The House

In 1858, Abraham Lincoln accepted the presidential nomination for the Republican Party. In his acceptance speech, he quoted Matthew 12:25, using the phrase A house divided cannot stand. He was referring to the United States being divided over states rights. In thinking about a divided house from Matthew's point of view, we need to take a look at the Hebrew culture of his day. His readers were mostly Jewish and they understood his metaphor deeply. The House must be understood in terms of its importance in Jewish culture. Remember, it was the placing of sacrificial blood on their houses that spared them as the Death Angel passed over in Egypt. In the Old Testament, God was in the House (Tabernacle/Temple) dwelling in the Holy of Holies, as evidenced by the ark of the covenant. In the New Testament, God was out of the House - manifested in Jesus Christ. The physical embodiment of God's presence. Following the resurrection of Christ and the coming of the Holy Spirit, WE BECAME THE HOUSE. Think about it - God was in the House, out of the House and now because the Holy Spirit dwells within all believers, WE ARE THE HOUSE! An amazing transformation has occured over time and we are the recipients of an amazing gift - to become the actual dwelling place (House) of the Spirit of God!