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God’s spiritual temple -
not yet complete!
Frank Borg
Some of the splinter
groups use Zechariah 4:9
to support a message
that Mr. Armstrong
completed the commission
of preaching the gospel
to the world. While this
may have very well been
the case, does Zechariah
4:9 have anything
to do with the gospel
message? Notice the
words of this verse:
“The hands of Zerubbabel
have laid the foundation
of this house; his hands
shall also finish it;
and thou shalt know that
the LORD of hosts hath
sent me unto you”.
The subject spoken of in
this verse is ‘this
house’. What is this
referring to? Is it
referring to the gospel
message? Let us allow
scripture to explain:
“For the time is come
that judgment must
begin at the
house of God:
and if it first begin at
us, what shall the end
be of them that obey not
the gospel of God?” (1
Pet. 4:17).
“Ye also, as lively
stones, are built up a
spiritual house,
an holy priesthood, to
offer up spiritual
sacrifices, acceptable
to God by Jesus Christ”
(1 Pet. 2:5).
“And having an high
priest over the house
of God” (Heb.
10:21).
“But if I tarry long,
that thou mayest know
how thou oughtest to
behave thyself in the
house of God, which is
the church of the living
God, the pillar and
ground of the
truth” (1 Tim. 3:15).
1 Timothy 3:15 clearly
states that the House
of God is the Church of
the living God!
Clearly, “this house”
referred to in Zechariah
4:9 is referring to
God’s Church (or those
called out of this world
and baptized in the Body
of Christ). It has
nothing to do with the
gospel message!
Let us ask another
question. Can a
(physical) man lay the
foundation of God’s
spiritual house or
Church? Again, let us
allow the Bible to
answer this question:
“Now therefore ye are no
more strangers and
foreigners, but
fellowcitizens with the
saints, and of the
household of God;
And are built upon the
foundation of the
apostles and prophets,
Jesus Christ himself
being the chief corner
stone; In whom all the
building fitly framed
together groweth unto an
holy temple in the Lord:
In whom ye also are
builded together for an
habitation of God
through the Spirit”
(Eph. 2:19-20).
“According
to the grace of God
which is given unto me,
as a wise masterbuilder,
I [note: this
is referring to Jesus
Christ] have laid
the foundation, and
another buildeth
thereon. But let every
man take heed how he
buildeth thereupon.
For other foundation can
no man lay than that is
laid, which is Jesus
Christ” (1 Cor.
3:10-11).
Is it not clear that
Christ is the Foundation
of His house? Doesn’t 1
Cor. 3:11 clearly state
that no man can
lay the foundation of
the spiritual house?
Furthermore, can a
(physical) man finish
the building of the
spiritual temple of God?
Notice what the Bible
states about whose hands
will finish the building
of the spiritual temple:
“The stone which the
builders refused is
become the head stone
of the corner” (Ps.
118:22).
“And have ye not read
this scripture; The
stone which the builders
rejected is become the
head of the corner”
(Mk. 12:10).
“Jesus saith unto them,
Did ye never read in the
scriptures, The stone
which the builders
rejected, the same is
become the head of
the corner: this is the
Lord's doing, and it
is marvellous in our
eyes?” (Matt. 21:42).
Notice that “the head of
the corner: this is the
Lord’s doing”. What is
the “head stone” (Ps.
118:22 etc)? The
dictionary.com gives the
following definition for
“head stone”: “The
central wedge-shaped
stone of an arch that
locks its parts
together”. The central
wedge-shaped stone of an
arch is the last stone
which is put in place
when constructing an
arch. The “head of the
corner” is the last
stone put in place that
keeps the construction
together. In the case of
the spiritual temple,
the head of the corner
is Christ’s doing.
Christ is the chief
corner stone (Eph.
2:20)!
Jesus Christ alone can
take credit for building
the spiritual temple of
God – from the
foundation to the very
last stone (Eph. 2:20).
Notice Ephesians 2:20:
“And are built upon the
foundation of the
apostles and prophets,
Jesus Christ himself
being the chief corner
stone” (Eph. 2:20).
Evidently, Zechariah 4:9
is not talking about the
preaching of the gospel,
but about the building
of the temple.
Spiritually speaking,
the temple is the Church
of God made up of
members baptized into
the Body of Christ. Only
the hands of Jesus
Christ can lay the
foundation of the
temple, and only His
hands can finish it! The
temple will be completed
at the time of the
Firstfruits’
resurrection.
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