A Beautiful House

Of all the buildings humanity has constructed over the millennia, none are so beautiful as the temple Solomon built during his reign. It was a large structure built with the best materials known to man. Cedar, gold, bronze, and other valuable materials made up the temple. It is said that the temple was God’s “exalted house” and that it was “great” (1 Kings 8:13; 2 Chronicles 2:5). There is no question that the temple of God was indeed glorious. We marvel at the description Scripture gives of it and perhaps wish we could have seen it with our own eyes. Yet for all the beauty and glory of the temple in Solomon’s day, there is a more beautiful house than that in our world today, but it is not a temple upon which we lay our eyes; instead, it is a heavenly kingdom built by God through Jesus Christ. How could it be that such a kingdom is a more beautiful house than the temple that is described as “exalted” and “great”?

What makes the heavenly kingdom of Jesus Christ a beautiful house is not its appearance but its purpose. In his first letter, Peter explains the purposeful beauty of the Lord’s church. He first observes that, unlike Solomon’s temple, the house we consider was built by God upon Christ. He is the “chief cornerstone” (1 Peter 2:4, 6-8). In construction, the cornerstone is that which bears most of the weight. It is fitting for Peter to apply this image to Jesus, because in His heavenly kingdom, which is the church, He has the first place in all affairs. In fact, without Jesus, the kingdom would not exist at all! The reality that Jesus is the cornerstone of this kingdom calls those who dwell in it to make Him the center of their lives. Perhaps that is why Peter observes that those who trust in Christ see Him as “precious,” which refers to His exceeding value. For the church to be the beautiful house God intends, Christ must always be at the center of what it does. Otherwise, its beauty is greatly diminished!

​Peter’s next observation is that it is made up of “living stones” that are being “built up a spiritual house” (1 Peter 2:5). Unlike the temple of old, that which makes up the heavenly kingdom of Jesus is living and active. It is not a cleverly arranged assortment of wood and metal but is instead made up of God’s holy people. Each child of God who lives in Christ’s kingdom is a living stone that contributes to the overall whole. Peter further notes that these living stones become a “holy priesthood” that offer up “spiritual sacrifices” to God. This means that these people are engaged in service to Christ. They, like the priests of old who served in the temple, are busy with God’s work. It is essential that we realize the church is not just a building we visit but a people to whom we belong. While we enter church buildings to worship and fellowship, we cannot allow that brick-and-mortar to become the center of our faith. Each day, each child of God lives and works as a living stone that makes up the heavenly kingdom of Jesus. When this charge is taken seriously, the beauty of Christ’s kingdom shows forth in the good works and spiritual sacrifices that His people offer.

Finally, Peter notes that praise and honor to God takes place in the heavenly kingdom of Christ. The people, or living stones, that make up the church reflect on the blessings that have been bestowed upon them and cannot help but proclaim God’s praises (1 Peter 2:9-10). The beauty of Christ’s kingdom is put on vivid display when His people worship His name with respect, zeal, and gratitude. They show to others the impressive beauty of the church, not because of any fancy buildings or comfortable pews, but because of the God the church seeks to glorify. Even when the life of those living stones endures difficulty and hardship, they still dedicate themselves to God’s praise. Surely this portrays how beautiful Christ’s kingdom is.

Solomon’s temple was an “exalted” and “great” building, but it pales in comparison to what Christ built with the church. The difference lies in why each is seen as “beautiful.” While the temple Solomon built was pleasing to the eye, the house Christ built is pleasing to the soul. Christ’s kingdom is more enduring and significant than Solomon’s temple ever could have been because it is not based on a single location or structure but instead on the everlasting sacrifice of Jesus. While buildings are built and destroyed, what Christ built remains to this day, and the living stones who make it up—the children of God—continue to work for His glory. Why not consider how beautiful Christ’s kingdom is and see how its beauty can change your life?