Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit · Sermon No. 1618
Delivered on Lord’s-Day Morning, September 11, 1881
“This is the law of the house; Upon the top of the mountain the whole limit thereof round about shall be most holy. Behold, this is the law of the house.” Ezekiel 43:12.
I SHALL not enter into the immediate meaning of Ezekiel’s vision. I believe that the house of which Ezekiel speaks is typical of the Church of the Living God. In it I see not so much the visible Church as that spiritual, mystical Church of Jesus Christ which is the one place of His abode. It is found in a state of Grace on earth and in full Glory in Heaven. Below it is the holy Church militant—above it is the holy Church triumphant. The Church is the only thing upon earth which can properly be called the House of God, for He dwells not in temples made with hands, that is to say of this building. The finest architecture could never constitute a proper shrine for Deity. Look to yon blue heavens, gaze upon the spangled vault of night and view the ever-flashing, wide and open sea and tell me if any handiwork of man can rival the temple of Nature!
Peer into boundless space and see what a temple is already built—within what walls would you hope to house the infinite Jehovah? He has deigned, however, to choose Zion and to desire it for His habitation. The saints are built together as a spiritual house, a habitation of God through the Spirit. He resides among His people according to His promise, “I will dwell in them and walk in them.” Hence the Church is the home of the Great Father, where He dwells in the midst of His family and takes His rest. Has He not said, “This is My rest forever: here will I dwell, for I have desired it”? As a man in his own house takes his case and finds delight, so does God take pleasure in them that fear Him—“His foundation is in the holy mountains. The Lord loves the gates of Zion more than all the dwellings of Jacob.” The Church is God’s house, for there He makes Himself known and manifests Himself as He does not unto the outside world. “In Judah is God known, His name is great in Israel.” His people know Him, for they are all taught of the Lord. None of them has need to say to his neighbor, “know the Lord,” for they all know Him as their Father, from the least even to the greatest.
What sweet familiarities are enjoyed in the Church! What holy intimacies between the great Father and His children! How tenderly does He reveal Himself so that the secret of the Lord is with them that fear Him! His saints are a people near unto Him—they have access to Him at all times, for they dwell in His house and are His own dearly beloved children. What more glorious thing can be said of the Church than this—“God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved”? Of what but the Church, the true house of the Lord, could we read such words as these—“The Lord your God in the midst of you is mighty. He will save, He will rejoice over you with joy. He will rest in His love, He will joy over you with singing”?
The Church is God’s house and, therefore, He provides for it even as a man cares for his own house spends his strength for it, exercises his wisdom on its behalf and is always thoughtful over it. God lays Himself out for His people. For this His Son has both died and risen again. For this the Lord arranges the purposes of Heaven. For this He works among the children of men. The Lord’s portion is His people, Jacob is the lot of His inheritance—to His chosen He has special regard! He will see to it that His spiritual house is not allowed to decay, or to be short of anything which makes for its comfort, security and honor. The Lord links His own name with the Church as a man does with his house. It is the house of the Lord and He is the Lord of the house. Beloved, it is the greatest honor that can happen to any man to be a member of the household of God! There are great houses in the world of long descent and of imperial rank, but what are they compared with the household of God? The one family in Heaven and earth named by the name of Jesus has far more true glory about it than all the families of princes! I had rather be the lowest saint than the greatest emperor! Such honor have all the saints!
Now, Brothers and Sisters, if you and I have had the privilege to be admitted into God’s house and to be made a part of His family, it is exceedingly necessary that we should know the law of the house. This is desirable at our entrance and equally necessary as long as we remain in the house of the Lord. Paul wrote to Timothy with this design, “that you may know how you ought to behave yourself in the house of God, which is the Church of the Living God.” To this end Eze-kiel was sent of God to those who desired the favor of God. He was to show them the form of the house and the goings out and the comings in, and all the ordinances and all the forms and laws thereof. And he was to write it in their sight, that they might keep the whole form, all the ordinances—and do them.