Wise Building: July 2023
Table of Contents
Wise Building
God is a builder who builds with perfect wisdom and skill. He has given to man the ability and the responsibility of being a builder. Some are wise builders and some are foolish builders. The first rule for a wise builder is to begin with God and never leave God out. Noah was a wise builder. God told him to build the ark and gave him architectural plans and told him just what materials to use. Noah followed God’s directions for saving his and his family’s lives. His ark, designed by God, passed the flood test. Paul labored for God in the establishment of the church as a wise builder. We are instructed to build ourselves up in our most holy faith. Can we do that for one moment without God? The first foolish builder was Cain. He went out from the presence of the Lord to build a city. It ended in ruins. Many have followed Cain’s way, thinking they can build better than Cain did. They “say in the pride and stoutness of heart, the bricks are fallen down, but we will build with hewn stones [better materials]” (Isa. 9:9-10). History is full of the ruins of man’s building efforts. Remember, “except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it: except the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain” (Psa. 127:1). Man is wise only if he builds for God under God’s direction and according to God’s plan and will.
Noah Building the Ark and Noah In the Ark
Twofold Christian Testimony
In the sixth and seventh chapters of Genesis, we find Noah in two positions. In chapter 6 he is building the ark, and in chapter 7 he is in the ark.
In the first position, he was surrounded by a hostile, unbelieving world, to which he was a preacher of righteousness (2 Peter 2), while in his own personal walk, which was also a testimony to it of approaching judgment, he was building an ark. All his expectations and hopes were centered in this ark. The world had corrupted itself, and the end of all flesh in God’s sight had come. Noah waited for the judgment of the world. The world’s iniquity had long since come to the full, and nothing now remained but the most dire, awful judgment, when the moment had arrived in the counsels of God.
In the second position, he was shut in by the Lord’s own hand (Gen. 7:16) and seated in the ark which floated securely over the waters of judgment. For a whole year, there he was securely floating over the waves and billows of judgment, shut into the ark. Not a drop of the mighty waters reached him in this secure place, which was pitched within and without with pitch. Ruin and death were all around and under him; the only place where there was life and sustenance of life was in the ark.
Building the Ark
All this speaks to the Christian, with this difference, that he is in a figure in both positions at the same time; his testimony is defective when he does not witness to this. In Philippians 3, the Christian is building the ark, and thus condemning the world which runs on to judgment; Christ is his only object and hope. Everything which does not serve his purpose in the “one thing” which occupies him is “dross and dung.” It is set aside as worthless, as it had the flavor of human life and pride, all of which is about to be engulfed in the mighty waters of judgment. Or it is dropped as a hindrance to the testimony of the Christian workman towards a world which is rejecting God in Christ. The world around is hostile and unbelieving — speaking of progress and improvement, adornment and beauty; confident in its own powers to repair the distance between it and God. To remove the sentence of judgment under which it lies, by plucking up its “thorns and thistles” and in “buying and selling, planting and building,” it is ignoring the tide of judgment which has flowed over it at the cross.
Living in the Ark
The ark is the Christian’s object; to “know Him” (Christ) is his aim. Human righteousness is cast aside as worthless, confidence in self ignored, “what things” seem to be gain are counted loss for the ark. “All things” have got their own value, but they are as “dross and dung” to the soul who is thus building an ark and by his walk condemning those “whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly ... who mind earthly things” (Phil. 3:19). All his expectations, his hopes and his prospects are centered in Christ and in the desire to know Him in the glory and the power of His resurrection, which works in him to bring him there. He desires fellowship with His sufferings, and conformity to His death, if by whatever means it may be, he might attain to the resurrection from among the dead. Fellowship of His sufferings and conformity to His death are courted and desired, as helping to build the ark, as it were, in which all his expectations are centered. All that cannot be brought into the ark is set aside as a weight; all that can be brought in is cultivated and prized.
But while the Christian is thus building an ark, he is also shut in to Christ, and by His resurrection and that power that wrought in Him, he is raised up together with Christ and seated together in heavenly places in Him (Eph. 2). While the world is shrouded in the waters of a mightier judgment than ever it was in the flood, he is in the secure place. Not a drop of its waters can reach him for the entire period, till the judgment is removed. He has only to float over it all, enjoying the food and life which is in the ark. He possesses “all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ” (Eph. 1). He is above all the ruin and death here below, in Christ, and he finds it is infinite gain.
Living for Christ
Do you suppose Noah lost anything by being shut into the ark? Do you suppose he was sorry that he had surrendered all his earthly possessions? They were of but little value when they were sunk beneath the waters of death, while that which was his expectation and hope was riding triumphantly on the waves! Not a single living blessing was wanting in the ark with him; not a single nourishing thing of “all food that is eaten” was absent. People talk as if they would lose a great deal if they were thus shut up to Christ. Every beautiful living object was shut into the ark with Noah, while every deathful thing was shut out of it in the flood of waters. People are afraid to drop the things which hinder their enjoying Christ, fearing that after all they would not be recompensed an hundredfold if they did so. People talk of judgment which is hanging over the world as a thundercloud, and at the same time they are often like Lot who said true things, but who “seemed as one that mocked unto his sons-in-law” (Gen. 19). You see such persons perhaps preaching and teaching, and at the same time in the world, of the world, and ministering, by their position, rank, or such things, to its moral state. What business have such to preach like Lot of judgment, and at the same time be as he, sitting in the gate of this world?
Can we say honestly, “I do want to be shut up to Christ. I want to feed on all the sustenance and life that is there. I want not only to build the ark, but to be in the ark — shut into Him, and in Him realizing that all that is not in Him savors of death and judgment”? If the Christian has any object before his soul other than seeking to win Christ, he is not in his true place; he is not building the ark and condemning the world. On the other hand, if he is not plainly showing that he has accepted the fact that the end of all flesh (his own flesh, too) has come in God’s sight and that he is shut in to Christ, riding triumphantly over the judgment with which the world is shrouded, he is not witnessing and walking in the power of that which he has professed. His testimony is defective and comparatively worthless.
May the Lord give this condition of soul to His much-loved people, and may they, on the other hand, desire such a condition of soul.
F. G. Patterson, Words of Truth, Vol. 2 (adapted)
The Character of Builders
In Exodus 25:8 we read, “Let them make Me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them.” These words, as we know, were spoken to Moses when he was on the mount with God, and what grace there is in them! God’s desire was to dwell among His people, the children of Israel, whom He had brought out of Egypt, having first sheltered them by the blood of the slain lamb on the Passover night. He knew them and the waywardness of their hearts, and yet His desire was to dwell among them. He chose them because He loved them, as Moses could tell them later. “The Lord did not set His love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people: but because the Lord loved you” (Deut. 7:7-8).
But if God were to dwell with His people, He must have a sanctuary, for none can stand in the light of His presence, and He says to Moses, “Let them make.” Yes, He is going to let His people make it. What grace!
We read in Exodus 31:1-6 of three things in connection with Bezaleel, Aholiab and others whom God used in this work. They were called, filled with the Spirit of God and given wisdom. They could never have built that beautiful tabernacle by themselves. Surely it was God’s workmanship, but He used His people as His instruments. First, He gave them a willing mind to bring all the material that was required. And we know they brought so much that we are told, “The stuff they had was sufficient for all the work to make it, and too much” (Ex. 36:7). Then He used them to carry out His purpose and to build the sanctuary where He Himself was to dwell. In Exodus 39:42-43, we read, “According to all that the Lord commanded Moses, so the children of Israel made all the work. And Moses did look upon all the work, and behold, they had done it as the Lord had commanded, even so had they done it: and Moses blessed them.”
Laborers Together
Now surely there is a lesson for us in all this, for “whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning.” In Ephesians 2 we read that God is building a habitation for Himself now, and we know it is composed of living stones — every sinner who is saved during this dispensation forming part of it. God alone is building this wonderful structure, but He uses us as His instruments. What wonderful grace! “We are laborers together with God: ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building” (1 Cor. 3:9).
Now the three things which characterized those whom God used to build the tabernacle should be true of each of those who desire to be used of God now. First, we must be called. And does not God call each one of us to labor for Him? The privilege cannot be for some and not for others. When we know the Lord Jesus as our own Savior, surely like Andrew, we can find someone to “bring to Jesus.” There are perishing souls all around us, and as we hear the question, “Whom shall I send?” may we answer, “Here am I: send me.”
Filled With the Spirit
Then how important Ephesians 5:8 is, for there we read these words: “Be filled with the Spirit.” If we are filled with the Spirit, the world will have no place, self will have no place and the Lord will have His right place and will be able to use us as He pleases. When the Lord Jesus was here on earth, He spoke of the living water which would flow forth from those who believe on Him, after they had received the Spirit. In order for the living water to flow forth from us to others, we must drink constantly ourselves at the fountainhead.
Do not let us choose our own service, but be in dependence on the Lord, to be guided by His Spirit, just to labor for Him how and where He pleases; then it will not be in vain.
Wisdom
Lastly, we need wisdom. How important this is too. In looking back, we often feel what mistakes we have made, through lack of wisdom, even with a true desire to serve the Lord. But we know where this can be obtained. “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him” (James 1:5). This is a promise to all who ask in faith, so none of us can excuse ourselves from serving the Lord because we do not know how. We never can win souls without God-given wisdom. The Lord knows just the condition of those in whom we are interested and are longing to help, and if we go to them in dependence on Him alone, He will guide us by His Spirit. We shall thus be enabled to bring before them just such passages of God’s Word that will meet their condition, even though we cannot read their hearts. Only thus can we win them, not by any wisdom of our own, but with the wisdom that is from above, from the Giver of every perfect gift, and He will have all the praise.
As the days grow darker and the coming of the Lord draws nearer, may each of us be found answering to the call of our Lord and Master, remembering that the night is far spent and the day is at hand, and when that day breaks in all its splendor, our opportunities for service will be forever over.
E. F. Stock, To Every Man His Work (adapted)
Building the Tabernacle
The last section of the book of Exodus, chapters 35-40, tells how the people gladly responded to the directions God gave Moses as to building the tabernacle. If God had dealt with them according to the covenant which they had voluntarily entered into and quickly broken, then their history would have ended in judgment. But Moses interceded for them, and God in His grace and mercy spared them.
Now we see their zeal as they work together in the construction and service of the tabernacle. But first of all, God tells them they were to work only six days, for the seventh was to be “a sabbath of rest unto the Lord.” Whatever the work of the Lord might be, He will ever remind us that His rest remains for His people.
The call then goes out telling of the Lord’s desire to receive from His people an offering of materials, whether useful and ornamental, common or costly, for the making of the tabernacle. Their eager readiness is shown in that “they came, both men and women, as many as were willing-hearted, and brought bracelets, and earrings, and rings, and tablets, all jewels of gold. ... And every man, with whom was found blue, and purple, and scarlet, and fine linen, and goats’ hair, and red skins of rams, and badgers’ skins, brought them. ... And all the women that were wise-hearted did spin with their hands, and brought that which they had spun, both of blue, and of purple, and of scarlet, and of fine linen. ... And the rulers brought onyx stones, and stones to be set, for the ephod, and for the breastplate; and spice, and oil for the light, and for the anointing oil, and for the sweet incense” (Ex. 35:22-28).
Wisdom of Heart
Also the Lord called Bezaleel and Aholiab and filled them “with wisdom of heart, to work all manner of work, of the engraver, and of the cunning workman, and of the embroiderer, in blue, and in scarlet, and in fine linen” (Ex. 35:35). These men must have loved the Lord, and doubtless that is one of the reasons why God chose them and gave them wisdom to serve Him. He also gave them ability to teach others, and what a lovely picture we have here of these workers, called of God, to be used of Him for His own glory, in the carrying out of His mind and will!
Surely this is a pattern for us, as it is for the people of God in all dispensations, so that we can find much encouragement in these scriptures. The Lord has a work for each of us to do, and He will give the wisdom and strength for it. How lovely it is to see believers happily working together in the service of the Lord, seeking to please and glorify Him.
Exodus 36 shows us the chosen workmen engaged in their assigned tasks, and even begging Moses to check the overabundant supplies the people were bringing in. Moses inspected all the work and ten times in Exodus 39 we read it was done “as the Lord commanded.” Then he blessed them.
The Word of God
We have the Word of God to guide us just “as the Lord commanded,” and now He is writing in His book above as to how we are carrying out the “pattern” He has given us. Alas, we must all confess how we have failed, but there is a day coming when every believer will be just like our Pattern — just like Christ.
At last the work was finished and the tabernacle set up. Then the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle, so that Moses could not enter in because of the cloud of glory that dwelt there. God had found at last a dwelling-place in the midst of His people redeemed from Egypt. And He was pleased to journey with them, for the cloud by day and the fire by night was always the token of His presence before Israel. “Happy is that people, whose God is the Lord” (Psa. 144:15).
“Bible Talks,” Messages of the Love of God
They Planted, They Builded
In Luke 17:26-30, the Lord Jesus gives His disciples some instruction about the future condition of this world at the time when He would come in judgment. In these verses, He refers to both the time of Noah and the time of Lot. Although Noah lived only about 500 years before Lot, yet it seems that the moral condition of Sodom and Gomorrah in the days of Lot was much the same as the state of the world in Noah’s day. After only a few hundred years, it seems that the awful judgment of the flood had been forgotten, and men had once again turned to their wicked ways.
What is significant in the description of Sodom and Gomorrah is that “they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded” (vs. 28). We know that God had confounded the language of mankind when they attempted to build the tower of Babel after the flood and that this resulted in the formation of city-states and nations. But trade, commerce and pleasure went on. Ezekiel describes its moral state in solemn words: “Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fullness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy. And they were haughty and committed abomination before Me” (Ezek. 16:49-50). Another has described Sodom’s natural beauty and luxury at the time of her judgment:
“Think of Sodom at the time of her judgment. She is situated like a garden with security, beauty and fertility. From the north a lake-cooled breeze caresses the city and its people. Shepherds graze their flocks and bed them down on the hillsides for the night. The air in this land of the olive and the vine is filled with perfume from the perpetual blossoming of flowers throughout the year. The fair city revels in the profusion of everything that nature and art can produce. But God is left out” (The Last Night of Sodom and Christendom, C. E. Lunden).
The Proliferation of Building Today
On a recent trip that included several major cities in this world, I was struck by the amount of building that was going on. Everywhere I looked in those cities, there seemed to be cranes projecting into the sky, building more and more skyscrapers. Many of these buildings were quite innovative in their design, as if to make them stand out from what had been built previously. While there is nothing inherently wrong in building something attractive, yet it all seems to exhibit the spirit of Sodom, where God was left out.
In some parts of the world, entities like tornadoes and earthquakes, as well as floods and wildfires, have devastated what man has built. At the time of my writing this, Turkey and Syria are suffering greatly from recent, strong earthquakes that killed over 50,000 people and brought down many buildings. Yet in all this, there is generally the cry, “We will build again, and even better than before.” The possibility that God may be speaking to all of us through these tragic events is seldom considered.
Cain — The Originator of Building
The nucleus of all this began long before either Lot or Noah lived, for Cain was the originator of the world-system that was perpetuated by those in Noah’s time and by those in Sodom. After Cain had murdered his brother Abel, we read that “Cain went out from the presence of the Lord, and dwelt in the land of Nod, on the east of Eden ... and he builded a city, and called the name of the city, after the name of his son, Enoch” (Gen. 4:16-17). Cain and his family then went on to surround themselves with everything that might make them as happy and comfortable as possible in a world spoiled by sin, but leaving God out. That same world-system exists to this day; the outward trappings have changed, but the spirit is the same.
Man’s ability to build greater and more beautiful buildings has increased rapidly in the last 100 years, as technology has evolved and electricity and other forms of power have become more available. With the gradual but definite giving up of God in nations that once honored Him, at least in an outward way, there has been a resurgence of human pride and a desire to take over this world for man’s glory. Yes, there are disturbing warning signs that all is not well, and the recent COVID pandemic, along with the war in the Ukraine that followed it, have caused widespread distress and fear. Yet man continues on his course, feeling that somehow everything will be all right.
The Restraint of God
The believer who knows the Word of God knows where it will all end, for the Lord will not put up with all this indefinitely. In Noah’s day He could say, “My Spirit shall not always strive with man” (Gen. 6:3), and at that time God put a definite time limit of 120 years on man’s sinful course. God has not given us such a definite date in this dispensation of grace, for the Christian’s hope is the Lord’s coming for us, not for a day of judgment. But God will judge this world, and there is a time when all of man’s boasted building, trade and commerce will be brought down. At the end of the Great Tribulation, we read that “the seventh angel poured out his vial into the air ... and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great ... and the cities of the nations fell” (Rev. 16:17-19). All of man’s building will be brought to nothing, as God brings down judgment upon this world. It is noteworthy that the greatest judgment will fall upon those who have enjoyed the greatest light.
As believers, we must live and move in a world of pride, building, and all of man’s boasted progress. Some of us may work in those beautiful and impressive buildings, and doubtless they are functional and pleasant to work in. This is all well and good, for we must live and earn our living in the world as it is, just as our Lord recognized Herod’s temple as God’s house, even though those who had charge of it did not honor the Lord. For this reason, He could also predict the time when there would “not be left one stone upon another” (Luke 21:6).
Our service today is to be a testimony to this world and to urge people to “flee from the wrath to come.” But in doing this, let us remember that our lives must agree with our testimony. Otherwise we may be like Lot, who “seemed as one that mocked” when he warned his sons-in-law of coming judgment. We must be seen to be living in the light of eternity, and not merely for time.
W. J. Prost
Building for Time or Eternity?
Since the beginning of man’s history in this world, there have been attempts to build structures that would outlast the lifetimes of those who built them and would thus be lasting monuments to recall the memories of the builders. In another article in this issue, we have already mentioned the city that Lot built, and later the tower of Babel, which men attempted to build after the flood. It is noteworthy that the stated aim of this tower was to “make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth” (Gen. 11:4). This was in direct contradiction to the purpose of God, for His instruction to Noah was that they should “be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth” (Gen. 9:1). It was not God’s will that they should all remain in one place. God’s confounding of the languages at that time forced men to separate.
Long-Lasting Buildings
The most impressive and long-lasting buildings in this world are probably the pyramids of Egypt, which are apparently at least 4,000 years old. The size and grandeur of them is staggering. The great pyramid of Giza covers 13 acres at its base, is composed of 2,300,000 stones, and weighs about 6,000,000 tons. While most of the stones weigh about 2½ tons, some weigh as much as 80 tons.
The workmanship on the great pyramid is amazing. When I visited it for the second time (more than 25 years ago), I took a piece of paper with me. When we entered the burial chamber, I carefully went around the whole room, trying to fit my piece of paper into the spaces between the stones. The stones were fitted together so well that I could not slide the paper in even one or two millimeters (less than one-tenth of an inch) at any place.
Much later, in the time of David, it is recorded in Scripture that David’s son Absalom erected a pillar and “called the pillar after his own name: and it is called unto this day, Absalom’s place” (2 Sam. 18:18).
Later, others also built structures that they hoped would last indefinitely. Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, could boast, “Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and for the honor of my majesty?” (Dan. 4:30). Yet later the city of Babylon was so obliterated that many historians questioned whether it had ever existed. It was only in the 1840s, when Sir Austen Layard began his excavations in the Middle East, that the ruins of ancient Babylon were discovered. Of course, no true believer ever doubted the account in Scripture or questioned the existence of ancient Babylon.
The Rebuilding of London
In the latter half of the seventeenth century in England, a clever and famous architect named Sir Christopher Wren was responsible for rebuilding London, England, after the Great Fire destroyed much of the city in 1666. Many of the present churches in London, including St. Paul’s Cathedral, were designed and built by him. There is good evidence that he was a true Christian, but when he died and was buried in St. Paul’s Cathedral, his son could not resist placing an epitaph on his tomb, in Latin: “If you wish to see my monument, look around you.”
Many other structures have survived, at least partially intact, from Greek and Roman times, such as the Acropolis in Athens, some of the aqueducts, the Colosseum in Rome, some bridges, and some amphitheaters. We could go on and on, describing other buildings that man has made in past ages. Some have survived, but many have either disappeared or are in ruins.
The time, energy and money involved in erecting some of these buildings is phenomenal, and while some of them may have been built for practical use, many were clearly built for human glory. But all will perish one day, whether under the direct judgment of God or when this earth is burned up prior to the creation of the “new heavens and the new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness” (2 Peter 3:13).
Live in View of Eternity
What a privilege it is to live in this world in view of eternity! In his day, about 3,500 years ago, Moses clearly saw beyond all that this world had to offer and chose “rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season ... for he had respect unto the recompense of the reward” (Heb. 11:25-26). The Apostle Paul, likewise, “suffered the loss of all things” that he might “win Christ” (Phil. 3:8). His view of his actions was always toward “that day,” when his life would be reviewed in the light of what God valued. He could say to Timothy, “I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that He is able to keep for that day the deposit I have entrusted to Him” (2 Tim. 1:12 JnD). That deposit could never be stolen, fall into ruins, or be destroyed, for “he that doeth the will of God abideth forever” (1 John 2:17).
In these last days, as man’s pride rises to a zenith, we need even greater grace and spiritual courage to “see afar off,” for “so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 1:9,11).
W. J. Prost
Built Into the Rock
About the year 1696, the first lighthouse structure was erected on the Eddystone rocks. (The Eddystone rocks are a group of rocks in the ocean, just off the coast of Cornwall, in southwest England.)
The builder boasted that he cared not how wild the storm might be; his building was able to withstand everything that might sweep against it. However, his boasting proved to be vain, for in the latter end of the year 1703, in as wild a storm as was ever known to have raged around England’s coasts, the lighthouse fell, and with it perished its builder. A second lighthouse stood about 40 years, and it was then destroyed by fire.
The builder of the third, wiser than his predecessors, hit upon a plan of strong firm building, which has ever since been greatly admired. The main feature of it is that the huge stones forming the building are dovetailed into each other, and at the foundation they are dovetailed into the solid rock. Thus the whole structure is firmly knit together, and likewise knit firmly to its foundation. This lighthouse (built in the 1750s) bravely withstood the wildest storms, and the fiercest waves of the ocean for more than 100 years. It was eventually replaced with a more modern structure in the 1870s, but not because it was in danger of falling. It is now preserved in the city of Plymouth, England, as a monument to the genius of the man who designed it.
The Foundation and the Superstructure
We see in the story of this building that there are two things necessary to a stable structure: There must be an immovable foundation, and the superstructure must be firmly fixed into that firm foundation. With the Christian’s standing, thank God, we find both things there!
God says (Isa. 28:16 JND), “Behold, I lay for foundation in Zion a stone, a tried stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation,” and Peter in his first epistle (ch. 2) applies this word distinctly to Jesus Christ. This foundation can never be moved.
The same word also tells us, “He that believeth on Him shall not be confounded” (1 Peter 2:6). All that Christ is — the chosen, the precious, the sure foundation — all is for the believer. Such as make lies their refuge and hide themselves under falsehood may fancy themselves secure, as did the man who built the first lighthouse upon those Eddystone rocks. But when God lays judgment to the line and righteousness to the plummet, “the hail shall sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters shall overflow the hiding place” (Isa. 28:17). Happy is he who, through grace, is upon the sure foundation — Jesus Christ. He shall never be confounded.
Living Stones
God speaks of Himself as building on the foundation He has laid. Everyone put in the building has been put in by God. If you have believed, you are a stone in this wonderful building. And see how marvelously God builds! The “Living Stone” is the foundation, and every believer in Him is a living stone: Each one, even the feeblest and weakest, is partaker of His risen life and is bound indissolubly to the Lord, thus making one solid fabric. The Holy Spirit binds us inseparably to each other and unites us with the risen Christ. We are in Him risen, fixed in Him, and there is no possibility of even hell prevailing against the building.
Is not, then, the position of the believer a most blessed one? What if storms do come? Come they most assuredly will, and if trials and difficulties do thicken and multiply, we know that we are bonded into Christ, and He is the Rock that can never be moved.
J. R., Faithful Words for Young and Old (adapted)
Nehemiah - Building of the Wall
The book of Nehemiah has a very deep interest for us. We see most clearly the strong analogy between the words that were spoken about Israel in those days and the position which the goodness of God has given to us now, in this dispensation of His grace.
But the first thing I wish to notice is the spirit which imbues all the conduct of Nehemiah. What is the great moral trait that characterizes him? We shall find it throughout the book — a deep and constant sense of the ruined state of God’s people. Nothing is more important for us too, for we have failed, as Israel had failed! As a result of their failure, Israel had been carried away into captivity. A remnant had returned some years earlier, but evidently they had learned little of the lessons God sought to teach them. It is true that we never find them returning to idolatry after this; still, they had very little sense of the glory of God which they had lost. There were two things that characterized Nehemiah, and there are two things, beloved brethren, that should characterize us. If there be a failure in either, there is the greatest loss for the soul. One is to hold fast the greatness of the ruin, and the other is to hold fast the faithfulness of God, in spite of that ruin. These were found together in Nehemiah. The Lord grant that they may be found in us! We need both, and we never can be really answering to what God looks for from us unless we enter into both in communion with Him.
A Sense of the Ruin
As the king’s cupbearer, Nehemiah was in a high position, surrounded by every kind of comfort. Yet it seems that he had just the very same feeling for the people of God as did Moses, so many years before. He loved the people, and what was more than that, he loved God. He had the sense of what God’s glory was, and a sense that God must act according to His own glory. He knew that there was no other way of blessing the people. His heart was filled with grief, and therefore it turns to Jerusalem. It might be in ruin, and it was, but there his heart turns.
Surely this should be the case with us, for the church of God is more to God than ever Israel was. The guilt of Christendom, I have no hesitation in saying, is worse than that of Israel. Incomparably more blest, it is incomparably more guilty, for the guilt is always in proportion to the mercies perverted or abused. Nevertheless, we ought to love the church, for if we enter into the feelings of Christ, we shall know that Christ loves the church. We ought to concern ourselves for its welfare, just as Nehemiah concerned himself for the remnant of Israel.
They Rise Up and Build
The king, as we learn from the second chapter, finds Nehemiah’s countenance sad, and at once remarks on it. Nehemiah tells the simple truth to him. “Why should not my countenance be sad, when the city, and the place of my fathers’ sepulchers, lieth waste, and the gates thereof are consumed with fire?” (Neh. 2:3). In short, while Ezra bears upon that which pertains to the worship of the Lord — the altar and the temple—we have here in Nehemiah the wall of Jerusalem. Here we have, not the house built, but the wall built. This is what filled the heart of Nehemiah. First of all he makes request to God. “So I prayed to the God of heaven.” Then he approached the king. The letters were granted. The timber and other materials that he lacked were vouchsafed by the king, and he goes up guarded to Jerusalem. Finally he approaches the people and finds that God had worked in their hearts as well. They said, “Let us rise up and build. So they strengthened their hands for this good work” (Neh. 2:18). But the same thing that filled his heart with joy and thankfulness in the midst of his sorrow grieved the enemies of the people of God.
The Hindrance of the Enemy
The moment that God begins to act, the devil tries to hinder. “When Sanballat, the Horonite, and Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, and Geshem, the Arabian, heard it, they laughed us to scorn, and despised us” (Neh. 2:19). This was the first effort of the enemy. It was to pour contempt upon a work so simple and insignificant. But this is no reason to be alarmed. “Then answered I them, and said unto them, The God of heaven, He will prosper us; therefore we, His servants, will arise and build: but ye have no portion, nor right, nor memorial in Jerusalem” (Neh. 2:20).
The next chapter shows us the names and the work of those that took part in the building of the wall. We notice the work of everyone, and in a distinctive character too. We all have a work to do for the Lord, a work that we can do better than anyone else. Are we doing it?
God marks here His appreciation of the various services performed by the different saints of God, and they come before us in their order. Various gates and various portions of the wall were repaired by different ones, and while there were evidently a few who held back, we find that there was real devotedness and service on the part of others. However, opposition was not long in coming.
“It came to pass that when Sanballat heard that we builded the wall, he was wroth, and took great indignation, and mocked the Jews” (Neh. 4:1). Later the other man, Tobiah, joined him: “Even that which they build, if a fox go up, he shall even break down their stone wall” (vs. 3). What does Nehemiah say? At once he turns to the Lord: “Hear, O our God; for we are despised.” So it was also in the early days of the church. The apostles were beaten and were threatened, but what did they do? They spread it out before the Lord, and the Lord answered. He answers with His own power. The Spirit shakes the building where they are, and, with great power, He gave them witness.
No Signs of Wonder and Power
Yet here was a day of weakness, and what I would impress upon our minds is that we are no longer in the day when the Spirit shakes the building. We are no longer in the day when signs and wonders are wrought. But are we, therefore, without God? What do we value most — the powers and wonders God works, or God Himself? It was the same question now for Nehemiah. There was no such thing as the Red Sea opened for the people — no such thing as the Jordan crossed. There was no manna that fell down from heaven, but there was the evident word of God accomplished, and the way was open for them. There was an open door to the land of God for the people of God. They had lost it as a matter of outward power, but not for faith. They clung to God, even when God could not outwardly own them before all the world.
But the opposition became more serious, so much so that there was a conspiracy among the enemies to come and fight. “Nevertheless, we made our prayer unto our God.” Accordingly, Nehemiah quietly takes measures, and he “set the people after their families with their swords, their spears and their bows” (Neh. 4:13).
The Fight of Faith
The same thing has to be done now, although not in the same way. With the Christian, it is not a question of fighting with the sword, but undoubtedly we have to fight the good fight of faith. It is not merely that we have to work, but we have to withstand as well as to stand in this evil day; that is, we have to be armed against the wiles of the devil, and not merely to be carrying on the peaceful work of the Lord.
Next, the enemy tries three further wiles to try and stop the building work of the Lord. First, Sanballat and Geshem propose a meeting in the plains of Ono, no doubt wanting to do mischief. Later, Sanballat pretended that the heathen were accusing Nehemiah of fortifying Jerusalem in order to rebel against the king of Persia and in order that he (Nehemiah) might be their king. Finally, another man, Shemaiah, proposed a meeting in the house of the Lord, on the grounds that some had hatched a plot to kill Nehemiah. Nehemiah recognized clearly who was behind all this, and every attempt at further mischief was foiled.
Finally, we read in Nehemiah 7 that “the wall was built”! God had been faithful, and the people had built in faith. Yet it was still a time to be cautious, for Nehemiah ordered that the gates of Jerusalem should not be opened “until the sun be hot” (Neh. 7:3). As in Nehemiah’s day, so in our day we need to build the wall of separation from that which is not according to God’s mind and not open the gates until the clear light of day (figuratively speaking) assures us that it is safe to do so.
W. Kelly (adapted)
Rewards for Good Builders
Rewards for Good Builders
Every Christian is building, and in 1 Corinthians 3 he is exhorted to “take heed how he buildeth.” The Spirit of God here uses the figure of building to express the testimony of Christianity in this world. The workmen do not all do good building; some of them evidently build with enthusiasm and zeal, but they put very poor materials into the building. We can easily see that this is not the building that our Lord spoke of in Matthew 16 when He said that upon the rock of Peter’s confession — “Christ the Son of the living God” — He would build His church. Christ will never place any bad materials in His building, and nothing shall ever destroy what He builds. He is building His church, and that work is entirely in His hands. It is composed of every true believer in Himself, in this age.
Now, there is that other building which men build in the world — Christianity as entrusted to the hands of men. There is no other foundation but Jesus Christ (vs. 11). To depart from that foundation would be to leave Christianity itself. Each believer is within the scope of Christianity in this world, and each is building something into that testimony. We may not have seriously weighed it before, but we are adding something to that building. Now the scripture before us is, “Let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon” (vs. 10). Why should there be any need for such an exhortation? Verse 12 supplies the answer by listing some of the materials being put into the building; these fall into two classes — “gold, silver, precious stones” and “wood, hay, stubble.”
The Test of Fire
The standard by which to test the building materials is a divine standard — that which will stand the test of fire. Every bit of material that goes into that building is going to pass through the fire, for we read, “The fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is” (vs. 13). So then, only fireproof materials will be of any account.
It is a solemn thought that each of us is day by day building something that is going to be tested by fire — God’s fire that will consume everything that is not according to His mind and His Word. Such being the case, we may well inquire how we can build things that will withstand the heat of His discerning judgment in that day. We may ask, Just what are the “gold, silver, precious stones” with which we should build? And what are the very combustible materials which we should avoid placing in this building of Christianity on earth?
In order to answer this, we may notice first that the things that will stand the fire test are — comparatively speaking — very small in bulk. A bale of hay would make a sizeable contribution to any wall. Hay is very good in its place, and some hay is much better and higher priced than other hay, but none of it is suitable fireproof building material. Wood also builds quickly and soon makes an appearance before the eyes of man, but it is no good in this building. Gold, silver and precious stones make little bulk, but after the fire has passed, they will be left, and their builder will receive a reward.
According to His Word
O fellow-Christian, whose approval do we want? Do we want to make a show and impress men, or simply to please God and leave the results with Him? Let us not seek popular appeal or that which has human approval. Let us seek to communicate “spiritual things by spiritual means” (1 Cor. 2:13 JnD). Men may act on the principle that the results justify any means used, but God’s Word says, “A man ... is not crowned, except he strive lawfully,” or in other words, “wood, hay, stubble” will be burned up and only “gold, silver, precious stones” survive the fire. The one who built with the latter will receive a reward, or be “crowned,” as in the illustration of an athlete (see 2 Timothy 2:5).
May the Lord grant us each grace to seek more and more to witness for Him in this world, and in everything to do all according to His Word and in devotedness to His name. Then it will not be a matter of seeking to do great things before men, even ostensibly for His sake, but doing all in view of the day which shall soon declare of what “sort” the work was — not how “much.” Each of us can seek to encourage others and to speak often of Him.
P. Wilson, Christian Truth 1:134-139 (adapted)
Marriage
“As it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man. They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all. Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded; but the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all. Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed. (Luke 17:26 30). In Noah’s day they married; in Lot’s day they did not. Our day is becoming more like Lot’s than Noah’s — a dreadful state for a world that has had the light and love of Christianity shine upon it. Any day now ‘Lot’ will leave Sodom, and it will rain fire and brimstone. May we each value more than ever the institution of marriage and encourage its continuance. It is the first institution God began for man’s good, and God has determined that it, by the marriage of the Lamb, will remain an institution forever.
Marriage, The Christian, Nov. 2014
Building in Our Most Holy Faith
Even as we are to contend for the faith, we are further reminded in Jude 20 of the necessity for individuals to build. We cannot rightly contend for the faith unless we are building up ourselves in our most holy faith. We are not called to build ourselves up in all the different forms which evil may assume. We shall not be able to resist error by simply having an acquaintance with error. We can only meet error as we are built up in the truth. Moreover, our faith is a “most holy faith” (vs. 20), so that in being built up in the faith we are not only gaining a deeper acquaintance with the truth, but the truth is reshaping us. It has a holy, sanctifying effect upon our souls, leading to a greater separation from the evil by which we are surrounded (John 17:17).
H. Smith
World Order and Disorder Revisited
In a recent issue of The Christian (February, 2023), I discussed the concept of world order, and how this was being eroded by the events of the past few years. Using quotations from various authors today, I pointed out that the so-called “world order” of the past 75 years was in danger of being seriously disrupted by events such as the Covid pandemic, the war between Russia and the Ukraine, and by the rise of China as a world superpower. I also quoted from a prominent Canadian newspaper, where the author emphasized that the default condition of the world was rather disorder, instead of order. He pointed out that “order must be endlessly rebuilt ... [in] a hostile world that is tirelessly working to undo our efforts.”
Anyone who looks at the present world situation with a reasonable and honest mind will admit that world order is indeed giving way to disorder, at both the individual and also government levels. We can be thankful indeed for the measure of stability that does exist, but it is quickly being swept away.
As I write this in March, 2023, an event occurred a few days ago that bears on this subject, and perhaps deserves a comment. Chinese president Xi Jinping made a state visit to Russia for several days, and both he and Russian president Vladimir Putin had lengthy discussions about the relationship between the two countries. The visit was attended with the usual pomp and ceremony, and after signing documents concerning their intended cooperation with each other, both men issued public statements about the success of the visit. Their statements clearly showed that both countries intend to work together to advance their respective economic and military interests, but most important was perhaps a statement by Xi Jinping. He is quoted as saying, “No matter how the international landscape may change, China will stay committed to advancing China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for the new era.” From other statements that were made, both recently and in the past, it is clear that Russia and China intend to work together toward a new world order that will diminish the influence of the West and instead emphasize the policies and outlook of totalitarian states.
Setting the Stage
It has often been pointed out that it is dangerous to try and interpret prophecy in the light of events in this day of God’s grace, for the church, as a heavenly company, is not the subject of prophecy. Because prophecy concerns the earth, the church period is left out of the reckoning of prophetic time. However, as we are so near to the Lord’s coming, it is not wrong to look out and see God “setting the stage” for events that will occur after the church is called home. We may well ask ourselves, Will Russia and China be able to effect this “new era” that they envision? While they may have some effect on the world in the short term, yet it is clear from prophecy that during the tribulation period, the Roman beast, as head of the western confederacy, will dominate the scene. His power will be such that “all the world” will wonder after him, and will say, “Who is able to make war with him?” (Rev. 13:3-4). It is quite possible that the agreement between Russia and China will push the West, and especially Europe, to unite in opposition to them. Internal squabbles will be forgotten in their efforts to unite against common foes. This has already happened to a large extent, fueled by both the Covid pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war.
We know that in the time of the end Russia will certainly be a force to be reckoned with, but it is clear that they will not come down to the land of Israel to “take a prey” (Ezek. 38:12) until the beast and his armies, and also the king of the north, have been destroyed by the Lord. Not much is said specifically about China in prophecy, but they will be involved at the time of the end, for we read in Revelation 16:12 That “the water thereof (the Euphrates river) was dried up, that the way of the kings of the east might be prepared.” In the matter of totalitarian government vs. democracy, it would seem that eventually there will be no need for China and Russia to try and force this issue, for despite the existence of democratic governments in most western countries, it is clear that the Roman beast will be a despotic ruler. While there may be opposition to his rise to power, yet we see from Scripture that concerning the various kingdoms under His control, “God hath put in their hearts to fulfil His will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast” (Rev. 17:17). However, this transition to totalitarian rule will not be without a struggle, and will evidently not be complete.
The Image of Nebuchadnezzar
In the image Nebuchadnezzar saw in his dream (Dan. 2:31-35), we read that the feet and toes were “part of potters’ clay, and part of iron” (vs. 41). The iron has often been compared to totalitarian rule, while the clay may represent a democratic form of government. These two do not mix, and while there might seem to be pros and cons to both, yet we know from Scripture that God uses totalitarian forms of government. Historically, many authoritarian governments have been headed up by wicked men who have oppressed the people, while they themselves lived in luxury. In the 20th century, the world witnessed the awful toll on human life that resulted from dictators like Stalin, Hitler, Mao Tse Tung, Pol Pot, Nicolae Ceausescu and others. The same tradition is being carried on by men like Vladimir Putin today.
While democracy has seemed to work for a while, it is becoming increasingly clear that it works only when its freedom of choice results in service self-chosen and sacrifice self-imposed. As morality declines, democracy is unable to cope with the dire results. If our interpretation of the meaning of the iron and clay is correct, then it is evident that the struggle between democracy and totalitarianism will occur within the revived Roman Empire. Thus the kingdom of the Roman beast, while strong, will not have the cohesion and strength of the old Roman Empire. As Scripture says, it will be “partly strong, and partly broken” (Dan. 2:42). However, it will not be overcome by either Russia or China. Rather, it will be destroyed by the Lord Himself, as Russia will also eventually be destroyed.
The Coming Kingdom of Christ
As those who know the Lord Jesus as Savior, we can rest in the full assurance that He will soon have His rightful place. All government purely by man will disappear, for in that glorious millennial kingdom, “the government shall be upon His shoulder” (Isa. 9:6). He will take His place as King, and the world will experience the first really just government in its history. It will be a totalitarian government, but with Christ as its Head, it will be just and righteous. It will be characterized by a “rod of iron,” but a better translation says that “He shall shepherd them with an iron rod” (Rev. 19:15 JND). All the righteous power of the iron will be exercised with the care and tenderness of a shepherd.
As heavenly citizens, we can “watch from the sidelines,” as it were, and see the stage being set for the working out of God’s plans. Man may execute various maneuvers in order to try and stabilize this world, and various alliances may be formed to support one kind of world order over another. Yet in the end, God’s purposes will be fulfilled, and all the rest will fall to the ground. We can go on in peace, as the hymn says,
Through scenes of strife and desert life,
We tread in peace our way.
J. N. Darby
W. J. Prost
Digging Deep
Dig a little deeper,
And when storms begin to roll,
You’ll find you won’t be shaken…
Not just that you won’t fall.
Dig a little deeper,
And when trials seem to swell,
His peace will overflow you…
Draw deeply from His well.
Dig a little deeper:
There are jewels in His mine;
His Word is full of treasures…
Draw forth and see them shine.
Dig a little deeper:
Shovel down the extra mile;
Firm rock and lovely treasures…
The labor is worthwhile!
cph