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The Storm Beats Upon Both Houses

By Chris McCann
October 7, 2018

Previously posted as, “The Dedication of the House of David,” 2014.

Psalm 30 A Psalm and Song at the dedication of the house of David.

David is a great type of the Lord Jesus Christ. At times the Lord uses the name David but Christ is in view:

Ezekiel 34:23 And I will set up one shepherd over them, and he shall feed them, even my servant David; he shall feed them, and he shall be their shepherd.

Psalm 30's inscription: "dedication of the house of David" is spiritually pointing to Christ. It is a psalm given for the dedication of Christ's house.

David had wanted to build the Lord a house. But God refused him and said to David:

1 Chronicles 17:10 ...Furthermore I tell thee that the LORD will build thee an house.

11 And it shall come to pass, when thy days be expired that thou must go to be with thy fathers, that I will raise up thy seed after thee, which shall be of thy sons; and I will establish his kingdom.

12 He shall build me an house, and I will stablish his throne for ever.

God would build David (Christ) a house. And His throne would be established forever (an eternal throne can only refer to the throne of Christ). Solomon thought that the physical house of God (temple) he was building was the fulfillment of the promise given to his father. But it was only an illustration of the house the Seed of David would build.

In the New Testament, many references to Jesus as being the Son of David indicate He was the promised Messiah. These verses in the gospel of Luke especially match up well with the things God said to David in 1 Chronicles 17:

Luke 1:31 And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.

32 He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David:

33 And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.

SPIRITUAL HOUSE

The Bible plainly tells us that Jesus was indeed building a spiritual house made up of all those He would save:

1 Peter 2:5 Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house,...

And,

Hebrews 3:4 For every house is builded by some man; but he that built all things is God.

5 And Moses verily was faithful in all his house, as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken after;

6 But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we,

Throughout time, since the fall of man into sin, the Lord was building His spiritual house: the house of David His Shepherd (Christ).

It is this spiritual house comprised of all that God has saved that is in view in this parable:

Matthew 7:24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:

25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.

Jesus is the Wise man that built His house upon a Rock (Himself). The house is able to weather the storm because of the solid foundation.

(Note: the spiritual house of God was builded upon the foundation of the Lord Jesus' sacrificial offering of Himself. Every time God saved a person it was as though He were adding a another living brick to that house. And since all is built upon Christ it must mean that the foundation was the first thing laid. Christ necessarily had to have died from the foundation of the world to first lay the foundation for all the living stones that would be laid upon it over the course of history. In other words: the fact that the Bible says God built a spiritual house and Jesus is the foundation of the house all must have been built upon proves that Christ truly was the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. The Rock for the house was laid at that point. Then men could be saved and built upon the foundation. Abel was saved and added to the foundation of Christ. Noah was saved and added as a living stone. Etc, etc.)

DEDICATION ONCE HOUSE IS COMPLETED

Once again we know the Bible reveals Christ was building Himself a spiritual house for an eternal habitation. The historical building of the house of God by Solomon pictures the spiritual house. After several years the house Solomon built was finally finished. The Bible tells us that when it was completed it would be dedicated:

1 Kings 8:63 And Solomon offered a sacrifice of peace offerings, which he offered unto the LORD, two and twenty thousand oxen, and an hundred and twenty thousand sheep. So the king and all the children of Israel dedicated the house of the LORD.

2 Chronicles 7:5 And king Solomon offered a sacrifice of twenty and two thousand oxen, and an hundred and twenty thousand sheep: so the king and all the people dedicated the house of God.

The finished temple is a wonderful historical illustration of the time that would come when God would finish building His spiritual house. At the time of the end the Bible reveals that a great multitude would become saved and come out of the great tribulation period (Revelation 7:9-14).

At that point the last of the elect whose names were written in the Lamb's book of life would have been found and saved through the sending forth of the gospel into the world. On May 21, 2011 the great tribulation ended. And therefore the great multitude had been saved. The spiritual house of Christ was completed. For the first time in all the world's history it could be said that the house the Lord Jesus Christ was building was now fully built and established.

LAW FOR LEAVING THE BATTLE IN ORDER TO DEDICATE HOUSE

The Bible is an amazing book. It has written in it relatively obscure and often unusual laws that we read as part of the law of God without fully realizing why they are even in the Bible. One such unusual law is found in the book of Deuteronomy:

Deuteronomy 20:4 For the LORD your God is he that goeth with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.

5 And the officers shall speak unto the people, saying, What man is there that hath built a new house, and hath not dedicated it? let him go and return to his house, lest he die in the battle, and another man dedicate it.

Deuteronomy 20 gives several battle (war) laws. One of the laws described says that a man that has built a new house without dedicating it may leave the battle and go home to his house to dedicate it. An interesting law, certainly the Lord carefully considers the soldiers' personal life to be an important thing. But since this is the Bible we have to ask the question: why is this law recorded in the holy Scriptures? What is its spiritual significance?

Well, once we consider that the Bible says God is a man of war (Exodus 15:3) and the Hebrew word for "war" is the same word translated as 'battle' in this Deuteronomy 20 passage, we quickly see that this law has application to God Himself.

Actually, Deuteronomy 20:4 says God fights (in the battle) in order to save you:

"...fight for you against your enemies, to save you."

This is exactly what the Lord has been doing throughout the course of this world's history. He has engaged the kingdom of darkness in spiritual warfare in order to deliver His elect people out of their dungeons to sin and Satan:

Revelation 6:2 And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer.

Yes, God is a man of battle! But the Lord made an allowance through this law in Deuteronomy 20:5 that once a house is newly built, the man of war may leave the battle and go home to dedicate the house. Since the battle God fought in was to "save you" we can quickly see the spiritual principle: as soon as house of the elect is completed the Lord will cease to engage the enemy in spiritual warfare (over the salvation of souls). There is no longer any purpose for God to send forth the gospel to save since everyone to be saved has been saved. Deuteronomy 20:4,5, teaches us that a newly built house and its dedication ties in with the end of the salvation.

BUILT UPON A ROCK

We find something interesting as we return to the parable of the wise man and the house that he built:

Matthew 7:24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:

25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.

Again, the wise man is a picture of Christ. The house is the spiritual house of the elect. And the Rock is also Christ. Notice that the house is said to have been built. It does not say it is in building. The idea presented is not a house under construction. Or that is being added to in any way. But a completed house. It is built. The same Greek word is found used in:

Acts 7:47 But Solomon built him an house.

The Greek word for "built" above is the identical Greek word (and tense) as used in Matthew 7:24. Solomon built him an house is referring to a past event. Solomon built God a house some thousand years earlier than the writing of the book of Acts. Likewise, the wise man (Christ) built his house (whose house are we) upon a Rock (Christ). In order for the house to be completely done it must mean that everyone predestinated to salvation has heard the gospel and has been saved. Only then can it be said that the house is built.

But when will God save the last of the elect and complete His house? The Bible reveals to us that this was accomplished by the date of May 21, 2011. That is the first time in all the history of the world that it could be said that the spiritual house of the Lord Jesus Christ was built.

THE STORM COMES

I have read the short, little parable of the wise man that built his house upon a rock many times before. And yet, never realized its great significance. Through this parable Christ is instructing us concerning what to expect once the house of God is completed:

Matthew 7:25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.

The context of Matthew 7 which leads us into the parable of the wise man and his house points us to the Day of Judgment:

Matthew 7:22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?

23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

Many will say "IN THAT DAY Lord, Lord, ..." We quickly see how this ties in with another important passage of Scripture:

Luke 13:25 When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are:

The time period of those that say: "Lord, Lord" is the time when the door of heaven shuts. And the Bible has locked in the day of May 21, 2011 as the day God shut heaven's door. That's the context of Matthew 7 that leads us directly into the parable of the wise man that built his house on a rock. And it so happens that the Bible insists that the spiritual house of Christ (whose house are we) was completed by the date of May 21, 2011. God sent forth His Word into all the world in an unprecedented manner---never before in all the world's history had a message like the message of Judgment Day occurring on an appointed time been proclaimed and set forth before the forefront of the world's eyes as it was with the declaration of May 21, 2011. Through that worldwide proclamation the Lord saved a great multitude. The last one of the elect became saved sometime before the great tribulation period expired. But then the 8400th day of the great tribulation came and the spiritual structure of God's elect was then completely built. It was then time for God to bring the storm against the house.

STORM BEATS UPON BOTH HOUSES

We haven't discussed the other house mentioned in Matthew 7's parable. It is interesting that God describes a storm that assails BOTH houses. The house of the wise man (Christ) and the house of the foolish man. Both houses experience the identical storm:

Storm beats upon the wise man's house:

Matthew 7:24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:

25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.

Storm beats upon foolish man's house:

Matthew 7:26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:

27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.

One of the biggest problems some believers have with understanding the idea of May 21, 2011 being the day in which a spiritual judgment began on the world, is the fact that the elect were not taken out of the world before the judgment started. It has been widely taught in the churches, by the reformers, and many others, that God's elect will be raptured prior to the judgment that comes upon the unsaved of the world. But as is the case with many other things we have learned since the Lord unsealed His Word the Bible, the Bible teaches something totally different. The Bible teaches that the elect will indeed be upon the earth and living in the world during the Day of Judgment. The parable of the wise man and foolish man that built their houses before the storm came is another proof text that shows us that it has been God's plan all along to leave those

He saved in the world to weather the storm of His wrath.

As soon as God newly built His spiritual house He immediately sent the storm of His judgment against it. I'm sure that if you are one of God's elect you have felt the severe trying of your Christian life in these days after the tribulation (since May 21, 2011). There is good reason for all your afflictions, tribulations, struggles, and difficulties that you have certainly been experiencing in one way or another. It is the trial of the house. By the conclusion of this Day of Judgment the foundation of each one of us will be revealed.

THE HOUSE OF THE RIGHTEOUS SHALL STAND

The book of Proverbs says,

Proverbs 12:7 The wicked are overthrown, and are not: but the house of the righteous shall stand.

As we think about the two houses in Matthew 7's parable we can see exactly what this proverb is saying. Christ is the Righteous One. The house He built will stand. The house of God's elect will come through the storm. They will endure to the end of this period of Judgment Day. The house of the foolish will not withstand the storm. The storm will destroy their house and overthrow it. And at the end they will be annihilated and no longer have existence.

The wicked cannot stand (endure) before God.

Psalm 1:4 The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away. 5 Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.

Revelation 6:17 For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?

Malachi 3:2 But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner's fire, and like fullers' soap:

But the child of God. The individual that is a living stone and thereby a part of Christ's house (the house of the righteous) shall stand through the storm of God's judgment:

Ephesians 6:13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

Luke 21:35 For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth.

36 Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.

Romans 14:10 But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.

TO GOD BE THE GLORY

We often hear people say that there is no reason for God to have left His people in the world to

go through the final judgment. They say it serves no purpose. And yet as we examine the parable of the wise man that built his house upon a rock, we see a very important truth shine forth: as both houses suffer the effects of the storm something glorious is finally revealed.

Luke 6:47 Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like:

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.

49 But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great.

And,

Matthew 7:25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.

26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:

27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.

Why did one house stand and the other fall? Was it due to the timber used to build the house? Or was it the strong bricks that allowed the house to resist the power of the storm? No! It had nothing to do with the materials used. It is clear that the wise man's house endured the storm and the foolish man's house did not for one reason only—it was built upon a Rock. The powerful storm reveals the type of foundation each house was built upon.

Likewise, this most powerful and awful storm of the pouring out of the wrath of God upon all the inhabitants of the earth, in the Day of Judgment reveals what (or who) each person's foundation truly is.

1 Corinthians 3:9 For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building.

10 According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.

11 For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.

12 Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;

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.

14 If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.

15 If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.

At the end of this prolonged period of Judgment Day, God's people will have endured and remain standing together in the spiritual house Christ built.

Hebrews 12:26 Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven.

27 And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain.

28 Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:

29 For our God is a consuming fire.