The first passage I saw was in 1 Chronicles of all places! "David said, “My son Solomon is young and inexperienced, and the house to be built for the Lord should be of great magnificence and fame and splendor in the sight of all the nations. Therefore I will make preparations for it.” So David made extensive preparations before his death. Then he called for his son Solomon and charged him to build a house for the Lord, the God of Israel. David said to Solomon: “My son, I had it in my heart to build a house for the Name of the Lord my God. But this word of the Lord came to me: ‘You have shed much blood and have fought many wars. You are not to build a house for my Name, because you have shed much blood on the earth in my sight. But you will have a son who will be a man of peace and rest, and I will give him rest from all his enemies on every side. His name will be Solomon, and I will grant Israel peace and quiet during his reign. He is the one who will build a house for my Name. He will be my son, and I will be his father. And I will establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel forever.’ “Now, my son, the Lord be with you, and may you have success and build the house of the Lord your God, as he said you would. " 1 Chronicles 22: 5-11
The Old Testament is always foreshadowing Jesus and the church. There are many portraits of Jesus hidden in these great stories of faith, and David was a "type" of Jesus (as in there were qualities of Jesus that David had). Just before the passage above David sacrifices and pays the FULL PRICE for the iniquity and stops the destruction of God's people. And he says on this altar will the temple of the LORD be built. What a parrallel to Jesus, on the cross and all that he accomplished there, forgiveness, justification, redemption (that he paid the full price for) and on that truth, that foundation, is the new temple of the LORD built....believers. We are founded on Christ.
However, God would not let David build the temple, it had to be His son. His "inexperienced" child Solomon, whose name means peace, who lived in a time of rest, and was free from his enemies was to build the temple for the LORD. We are God's children (1 John 3:2), who live in a covenant of everlasting peace (Ezekiel 37:26), we have entered the rest of God (Hebrews 4:3) and have been set free from our enemies (Romans 8:2). So I just saw this as another great commission to us believers. To be building the temple of God, with His help, and leading. I was so excited, we are called to be builders, not to tear down the temple. We are called to bless, not condemn the temple! We are called to build others in Christ up and show them their true identity "In Christ". Whenever you see that phrase "In Christ", that applies to every believer.
So of course God kept showing me verses to confirm our calling from God to build in His strength:
"The wise woman (wife in Hebrew) builds her house, but the foolish one tears hers down." Proverbs 14:1 The church being the bride, "wife" of Christ.
"They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor. They will rebuild the ancient ruins and restore the places long devastated; they will renew the ruined cities that have been devastated for generations." Isaiah 61:3b-4
"Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins and will raise up the age-old foundations; you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls, Restorer of Streets with Dwellings." Isaiah 58:12
"I will bring back my exiled people Israel; they will rebuild the ruined cities and live in them. They will plant vineyards and drink their wine; they will make gardens and eat their fruit." Amos 9:14
"And it will be said: "Build up, build up, prepare the road! Remove the obstacles out of the way of my people." Isaiah 57:14
"Pass through, pass through the gates! Prepare the way for the people. Build up, build up the highway! Remove the stones. Raise a banner for the nations." Isaiah 62:10
"Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock." Matthew 7:24
"No foul language is to come from your mouth, but only what is good for building up someone in need, so that it gives grace to those who hear." Ephesians 4:29
"Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing." 1 Thessalonians 5:11
I hope you can join with me in the great calling we have to build others up in the LORD, founded on the amazing Grace of our God in Jesus Christ and in His strength. Lets build people up and tell them who they are in Christ, REDEEMED!!!
