March 14, 2001

Reading: Proverbs 9:1-6

 

“Wisdom has built her house” (1)

 

Jesus said, “I will build my house” (Matt: 16:18) which speaks of the church. This building we know is still under construction. There are, however, other houses mentioned in the Bible, houses that God inhabited such as the Tabernacle and later on, the Temple.

After God had dispersed Israel (the ten northern tribes) into all the world because of sin and unwillingness to repent, He sent Judah into captivity for seventy years. When the seventy years were completed He caused Cyrus, King of Persia, to release them and send them back to Judah. Their first obligation was to “build the house of the LORD God of Israel” (Ezra 1:2,3). This was the intent as the Jews returned to their own land. Like most of us, they began the project with great vigor and gusto but this was soon replaced by indifference and other ‘priorities’. It took many years and direct intervention by God before the Temple was built, but our text says, “Wisdom has built her house”. The Bible says that Jesus Christ is “the power of God and the Wisdom of God” (1 Cor: 1:24).

There is a sense therefore that Jesus Christ has already built His house for in His foreknowledge He sees the church as complete. He sees the last brick laid and, as the Master Craftsman (Prov: 8:30) stands back and declares it completed. Read again verses 1-6 and see again the provisions He has brought in and the benefits he provides for all make their residence in His house.

There is an abundant amount of food; wines have been mixed to create the perfect flavor; the table has been set with the finest of linens and the invitation to “come and dine” is being shouted from the rooftops.

I have been in the crowd as they gathered infront of Buckingham Palace waiting for the Queen to appear on the balcony. Thousands stand for hours just to get a glimpse of their sovereign Queen and, when she appears, an immense cheer greets her. If she would speak to the multitude before her and invite them into the palace to eat and drink, how long would it be before the gates had to be closed because there were no more seats available?

In our Savior’s house there are a sufficient number of seats for all who heed His invitation, plenty of food has been prepared and there is a guarantee that the wine will not run dry. He who changed water into wine will never let His people go thirsty.

As we look around His Banqueting Hall we are surprised that there are many empty chairs but people are continuing to enter and are soon satisfying their hunger and thirst on His provisions. The cry continues to go out, “Whoever is simple, let him turn in here! … Come, eat of my bread and drink of the wine I have mixed. Forsake foolishness and live” (4-6).

The call will continue until every seat is taken and those who considered the King’s invitation as foolishness will be left on the outside of locked gates. It will then be too late to accept the Sovereign’s invitation and all the begging in the world will not open the gates.

The invitation is still being made and we who know and love Him as our Savior have been given the awesome responsibility to let the crowds know. God “has sent out her maidens” (3) to spread the news – He has sent us out to preach the gospel. What a glorious message we have to share that in Jesus there is the forgiveness of sins and the invitation to find “life”.