INTRODUCTION THE HOUSE

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2 INTRODUCTION I want to invite you to join me on a journey to my Father s house. Along the way we will stop from time to time to enjoy the incredible views and take in the surrounding scenery. Before we set off though perhaps we should take some time to have a clearer picture of our intended destination for Father s house is sometimes misunderstood and misrepresented. So bear with us as we try and brush away some of the cobwebs from our thinking in order that we will have a clearer idea of all that Father s house represents. THE HOUSE The concept of the house is one which we find used often throughout the Bible. The earliest mention of the house is recorded in Genesis 12:1 where God instructed Abraham to leave his father s house for another land to which He would direct him. The context and impression conveyed would tend to indicate that this is more than a simple instruction to leave a building, for it is also expressive of leaving all that relates to his natural relationships. In other words it is a spiritual as well as a physical act - a separation of heart as well as from home. The fact that the house in scripture is representative of much more than a building becomes crystal clear in later passages, such as in the book of Numbers, where a father's house is representative of a whole clan numbering thousands of people. Fast-forward two generations to Abraham s grandson Jacob a man who holds the key to a completely fresh revelation of the house. During an overnight camping expedition on his way to Padan Aram, God revealed himself to Jacob in an incredible dream. When he woke Jacob realised that his encounter with the living God was something extraordinary and exclaimed How awesome is this place! This is none other that the house of God, and this is the gate of heaven. (Genesis 28:17 NKJV) Interestingly it appears that even back then houses had gates at the entrance to the premises! At that moment in time Jacob stood at an invisible gate looking at a place where the eternal house of God had entered time. And, the purpose of this invasion was to give revelation and direction. Jacob would name the place Bethel (House of God) and it would later become a great centre of worship for the Jewish people. 2

3 However, it is of great importance to grasp at this point that the House of God preceded the Temple of God. In other words - God does not require a temple or building for His House! DEFINING THE HOUSE At its most basic a house is a dwelling place. Consequently the house of God is the place of his dwelling. In the Targum, the Aramaic translation of the Old Testament, Isaiah records that the angels in heaven cried out Holy in the highest heaven, the house of his presence, holy upon the earth, the work of his might, holy for endless ages is the Lord of hosts." (Isaiah 6:3). In addition to being a dwelling place, the house is normally a place of family fellowship, a place of intimacy and a place of security. It is also a place in which we seek rest and relaxation as well as sustenance and refreshing. As we will discover later Father is jealous for his house he wants nothing unclean or impure to enter and distract from its primary purpose. In light of what we have said, we can safely assume that where the house of God is manifest a number of things will be found. First of all it really is an awesome place! It is also a place were we will feel safe and secure, loved, at rest and well fed. Here we will have no sense of want or distraction satisfied always and only with the abundance of the house. It wall also prove to be a place of revelation and direction for life and living. In the meditations that follow we will pick up on some of these themes as we continue our journey. PASSION AND THE HOUSE If Jacob captured the spiritual concept of the house of God, and Isaiah heard the angels singing about it the Psalm writer David clearly reveals his passion for this place. And his passion for the house is inextricably linked with the presence of the owner! Truly for David The House is the place of his presence! For instance in one place David cries Lord, I have loved the habitation of your house, and the place where your glory dwells. (Psalm 26:8 NKJV). Again it appears that David is not talking exclusively of literal Temple or house, for, as we will see later, the Temple had not yet been built! So what concept did David have of God s house? 3

4 In an earlier Psalm David writes Because of your unfailing love, I can enter your house: with deepest respect I will worship at your Temple (Psalm 5:7 NLT). While David s reference to the House and Temple here may also relate to the tented structure known as the Tabernacle, it is also obvious that David, as Jacob before him, saw the house of God as a spiritual reality! This becomes even clearer in another Psalm when David writes The one thing I ask of the Lord the thing I seek most is to dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, delighting in the Lord s perfection s and meditating in his Temple. For he will conceal me there when trouble comes: he will hide me in his sanctuary. (Psalm 27: 4&5 NLT) And, his longing expressed in Psalm 23, that he might live in the house of the Lord forever is conclusive proof of the spiritual concept of the House and Temple in David s mind. David s overwhelming passion was therefore for the spiritual house of God the place where he could rest, shelter and wonder in the presence of his loving Father. It was there in the invisible but tangible realm of Father s house that he felt secure, was nourished, and longed to spend every moment of his life and eternity. THE PROMISE OF A HOUSE Once settled as King of Israel David revealed one of his longings - to build a literal Temple for God. However God made it quite clear that he did not wish David to engage in such a project. But then God, through he prophet Nathan, completely turned the tables on David by announcing that he would build a house for him a dynasty of kings! (2 Samuel 7:11 NLT). Furthermore, God promised that this house and dynasty would be everlasting. The promise to David, recorded in 2nd Samuel 7, is a classic example of the double meaning we often find in the prophetic promises of God. Although this promise would be fulfilled initially in and through David s son Solomon, the man God did appoint to build a literal temple, it also makes clear reference to the coming Messiah For when you (David) die, I will raise up one of your descendants, and I will make his kingdom strong. He is the one who will build a house a temple for my name. And I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. I will be his father. And he will be my son. (2 Samuel 7: NLT) As we have said, Solomon later built the first great Temple in Jerusalem. But the house of the Messiah, the one whose Kingdom and throne will last forever, is by far the most important revelation in this passage. Furthermore, the assurance I will be his father. And he will be my son was, I suggest, the impetus for David s seeking, a short time later, to be a father to Mephibosheth (see my booklet Mephibosheth, Heart of an Orphan, Heritage of a King ). 4

5 Of course all that we have said is not simply conjecture. On the day of Pentecost Peter s preaching on this and other similar scriptures resulted in thousands of Jews recognising Jesus as their true Messiah! Using Psalm 16 and other scriptures including 2 Samuel: 7, Peter declares Dear brothers, think about this! David wasn t referring to himself when he spoke these words I have quoted, for he died and was buried, and his tomb is still here among us. But he was a prophet, and he knew God had promised with an oath that one of David s own descendants would sit on David s throne as the Messiah. David was looking into the future and predicting the Messiah s resurrection. He was saying that the Messiah would not be left among the dead and that his body would not rot in the grave. This prophecy was speaking of Jesus, whom God raised from the dead, and we all are witnesses of this. Now he sits on the throne of highest honour in heaven, at God s right hand. (Acts 2: NLT). On that day thousands of Jewish people became believers in the Messiah Jesus. They saw him on the throne of David not an earthly throne but a heavenly one. And, as they gazed upon him through freshly opened eyes, they also had a first glimpse of the house he came to establish! TEMPLE AND MANSION If Jacob, David and the other personalities of the Old Testament perceived the spiritual reality of God s house as distinct from a literal Tabernacle or Temple we would expect that Jesus, God veiled in his humanity, would reveal the same. The first mention Jesus makes of his Father s House was as a child and is obviously a reference to the literal Temple in Jerusalem. Following him having become separated from his parents for some 3 days after a trip to Jerusalem, we discover that Jesus had spend his time in the Temple debating with the adult theologians of his day. When traced by his frantic parents he told his mother You should have known I would be in my Father s house. (Luke 2:49 NLT). As a young man Jesus would return to the very same building and drive out the merchants who traded there and, overturning the tables of the Bureau de Change tell them Don t turn my Father s house in to a marketplace! (John 2:16 NLT). But Jesus most famous reference to Fathers House is not to an earthly Temple or building but to an unseen, spiritual house There are many rooms in my Father s home, and I am going to prepare a place for you. (John 14:2 NLT). The Authorised Version of the bible uses the terms House instead of home and Mansions instead of rooms. There is little doubt but that this statement drips with imagery from the Jewish betrothal and wedding process for 5

6 Jesus reveals himself as a bridegroom, leaving for his Fathers house in order to prepare a home for his bride. Traditionally, after all of the transactions and planning for the wedding were completed, a young Jewish man would return to his father s house in order to prepare a honeymoon cottage for his bride. However, before doing so he would make a speech to his bride outlining his intentions. This is exactly the imagery Jesus is using here assuring his disciples that he is making a journey to Father s house for the express purpose of preparing a place for his beloved. He then assures them When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with me where I am. (John 14:3 NLT). Words fail to express the pleasure, joy, and celebration which will be experienced in Fathers house when this reunion takes place. THE DESOLATE HOUSE Most of us recognise that there is a difference between a house and a home. It was through the Prophet Ezekiel that God declared I will make a covenant of peace with them, an everlasting covenant. I will give them their land and multiply them, and I will put my Temple among them forever. I will make my home among them. I will be their God, and they will be my people. (Ezekiel 37: NLT). The desire of our Father God is not only to make his home among us but also, as we will see later, and incredible though it may seem, is to his make his home and temple in us! When Jesus came to earth, he discovered that the place which should have represented his Father the Temple in Jerusalem - had been totally corrupted. No longer was the House his Father s home but a place controlled by moneylenders and thieves who abused and profited from the poor. Tragically, the same has been true, to one degree or another, of people and places who claim to represent God right down to this present moment. In the final analysis the verdict and declaration of Jesus on the religion of his day was Your house is left to you desolate (Luke 13:35 NKJV). Yes - the temple still stood although its days also were numbered. But long before the literal destruction of the temple The Owner had left the house was desolate. What was true then is true today, for some would rather have the form than the reality of Father s House! But God moves on and as we discovered earlier - he does not require a building for his house! 6

7 MANY ROOMS We would expect that a house and home would reflect the tastes, character and design of the owner. The same is true of Father s house for Father s house is a reflection of Father s heart! While so many religious institutions are exclusive, Father s House is inclusive. While many denominational groupings are divisive, Father s House is a place of unity and peace. In my Father s House there are no Baptists or Presbyterians Protestant or Catholics only those who through fellowship with The Son have become children of The Father. Yes - Father s House has many rooms. In my Father s House there is even room for the despised Samaritan and the rebel son. (See my booklets Samaritan the heart of God outside religion and A Father s Love ). We must speak truthfully when we repeat that section of what we commonly call the Lord s Prayer Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven - for our houses here should be a reflection of Father s House at least to some degree. It is not without significance that the elder son in Jesus parable (Luke 15) flatly refused to go into the house where the party for his restored brother was in full swing even although kindly entreated by his father. Which begs the question who, in the final analysis, will really join the party in my Father s House? SOUNDS OF THE HOUSE Interestingly it was the sound of music and dancing coming from his father s house that first alerted the elder son in Jesus parable to the fact that a party was in progress! If there was such joy in a home on earth at the restoration of one son, and as Jesus informs us - Joy in heaven over one sinner who repents. (Luke 15: 7 - NKJV) what can we expect when we arrive at Father s house? David had this assurance You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of your presence, and the pleasure of living with you forever. (Psalm 16:11 NLT). Yet this expectation for David was not some distant, vague hope for he also wrote You have turned my mourning into joyful dancing. You have taken away my clothes of mourning and clothed me with joy. (Psalm 31:11 NLT) As the restored son in Jesus parable discovered - the joy of Father s house is for the present as well as for the future! Where Father s house is manifest, whether on earth or in heaven there is exuberance, joy, music, singing and dancing! I sing for joy in the shadow of your protecting wings, wrote the psalmist (Psalm 63:7). Surely if David sang for joy in the shadow 7

8 of Gods protecting wings while here on earth Father s home in heaven will also be a place filled with the most incredible songs of joy. And the sound of the house will be heard throughout the universe and beyond! THE SORROW OF THE HOUSE Strange as it may seem joy and sorrow are not mutually exclusive. David spoke of Jesus when he wrote Therefore God, your God, has anointed You with the oil of gladness more than your companions (Psalm 45:7). Yet, he would also be the Man of sorrows prophesied by Isaiah (Isaiah 53:3). It is difficult for us to comprehend that the Man who was acquainted with the bitterest grief and who carried our weakness and was weighed down by our sorrow (Isaiah 53: 3&4 - NLT), was also to be the one endowed with the greatest joy known to man. Father s house then, at this present time, is also a place of the broken heart a place of tears and sorrow as well as joy and pleasure. As his children weep Father weeps, as his children experience pain, Father experiences pain. I cannot understand it but I am assured it is true, for I read In all their suffering he also suffered (Isaiah 63:9 NLT). Is it possible to know ecstatic joy, peace and contentment in the pain, grief, bitterness and sorrow of life? It is - if we dwell in Father s house! And, this is not a theory for I have seen it with my own eyes and can testify to it. Millions, even in the face of overwhelming grief and sorrow can say with David - I am overcome with joy because of your unfailing love, for you have seen my troubles, and you care about the anguish of my soul. (Psalm 31:7 NLT). THE ABUNDANCE OF THE HOUSE Father feeds his children from the abundance of his house and provides drink from his rivers of delight (Psalm 36:8). Father s house is truly an abundant place - in every way! Yet all of this, and indeed all of the blessings and privileges which have gone before depend on one thing our dwelling in the house! In Scotland a house is sometimes referred to, at least in legal jargon as a dwelling house. In other words it is a place where a person or people dwell or live. All of the privileges and blessings, protection and benefits of a house belong only to those who dwell in it! Conversely, if we choose to dwell outside the house then we cannot claim its abundance, blessings, privileges or protection. 8

9 Another term for house which we rarely hear used today in an abode. David picks up this imagery in Palm 91 when he writes He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. (Psalm 91:1 NKJV). Incredibly, The Most High - The Almighty, is my Father! It is as I dwell in Him, abide in Him and live in Him, that I experience the abundance of His house! It is here, in this place, resting under the wings of my Father that I know the abundance of His provision, the abundance of His protection, the abundance of His fellowship, the abundance of His love, the abundance of His grace, his abundant supply, the abundance of His strength, his abundant joy and the abundance of His power. David concurs, for he writes that all this is true Because you have made the Lord, who is my refuge, even the Most High, your dwelling place (Psalm 91:9 NKJV). THE FRAGRANCE OF THE HOUSE And the house was filled with fragrance (John 12:3 NLT) On entering Father s house one immediately becomes aware of the fragrance. It is quite unique sweet and overpowering yet beautiful, addictive yet attractive. Once experienced no other fragrance can ever compare to it. Of all our senses smell has a unique quality. A certain smell may remind us of a room, place or building, which has long been erased from our memory. A particular fragrance may also remind us of a certain person and along with it all of the emotions we experienced when in their presence. Spiritual fragrance has a similar effect! We may have walked in to a room and, quite unexpectedly, known the fragrance of His presence. What a wonderful and rare experience that is. Yet in my Father s house the fragrance of His person and the fragrance which rises from the worship of his adoring children mix together to form a majestic aroma that must be experience to be appreciated. And, there are times when the fragrance of Father s spiritual house invades our natural homes. I have a number of friends who were together in a home on the Isle of Skye one evening when the fragrance of Father s house broke in to their physical realm in such an overwhelming way that each one was aware of it. Even on leaving the house the physical fragrance accompanied them. It was an experience none of them will ever forget! 9

10 The fragrance that filled the house in Bethany (John 12) was as the result of abandoned, extravagant worship. The wonderful truth is that we, at this moment in time, are fragrant to the Father! Our lives are a fragrance presented by Christ to God writes the apostle Paul (2 Corinthians 2:15). He also reminds us in the same letter that we ought to be a life-giving perfume to one another. Yes - we can live in the fragrance of the house today most especially so when we abandon ourselves in extravagant worship. ENTRY TO THE HOUSE Because of your unfailing love, I can enter your house (Psalm 5:7 NLT) Entry to my Father s house is purely and simply by his grace or as David puts it, because of his unfailing love. It is because of this active love, in which the Father proactively seeks his children, even when lost, whether through ignorance or rebellion, that we are assured of a place in his house. In The Shepherds Psalm, David s assurance that he will live in the house of the Lord forever, is inextricably linked to his assurance that Father s love will pursue me all the days of my life. (See Psalm 23 NLT) Consequently our place in Father s house is by merit of his seeking us out and passionately pursuing us with his love. Our entry to the house is through the door. A door offers both access and protection. During the early history of the Jewish people their protection from the destroying angel was by means of blood applied to the door (see Exodus 12:7). I am the door. If anyone enters by me he will be saved. said Jesus (John 10:9 NKJV). The imagery could not be clearer we enter Father s house through the person and by the merit of Jesus Christ and his sacrificial death for us. It is most significant that it was as Jesus offered his life as a sacrifice for our sin that the veil of the temple, which represented the door of separation between man and the holy presence God, was violently torn apart (see Matthew 27:51 and Luke 23:45). The significance of this act is taken up by the writer to the Hebrews And so dear brothers and sisters, we can boldly enter heaven s most holy place because of the blood of Jesus. This is the new, life-giving way that Christ has opened up for us through the sacred curtain, by means of his death for us. (Hebrews 10: 19&20 NLT) In all of this we see another aspect of the mystery of the unity between the Father and the Son in respect of The House. Again in his letter to the Hebrews the author, referring to Jesus, makes this statement - Christ, as a Son over his (God s) house, whose house we are (Hebrews 3:5 YLT). In this context the writer is considering the High Priestly ministry of 10

11 Jesus the one who took our flesh, lived our life, knew our sorrows, shed our tears and felt our pain. Therefore, in God the Son, who today dwells his Father s house, we have a friend who knows how it is for he lived through all the rough and tumble, pain and sorrow associated with being human. He is not separated from all we experience in life - We do not have a high priest who cannot sympathise with our weakness, we are assured (Hebrews 4:15 NKJV). The slogan of a major Computer Company is You ve got a friend in the business. We have something far better far more beneficial - a Friend in Father s house! THE MYSTERY OF THE HOUSE In the final analysis we must come to the conclusion that Father s house is multi faceted. On our journey we have discovered that his house is eternal, yet can appear in time, that it is in heaven yet can be experienced on earth and that it is a place we long and yearn for yet can experience in some measure in the here and now. But perhaps the greatest mystery is that we are not only part of the house by virtue of the fact that we are children of the house but that in some mysterious way we are the house! We are his house. carefully joined together, becoming a holy temple for the Lord states the apostle Paul (Ephesians 2:20/21 NLT). In another place he reminds us We are God s household (Hebrews 3:6 - NLT). Here is the mystery He is our house and we are his! The saying home is where the heart is could just as easily be applied to the spiritual realm as to the physical for his heart is with us we are His dwelling. Conversely when our hearts are with him he is our dwelling. Again Paul has reason to remind us Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? (1 Corinthians 3:16 - NKJV {emphasis mine}). What an awesome privilege to know that moment-by-moment we are, in a mysterious sense, the dwelling place of the living God and that we can dwell in Him! No wonder David exclaimed How happy are those who can live in your house, always singing your praises and A single day in your courts is better than a thousand anywhere else! (Psalm 84:4&10 NLT). 11