The Spiritual House
Psalm 122:1-9 I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go into the house of the LORD.” Our feet have been standing Within your gates, O Jerusalem! Jerusalem is built As a city that is compact together, Where the tribes go up, The tribes of the LORD, To the Testimony of Israel, To give thanks to the name of the LORD. For thrones are set there for judgment, The thrones of the house of David. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: “May they prosper who love you. Peace be within your walls, Prosperity within your palaces.” For the sake of my brethren and companions, I will now say, “Peace be within you.” Because of the house of the LORD our God I will seek your good.
In this psalm we have a picture of what God desires the Church to look like. the church is likened to the city of Jerusalem, where the people of God are glad to go. This is God's desire for his people today that they would delight to come to church and Worship.
Psalm 122:4 - 5 describe Jerusalem (Church) as a place of the word of Worship and of warfare. The testimony of this Israel speaks of the word of God, to give thanks to the name of the Lord speaks of worship, and the thrones which are set there for judgment speaking of warfare.
Of course, all of us want to see a Church that it is enjoyable to go to that preaches the word that Worship God and is conquering and victorious. What does it take to have a Church like this? The answer is found in verse three. Jerusalem is built as a city that is Compact together.
The word compact is the Hebrew word chabar khaw-bar' a primitive root; to join (literally or figuratively); specifically (by means of spells) to fascinate:--charm(- er), be compact, couple (together), have fellowship with, heap up, join (self, together), league. The root of this word means to a couple together and become one. it is used 25 times In the Old Testament for example: Ex 36:18 And he made fifty of brass to couple the tent together, that it might be one.
The the word together is the Hebrew word yachad yakh'-ad from 3161; properly, a unit, i.e. (adverb) unitedly:--alike, at all (once), both, likewise, only, (al-)together, withal. The root of this word is yachad yaw-khad' a primitive root; to be (or become) one:--join, unite.
We can see then that the key OF BLESSING is that we come together in unity and allow ourselves to be built into a spiritual house where the presence of God is manifest, where the word of God is preached, and the worship of God is heard, and the victory of God is seen.
In the natural Jerusalem was a city that pictured the fullness of God's kingdom, like most cities Jerusalem had a Wall that surrounded it. This wall was for protection and peace it afforded the people safety that they might live their lives to their fullest. Within the city was the temple of God, the picture of God's presence. The Bible tells us that in his Presence is the fullness of joy, and that's his right hand are pleasures forevermore, that is why the psalmist says, prayed for the peace of Jerusalem. To lose the peace of Jerusalem would mean to lose the benefits of God's Kingdom.
The New Testament tells us in 1 Peter 2:4-10 that believers a like living stones been built together as a spiritual house:
4 Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious,5 you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.6 Therefore it is also contained in the Scripture,
In this House there is a display of the praises of God and of the goodness of God. This is what the Church needs to see and this is what the world need to see.
9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;10 who once were not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.
Living stones
Peter as he wrote this epistle understood the meaning of being a spiritual stone in Matthew 16:13-19. 13 When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?”14 So they said, “Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”16 Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”17 Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.18 “And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.19 “And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”
Rock in the Greek is petros or Peter it means a piece of rock, or stone.
In this portion of Scripture we find the truth upon which the Church of God is built. In this discourse Jesus is asking Peter who he thinks Jesus' is, Peter’s response is to say that Jesus is the Christ, The Messiah. Jesus responds by saying that your Peter and upon this rock he shall build the Church. Prior to this time Peter is named Simon which means hearing or reed. There are three areas that we see in Peter life that cause him to become the Rock or stone upon which JESUS will build His Church. From this experience we understand then the context of First Peter chapter 2.
The truths that make us a spiritual stone
Relationship:
The first truth that we find in the Scripture is that of Relationship. Jesus says to Peter Blessed are you Simon bar Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my father who is in heaven. to hear the Father speak presupposes relationship. Peter was in the place of Relationship with the father where he could hear Him speaking.
Revelation:
The second truth that we find in this passage Scripture is that Peter had received the Revelation that Jesus was the son of God, The Messiah, the Christ. This is signified in the expression Simon bar Jonah which means of hearing of the Dove. Revelation could only be received as the Holy Spirit reveals that to us. And that Revelation first comes from Relationship.
Restoration:
The third area of truth the we find becoming a spiritual stone upon which Jesus can build this Church is the principal of Restoration. As we have said earlier Simon also means reed, something that's easily blown easily swayed. This was the personality of Peter, he was a man of great passion yet also a man Who was easily influenced. in the Gospel of John chapter 21 we find the words Simon bar Jonah again. In this portion of Scripture Jesus' RESTORING Peter to the place when he first spoke the words you are the Christ. At this point Peter had denied Christ three times.
Gospel of John chapter 18 vs 15 to 18, 25 to 27. As a result of Peters denial, Peter in a state of DISCOURAGEMENT goes back to his former life of fishing taking the of the disciples with him. Gospel of John chapter 21 vs 1 to three. Jesus makes him on the seashore and in vs 15 to 19 Jesus restore him with the phrase Simon Son of Jonah do you love me more than these? This phrase is important because it reminds Peter of the original of encounter that he's had with Jesus when he received the Revelation of Who Jesus was. As we have already discussed in the original encounter Simon bar Jonah is used in the sense hearing of the spirit this time it is used as a reed just like his father, in other words a generational deficiency. Jesus wanted to restore the purpose and destiny, upon this rock, this stone, I shall build My church. Not on a read being blown by the wind but as someone who has received the relationship of the Father the revelation of the Holy Spirit and the restoration of Jesus Christ in his life.
God uses what man rejects and often rejects what man approves. Peter brought out this idea in his sermon after Pentecost, saying, “God has made the same Jesus Christ, who you have crucified, both Lord and Christ.” (acts 2:36) Jesus Himself mentioned this fact when He quoted Psalm 118:2, saying, “The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner” (Matthew 21:42).
God is building a spiritual house (oikos, dwelling, household) and believers, as living stones are the material that He is using. In Ephesians 2:20-22 Paul uses the same terminology;
These are the elements that make us living stones been built into a spiritual house, relationship with our Father God, communion with the Holy Spirit, and Restoration from our life of sin through Jesus Christ. this is the building material of God as we come together in unity through this process and as we are a coupled to one another through covenant and communion what a glorious House we will be.
