Focus: The Temple Builder (Pt.2)

Text: Zech.6:13

"EVEN HE shall build the temple of the Lord; and HE shall bear the glory."

There's a sense in which Christ is the temple and a sense in which He is the builder of the temple of the Lord.

We are concerned here with Christ as the builder of God's temple, and we, as workers with Him. We have a role to play in building with Christ. Paul says, "According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon" (1Cor.3:10). God gave Moses a pattern or blueprint of the Tabernacle and told him to build accordingly. God gave David a pattern of the temple for Solomon to follow it to the last detail. Even so God gave Paul the pattern of the church, and he called himself a "masterbuilder." The word in the Greek is architektōn. Paul was Christ's brilliant architect and construction engineer. He received from the Lord clear revelations concerning the church. 

Every believer in Christ has a role to play in building the Lord's temple.

Zechariah prophesied, "And they that are far off shall come and build in the temple of the LORD…"(Zech.6:15). Everyone must be engaged in the Lord's spiritual project. Hagai declares, "Go up to the mountain, and bring wood, and build the house; and I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified, saith the LORD" (Hag.1:8). All hands must be on deck to achieving the Lord's architectural goal of glory. God delights in structural integrity.

We build by praying, teaching, preaching, evangelizing, helping, counseling, discipling, supporting financially the Lord's work, and by doing good to those who belong to the household of faith.

Nehemiah was instrumental in rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem. He allowed God to use him. He said to the people, "Come, and let us build up the wall of Jerusalem, that we be no more a reproach" (Neh.2:17). The people responded, "Let us rise up and build. So they strengthened their hands for this good work" (Neh.2:18). Nehemiah said to the enemies of the Lord's project, "The God of heaven, he will prosper us; therefore we his servants will arise and build…" (Neh.2:20). They were poised and determined to pursue God's agenda, and in the end, Nehemiah testified, "So built we the wall; and all the wall was joined together unto the half thereof: for the people had a mind to work" (Neh.4:6). Until the Lord's work is done, you are not done. Jesus Christ did not give up the ghost until He declared, "It is finished." God only rested after He was done with the work of creation.

From our text, we understand that those who build the Lord's temple also bear the glory of royalty. Labor and glory are connected. One leads to the other. Glory is not only given, but also achieved. Let us join hands to build the temple of the Lord. 

Jesus Christ is coming back for a church that has neither spots nor wrinkles. He is coming back for a glorious church. The Apostle Paul tells us that the fivefold ministerial offices are put in place by Christ for the purpose of perfecting the saints. Share in the labor if you want to share in the glory. Join hands with Christ to build the temple of the Lord. Glorious rewards await us. Your labor in the Lord shall not be wasted.

by Bishop Moses E. Peter