This morning when I had my prayer time with Abba, I was led to read 2 Samuel 7 and 2 Chronicles 6
I will put up these scriptures that spoke to me as I was hearing Abba say, “do I have me a house?” Follow along and we will see how all this unfolds.
2 Samuel 7:5-10;12-14
Go and tell my servant David, Thus saith the LORD, Shalt thou build me an house for me to dwell in? Whereas I have not dwelt in any house since the time that I brought up the children of Israel out of Egypt, even to this day, but have walked in a tent and in a tabernacle. In all the places wherein I have walked with all the children of Israel spake I a word with any of the tribes of Israel, whom I commanded to feed my people Israel, saying, Why build ye not me an house of cedar? Now therefore so shalt thou say unto my servant David, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, I took thee from the sheepcote, from following the sheep, to be ruler over my people, over Israel: And I was with thee whithersoever thou wentest, and have cut off all thine enemies out of thy sight, and have made thee a great name, like unto the name of the great men that are in the earth.
Moreover I will appoint a place for my people Israel, and will plant them, that they may dwell in a place of their own, and move no more; neither shall the children of wickedness afflict them any more, as beforetime,
Moreover I will appoint a place for my people Israel, and will plant them, that they may dwell in a place of their own, and move no more; neither shall the children of wickedness afflict them any more, as beforetime,
And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom.
He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever. I will be his father, and he shall be my son. If he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men:
2 Chronicles 6:7-9; 18-21
Now it was in the heart of David my father to build an house for the name of the LORD God of Israel. But the LORD said to David my father, Forasmuch as it was in thine heart to build an house for my name, thou didst well in that it was in thine heart:
Not withstanding thou shalt not build the house; but thy son which shall come forth out of thy loins, he shall build the house for my name. But will God in very deed dwell with men on the earth? behold, heaven and the heaven of heavens cannot contain thee; how much less this house which I have built!
(It is quite the revelation that Solomon would make this declaration. If the heavens could not contain Him how much less a house for Him he was to build? Although this had been revealed he knew it was Yahweh’s will. His people needed something they can see and take hold of which would contain that of Abba’s presence in a tangible way. Unlike His followers today who have the deposit of His Spirit where our daily walk in Christ is one of faith, which is the assurance of things hoped for and the EVIDENCE of that which is unseen.)
Have respect therefore to the prayer of thy servant, and to his supplication, O LORD my God, to hearken unto the cry and the prayer which thy servant prayeth before thee: That thine eyes may be open upon this house day and night, upon the place whereof thou hast said that thou wouldest put thy name there; to hearken unto the prayer which thy servant prayeth toward this place. Hearken therefore unto the supplications of thy servant, and of thy people Israel, which they shall make toward this place: hear thou from thy dwelling place, even from heaven; and when thou hearest, forgive.
As you have read we see a HOUSE that David wanted to build for Yahweh and yet it was not for him to build but rather his seed and heir Solomon. We see a physical house that was build for Yahweh with His blessings. Much of what we see and read about in the Old Testament are the physical representation and blue print to what He purposed to bring about in Spirit. This was done through His only begotten Son Jesus Christ.
Matthew 12:5-7
Or have ye not read in the law, how that on the sabbath days the priests in the temple profane the sabbath, and are blameless? But I say unto you, That in this place is one greater than the temple. But if ye had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless.
Matthew 24:1
Jesus left the temple and was walking away when his disciples came up to him to call his attention to its buildings. “Do you see all these things?” he asked. “Truly I tell you, not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.
Jesus also gave a clue as to how He wanted the temple of Yahweh to be.
Matthew 21:12-13
And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves, and said unto them. It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves.
Though this was a physical temple He went into we can see how this applies to our own temple. He had not yet died and risen for that which was physical to be a place not built with hands.
This is the hebrew word for house taken from 2 Chronicles 6
G3624
οἶκος
oikos
oy'-kos
Of uncertain affinity; a dwelling by implication a family; home, house (-hold), temple.
Just by it’s definition we see what Father’s purpose is to have such a house. And who is that house? The very body of Christ of which we are who do His will are a part of. A house, dwelling, home and temple not made by hands is the ultimate intention and eternal purpose for those whom He has called and fore ordained.
Acts 7:47-49
But Solomon built him an house. Howbeit the most High dwelleth not in temples made with hands; as saith the prophet, Heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool: what house will ye build me? saith the Lord: or what is the place of my rest?
1 Corinthians 3:15-19
If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire. Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are. Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness.
2 Corinthians 6:15-17
And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you.
Ephesians 2:20-22
And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.
So what can we conclude about what has been interpreted as the “church?”
Quote
The English language was first spoken on this planet as a Germanic dialect, known as Old English or Anglo-Saxon, which began to be spoken in northern England some years after the Anglo-Saxon conquest of that island starting in 449 AD. The earliest written Old English, however, did not appear until approximately 800 AD.
If we allow 50 years for the conquest to have its effect on England’s native dwellers, that means sometime around 500 AD, the people in northern England started referring to a building erected for worship as a cirice, later, chirche, and finally, a church.
It is extremely difficult to understand how this word which was not spoken anywhere on earth until 400 years after the New Testament was written and cannot be shown by a single citation to have been a word known to first-century people—how this word could be the definition of a first-century word, yet, that is what thousands of people today believe and teach! Asserting that "church" is not a building, we have teachers who continue to use the word " church," which designated the buildings of the people of northern England!
If we allow 50 years for the conquest to have its effect on England’s native dwellers, that means sometime around 500 AD, the people in northern England started referring to a building erected for worship as a cirice, later, chirche, and finally, a church.
It is extremely difficult to understand how this word which was not spoken anywhere on earth until 400 years after the New Testament was written and cannot be shown by a single citation to have been a word known to first-century people—how this word could be the definition of a first-century word, yet, that is what thousands of people today believe and teach! Asserting that "church" is not a building, we have teachers who continue to use the word " church," which designated the buildings of the people of northern England!
Premise 1: Most of us teach "we speak where the Scripture speaks and we are silent where the Scripture is silent."
Premise 2: The Scripture speaks the word "assembly, group, gathering." It is silent regarding the word "church."
Conclusion:
Those who teach the word "assembly, group, gathering" are honoring the Scripture’s voice and silence; those who teach the word "church" are rejecting the Scripture’s voice and silence and honoring in its place the voice of the 6th century people of northern England!
Three facts need to be realized:
(1) While the King James Version makes useof the word "church," the New Testament as written in the first century, uses that word nowhere at all on any one of its pages!
(2) Anyone who consults an English dictionary will see that the word "church" has several definitions, all of them different. That means the word is totally inadequate for expressing the nature or essence of a group of Christians who are functioning according to the first-century-pattern of teaching and worship.
(3) Since there are somewhere around twenty words used by Scripture, God must have thereby intended to emphasize the many-faceted nature of a community of Christians instead of restricting that nature by the use of one word; and wouldn’t it be logical to expect that those who are concerned about God’s way of doing things would adopt the same usage?
(This article by Don Reb first appeared in Firm Foundation, June 3, 1980).
(Comments)
We believe that the foregoing article has an important message that should be thoughtfully considered by those who wish to develop proper Scriptural concepts. One questionable part of the article, however, is its failure to recognize that many Bible students hold that the word ekklesia is not to be interpreted primarily in terms of its secular and political use by the Greeks. Rather, it is to be seen in light of the LXX or Septuagint (the Greek translation of the OT which was widely used by Jews in the Greco-Roman world), where it referred to Israel, the people of God. Just as the people of God in OT times were called the ekklesia, so the people of God in the first-century (the Christians) were called the ekklesia, or the community, of God.
We agree that since "church" has an ecclesiastical connotation today and fails to precisely reflect the meaning of ekklesia (thereby encouraging questionable concepts of the body of Christ), we might better translate the Greek term with such words as the following: assembly, congregation, company, gathering, group, or community. Notice the following expressions referring to God’s people, all of which use ekklesia in the original:
- " My community" (Matt. 16:18).
- " The assembly of God" (1 Cor. 1:2).
- " The company of the living God" (1 Tim. 3:15).
- " The congregations of Christ" (Rom. 16:16).
- " The assemblies of the saints" (1 Cor. 14:33).
- " The community of the first-born" (Heb. 12:23).
When we use these synonyms in place of "church" we can capture something of the meaning that the New Testament writers were trying to convey. There was nothing of sectarianism or denominationalism here. Other references to the body of Christ show that the New Testament writers freely used expressions that were not sectarian. Notice some of these:
- "the household of the faith" (Gal. 6:10).
- " the household of God" (1 Tim. 3:15; Eph. 2:19).
- " Christ’s body" (1 Cor. 12:27).
- " the body of Christ" (Eph. 4:12).
- " a temple of God" (1 Cor. 3:16).
- " the temple of the living God" (2 Cor. 6:16).
- " a holy temple in the Lord" (Eph. 2:21).
- " a spiritual house" (1 Pet. 2:5).
- " the people of God" (Heb. 4:9; 1 Pet. 2:10). " the brotherhood" (1 Pet. 2:17).
In each case, the term was not mean to be exclusive or sectarian, but simply descriptive of a relationship or position that believers enjoy. Nor were the terms given to officially denominate (give a proper name to) the people of God. The Lord’s body has no exclusive title as religious organizations do. Our Lord’s community is not "denominational" in nature!
Let others use " church" or any other term they wish. Let the " Lutheran Church," the " Catholic Church," the " Methodist Church," the " Presbyterian Church," and the " Pentecostal Church" use the term. Let the " Baptist Churches" and others employ it. But let us seek to be as Scriptural as possible and convey truth even in what we call ourselves!
Richard Hollerman
So, what house are you? Do you connect your very temple in which Abba alone is to reside to that of a building ie a church? I don’t read anywhere in the new testament about the importance of a building or specific place where His people were called together to worship. What constitutes an assembly or gathering is this.
Romans 12:4
“For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office:”
“For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office:”
1Corinthians 12:12
" For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.”
1Corinthians 12:13
“For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.”
Matthew 18:19-21
Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them
There may have been places where the first century believers gathered, but I don’t read it as being a particular place of worship. IN fact when they got too comfortable in one place Abba allowed persecution to arise which scattered His people for His Word to be spread throughout the regions and places where they were scattered. What I do read are those of His people who gathered together in each others homes, broke bread and shared all things in common.
No title or name just His Body who meet in so in so’s house in Corinth, Ephesus, Galatia, etc.
Romans 16:4-6 (King James Version)
Who have for my life laid down their own necks: unto whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches (gatherings) of the Gentiles. Likewise greet the church (gathering) that is in their house. Salute my well-beloved Epaenetus, who is the first fruits of Achaia unto Christ. Greet Mary, who bestowed much labour on us.
1 Corinthians 1:10-12
Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you. Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ.
Colossians 3:15-17
And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to that which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.
I sure don’t see this being practiced in the “churches,” do you?
Surely not! They are segregated having their own creed, doctrine and beliefs. This was not the spiritual blue print Abba had in mind for His people. Yes, we are called to SEPARATE, but what is that which we are called to separate from?
2 Corinthians 6:16-18
And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you. And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.
There are more of these I could put up, but you can do your own search.
I end with this question ---------> WHAT HOUSE ARE YOU?
<3
Linda @->--