The Persistent Purpose of God # 44

The House of God: The Greatness of Christ and His Church (continued)

The House: The Place of God's Glory

Then we notice the threefold purpose of this House. First of all, it is the place of God's glory. Ezekiel forty-three, at verse seven: "And He said unto me, Son of man, this is the place of My Throne, and the place of the soles of My feet, where I will dwell in the midst of the children of Israel forever; and the House of Israel shall no more defile My Holy Name, neither they, nor their kings, by their whoredom, and by the dead bodies of their kings in their high laces." You notice that it is the word "glory" that leads up to verse seven, for verse two says: "And, behold, the glory of the God of Israel came from the way of the east." Then, verse four and seven, "And the glory of the Lord came into the House by the way of the gate ... east ... and He said ... this is the place of My Throne." This House is the place of the Throne of Glory.

Now "the glory" had left Jerusalem nineteen years before this House was shown to Ezekiel, and it is not returning to the literal earthly Jerusalem, but the glory is returning to the spiritual House. Likewise, the glory left the earthly Jerusalem when God's Son was rejected; and it has never come back to the earthly Jerusalem, but the glory did come back to the spiritual House on the day of Pentecost. This House is the House of God's glory, and you notice from the whole of that seventh verse that "the glory is the glory of Holiness." It is not just some bright shining: it is a spiritual condition. No defilement has a place here, no dead bodies have a place here, there is no death or corruption here. The glory is the glory of holiness, where corruption and death have been removed. Do remember that the glory depends upon the spiritual condition. It depends upon the holiness. This then, in the first place, is the place of His glory.

The House: The Place of God's Government

Next, the House is the place of His government. "This is the place of My Throne": it is in the seat of His government. Remember that this is a heavenly House. The seat of His government is not in a church on the earth, whether that be in Rome or anywhere else. The seat of His Throne is in heaven, and we only come under that government of God when we come into a heavenly position. Now that is a very strong statement. It carries very much with it, but we really only come under this government of God when we are in a heavenly position. And I am sure that you would agree that it is a very important matter to be under the government of God. What hope is there for any of us, or for a church, that is not under the government of God?!

~T. Austin-Sparks~

(continued with # 45)