's service, these disciples were enlightened as to the purpose of John the baptist's ministry, directed to Jesus as Lord and baptized to His name, and then received the Spirit.

That was the beginning of Paul's most fruitful service in both personal and written ministry, and it drew out a bitter attack by the enemy.

• But the building had begun in that city, and it became representative of the assembly as a whole, viewed from the highest spiritual level.

• Paul's charge, in Acts 20: 17-36, to the elders of the assembly in Ephesus indicates the high value he placed on the work begun in that locality, in which he had laboured so long.

From his prison in Rome, in his letter to the Ephesian saints, Paul sets out the heavenly side of the truth as to the saints individually and the assembly corporately.

• But, on the basis of peace having been made between Jew and Gentile, both reconciled in one body to God by the cross, he also opens up the great truth of the present, as well as future, dwelling of God among His people.
  • "So then ye are no longer strangers and foreigners, but ye are fellow–citizens of the saints, and of the household of God,

  • being built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the corner-stone,

  • in whom all the building fitted together increases to a holy temple in the Lord;

  • in whom ye also are built together for a habitation of God in the Spirit", Ephesians 2: 19-22.

First, Paul identifies the Ephesian saints with the work of God universally and the ultimate result – "increases to a holy temple in the Lord" –

• which will be manifested in the fulness of times when all things are headed up in Christ, and which will continue into, and abide for, eternity. Compare Ephesians 1: 10; Revelation 21: 9-27; 21: 1-4.

But he also emphasizes the present privilege of being "built together" locally "for a habitation of God in the Spirit".

• Later, in Ephesians 5: 18, he stresses the necessity of being "filled with the Spirit" so that there might be an increasing yield for God in praise, leading to fulness in the service of God in His holy temple –

• which would be the answer to Paul's prayer "that ye may be filled even to all the fulness of God", Ephesians 3: 14-19.

This blessed state is set out typically on the completion of the building of the temple:

• "And the priests brought in the ark of the covenant of Jehovah to its place, into the oracle of the house …

• And it came to pass when the priests were come out of the holy place …

• it came to pass when the trumpeters and the singers were as one, to make one voice to be heard in praising and thanking Jehovah …

• that then the house, the house of Jehovah, was filled with a cloud, and the priests could not stand to do their service because of the cloud;

• for the glory of Jehovah had filled the house of God", 2 Chronicles 5: 2-14.

Then Paul brings together the present and the future aspects of the service of God in his doxology:

• "But to Him that is able to do far exceedingly above all which we ask or think, according to the power which works in us, to Him be glory in the assembly in Christ Jesus unto all generations of the age of ages. Amen", Ephesians 3: 20-21.

This great result is the fruit of the work of Christ through servants such as Paul.

• It is typified in David's commitment to "find out a place for Jehovah" whose presence was represented by the ark, "habitations" i.e., a dwelling "for the Mighty One of Jacob", Psalm 135: 5 –

• and in his immense preparations for the building of the temple which are given in 1 Chronicles 22 – 29.

It may seem impossible, in view of the public ruin of the church, that this divine building could still be going on at the present time,

• but "the power which works in us", i.e., the Spirit, is still the same as at the beginning, and the work is still proceeding on to its completion.

Amidst all the failure recorded in the letters to the seven assemblies in Asia, the Lord Himself confirms that the divine building is proceeding to completion:

• "I come quickly: hold fast what thou hast, that no one take thy crown.

• He that overcomes, him will I make a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go no more at all out;

• and I will write upon him the name of My God, and the name of the city of My God, the new Jerusalem," (the new Jerusalem" refers to the eternal state – Revelation 21: 2.) "which comes down out of heaven, from My God, and My new name.

• He that has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the assemblies", Revelation 3: 11-13.

This precious promise looks on to the culmination of all that is being wrought by the Spirit in the present time.

• It is given to John, the reserve man as he has been rightly described, to unveil the fulfilment of the great work of building in Revelation 21 and 22.

The ultimate fulfilment of this great work in the eternal state, is given first.

• "And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of the heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband …

• Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He shall tabernacle with them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself shall be with them their God", Revelation 21: 1-4.

Then, in Revelation 21: 9 – 22: 6, John sees that which will take place earlier:

• "And he … shewed me the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down out of the heaven from God, having the glory of God" to shed its benign influence over the earth.

• "And I saw no temple in it; for the Lord God Almighty is its temple and the Lamb".

This is the city for which Abraham waited – "the city which has foundations, of which God is the artificer and constructor", Hebrews 11: 10.

• Through this city of divine building, the glory of God will influence all nations. It will be the seat of adminis-tration and source of refreshment for the whole earth.

"Blessed are they that wash their robes, that they may have right to the tree of life, and that they should go in by the gates into the city", Revelation 22: 14.

Man's part in building is dealt with in 1 Corinthians. Acts 18: 1-18 records Paul's labour in Corinth for 1½ years.

• At the beginning of the work Aquila and Priscilla were already living there, and they were probably the nucleus of the assembly. Later Silas and Timothy joined them.

• The Lord was greatly interested in Corinth, saying to Paul, "I have much people in this city".

The Corinthians were adversely affected by the corrupt morals of their city and by the Greek passion for wisdom.How often immorality is the bosom companion of human intelligence!

• They saw "men … as trees, walking", Mark 8: 24.

• Paul exposes their spiritual immaturity in ranging themselves behind an assortment of puny local leaders, in unholy imitation of the national occupation of hero worship. 1 Corinthians 1: 11-13; 3: 1-4.

Paul, "as a wise architect" or expert builder had, through his extended ministry in Corinth, "laid the foundation" of another order of Man "which is Jesus Christ", 1 Corinthians 3: 10-11.

Of his coming to Corinth, Paul said "I did not judge it well to know anything among you save Jesus Christ, and Him crucified", 1 Corinthians 2: 2.

• His ministry, "in demonstration of the Spirit and of power", had applied the cross to man in the flesh so that they might understand that only that which was of the same order of man as Christ was suitable to God,

• and that which was of the natural man, whether the religious Jew or the humanistic Greek, could not be tolerated in God's assembly.

The Corinthians were responsible for what they built locally on the foundation which Paul had laid.

• That which was of Christ would stand, but that which was of man would be burned up when God judges the work of all. 1 Corinthians 3: 10-15.

The characteristics of Corinth have permeated the whole profession and, almost without exception, the features of the first man are not merely tolerated but applauded.

• A great system, refusing the rule of the Holy Spirit, but characterized by man's religious feelings and human intellect has been built up.

• The clerical system, with its academic and rationalistic education, is the parading of the first man before God and His assembly.

• "Do ye not know that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If any one corrupt the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, and such are ye", 1 Corinthians 3: 16-17.

The local assembly is the dwelling place of God and those who build must not fail to be governed by that awesome fact.

• One very important effect of the death of Christ was the judgment of the first man.

• Every feature of that man must be rigidly excluded from the presence of God in the assembly.

• Any disregard of the holy presence of God will incur His angry displeasure and righteous judgment.

The root of the Corinthian disorder, in all it sordidness, was serious doctrinal error which Paul exposes in 1 Cor. 15.

• He does so only after first dealing with their many questions and problems so that it would be abundantly clear to all.

• If he had raised it at the first it would only have led to defensiveness, which his exposure of their fleshly immaturity forestalls.

The denial of the resurrection was an attack on Christ and the foundation of God's work in Corinth.

• The foundation was Jesus Christ – a Man of another order – once crucified, dead, and buried but raised by God.

If Christ is raised the only building that can be suitable to Him must also have the character of resurrection – the features of a Man of a new order, of a Man living to God and not to Himself

• as the Corinthians were doing with their
  • sectarianism,
  • partisanship,
  • toleration of immorality,
  • going to worldly courts,
  • and insensitivity to idolatrous associations.

• The cross ends all that, and resurrection brings in what is pleasing to God and suitable to His dwelling among them. Compare Numbers 5: 1-4; 2 Cor. 6: 15 – 7: 1.

The Corinthians, apart from "the approved" (11: 19), had left God out of their considerations:

• "Unless Jehovah build the house, in vain do its builders labour in it; unless Jehovah keep the city, the keeper watcheth in vain", Psalm 127: 1.

• "The time of having the judgment begin from the house of God is come", 1 Peter 4: 17.

They had ignored the fact that

• "Christ Jesus … has been made to us wisdom from God", 1 Corinthians 1: 29.

• "The wisdom of women buildeth their house; but folly plucketh it down with her hands", Proverbs 14: 1.

• "Through wisdom is a house built, and by under-standing it is established; and by knowledge are the chambers filled with all precious and pleasant substance", Proverbs 24: 3-4.

• But they were relying on human knowledge, rather than the knowledge of God, and such "knowledge puffs up, but love edifies", 1 Corinthians 8: 1.

Their selfishness was so flagrant that it even showed itself at that which the apostle could no longer call the Lord's Supper. 1 Corinthians 11: 20-22.

"Let all things be done to edification", 1 Corinthians 14: 26.

• Where this 1s done, even an "unbeliever or simple person" will acknowledge, "God is indeed amongst you", 1 Corinthians 14: 23-25.

• Let us afford God suitable conditions for Him to dwell restfully in our local situations.

The later writings of Paul, as well as the writings of Peter, Jude and John, especially the letters to the seven assemblies in Asia, predict the public ruin of the church –

• the failure of the builders (those in the place of responsibility and indeed, in one sense, all are responsible) to keep to the divine pattern.

Sectarianism, clericalism, and the acceptance of worldly principles in general, abound in that which takes the name of Christ publicly.

• The denial of the truth of the Lord's deity, and the espousal of evil doctrines and toleration of immorality, go hand in hand with these wicked practices.

The concerned Christian may become discouraged, looking on hopelessly and helplessly.

• But we are not without hope or resource. In view of his departure, Paul committed the elders of Ephesus "to God, and to the word of His grace", Acts 20: 32.

Facing desertion by his opposers in Asia, Paul exhorts his beloved child, Timothy:

• "And the things thou hast heard of me in the presence of many witnesses, these entrust to faithful men, such as shall be competent to instruct others also", 2 Timothy 1: 15; 2: 2.

Despite evil workmen and their evil teaching,

• "Yet the firm foundation of God stands, having this seal, The Lord knows those that are His; and, Let every one who names the name of the Lord withdraw from iniquity", 2 Timothy 2: 19.

The books of Ezra and Nehemiah, as well as the post-captivity prophets, Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi, yield much practical guidance as to how to build when all is in ruin.

• "And thus they returned us answer, saying, We are the servants of the God of the heavens and the earth, and build the house that was built these many years ago; and a great king of Israel built and completed it", Ezra 5: 11.

• They go back to "Solomon's foundation", 2 Chronicles 3: 3 – and so we are to go back to "the firm foundation of God", 2 Timothy 2: 19.

The returned remnant first built the altar re-establishing the sacrificial link with God – typifying the Lord's Table and the Lord's Supper.

• Ezra 3: 1-6; 1 Corinthians 10 – 11; see also Matthew 18: 20 and Exodus 20: 24.

Then they laid the foundation of the temple for the service of God. When their enemies attempt to join with them in building the temple they refuse:

• "Ye have nothing to do with us to build a house to our God, but we alone will build to Jehovah the God of Israel", Ezra 4: 3.

In all this, as later in Nehemiah, they held to divine principles and insisted on a proven genealogy before any could be accepted to exercise priesthood. Ezra 2: 61-63.

• For us this mean that we can prove our right to engage in the service of God by maintaining practical separation from all that dishonours Him. 2 Timothy 2: 19-22.

After a long interval of 58 years in which there had been great decline, God sends Ezra "a ready scribe in the law of Moses, which Jehovah the God of Israel had given", Ezra 7: 6.

• He deals with the mixed conditions in the spirit of repentance, and the people covenant with God to maintain the holy separation due to Him.

Note that in the building of the altar they go back to first principles

• "to offer up burnt–offerings on it, as it is written in the law of Moses the man of God", Ezra 3: 2.

They resort to first principles again for

• "when the builders laid the foundation of the temple of Jehovah, they set the priests in their apparel, with trumpets, and the Levites the sons of Asaph, with cymbals, to praise Jehovah according to the directions of David king of Israel", Ezra 3: 10.

There is an interval of 13 years between the books of Ezra and Nehemiah.

• It would appear that the building of the wall had commenced in that interval but it had been stopped by force. Ezra 4: 7-23.

• Nehemiah received a report that "the wall of Jerusalem is in ruins, and its gates are burned with fire", Neh. 1: 3. This was used by God to stir up Nehemiah to return and build the wall.

Both the altar and the temple are essential that God might be served by His people.

• In our building we must give priority to what these matters signify – i.e., the Lord's Table and the Lord's Supper, the evidence of our continuing sacrificial link with God, and the resultant service of God in worship and praise.

But what is so precious to God and to His people must be protected and this is the purpose of the wall:

• the keeping out of what is damaging and dangerous and the preservation of all that is holy and precious – at the same time providing restful conditions in which the Lord's Supper and the service of God may proceed.

Nehemiah laboured energetically to this end, in spite of enticements to stop.

• He mobilizes the people and the wall is built in record time.

• The gates are an integral part of the wall, and show that isolationism and insularity are not the objective, but controlled and monitored access and egress.

May we build the altar, the temple and the wall, conscious of our weakness like the returned remnant but assured of divine support.

• "Behold, I have set before thee an opened door, which no one can shut, because thou hast a little power, and hast kept My word, and hast not denied My name", Revelation 3: 8.