God is a builder. Throughout the Bible, He is recognized in this role by great patriarchs and famous kings. The Bible describes several amazing physical building projects. Some passages include specific details of materials, measurements and methods of construction.
God is also working on spiritual building projects. Thus it is worth asking, What is God building today? It is also worth asking yourself, How is God working as a builder in my life?
“Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God” (Ephesians 2:19).
Here the Apostle Paul describes a spiritual house, God’s household, comprised of those He has called to His service.
God has been building this house for a long time. Verse 20 says we are “built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone.” Built upon means God is finishing a structure whose foundation is already laid. In fact, He has almost completed this construction project.
Herbert W. Armstrong explained, “This scripture plainly reveals the temple to which the glorified world-ruling Christ shall come at his soon Second Coming. … The Church, then, is to grow into a holy temple—the spiritual temple to which Christ shall come …” (Mystery of the Ages).
“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” (verses 21-22). This is an impressive structure: This house is fitly framed together. Think on that for a moment.
Builders work with materials—wood, stone, steel, tile, glass. In God’s construction project, you are the material.
A craftsman enjoys selecting wood at a lumberyard. He will take his time to visually inspect each board, selecting for straightness, dismissing for defects. Timber that is splintered, bent, twisted or too knotty won’t make the grade. With appearance boards, he will be even more fastidious: While searching to avoid flaws, he might also look for attractive patterns in the wood grain.
If God has called you today, you have been carefully chosen.
Now let’s visit a building site. Even after a piece of wood has been selected, it can change over time. If stacked loosely on site, the once-straight board will become twisted and bent. It could become unusable. To stay true, the board needs to be measured, cut and fastened in its place in the building.
When a house is under construction, you often see offcuts of building materials all over the site. Framing, sheathing, tile and trim have to be measured and cut to fit according to the plans for that structure. The old adage says measure twice, cut once. But sometimes a carpenter will have to measure and trim a piece of wood several times to get it to fit just right. If he cuts too much off, it becomes too small and has to be used somewhere else, or not at all.
If God has called you today, you need to be measured and worked with to fit into the structure He is building, according to His plans. God is measuring. How measurable are you?
Revelation 11:1 reads, “And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and the angel stood, saying, Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein.”
The previous verse gives important context: “In Revelation 10:11, God gives us our commission,” writes Gerald Flurry. “It is a grand vision of what we’re going to be doing: prophesying again before many peoples, and nations, and tongues and kings. Notice, then, how God follows that vision with correction: He immediately talks about measuring us in chapter 11. God begins to measure us and show us where we need to change. That is a wonderful blessing from our loving Father. Every loving father measures his children so they can be happy and successful. If we are going to prophesy again, we must worship in that temple and we have to be measured. That includes the altar, which symbolizes the ministry, including me. We all have to be measured” (Prophesy Again).
Verse 2 of Revelation 11 describes the chilling fate of those who refuse to be measured.
Builders use a number of measuring tools: tape measures, squares, laser levels, plumb bobs. God also measures by several means, through His government and His Spirit. He examines us and tests for several things, including:
- Our obedience and love for His law
- Our submission to His loving family government
- Our support of the man He is working through today
- Our response to Malachi’s Message, the very message God sent to measure the Church
- How well we uphold His standards
- Our commitment to and productivity for His Work
- How well we take correction
The list could go on. These are weighty matters, and we all have room to improve in them. We will if we are measurable.
In the May-June 2023 issue of Royal Vision, Mr. Flurry wrote, “We must be measured to stay with God. He commands it! … We need supporters who love God’s law and want to be measured by it so we can prepare for our tremendous future.”
Let’s be measurable so the Builder can fitly frame us together as the household of God.