“Except the LORD Build the House” – Part 3 (Underpinning)

In the last two studies we discussed what makes a good foundation and some of the spiritual lessons the Lord has given us in God’s word which reveal these lessons. We looked at spiritual lessons that we can derive from the actual process of breaking ground, and to some degree the different types of foundations and how they are formed and what we can learn from that process. The main lesson to learn from foundations is that it is the Lord who is breaking the ground in our own spiritual heavens and laying the foundations that are going to be so deep and solid and perfectly set together that we will be able to say of this foundational government of which we are becoming that “of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this” (Isa 9:7).

The first thing to notice is that the foundational government which God is going to build will have these spiritual qualities mentioned in Isaiah 9:7 as their unmovable underpinning.

There is a whole science which has been developed around how to do this underpinning under different terrains and surfaces, but for the purpose of our study, I just want to make the point that the underpinning is brought down in many instances to the solid foundation which is accessed by the deep digging God requires of us as we labor for the meat that does not perish.

Luk 6:46  And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?
Luk 6:47  Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like:
Luk 6:48  He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock.

Joh 6:27  Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed.

1Th 1:3  Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father;
1Th 1:4  Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God.
1Th 1:5  For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake.
1Th 1:6  And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost:

1Co 15:56  The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.
1Co 15:57  But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
1Co 15:58  Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

Heb 11:6  But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

Spiritual underpinning: four points from Isaiah 9:7:

1. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom.

There will be order “to order it” and that order will come from God through Christ and continue down through the body of Christ to the rest of mankind.

This holy ground that God is going to create will be established with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever.

Finally, and the most central point to notice, “the zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.”

What do these points mean for Christ’s body, and how are they practically to be understood for God’s elect who know that these words were written for their sakes (2Co 4:15, Rom 15:4).

1. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom.

God has declared the end from the beginning regarding what He is going to do, and He already knows who it is that will be used to be the spiritual underpinning for His government. The “hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth”.

Isa 46:10  Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure:

Eph 1:4  According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:

Joh 4:23  But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.
Joh 4:24  God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

Without that right spiritual relationship based on worshiping God “in spirit and in truth”, the weary laborers are just labouring in vain.

Psa 127:1  A Song of degrees for Solomon.Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.

Mar 7:7  Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teachingfor doctrines the commandments of men.

1Co 3:11  For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
1Co 3:12  Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;
1Co 3:13  Every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is.
1Co 3:14  If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. [1st resurrection]
1Co 3:15  If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire [2nd resurrection].

God has called us to remember we have a heritage which will be brought about because of the labor He is working in our lives, both to will and to do of His good pleasure, which starts with Him giving us that kingdom today in the earnest down payment form that we have (Psa 127:3, Php 2:13, Luk 12:32, Eph 1:14).

Our heritage is then explained in Psalm 127:3 as “the fruit of the womb is his reward”, and this “fruit of the womb” is speaking of the other lump (Rom 11:16), the other fold (Joh 10:16) who “as touching the election, they are beloved for the fathers’ sakes” (Rom 11:28) and will come up in the latter harvest (Jas 5:7) to be ripened on the Vine, Jesus Christ, of whom we are a part today, and witnessing to that through the fruit of our lives, the increase which He alone can give (Luk 6:44, 1Co 3:6, Joh 13:35, Joh 14:15). This increase that comes from God alone is made manifest through the church, Christ’s body (Col 1:24) and is explained by these prophetic words, “the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom.”

2. There will be order “to order it” and that order will come from God through Christ and continue down through the body of Christ to the rest of mankind.

There will always be order in God’s kingdom, and we are learning as God’s first fruits that this order can never come about except the Lord tears down the old order within us and brings in the new spiritual order by the power of God’s holy spirit.

Mar 13:2  And Jesus answering said unto him, Seest thou these great buildings? there shall not be left one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.

There is so much imagery in God’s word that speaks to this order, whether we look at the precious oil”that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron’s beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments” typifying “how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity” and how that unity can only come about as a result of God’s holy spirit, or we can see the same imagery explained in the book of Zechariah, especially in chapter four. Again, this imagery reminds us of the order and the need for God’s holy spirit to ultimately create that order as we are led by it together and partake of that liberty that comes from knowing God and Jesus Christ in each other.

Psa 133:1  A Song of degrees of David.Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!
Psa 133:2  It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron’s beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments;
Psa 133:3  As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the LORD commanded the blessing, even life for evermore.

Zec 4:2  And said unto me, What seest thou? And I said, I have looked, and behold a candlestick all of gold, with a bowl upon the top of it, and his seven lamps thereon, and seven pipes to the seven lamps, which are upon the top thereof:
Zec 4:3  And two olive trees by it, one upon the right side of the bowl, and the other upon the left side thereof.
Zec 4:4  So I answered and spake to the angel that talked with me, saying, What are these, my lord?
Zec 4:5  Then the angel that talked with me answered and said unto me, Knowest thou not what these be? And I said, No, my lord.
Zec 4:6  Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts.

Rom 8:14  For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

2Co 3:17  Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.

Joh 17:3  And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.

3. This holy ground God is going to create will be established with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever.

Judgment and justice are paramount to establishing a government of everlasting peace. Notice it is established, and someone has to be doing the establishing, and that starts with the judgment that is upon the house of God today.

1Pe 4:17  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?
1Pe 4:18  And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?
1Pe 4:19  Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.

Isa 26:9  With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early: for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness.

The whole bible is just about two men and how the God of the universe sees light and darkness as the same because both of them are doing exactly what has been written in their books to do according to the counsel of His will.

Psa 139:12  Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee.

Eph 1:11  In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:

Isa 45:7  I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things.

Rom 11:22  Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.

4. Finally, and the most central point to notice, “the zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.”

The last point we will look at in regard to Isaiah 9:7 and how God is going to establish His government upon the earth is the simple truth that “The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this”.

That zeal is to be primarily understood by God’s elect as the means by which Christ is currently cleansing us as His kind of first fruits as He drives the beasts out of our temple and cleanses our hearts and minds so we can worship Him in spirit and in truth. This is what should be our 24/7 goal as God helps us to continue to examine ourselves to be sure that we are not reprobate in our faith. We must continue to pray for one another that God “would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man.” This is the underpinning we need and can only obtain through Jesus Christ and each joint which supplies that nourishment through His body, the church.

Joh 2:15  And when he had made a scourge of small cords, he drove them all out of the temple, and the sheep, and the oxen; and poured out the changers’ money, and overthrew the tables;
Joh 2:16 And said unto them that sold doves, Take these things hence; make not my Father’s house an house of merchandise.
Joh 2:17  And his disciples remembered that it was written, The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up.

Heb 12:6  For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.

Eph 3:16  That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;
Eph 3:17  That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,
Eph 3:18  May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;
Eph 3:19  And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.
Eph 3:20  Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us,
Eph 3:21  Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.

Joh 4:24  God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

2Co 13:5  Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?

Luk 12:42  And the Lord said, Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his lord shall make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of meat in due season?
Luk 12:43  Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.
Luk 12:44  Of a truth I say unto you, that he will make him ruler over all that he hath.
Luk 12:45  But and if that servant say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; and shall begin to beat the menservants and maidens, and to eat and drink, and to be drunken;

Col 1:24  Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body’s sake, which is the church:

Our brother Larry reminded us after Mike’s last study of the blessing it is to get through this judgment in this present life. which is a vapor, being given to ask God to judge us now, examine us now, and not allow us to put off until tomorrow what can be done today through Christ, as we are made ready to be His bride (Psa 139:23 and then Psa 51:1-5, Pro 3:11, Rev 19:7).

This attitude of self-examination and repentance is a gift from God (Rom 2:4) and truly is the principle underpinning of the body of Christ which must fall seven complete symbolic times to go onto perfection on the third day (Pro 24:16, Luk 13:32).