Greater Honor than the House
Hebrews 3:1 Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus;
Consider Jesus
In chapter one of this letter written to the Hebrews, the writer went to great lengths to show that the Christ, the Son of God, is far greater than angels. In this chapter, the author begins to compare Jesus to Moses.
Consider the Apostle (the messenger sent from God) and High Priest (the highest authority) of our profession (that which we profess to believe), Christ Jesus. Let's consider Him for a moment.
Moses Faithful in God’s House
Hebrews 3:2 Who was faithful to him that appointed him, as also Moses was faithful in all his house.
He (Jesus) was faithful (trustworthy in executing one’s commands) to him that appointed him, as also Moses was faithful (trustworthy in executing one’s commands) in all his house, that is, in all of God’s house.
The Works of Moses
Moses is probably the most powerful figure in the Old Testament and in the Jewish religion. Guided by the LORD, Moses wrote the first five books of the Bible, known as the Pentateuch. He led Israel out of slavery in Egypt, through the Red Sea, and into forty years wilderness travels.
By divine revelation Moses wrote the law, the Ten Commandments and the writings that contained the statutes and ordinances that governed the lives and the spiritual service of the people. From the blueprint he received from God on Mount Sanai he constructed the tabernacle of worship and established the Priesthood of the tribe of Levi.
The Builder of the House
Hebrews 3:3 For this man was counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as he who hath builded the house hath more honour than the house.
Christ is the builder of the house. We have already seen in Hebrews 1:10 that Jesus, the Word, is the creator of all things, in these words spoken by the Father to the Son.
Hebrews 1:10 And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands:
This man, Christ Jesus, was counted worthy of more glory than Moses, because the one who builds the house (the Maker of all things) has more honor than the house itself, or than anyone who serves in the house.
Moses was faithful in the house, but Christ was the builder of it.
Christ the Builder
Hebrews 3:4 For every house is builded by some man; but he that built all things is God.
Every structure that is built is built by someone. But He who built all things, the earth and the created universe, is God. The one who built all things is greater than the things that He built.
A Testimony of Things to Come
Hebrews 3:5 And Moses verily was faithful in all his house, as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken after;
Moses proved himself faithful and trustworthy to God in serving Him in His house. He was faithful to do what God had called him to do. But all that Israel did under the leadership of Moses would ultimately be a foreshadowing of the things that were to come, and examples for those in later years.
1 Corinthians 10:11 Now all these things happened unto them for examples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.
Christ Over His Own House
Hebrews 3:6 But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.
But Christ is as a son over His own house. And His house is the temple made of living stones.
A House for God
King David desired to build a house for the LORD. But instead, God made a promise to David through the prophet Nathan that David’s son would build a house for God to dwell in. The story is in 2 Samuel chapter 7.
2 Samuel 7:12 And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom.
2 Samuel 7:13 He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever.
And as time went on, David’s son, Solomon, did, in fact, build a temple for the LORD in Jerusalem. But scripture bears out that it is not even possible to build a physical house for the LORD to live in.
Isaiah 66:1 Thus saith the LORD, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: where is the house that ye build unto me? and where is the place of my rest?
Isaiah 66:2 For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the LORD:
The LORD says, My throne is in heaven, and my footstool is the earth. Where will you build me a house? Solomon did build a magnificent temple for the LORD, yet Solomon’s kingdom was not established forever, as the prophecy to David had stated. Was Solomon indeed the son that the LORD had spoken of? No, he was not.
House of Living Stones
It was the Lord Jesus Christ, the son of David, whose kingdom has been established forever, who was to build the true house of God’s dwelling, the New Testament church, made up of living stones, or, that is, those who believe upon Him.
1 Peter 2:4 To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious,
1 Peter 2:5 Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.
We, as believers in Christ, are living stones built together into a spiritual house created to offer up spiritual sacrifices unto God. The LORD now dwells in a house not made by men’s hands, but a house made up of living stones, human beings, in whose hearts His Spirit has come to reside. That’s the house that God lives in.
And as living stones built into the eternal dwelling place of the LORD we can boldly say the same words that David said in Psalm 23.
Psalm 23:6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.