WHEN the people of God are in a healthy spiritual condition, the funds are healthy also and the Treasurers have no anxiety. The spiritual affections being in full flow, all that is required for the maintenance of the Lord’s work is in full flow also. When Jehovah asked Israel in the wilderness to prepare Him a habitation, the offerings were so abundant that the people had to be restrained. Bezaleel and his helpers reported to Moses, “The people bring much more than enough for the service of the work, which Jehovah commanded to make” (Ex. 36:5). Their hard-earned Egyptian wages, secured for them by Jehovah Himself before they left that land (Ex. 3:22), were willingly laid at the feet of their Saviour-God. Even so, their devotedness will not compare with that of the poor widow upon whom the eye of the Lord Jesus rested in the days of His flesh (Luke 21:2-4).
There was a pitiful contrast in Malachi’s day. The remnant returned from Babylon, to whom God had shown much favor, became so cold and indifferent in their religious exercises that even the prescribed tithes and offerings were not brought in (Mal. 3:8-10). Voluntary offerings―the “extras” which manifest the love of the heart, were absolutely non-existent.
When Hezekiah appealed to the people concerning the needs of the house of Jehovah, he was delighted with the result. “When Hezekiah and the princes came and saw the heaps, they blessed Jehovah and His people Israel” (2 Chron. 31:8). The pious king’s feelings were similar to those of Paul in Philippians 4:17― “Not that I desire a gift: but I desire fruit that may abound to your account.”
The coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost produced a marvelous wave of surrender amongst the newly saved. Their joy was great. Behold how they stood with God! Having been convicted of the awful crime of killing the Son of God, they had come to understand that His death was part of a divine counsel of grace, and that in virtue of His death and resurrection they were forgiven and blessed. Their affections followed earth’s rejected One to the place where He had gone, and this made the things of earth of but small value in their eyes. Accordingly, they “sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need” (Acts 2:45). They did not understand union, for the Mystery had not yet been revealed, but they practiced unity most blessedly. There were no suffering poor in the early Church in Jerusalem. Barnabas is specially named in connection with this remarkable wave of surrender. “Having land, he sold it, and brought the money, and laid it at the Apostles’ feet” (Acts 4:37). This community of goods was not demanded of them; but the voluntariness of it made it very precious in the sight of Him who for our sakes became poor that we through His poverty might be rich (2 Cor. 8:9).
A community of goods was only practicable while the Church was limited to one city. As the truth spread, and Assemblies sprung up elsewhere, a different condition of things obtained. Some were rich, and others were poor. The Corinthians were wealthy, but the Assemblies of Macedonia were poor (2 Cor. 8:1-2). When need arose in one quarter, it was met from another, for the Church of God is one throughout the earth. The first example of this is recorded in Acts 11:27-30. A general famine was predicted by Agabus, and the brethren in Antioch, “every man according to his ability, determined to send relief unto the brethren which dwelt in Judea.” The threatened trouble was to be “a great dearth throughout the world.” Thus Antioch was in danger, as well as Judea, yet they sent their gifts! Unselfish love, assuredly! This is a greater and more enduring bond than ecclesiastical regulations, however well-intentioned they may be. Judea might well have replied to Antioch, “the things which were sent from you are an odor of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, well-pleasing to God” (Phil. 4:18). Coming now to the Temple, Solomon was the man chosen by God to build it. “Solomon thy son, he shall build My house and My courts, for I have chosen him to be My son, and I will be his father” (1 Chron. 28:6). But the plans were nevertheless given to David. “All this,” said David, “Jehovah made me understand in writing by His hand upon me, even all the works of this pattern” (1 Chron. 28:19). These plans David entrusted to Solomon, “the pattern of the porch, and of the houses thereof,” etc. (1 Chron. 28:11). David stood upon higher ground in relation to Jehovah than his distinguished son. He was as truly a vessel of divine inspiration as Moses in the wilderness. What honor will compare with conscious nearness to God?
In all his afflictions David delighted in the thought of a house for God. The humble tabernacle was very dear to him meantime. “Jehovah, I have loved the habitation of Thy house, and the place where Thy glory dwelleth” (Psa. 26:8). When his wanderings ceased, and he dwelt in peace in “a house of cedar,” it did not please David that the ark of God still abode in curtains (2 Sam. 7:2). The intensity of his desire is expressed in Psalms 132 But however godly his desire, and however acceptable to God, the man of peace, not the man of war, must be the builder of God’s house (1 Chron. 22:8-9). Psalms 132 looks far beyond the day of Solomon to Christ’s millennial reign. Then a Temple will be reared that will excel in glory anything that earth has yet seen. Ezekiel’s last nine chapters describe with much detail the new conditions.
But if David must not build the house for God, he could at least make preparation for it, and this he did with all his heart. Hear him: “I have prepared with all my might for the house of my God.... I have set my affection to the house of my God” (1 Chron. 24:2-3). This is what God hives to see in His people. Yet “the day came when He had to say to Israel, “Who is there among you that would even shut the doors for naught?” (Mal. 1:10). “Behold, what a weariness is it!” (Mal. 1:13) said their poor wayward hearts. All their sorrows have come upon them because they “served not Jehovah their God with joyfulness, and with gladness of heart, for the abundance of all things” (Deut. 28:47). When David brought the ark up to Zion, he “danced before Jehovah with all his might” (2 Sam. 6:14). The same holy enthusiasm manifested itself in him in old age and imparted itself to Solomon, the princes, and the people generally. The whole of the two concluding chapters of 1 Chronicles should be read, for they describe the unity of mind and heart amongst all classes in Israel concerning the great project of building a house for Jehovah.
David’s attitude towards the people while encouraging them to build for God is very beautiful. “Hear me, my brethren” (1 Chron. 28:2). Jehovah desired Israel’s king, when the time came that they would have one, to read the book of the law daily “that his heart be not lifted up above his brethren” (Deut. 17:20). There is nothing of the Oriental despot in this. God’s king must not tyrannize over, but “feed Jacob His people and Israel His inheritance” (Psa. 78:71). The great King of Kings, when He sits upon the throne of His glory with angels in attendance will acknowledge lowly men who have preached His word as “My brethren” (Matt. 25:40).
The offerings for the work of the Temple were immense. David had stored up vast sums, partly the spoil of his conquests; from his own fortune he gave largely; and the princes and people added their quota. The figures stand thus:
1,000,000 talents of silver.
10,000 talents of silver.
Reckoning the gold at ₤5,475 per talent of 114 lbs. weight, and the silver at ₤342 Per talent, the total amounts to ₤591,300,000 gold and ₤347,814,000 silver. This is the value of the precious metals. The brass, iron, and precious stones would swell the amount further.
“The people rejoiced, for that they offered willingly, because with perfect heart they offered willingly to Jehovah, and David the king also rejoiced with great joy.” The king in his public thanksgiving took no credit for this lavishness, saying, “Who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able to offer so willingly after this sort? for all things come of Thee, and of Thine own have we given Thee” (1 Chron. 29:9, 14).
He then called upon the people to bless Jehovah. “And all the congregation blessed Jehovah God of their fathers, and bowed down their heads and worshipped Jehovah and the king.” Burnt-offerings followed on a large scale, and the people “did eat and drink before Jehovah on that day with great gladness” (1 Chron. 29:20-22). Why? Because their faithful God had consented to dwell in their midst, and had allowed them the honor of building the house for His name.
Thus everything was prepared before David’s death for the first of the five Temples which are connected with Jerusalem in the sacred records.
(1) Solomon’s Temple, now to be constructed.
(2) Zerubbabel’s Temple, erected by the pious remnant after the return from Babylon (Ezra 1:3).
(3) Herod’s Temple, built in vainglory by the alien king (John 2:20).
(4) Antichrist’s Temple, built by Jews in his day, and desecrated by him (Rev. 11:1; 2 Thess. 2:4; Matt. 24:15).
(5) The Millennial Temple, specifications given in Ezekiel 40, etc.
When the Lord Jesus died, the veil of the Temple was rent in the midst, God thus signifying that the old order was abolished. The time has now come when neither in Jerusalem nor in Samaria’s mountain should men worship the Father (John 4:25-24).
A few words may well be added here concerning worship in “the hour that now is” (i.e. Christianity). Its fullest expression is found in John 4:21-24. Those who suggest that the Samaritan woman raised the question of places of worship in order to turn aside the keen edge of the Lord’s exposure of her evil life are not quite just. What she had in her mind more probably was the difficulty as to where He could be found of whose holiness the Speaker was making her conscious. The Samaritans said one thing and the Jews another; where then was the true religious center? The Lord replied, “Woman, believe Me” ―note His words! He speaks with authority; He knows God as no other could know Him; and He only can reveal His thoughts. “Believe Me, the hour cometh when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father.” Samaritan worship never had a divine standing—It was an abominable conglomeration from the beginning (2 Kings 17:41); Judaism, on the contrary, was originally of God. But both must stand aside now. The Father stands revealed in the person of the Son of His love; all distance is ended. Sanctuaries and ecclesiastics are worse than useless now. The place of assembly matters little—schoolhouse, barn, private dwelling, etc. The Father seeks those who are conscious of intimate relationship with Himself, and who will worship Him in spirit and in truth. Nothing else will satisfy Him “in the hour that now is.” It was doubtless a delight to Him when Hezekiah reopened and repaired the slighted Temple (2 Chron. 29:3); but such service could have no value today.
In verse 22 The Lord said, “the hour cometh,” for God had not yet definitely rejected the earthly sanctuary. Ere long the veil would be divinely rent, but the action was still future. In verse 23 the Lord goes further, saying, “the hour cometh and now is.” The subject here is not the place of worship, but the character of it. The Son having come, He who is now revealed by the sweet name Father, requires something more than forms, however scripturally correct. “The hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship Him.” Precious thought! the Son was on earth seeking sinners; and the Father by His revelations in and through the Son was seeking worshippers. Thus, even before the Temple was divinely disowned, there was more for God in the adoration of Mary of Bethany than in all the gorgeous ritual of the Aaronic priesthood (John 12:3).
“In spirit and in truth” does not mean merely that all worship must be in the power of the Holy Spirit, and in accordance with revealed truth (although that is deeply important); it means also a spiritual and truthful condition. Hence the Lord’s words in verse 24 “God is a spirit: and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth.” Not now the “Father,” but “God.” Being what He is, He insists that those who approach Him should do so in this way and condition. “Must.” Neither Peter nor Barnabas were in a spiritual and truthful condition when they dissimulated at Antioch; Paul, who was, faithfully exposed and rebuked their dishonesty (Gal. 2:11-14).
National worship, expressed in ritual, was once according to God, at least as far as Israel was concerned, and it will be so again in the millennial age, as Ezekiel’s concluding chapters tell us; but both in the past and in the future for such worship a visible sanctuary and a priesthood are necessary. All this is entirely out of place in the hour that now is.
The gathering center now is not a building, but a name. “Where two or three are gathered together unto My name there am I in the midst of them” (Matt. 18:20). This supposes grateful souls attracted by what they have found in the Name of their Lord corning together to speak to God and to one another about Him. This is heart-exercise, very precious to the Father and the Son, and very delightful to the worshippers themselves.