The Rebuilding of the Temple with Living Stones
The rebuilding of the Temple in the Old Testament gives us a perfect prophetic picture of the church today. In the weeks to come, I want to show you something called "The Church Ages" theory. This will give us a great look at the condition of the church today and how she got to this place. We will discover the church today is in a rebuilding period, just as it was in the days of Nehemiah.
Broken Gates, Broken Hearts
The Book of Nehemiah begins with King Artaxerxes expressing concern for the sad countenance of his beloved and trusted cup bearer, Nehemiah. When the king asks him why he is so depressed and broken hearted, Nehemiah replies: "Why should my face not be sad, when the city, the place of my fathers' tombs, lies waste, and its gates are burned with fire?" (Neh. 2:3).
After the Babylonians destroyed Jerusalem and plundered the Temple, after the 70 years of captivity were fulfilled, the Jewish people began to slowly trickle in, back to their homeland. But it was a desolate waste. The walls of Jerusalem were destroyed and her gates were broken and burned. A rebuilding began under the guidance and ministry of Ezra and Zerubbabel, however, it was not completed. The Temple area consisted only of a mere slab with a make-shift altar. The prophet Haggai prophesied about God's displeasure with this work which had come to a halt. "Then the word of the LORD came by Haggai the prophet, saying, 'Is it time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, and this temple to lie in ruins?' Now therefore, thus says the LORD of hosts: "Consider your ways!" (Hag. 1:4, 5).
This is a perfect picture of the church in America. After Jesus spoke the Parable of the Vineyard in Matthew 21:33-40, which is a parable about the Jewish people rejecting their Messiah, He said this: "Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it." (Mt. 21:43). After Jesus was rejected by His own people and crucified, the church was moved from Jerusalem to Rome, and from Rome to America. I'll explain this in more detail in the weeks to come as we examine how the Scriptures give us a prophetic picture of the church age in the Letters to the churches in Rev. 2-3 and also the Parables of Mt. 13.
Ezra and Zerubbabel began a rebuilding which parallels the reformation age of the church in America under Luther, through the centuries to Wesley. As wonderful as that was it was far from a complete work. It moved the church out of the dark-ages but that's about all it did. She was still broken and in need of great repairs. Nehemiah was chosen by God to begin another rebuilding which would prepare things for the final completion. This would be paralleled by the Great Awakening and Azusa Street Revival period of American Church history. Now, as great as that was, still, it too was far from a completed work but that brings us to where we are today.
We are standing on holy ground, looking at the broken gates and battered walls of the church and we too, like Nehemiah, should be heart broken as we look at the condition of the church.
God is raising up modern-day Nehemiah's
Today, God's Temple is made up of Living Stones! Jesus is building His church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it! We are in a period of rebuilding and we are living stones in His hands. He is building a temple where His glory shall abide forever! Some of you out there are called to be builders, some of you are called to be watchmen on the wall, others are called to be intercessors for the saints and equipping ministers as this marvelous work continues.
This is a time in church history where deception and attacks from the enemy will be more intense than ever before in history. This is also a time in church history where the overcoming, triumphant church is rising up in more power than ever experienced before in church history! What a time to be alive.
Next week we will begin to peel back the layers of mystery which reveal the church's place throughout history and how Jesus prophesied this as He spoke in parables. Until then; stay strong and keep praying, pray about your place and your role in this rebuilding period.
Broken Gates, Broken Hearts
The Book of Nehemiah begins with King Artaxerxes expressing concern for the sad countenance of his beloved and trusted cup bearer, Nehemiah. When the king asks him why he is so depressed and broken hearted, Nehemiah replies: "Why should my face not be sad, when the city, the place of my fathers' tombs, lies waste, and its gates are burned with fire?" (Neh. 2:3).
After the Babylonians destroyed Jerusalem and plundered the Temple, after the 70 years of captivity were fulfilled, the Jewish people began to slowly trickle in, back to their homeland. But it was a desolate waste. The walls of Jerusalem were destroyed and her gates were broken and burned. A rebuilding began under the guidance and ministry of Ezra and Zerubbabel, however, it was not completed. The Temple area consisted only of a mere slab with a make-shift altar. The prophet Haggai prophesied about God's displeasure with this work which had come to a halt. "Then the word of the LORD came by Haggai the prophet, saying, 'Is it time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, and this temple to lie in ruins?' Now therefore, thus says the LORD of hosts: "Consider your ways!" (Hag. 1:4, 5).
This is a perfect picture of the church in America. After Jesus spoke the Parable of the Vineyard in Matthew 21:33-40, which is a parable about the Jewish people rejecting their Messiah, He said this: "Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it." (Mt. 21:43). After Jesus was rejected by His own people and crucified, the church was moved from Jerusalem to Rome, and from Rome to America. I'll explain this in more detail in the weeks to come as we examine how the Scriptures give us a prophetic picture of the church age in the Letters to the churches in Rev. 2-3 and also the Parables of Mt. 13.
Ezra and Zerubbabel began a rebuilding which parallels the reformation age of the church in America under Luther, through the centuries to Wesley. As wonderful as that was it was far from a complete work. It moved the church out of the dark-ages but that's about all it did. She was still broken and in need of great repairs. Nehemiah was chosen by God to begin another rebuilding which would prepare things for the final completion. This would be paralleled by the Great Awakening and Azusa Street Revival period of American Church history. Now, as great as that was, still, it too was far from a completed work but that brings us to where we are today.
We are standing on holy ground, looking at the broken gates and battered walls of the church and we too, like Nehemiah, should be heart broken as we look at the condition of the church.
God is raising up modern-day Nehemiah's
Today, God's Temple is made up of Living Stones! Jesus is building His church and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it! We are in a period of rebuilding and we are living stones in His hands. He is building a temple where His glory shall abide forever! Some of you out there are called to be builders, some of you are called to be watchmen on the wall, others are called to be intercessors for the saints and equipping ministers as this marvelous work continues.This is a time in church history where deception and attacks from the enemy will be more intense than ever before in history. This is also a time in church history where the overcoming, triumphant church is rising up in more power than ever experienced before in church history! What a time to be alive.
Next week we will begin to peel back the layers of mystery which reveal the church's place throughout history and how Jesus prophesied this as He spoke in parables. Until then; stay strong and keep praying, pray about your place and your role in this rebuilding period.
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