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The house of God

5th May 2008, hej,mgh

 

3) Understanding the nature of the House

Stephen may be quoted by those arguing that a physical temple in the future is irrelevant and that prayer, in whatever place or in whatever way it is presented, will be heard. Stephen said,

“ Howbeit the most high dwells not in temples made with hands; as said the prophet, Heaven is my throne, and earth is my footstool: what house will ye build me? said the Lord: or what is the place of my rest?”

However Stephen is quoting from Isaiah 66, which presents a vision of the events that culminate in the establishment of the Kingdom on earth and all nations coming to Yahweh's place of worship. This matches the temple of Ezekiel’s prophecy.

Stephen recognises that human works are futile and his emphasis was on the question in this quotation from Isaiah 66:1, “where is the place of my rest?” This word ‘rest’ (Strong’s 4496) is not used often. The same word is used of the land of Israel in Deuteronomy 12:9. “For ye are not yet come to the rest and the inheritance which Yahweh your God gives you.” Again the Psalmist states, “I swore in my wrath that they should not enter into my rest.” (Psalm 95:11). Many of the Israelites, at that time the spiritual 'house' of Yahweh, would have no part in the ultimate promise made to their fathers. Stephen’s quotation warned his audience that they stood in danger of rejection by God, as they had rejected their Messiah and consequently they would not enter into that promised ‘rest’. Isaiah had said the Israelites treated the Law and commandments as a dreariness. Yahweh’s word was not in their hearts.

“This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear.” Isaiah 28:12

In the same manner, the leaders to whom Stephen spoke, would not hear the Word. They would, therefore, not enter into that final 'rest' which would come through the promises and the Messiah who they had rejected. They had heard and seen Messiah but refused to “hear”. They had a form of religion and worship, but failed to heed the prophets of Yahweh and their warnings.

Also King David (approx 1000BCE) had called the physical temple he wanted to build for Yahweh a 'house of rest',

“And David the King stood up upon his feet and said. Hear me… I had in mine heart to build an house of rest (Strong’s 4496) for the ark of the covenant… for the footstool of our God.” 1 Chronicles 28:2

This takes us to Solomon’s prayer. Solomon built this Temple that David speaks of, in Jerusalem, to be a physical “house of rest”.

But will God indeed dwell on the earth? behold, the heaven and heaven of heavens cannot contain you; how much less this house that I have built? Yet have thou respect unto the prayer of thy servant, and to his supplication, O Yahweh my God, ... That thine eyes may be open toward this house night and day, even toward the place of which thou hast said, 'My name shall be there': that you may hearken unto the prayer which thy servant shall make toward this place. (1Kings 8:27-29)

Even though Yahweh is everywhere his eyes are open to the place of “this house” and he will hear those who pray toward that place.

This takes us again to the quotation of Stephen above and to Isaiah 66. Isaiah 66 is the last chapter in Isaiah. It presents a vision of the establishment of the Kingdom and Yahweh's glory throughout the earth. The chapter describes war and upheaval. Following this, Yahweh’s glory will be established in a place, in Jerusalem, when all people will worship there.

“I will gather all nations and tongues; … they shall declare my glory among the Nations. And they shall bring all your brethren… to my holy mountain Jerusalem into the house of Yahweh. And it shall come to pass that from one new moon to another, and from one Sabbath to another shall all flesh come to worship before me, says Yahweh.” (Isaiah 66: 18-23).

Stephen’s final warning to the leaders was that they stood in danger of loosing their place in the future 'rest'. His quote shows his focus was the future Temple, not on the temple of Herod of his day (which Jesus had prophesied would be destroyed within a generation, see Luke 21).

The use of that question, “Where is the place of my rest?” was a shorthand way of referencing many passages of scripture. Our minds are directed to Isaiah’s prophecy, to a future age. Yahweh’s glory will both be throughout the world in people at “rest”, andat Jerusalem the centre of worship and the “place of rest”.

Stephen was saying that people should serve Yahweh in spirit, that is, he was to dwell in their minds. The next line following Stephen's quote from Isaiah says,

said Yahweh: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembles at my word. (Isaiah 66:2)

These leaders rejected Jesus and Stephen and they fulfilled Isaiah's prophecy, the very one referred to by Stephen.

Hear the word of Yahweh, you that tremble at his word. Your brethren that hated you, that cast you out for my name's sake, said, Let Yahweh be glorified: but he shall appear to your joy, and they shall be ashamed. (Isaiah 66:5)

The leaders valued the physical building of Herod and in zeal persecuted Jesus and Stephen his disciple, but they were made ashamed, for within a generation that temple was destroyed. However it is equally false to value the idea of spiritual 'house' and reject Yahweh's prophecy that there will be in the future a physical house of rest. Stephen quotes Isaiah who speaks of a future physical house, but so do other prophets.

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