The answer of Jehovah to the cry of His people is full of peace and blessing for the believer, but with grave assurance of judgment to the full upon the unbelieving. Verses 1-2 of this chapter were quoted in the weighty testimony of Stephen to the Jewish nation's leaders when they were about to stone him to death (Acts 7:49-5049Heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool: what house will ye build me? saith the Lord: or what is the place of my rest? 50Hath not my hand made all these things? (Acts 7:49‑50)).
God had approved of David's desire to build him a house, and chose Solomon to do the work (1 Chron. 28:2-62Then David the king stood up upon his feet, and said, Hear me, my brethren, and my people: As for me, I had in mine heart to build an house of rest for the ark of the covenant of the Lord, and for the footstool of our God, and had made ready for the building: 3But God said unto me, Thou shalt not build an house for my name, because thou hast been a man of war, and hast shed blood. 4Howbeit the Lord God of Israel chose me before all the house of my father to be king over Israel for ever: for he hath chosen Judah to be the ruler; and of the house of Judah, the house of my father; and among the sons of my father he liked me to make me king over all Israel: 5And of all my sons, (for the Lord hath given me many sons,) he hath chosen Solomon my son to sit upon the throne of the kingdom of the Lord over Israel. 6And he said unto me, 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 Chronicles 28:2‑6)). Upon its completion He bestowed the token of His presence upon the magnificent structure Solomon erected (2 Chron. 7:11Now when Solomon had made an end of praying, the fire came down from heaven, and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices; and the glory of the Lord filled the house. (2 Chronicles 7:1)). That building was destroyed when the sins of Judah brought about the captivity in Babylon, but when a remnant returned to the land of their fathers, and neglected to build again a house for Jehovah, the prophet Haggai (1:2-11) voiced his Master's displeasure. Why then did God condemn die house-building of His earthly people in the closing chapter of Isaiah's prophecy?
We need only look ever so briefly at the record God has given concerning His Son as He passed through the world, and see there the hypocrisy and wickedness that characterized the chief men of the Jews in Christ's day; how could God acknowledge the temple Herod the Edomite! built, when those who conducted its ceremonies were the murderers of His Son—in desire first, in reality later. They venerated the house, but cared naught for Him for whose professed service it was erected,
In the future day the Jews will build another temple at Jerusalem, but it will shelter the Antichrist, and must yield place to the temple Ezekiel's prophecy describes, which will be constructed after the judgments are over.
In our day the earthly dwelling place of God is not in Jerusalem, nor in any building, however grand, that may he dedicated to Him. He dwells in His Blood-bought people (see 1 Cor, 3:16; Eph.2:19-22; 1 Tim, 3:15). Does the realization of this immense fact sufficiently affect us who are the recipients of such favor?
What a picture is this that verse 3 discloses, of the thoughts of a holy God concerning the offerings of those who are in heart far from Him! Retribution will he theirs in due time, for "As they have chosen their own ways, and their soul delighteth in their abominations, I also will choose their delusions (or calamities), and Will bring their fears upon them."
Verse:5: Would that there were more trembling at God's Word today! It is the key to blessing. Verse 6: The Lord has appeared, and the judgment of His enemies is begun. Verses 7 to 10 graphically express the rebirth of Israel through the Holy Spirit's work.
From verses 19-20 we learn that after the moral cleansing of Israel, those who escape judgment will he sent to distant lands to make known what God has done, and to bring to the Holy Land all of their brethren who are scattered abroad.
The closing verses bring both sweet and solemn thoughts before us who are the Lord's,—-sweet to think of the Millennial peace and joy, when without alteration, throughout the whole of ten centuries, "all flesh” shall come to worship the true God at Jerusalem;—solemn, to think of the lasting memorial of the judgment of the wicked; to them, once salvation was offered; now the door of mercy is forever closed.