The House that Faith Builds, part 2
“Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it:…” Psalm 127:1 (KJV)
The Hebrew word, translated as “build” in both instances in Psalm 127:1, is banah and means to establish, construct or rebuild. It is used metaphorically of building a family (Genesis 16:2), or figuratively of establishing a dynasty or legacy, such as in 2 Samuel 7:27.
Genesis 16:2 (Holman Standard Christian Bible) – “Sarai said to Abram, “Since the LORD has prevented me from bearing children, go to my slave; perhaps through her I can build a family.” And Abram agreed to what Sarai said.”
2 Samuel 7:27 (Holman Standard Christian Bible) – “since You, LORD of Hosts, God of Israel, have revealed this to Your servant when You said, “I will build a house for you.” Therefore, Your servant has found the courage to pray this prayer to You.”
The key concept of this Scripture (Ps. 127:1) is that we cannot and must not do anything apart from the Lord! When we build on our own human effort, it becomes “laborious” (amal/toil, work) and we no longer work with God, but work against Him. God is the contractor and we are the sub-contractors. When we work in conjunction with God, the house gets built (banah). If we go solo, what God intended to be a joy (our co-labour with Him/banah), actually turns into a chore and all our effort becomes meaningless (“vain”/Hebrew shav) labor (toil, work, amal).
There are those who build, but do not hire the right contractor, and end up with less than they bargained for. Some don’t mind getting a little dirty and enjoy the challenge of a “fixer upper.” While others, do mind the work that a “fixer upper” requires, and opt for a “turn-key” home instead. And then there are those who have done the necessary planning and research, hire the right architect and contractor, and are actually living their dream! At whatever stage of planning you find yourself, it’s never too late to consult the Master Architect.
Proverbs 24:3-4 – “By wisdom a house is built, and through understanding it is established; 4 through knowledge its rooms are filled with rare and beautiful treasures.”
King Solomon tells us that Godly homes are built with three primary tools:
- Wisdom (v. 3)
- Understanding (v. 3)
- Knowledge (v. 4)
Wisdom represents the foundation of the home. In building a strong foundation we must build upon the Rock which is Jesus. Matthew 7:24-27 –
“Therefore anyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a man who built his house on the rock. 25 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. 27 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”
Not everyone acknowledges the Lordship of Christ. Many homes are built upon foundations of sand. Those which stand the test of time, build lasting legacies which are passed on to future generations.
(continued in Part 3)