In the last chapter we sought to learn from Scripture the truth of the House of God when viewed according to the mind of God. We have seen the purpose of God in dwelling amongst men and the responsibilities of men in connection with God's dwelling.
We have now to inquire: Has man answered to his responsibilities? Sadly, the history of the ages has proved that man in responsibility has invariably broken down; the higher the privilege and the greater the responsibility, the greater the breakdown. Thus in nothing has the failure of man been so complete as in connection with the Church viewed as the House of God on earth.
To form a true estimate of the extent of this failure, it is essential to obtain a clear view of the House of God according to God's original plan. In the days when the children of Israel were in captivity because of their failure to maintain the holiness of God's House, the prophet Ezekiel is told to "show the house to the house of Israel, that they may be ashamed of their iniquities: and let them measure the pattern" (Ezek. 43:1010Thou son of man, show the house to the house of Israel, that they may be ashamed of their iniquities: and let them measure the pattern. (Ezekiel 43:10)). Only thus would it be brought home to them how great had been their departure from the pattern.
As we have seen in the history of Jacob, man's responsibility in connection with the House was set forth by "the gate" and "the pillar." The gate of Heaven being Godward and expressing our privilege and responsibility to draw nigh to God in prayer and praise; the pillar, with the oil, being manward and setting forth our responsibility to maintain a true witness for God before men. We have failed in both directions; we have not adequately used the gate of Heaven, and consequently we have not reared our pillar. We have failed in prayer and dependence upon God, and therefore we have failed in testimony before men.
Moreover, it must be admitted that in order that the House of God may be a true expression of God, there must be the maintenance of the characteristic marks of the House. For all the characteristics of God's House have in view the true expression of God Himself. Hence in the House holiness must be maintained in order that there may be a true expression of God. Then, too, prayer is to be made for "all men," because this expresses God's desire that all men should be saved. Women are to be marked by modesty and "good works," for in good works there is the setting forth of the goodness of God to man. So, too, the House is to be marked by the care of souls and bodies, for thus it will be seen that God has at heart the welfare of men.
Finally the House of God is to be marked by "godliness" (1 Tim. 3:14-1614These things write I unto thee, hoping to come unto thee shortly: 15But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth. 16And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory. (1 Timothy 3:14‑16)). It is obvious that none other than godly behavior is suited to the House of God. When we see that the great purpose of God's House is to express God, it will become plain that godliness consists in a life that makes God manifest. Hence it is not sanctimoniousness, nor is it merely an amiable and benevolent life such as it is possible for the natural man to exhibit. The godly life is a life lived in the fear of God and hence the life that expresses God. The secret of this life lies in having before our souls the perfect pattern of godliness as set forth in Christ. Thus in the closing verses of the third chapter of 1 Timothy, the apostle gives a remarkable summary of the life of Christ, from the incarnation to the ascension, in which the Spirit of God has brought together certain great facts in that life which express God. God manifest in the flesh, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory, are all facts that make the heart of God known to man. Thus we learn in Christ the secret of godliness or the life that expresses God.
What a marvelous expression of God there would have been in the sight of the world if the Church as the House of the living God had remained true to the principles of God's House. The world would have seen a company of people marked by holiness, dependence upon God, subjection to authority, good works, and care for bodies and souls. They would have seen the setting forth of principles entirely opposite to those which prevail in the fallen world, and above all, they would have learned the attitude of God towards man. Unfortunately, it is evident from every point of view that those who compose the House of God have utterly failed. We have failed to maintain the great principles of God's House and thus have failed to give a true expression of God before the world.
How has this failure been brought about? The history of Israel, and their failure in connection with the House of God in their day, may disclose to us the secret of our own failure. The prophet Ezekiel is told to say to the "rebellious" house of Israel, "Ye have brought into My sanctuary strangers, uncircumcised in heart, and uncircumcised in flesh, to be in My sanctuary, to pollute it, even My house.... And ye have not kept the charge of Mine holy things: but ye have set keepers of My charge in My sanctuary for yourselves" (Ezek. 44:6-86And thou shalt say to the rebellious, even to the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord God; O ye house of Israel, let it suffice you of all your abominations, 7In that ye have brought into my sanctuary strangers, uncircumcised in heart, and uncircumcised in flesh, to be in my sanctuary, to pollute it, even my house, when ye offer my bread, the fat and the blood, and they have broken my covenant because of all your abominations. 8And ye have not kept the charge of mine holy things: but ye have set keepers of my charge in my sanctuary for yourselves. (Ezekiel 44:6‑8)). Here we have three definite charges: they introduced into the House those who had no part nor lot in the House; they failed to maintain the holiness of the House; and they used the House of God for their own ends-"for themselves."
Has not this been the sad history of the House of God in the present dispensation? On the day of Pentecost those who formed the House of God by the descent of the Holy Spirit were no "strangers"; all were true children of God. There were no "un-circumcised in heart" among the three thousand added to the Church by the Lord. Every one was a true believer. But how soon the "stranger" was brought in. By the baptism of Simon Magus one was introduced into the company where the Spirit of God dwelled, who had no part nor lot in the matter; others soon followed, with the result that even in the apostles' day the House of God became likened to a great house in which "there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honor, and some to dishonor" (2 Tim. 2:2020But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honor, and some to dishonor. (2 Timothy 2:20)). Thus, as with Israel of old, the holiness of the House has not been maintained and men are using the House of God for their own ends, "teaching things which they ought not, for the sake of base gain" (Titus 1:1111Whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre's sake. (Titus 1:11), JND. Tr.). The evils of the apostles' days have been increasing through the ages, until, in these last days, there is a vast mass of lifeless profession in the House of God marked by the form of godliness without the power (2 Tim. 3:1-51This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. 2For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, 4Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; 5Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. (2 Timothy 3:1‑5)).
What, then, is the result of the failure of man in responsibility? As in Israel's case, the evil that has been brought into the House of God calls aloud for judgment. "The time is come that judgment must begin at the House of God" (1 Peter 4:1717For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? (1 Peter 4:17)).
In Israel's day the time came when the Lord refused to recognize the temple as the House of God. He had to say, "Behold, your house is left unto you desolate" (Matt. 23:3838Behold, your house is left unto you desolate. (Matthew 23:38)). All the true children of God in connection with the temple were added to the Church, and the desolate house passed on to judgment. Again, the Church as the House of God has become corrupted, and very soon all that is of God will be caught away to meet the Lord in the air, and the vast mass of godless profession, no longer owned as the House of God, will pass on to judgment.
Has, then, God's purpose to dwell among men been thwarted by the failure of man in responsibility? Surely not. No lapse of time, no change of dispensation, no failure of God's people, no opposition of the enemy, no power of death can for one moment move the heart of God from His determined purpose to have His House on earth and dwell among men.
The moment a redeemed people are secured, God discloses the desire of His heart to dwell in their midst (see Ex. 15:13, 17; 29:4513Thou in thy mercy hast led forth the people which thou hast redeemed: thou hast guided them in thy strength unto thy holy habitation. (Exodus 15:13)
17Thou shalt bring them in, and plant them in the mountain of thine inheritance, in the place, O Lord, which thou hast made for thee to dwell in, in the Sanctuary, O Lord, which thy hands have established. (Exodus 15:17)
45And I will dwell among the children of Israel, and will be their God. (Exodus 29:45)). The tabernacle in the wilderness and the temple in the land bear their witness to God's cherished thought. And though the people fail and neglect the House, though their temple is destroyed and they pass into captivity, yet not for one moment will God surrender His purpose to dwell in the midst of His people. He brings back a remnant to rebuild His House; they, too, utterly fail and in their turn are scattered among the nations, and once again the House is left without a stone upon a stone. Nevertheless, God pursues His glorious way. Rising above all the failure of men, He discloses fresh secrets of His heart and brings to light "the House of God which is the Assembly of the living God, the pillar and base of the truth." But again man in responsibility breaks down; the House of God becomes a ruin. Instead of being marked by holiness, it is likened to the great house of a mere man in which there are vessels to honor and dishonor. A little remnant may indeed separate from the vessels to dishonor and seek to return to the moral features of the House of God and walk according to the principles which govern the House of God, but they, too, break down, and the responsibility of man closes in judgment that commences at the House of God. Nevertheless, though all breaks down in the hands of men, whether it be Israel of old or the Church in the present day, yet God remains true to His purpose, and there rises up before us the vision of another House, in a millennial day, and "the latter glory of this House shall be greater than the former."
Yet even so this House will pass away, for the glorious millennial age will end in gloom and judgment. But God will not give up His purpose, for beyond the judgment of the nations, and beyond the judgment of the great white throne, there is unrolled before us "a new Heaven and a new earth" and, in that fair scene, we see "the holy city new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of Heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband," and we hear "a great voice out of Heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself shall be with them and be their God." We have traveled beyond the bounds of time with all its changes and its broken responsibilities. We have reached eternity with its new Heaven and new earth; we have passed into a scene where all tears are wiped away, where "there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away." And there we see God's great purpose throughout the ages at last fulfilled, never more to be marred by the power of the enemy or the failure of the saints.