The house of the Lord was a symbol proclaiming God’s willingness and desire to dwell among His people. That house had been destroyed in spite of the fact that “The LORD, the God of their fathers, sent persistently to them by his messengers, because he had compassion on his people and on his dwelling place.”
His people had rebuffed His appeals: “They kept mocking the messengers of God, despising his words, and scoffing at his prophets, till the wrath of the LORD rose against his people, till there was no remedy,” for “all the leading priests and the people likewise were exceedingly unfaithful, following all the abominations of the nations; and they polluted the house of the LORD…” (II Chr. 36:14-16).
The glory of the Lord, therefore, left the house and the city (Ezk. 10:18; 11:23). “Jerusalem” said the Lord God, “has wickedly rebelled…by rejecting my ordinances and not walking in my statutes…therefore…Behold, I, even I, am against you” (Ezk. 5:5-8).
I am against you
Surely this is one of the most fearful expressions ever uttered by the Lord God. It is the direct opposite of that precious promise, “I am with you.”
Those who were heirs to the assurance, “I will be with you,” chose to reject this gracious offer of fellowship, blessing and protection. They rebelled against God Almighty, turning their backs to Him. They chose, rather, to serve self and worship other gods. They had been warned of the consequences: “I will set my face against you…” (Lev. 26:17). The prophets who led them astray are told, “Behold, I am against you, says the LORD God” (Ezk. 13:8).
Like Babylon
This is the language used of Babylon: “Behold, I am against you, 0 destroying mountain:” “Behold, I am against you, 0 proud one, says the LORD God of hosts.” Why? “Because you strove against the LORD…and proudly defied the LORD, the Holy One of Israel” (Jer. 51:25; 50:31,24,29).
Preferring the way of Babylon, “the abomination of the nations,” the people of Israel turned against the Lord. Accordingly, He turned against them. They despised the principle, “The LORD is with you, while you are with him…but if you forsake him, he will forsake you” (II Chr. 15:2).
“Come out from among them”
“Flee from the midst of Babylon;” “Go out of the midst of her, my people! Let every man save his life from the fierce anger of the LORD!” (Jer. 51:6,45). This is the call that echoes from Genesis to Revelation bidding God’s people to a life of sanctification which is separation from godless iniquity. We are urged to reject the standards and practices of Babel, Ur, Egypt and Babylon. “For what partnership have righteousness and iniquity: or what fellowship has light with darkness?…What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God;” as God said, “I will live in them and move among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people” (II Cor. 6:14,16).
In II Corinthians, Paul directly associates the brethren in Christ with the basic elements of the covenant presented to Israel through Moses (Lev. 26:12). Immediately following is this requirement of covenant relationship: “Therefore, come out from them, and be separate from them, says the Lord,” (II Cor. 6:17).
This is the condition upon which the blessings of the everlasting covenant are granted: “Then I will welcome you, and I will be a father to you, and you shall be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty” (vs. 17,18). With few exceptions, the people of Israel chose not to be His sons and daughters. They walked contrary to Him, so the Lord walked contrary to them (Lev. 26:23-33).
He delivered through Cyrus
The people were scattered; the city and the house were in ruins; the land lay desolate. Yet there was hope. “But if they confess their iniquity” they had been promised, “in the land of their enemies; if then their uncircumcised heart is humbled…then I will remember my covenant…and I will remember the land” (Lev. 26:40-42).
So it is that Cyrus, king of Persia, in commissioning the rebuilding of the house of the Lord, is inspired to invoke the covenant promise, “I will be with you.” “The LORD, the God of heaven…has charged me to build him a house at Jerusalem…Whoever is among you of all his people, may the LORD his God be with him. Let him go up” (II Chr. 36:23).
The hand of the Lord
Ultimately assisting in the project was Ezra. “This man was a scribe skilled in the Law of Moses…and the king granted him all that he asked, for the hand of the LORD his God was upon him.”
Ezra is blessed in this way because he diligently met God’s requirements: “For Ezra had set his heart 1) to study the law of the LORD, and 2) to do it, and 3) to teach his statutes and ordinances in Israel” (Ezra 7:6-10).
This student of the law draws together all its teachings in one expression: “The hand of our God is for good upon all that seek him, and the power of his wrath is against all that forsake him” (8:22).
A similar spirit is seen in other faithful men determined to rebuild the wall of Jerusalem. They loved the law of the Lord and respected the requirements of His covenant. Together they vow: “We will not neglect the house of our God” (Neh. 10:39).
The dedication that was required of them is required of us, for the externals may change, but the underlying truths remain.
“My sanctuary”
To those who cherish the divine promises, who incline their hearts to meet God’s requirements, to the saints of all ages, comes the assurance: “I will make a covenant of peace with them; it shall be an everlasting covenant with them; and I will bless them and multiply them, and will set my sanctuary in the midst of them for evermore. My dwelling place (tabernacle KJV) shall be with them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people” (Ezk. 37:26,27).
The Origin of the Organic World – Part One