Throughout the entire Scripture, from Genesis to Revelation we have the plan of God
revealed to many people as He worked through those He referred to as "children" to
provide a habitation for Himself so He could have unbroken fellowship with them. He
built a Garden for Adam and Eve to live so He could have times of fellowship with them
each day. He instructed Noah to construct an ark so at least these 8 people would be
preserved from the flood who would be able to re-establish their fellowship with Him as
they repopulate the earth. He showed Moses a pattern for a tabernacle in which He
determined to dwell and become a place where He could meet with His people from time
to time. This temporary structure led to the construction of a magnificent temple which
Solomon built during his reign as King of Israel. Ever since that time, the Jewish people
have struggled throughout every generation to restore that place where God dwelt and
communed with His people. That temple was destroyed twice, and even now we see
extravagant plans being made to rebuild the temple of our God in Jerusalem.
God has plans for our life (Jer29); plans which make it possible for Him to dwell with us,
His children. His plans for each one of us today are for our own bodies to be His dwelling
place... the temple of His own Spirit. He works in the life of each one of us in a way
which is unique to all other people. Each one of us is as unique as is shown by our
fingerprints. In this way, God has set His own stamp of design upon our heart. He spends
time meticulously constructing and finishing us in great detail that we would fit precisely
into the superstructure of His plan. Just as Solomon ordered the workmen to precisely
fashion the huge stones for the temple at the quarry so that no sound of a hammer was
heard within the temple, so our life is fashioned and trimmed precisely here on this earth
to be precision fit into the place of our eternal habitation.
The Apostle Paul had much light over this plan of God, as did Peter and John. A very
simple word search in a concordance with the words "Stone(s)" and "Build" will keep a
serious student busy. 1Peter2:5 declares, "Ye also, as living stones, are built up into a
spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God
through Jesus Christ." But, one might ask, why all this bother... why all the individual
work of God... couldn't God just create His own temple complete with all the
extravagance and elaborate fixtures fit for the King of Kings? Not only are we referred to
as building stones in the house of God, but also as utensils, or vessels, for use within the
temple. Paul, in his writing to Timothy wrote in 2Ti 2:20, "In a wealthy home some
utensils are made of gold and silver, and some are made of wood and clay. The expensive
utensils are used for special occasions, and the cheap ones are for everyday use. If you
keep yourself pure, you will be a special utensil for honorable use. Your life will be
clean, and you will be ready for the Master to use you for every good work." The children
of God are here and elsewhere referred to as utensils, or vessels, made of precious metals
which are reserved for the use of the King Himself.
Jesus, in speaking to His disciples, declared, "In my Father's house are many mansions: if
it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and
prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am,
there ye may be also." (John14:2-3) Clearly, the work which is being done in Heaven
while we are still here on this earth is the work of our Savior to prepare a place for each
of us to fit into the mansion/temple/house/dwelling place of God, our Father. When our
life has been sufficiently prepared for its precision fit into the superstructure of God's
design, it is to the glory of our God that we are taken "home" to be with Him for all of
eternity.
Let me share with you briefly about a dream I had on August 11 of this year... during the
early morning hours of that day, an angel came to "take me" with him to where I
observed a crew of angels with large measuring tapes recording precise measurements of
a large white structure which appeared to me to resemble Solomon's Temple as described
in Scripture. After they had recorded the measurements of the outside of the structure,
they went into the inner part of the temple where the candlestick and the shewbread was
positioned along with the altar of incense. Each of these articles of furniture was
measured and recorded. Then, I watched as they measured each individual which was
inside the temple worshiping God. They took great care to be precise with each
measurement as one by one these who were worshiping held out their arms at their sides
and stretched them out over their head. Every position of worship was individually
recorded for each person present. At this point I was "returned" to my little house in
Osler to consider the events which were be now firmly burned into my consciousness.
After rising for the day, I began to search the Scripture for something which would settle
my mind with what I had seen. What I discovered was a verse of Scripture which I had
often read but had never given any thought to the meaning of it... Rev 11:1 "And there
was given me a reed like unto a rod: and the angel stood, saying, Rise, and measure the
temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein."
Obviously, the context of this single verse refers to the time of the "end of the age", when
the "great trouble" has come upon the earth. But, more importantly, this all points to the
time further down the road which we have described in Revelation, chapter 21. This
chapter, among other things, describes the New Jerusalem (the Bride of Christ)in
dazzling detail and extravagance. Here's the entire point, in the form of a question, to all
that I have written here... could it be that each one of us, individually, are to be a separate
room/mansion/house/dwelling place in this superstructure of God's own design to which
we assign the names, New Jerusalem/Bride of Christ...?? Absolutely every single event
which has ever taken place in our lifetime has made a difference in the way we think and
our reaction to future events. As these events fashion us into the personality which we
possess, we react in our own unique way to the next event. This identical process is
observed through careful introspection with regard to how we react to the work and
direction of God as He deals with each of us. It is a normal process to question our own
self-worth regarding our earthly existence. But, how often to we consider this aspect of
God's work and planning in each of us to prepare us for a precise fit within His building?
(1Cor3:9; 2Cor5:1; Eph2:21)
Consider the amazing work which is being accomplished in your life with each breath
and beat of your heart. Share with me your thoughts on this...
Darrell