WHAT ON EARTH IS GOD BUILDING?

(a sermonette)

by

HAROLD E. CORMANY

The above title reflects that God is building something on planet earth, that will eventually affect the entire universe.

Over the years we have read about Jesus being a carpenter's son, and therefore concluded that he too, learned the building profession.

We don't know what Joseph, his earthly father built, but we assume that it was homes. It is possible while growing up that Jesus assisted Joseph in his business.

However, God the Father sent Jesus to earth to build something else, which the Bible refers to as a church, but a church that will eventually become a temple!

Let's turn to the New Testament in Ephesians 2:19- " Now herefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God;
v 20 And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;
v 21 In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord:
v 22 In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.

We see God's building is an holy temple, built upon a foundation with a chief corner stone.

This appears to be a building that God intends to last for a very long time. It makes one think about the parable in Matthew 7:24- "Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
v 25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock

In Matthew 16:18, we read of Jesus telling Peter that "I will build my church upon a rock." One could believe this would be like the chief cornerstone.

[Many Christians have assumed that Jesus was saying he would build His church upon Peter. We have a sermon tape on this subject, which is free for the asking.]

We read in v 18- "and upon this rock I will build my church and the gates of hell (hades or the grave) shall not prevail against it."

WHO IS THIS ROCK?

In I Corinthians 10, Paul refers to ancient Israel escaping from Egypt after 430 years of slavery and bondage.

v. 1-" Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea;
v 2 And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea;
v 3 And did all eat the same spiritual meat;
v 4 And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.

If we let the Bible interpret the Bible, we see that God is building His church upon Jesus Christ, and not Peter, as many assume.

In Ephesians 2:21, we read it was an holy temple unto the Lord. Let's continue with Paul's writing in I Corinthians 6 where Paul says in v 19-

"What? Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit which is in you?"

v 20 - "For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's."

Notice also in II Corinthians 6:16 - "For ye are the temple of the living God."

We see that the temple being build by God is not a physical building, nor is it a fane, rather it is a spiritual building. Yet he has used physical building terms in constructing this spiritual temple.

Just as God used Jesus to begin His building, He continues to use those He has called out to further its construction. We read in I Corinthians 3: 9- " For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building.
v 10 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.
v 11 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ

Paul alludes to the fact that the building's foundation be laid on Christ, who is the Rock, the chief corner stone. Perhaps similar to the footings that the foundation rests upon.

Continue reading in I Corinthians 3:12 - " Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;"

[Paul is using Christ's analogy from Matthew 7: 24-25 where we read of how only a building built upon a rock can survive the elements of the world.]

I Corinthians 3: 13- " Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is.
v 14 If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.
v 15 If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.
v 16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
v 17 If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are."

In Revelations 2 and 3 we read about the seven churches of Asia Minor. There is one church that stands out above the other six. It is the Church of God in Philadelphia, a city that was located in Asia Minor.

Rev. 3: 7 - " And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth;"

Then notice in v. 12 - "Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name."

"He that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God."

WHAT IS REVELATION 3:12 TELLING US?

To get the answer to our question, let's turn to a chapter that has puzzled theologians for centuries, but again, let's allow the Bible to interpret the Bible.

In Rev. 21: 1, we read of a new heaven and a new earth. We read in

v 3 - " And I heard 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." [This verse is a type of what we read in II Corinthians 6: 16.]

Let's notice something that has been difficult for many to understand. However, the answer has always been in the scriptures themselves.

We read in Revelation 19: 7 where it tells us about the marriage of the Lamb, and his wife hath made herself ready.

Then it seems to shift gears, but does it really? Remember in Rev. 21: 9, "I will shew you the Lamb's wife."

Then notice in Revelations 21:10 -" And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,"

Compare this with Revelations 3:12- "new Jerusalem which cometh down out of heaven from my God." [Again, the Bible interprets the Bible.]

Remember in Rev. 3 John is referring to a church which Colossians 1:18 identifies as the body of Christ. He is the head of the body. Christ is the head of the church.

We see after the body (the church) becomes spirit, it is referred to as new Jerusalem, the Lamb's wife.

As we continue in Rev. 21, we read of how this city has been constructed. This is not talking of wood, steel or stone, but it is spiritual Jerusalem.

Rev. 21: 11 -"Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal;
v 12 And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel:
v 13 On the east three gates; on the north three gates; on the south three gates; and on the west three gates.
v 14 And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb."

With the 14th verse we can see the necessity of choosing a 12th apostle (Matthius) after the death of Judas Iscariot. Twelve apostles were needed to complete the 12 foundations of the city.

Within this 21st chapter of Revelation we see the city is measured, and it corresponds to that city in Ezekiel 40-48.

But then notice Revelations 21:22 - "And I saw no temple therein. for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it."

We read that the saints are the temple of the Holy Spirit. So this is what God is now building here on earth through physical human beings.

We read in Rev. 21:23 -Time will no longer exist in this city as we know it today. Thus no need to measure time, since God and the Lamb are the light of it, the sun, moon, are not needed as a light source, as the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.

We, as God's building, the temple of the Holy Spirit are now physical, but with His Holy Spirit in this physical tabernacle(as Peter calls it in II Peter 1: 13-14), we will become a spiritual body.

So the temple of God is also the saints and prophets, resurrected as spirit beings.

So what on earth is God building? He is building His family as a temple, and in Rev. 3: 12 it tells us we will be pillars in the temple of God.

We see this spiritual temple, designed as one would design a physical temple or building. It must have a solid footing -- built on a Rock. And upon this Rock, which is Christ, is the foundation of the apostles and prophets, the temple shall have pillars, which are the saints.

If we notice pictures of Herod's temple, it had pillars all the way around it as supports for the building. Remember Paul said in II Corinthians 6: 16, " . . . for ye are the temple of the living God . . ."

If we overcome and endure until the end, God will finish the construction He started on earth, completing it in heaven. We shall be that completed temple.

At this point, we can only read about what God is now building on this earth. We can't comprehend it's glory, but the Apostle Paul said in I Corinthians 2: 9 - "But as it is written, eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of men, the things that God hath prepared for them that love Him."

John 14: 1 - " Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.
v 2 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.
v 3 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."

What on earth is God building? He is building a Holy Temple unto the Lord, and you can be one of the pillars!