The Stones Which Were Brought Into Solomon's Temple

At almost all times in history the kingdom of God has appeared to be in confusion to the outward eye. It is faith in the promises of God which provides a different perspective. The Holy Spirit assures us that infinite wisdom and love are presently directing the life of the church and that eternity will be witness to their success when a multitude which no man can number will be glorified with Christ. What we see now is but the beginning.

Words on the church by the Swiss pastor Felix Neff remain as true and beautiful as when he preached them in 1826. He likened the 'living stones' which make up the church of Christ to the stones which were brought into Solomon's temple. But they were only placed there after they had been duly cut and prepared:

'The temple, when it was being built, was built with stone finished at the quarry, so that no hammer or chisel or any iron tool was heard in the temple when it was being built' (1 Kings 6:7).

In Jerusalem all had to be perfect:

But, surely, it was not so in the marble quarries, or in Lebanon, where the cedars were cut; or in the glowing furnaces between Succoth and Zarthan (1 Kings 7:46) where they melted the brass for the sacred vessels. Thus, in heaven, this majestic sanctuary is erected without noise, without labour; every material is brought thither pure and perfect. The Bride of the Lamb has neither spot, nor wrinkle, nor any such thing. But in this impure and dark world, this obscure quarry, whence the Great Builder is pleased to take some stones for his edifice, what shall we find, but work-yards for a season, where everything appears to be in movement and disorder? What unshapen stones, what rubbish, what fragments! How many things fit only for temporary service! How many arrangements merely provisional! How many mercenaries and foreigners are occupied in these quarries, just as the servants of Hiram were, and who, like them, will never enter the sanctuary! How many dissensions among the labourers; how many conjectures and disputes about the final purpose of the Great Architect, and the several parts of the plan, which are known only to Himself! Shall we search in this chaos for the true church, the spiritual temple? Shall we endeavour to arrange, in one exact and uniform order, all those stones that we find in the various quarries opened in a thousand places in the world? Oh! how much wiser is the Master! While some are disputing about the excellence of this or the other depart­ment of the work; and while others are spending their strength in endeavouring to introduce perfect order, the wise Master-builder surveys, in silence, the vast scene of operations, chooses and marks the materials which he sees to be prepared amidst all this confusion, and causes them to be removed and placed in his heavenly edifice; assigning to every piece the place most proper for it, and for which he has designed it. Such, my beloved brethren, is the sublime idea which we ought to form of this universal church. Oh! how contempt­ible now will appear, in our eyes, those endless disputes which have at all times divided the believers, and continue to do so to the present day. Let us rather labour in the quarry where our work is assigned, to prepare as great a quantity of materi­als as possible; and especially, let us entreat the Lord to make us all lively stones fit for his building. Amen! 1

1 Life of Felix Neff: Pastor of the Hiqh Alps (London: Religious Tract Soc., 1836), p. 214-6.

(Source: Evangelicalism Divided by Iain H. Murray, Banner of Truth (December 2000) Pages 317 & 318)