Must humanity travel the road of life alone? Are they left to their own devices? The answer to these questions is, No. In fact, there is the absolute need of God’s help. You may ask, “Why do we need God’s help? This is the question we will answer in this post.

Our Bible Quotation of Focus

To answer the all-important question let us consider the following Bible quotation. “Except the LORD [God] build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD [God] keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.” Psalm 127:1.

For those who are new to Bible notation, “Psalm 127:1” is a reference to the Bible, which is a collection of books. In the Bible, each book consists of one or more chapters, and each chapter has numbered sections called verses. The quotation referred to as “Psalm 127:1” is taken from the book of Psalms in the Bible, the 127^th psalm, and the 1^st verse.

Our Bible verse of focus, Psalm 127:1, has two meanings—a literal meaning and a spiritual.

The Second Temple

Ancient Israel had a series of sanctuaries. First, there was the sanctuary in the wilderness, followed by Solomon’s Temple, which in turn was followed by the Second Temple, later known as Herod’s Temple.

Solomon’s Temple was destroyed in 586 B.C., approximately 586 years before the birth of Christ in human flesh as a baby boy named Jesus. The exile of the Jews from their land was complete at that time and they were later released from captivity by Cyrus, king of Persia, in 537 B.C.

The Jews returned to their homeland, and to their capital city, Jerusalem, under the leadership of Zerubbabel. They then began to build the Second Temple in Jerusalem.

Opposition

However, “the people of the land weakened the hands of the people of Judah, and troubled them in building, and hired counsellors against them, to frustrate their purpose, all the days of Cyrus king of Persia, even until the reign of Darius king of Persia.” Ezra 4:4, 5.

“Then ceased the work of the house of God which is at Jerusalem. So it ceased unto the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia” (Ezra 4:24) in 520 B.C..

God Assures the Builders

But God assured the Jews by raising up two prophets, Zechariah and Haggai. “Then the prophets, Haggai the prophet, and Zechariah the son of Iddo, prophesied unto the Jews that were in Judah and Jerusalem in the name of the God of Israel, even unto them.” Ezra 5:1.

Zechariah said, “This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts. Who art thou, O great mountain? before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain: and he shall bring forth the headstone thereof with shoutings, crying, Grace, grace unto it.” Zechariah 4:6, 7.

“The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house [temple]; his hands shall also finish it; and thou shalt know that the LORD of hosts hath sent me unto you.” Zechariah 4:9.

Also, Haggai said, “Yet now be strong, O Zerubbabel, saith the LORD; and be strong, O Joshua, son of Josedech, the high priest; and be strong, all ye people of the land, saith the LORD, and work: for I am with you, saith the LORD of hosts.” Haggai 2:4.

Opposition Again

“Then rose up Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and began to build the house of God which is at Jerusalem: and with them were the prophets of God helping them.” Ezra 5:2.

“At the same time came to them Tatnai, governor on this side the river, and Shetharboznai, and their companions, and said thus unto them, Who hath commanded you to build this house, and to make up this wall?” Ezra 5:3.

“But the eye of their God was upon the elders of the Jews, that they could not cause them to cease, till the matter came to Darius: and then they returned answer by letter concerning this matter.” Ezra 5:5.

The Appeal to King Darius

There was a “letter that Tatnai, governor on this side the river, and Shetharboznai, and his companions the Apharsachites, which were on this side the river, sent unto Darius the king.” Ezra 5:6.

The letter ended by saying, “Now therefore, if it seem good to the king, let there be search made in the king’s treasure house, which is there at Babylon, whether it be so, that a decree was made of Cyrus the king to build this house of God at Jerusalem, and let the king send his pleasure to us concerning this matter.” Ezra 5:17.

“Then Darius the king made a decree, and search was made… and there was found…a roll, and therein was a record…written.” Ezra 6:1, 2.

So, king Darius wrote saying, “Now therefore, Tatnai, governor beyond the river, Shetharboznai, and your companions the Apharsachites, which are beyond the river, be ye far from thence: Let the work of this house of God alone; let the governor of the Jews and the elders of the Jews build this house of God in his place.” Ezra 6:6, 7.

“Moreover I make a decree what ye shall do to the elders of these Jews for the building of this house of God: that of the king’s goods, even of the tribute beyond the river, forthwith expenses be given unto these men, that they be not hindered.” Ezra 6:8.

“Then Tatnai, governor on this side the river, Shetharboznai, and their companions, according to that which Darius the king had sent, so they did speedily.” Ezra 6:13.

The Temple Completed

“And the elders of the Jews builded, and they prospered through the prophesying of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah the son of Iddo. And they builded, and finished it, according to the commandment of the God of Israel, and according to the commandment of Cyrus, and Darius…king[s] of Persia.” Ezra 6:14.

“And this house [temple] was finished on the third day of the month Adar, which was in the sixth year of the reign of Darius the king.” Ezra 6:15.

So, if it were not for God and the prophets God raised up to encourage the people, the Second Temple would not have been completed. It literally came to pass then God’s saying that “Except the LORD [God] build the house, they labour in vain that build it.” Psalm 127:1.

God’s Desire for Humanity

God says, “Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.” Jeremiah 31:3. For God “will have all men [and women] to be saved [from eternal death], and to come unto the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:4) thus receiving eternal life from God.

He “is longsuffering to us-ward [toward us], not willing that any should perish, but that all [humanity] should come to repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9.

If you belong to the group of persons who “do always resist the Holy Ghost [the Holy Spirit, one of the three members of the Godhead” (Acts 7:51), then you are destined for eternal death as long as you do resist.

If you do not resist God’s will to save you from eternal death and instead give you eternal life, “it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.” Philippians 2:13. Therefore, you will become a true Christian, a true follower of Jesus Christ and will be saved by God.

A Spiritual House

God says to the true Christian, “Ye are the temple of God, and…the Spirit of God dwelleth in you…For the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.” 1 Corinthians 3:16, 17.

Christians can therefore say of themselves in truth, “Ye are God’s husbandry [farm], ye are God’s building.” 1 Corinthians 3:9.

You then as a Christian “coming, as unto a living stone [Christ], disallowed [rejected] indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious, ye also, as lively [living] stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.” 1 Peter 2:4, 5.

The “spiritual sacrifices” (1 Peter 2:5) are “the sacrifices of God [which] are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.” Psalm 51:17.

So, the true Christian is called “a spiritual house” (1 Peter 2:5) by God.

Working in Cooperation With God

To genuine Christians God says, “The word of his [God’s] grace [my unmerited favour]…is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified [made holy].” Acts 20:32.

Furthermore “we [Christians] then, as workers together with him [God], beseech you [all humanity] also that ye receive not the grace [the unmerited favour] of God in vain.” 2 Corinthians 6:1.

So then, genuine Christians can say of themselves, “We are labourers together with God.” 1 Corinthians 3:9.

Thus, we see that without the grace of God, His unmerited favour to humanity, working in cooperation with the individual, their spiritual house cannot be successfully built so that they are made holy. In other words, spiritually, “except the LORD [God] build the house, they labour in vain that build it.” Psalm 127:1.

God’s Plan for The Conquest of Jericho

God gave Israel His plan for the conquest of the city of Jericho in the land He had promised to give to Abraham and his descendants.

“Now Jericho was straitly [strictly] shut up because of the children of Israel: none went out, and none came in. And the LORD [God] said unto Joshua, See, I have given into thine hand Jericho, and the king thereof, and the mighty men of valour.” Joshua 6:1, 2.

“And ye shall compass the city, all ye men of war, and go round about the city once. Thus shalt thou do six days. And seven priests shall bear before the ark seven trumpets of rams’ horns: and the seventh day ye shall compass the city seven times, and the priests shall blow with the trumpets.” Joshua 6:3, 4.

“And it shall come to pass, that when they make a long blast with the ram’s horn, and when ye hear the sound of the trumpet, all the people shall shout with a great shout; and the wall of the city shall fall down flat, and the people shall ascend up every man straight before him.” Joshua 6:5.

Obedience to God’s Plan

“And Joshua had commanded the people, saying, Ye shall not shout, nor make any noise with your voice, neither shall any word proceed out of your mouth, until the day I bid you shout; then shall ye shout.” Joshua 6:10.

“So the ark of the LORD compassed the city, going about it once: and they came into the camp, and lodged in the camp.” Joshua 6:11.

“And Joshua rose early in the morning, and the priests took up the ark of the LORD.” Joshua 6:12.

“And seven priests bearing seven trumpets of rams’ horns before the ark of the LORD went on continually, and blew with the trumpets: and the armed men went before them; but the rereward [rearward, those behind] came after the ark of the LORD, the priests going on, and blowing with the trumpets. And the second day they compassed the city once, and returned into the camp: so they did six days.” Joshua 6:13, 14.

“And it came to pass on the seventh day, that they rose early about the dawning of the day, and compassed the city after the same manner seven times: only on that day they compassed the city seven times.” Joshua 6:15.

“And it came to pass at the seventh time, when the priests blew with the trumpets, Joshua said unto the people, Shout; for the LORD hath given you the city.” Joshua 6:16.

God Gives Victory

“So the people shouted when the priests blew with the trumpets: and it came to pass, when the people heard the sound of the trumpet, and the people shouted with a great shout, that the wall fell down flat, so that the people went up into the city, every man straight before him, and they took the city.” Joshua 6:20.

“And they utterly destroyed all that was in the city, both man and woman, young and old, and ox, and sheep, and ass, with the edge of the sword.” Joshua 6:21.

“And they burnt the city with fire, and all that was therein: only the silver, and the gold, and the vessels of brass and of iron, they put into the treasury of the house of the LORD.” Joshua 6:24.

“And Joshua saved Rahab the harlot alive, and her father’s household, and all that she had; and she dwelleth in Israel even unto this day; because she hid the messengers, which Joshua sent to spy out Jericho.” Joshua 6:25.

So, we see that nothing could keep Jericho from falling because the people of that city had forfeited God’s favour. Hence, in every such case we can say in truth, “Except the LORD [God] keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.” Psalm 127:1.

A Spiritual City

God says, “He that hath no rule over his own spirit [disposition] is like a city that is broken down, and without walls.” Proverbs 25:28. So, spiritually, God likens the individual to a city.

To the genuine Christian, God says, “Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.” Matthew 5:14.

The People of God

God says, “I…say unto Zion, Thou art my people.” Isaiah 51:16. That is, the city of Zion in ancient Israel was representative of all those persons who are in right standing before God.

Well may all humanity say to God, “Do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion: build thou the walls of Jerusalem.” Psalm 51:18. Here we see that in the Bible, the names Zion and Jerusalem are used interchangeably.

Now “build thou the walls of Jerusalem” (Psalm 51:18) is a reference to the fact that it is “God [who by]…the word of his grace [His unmerited favour]…is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified [made holy].” Acts 20:32.

It is to the sanctified who make up spiritual Zion, that is, spiritual Jerusalem, that God says, “Ye are come unto mount Sion [Zion], and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn [church of Christ], which are written [registered] in heaven, and to God the Judge of all.” Hebrews 12:22, 23.

The sanctified, spiritual Zion, or in other words, spiritual Jerusalem, are the people of God who will be saved from eternal death by God and instead receive eternal life from God.

Spiritual Watchmen

To the true Christian, God says, “I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel” (Ezekiel 3:17), “the Israel of God” (Galatians 6:16): “therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me.” Ezekiel 3:17.

The Israel of God is a spiritual city made up of all the individuals in the world who are in right standing before God.

In the Bible, the Israel of God is often referred to as Zion or Jerusalem. So God says to the Israel of God, “I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, which shall never hold their peace day nor night: ye that make mention of the LORD, keep not silence, and give him no rest, till he establish, and till he make Jerusalem a praise in the earth.” Isaiah 62:6, 7.

To the spiritual watchmen God says, “Now therefore go, and I will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say.” Exodus 4:12. These spiritual watchmen are to be on the lookout for Satan and his attempts to lead people astray from God and sound an alarm to warn, not just the Israel of God, but to warn every human being of their spiritual danger.

But they cannot effectively make an alarm or warn the people unless God teaches them what to say. So, without God’s help, “His [the city’s] watchmen are blind: they are all ignorant, they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber.” Isaiah 56:10.

God Defends the City

Now even if I am aroused by the watchmen to my spiritual danger, it is true that “thou, LORD, only makest me dwell in safety.” Psalm 4:8. For “the horse is prepared against the day of battle: but safety is of the LORD.” Proverbs 21:31.

So, spiritually, all humanity can truly say, “Except the LORD [God] keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.” Psalm 127:1.

God as Humanity’s Helper

God says to every human being, “Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.” Isaiah 41:10. So, God is a help to every person.

Therefore, as individuals, we may say with confidence, “I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the LORD [God], which made heaven and earth.” Psalm 121:1, 2. “Behold, God is mine helper: the Lord is with them [the holy angels] that uphold my soul.” Psalm 54:4.

“For he [God] shall deliver the needy when he crieth; the poor also, and him that hath no helper.” Psalm 72:12.

“I [God] will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.” John 14:18. “As one whom his mother comforteth, so will I [God] comfort you.” Isaiah 66:13.

Hence, in response to “God, who is rich in mercy…[and] his great love wherewith he loved us” (Ephesians 2:4) let us say, “Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort.” 2 Corinthians 1:3.

God’s Solution to Every Problem

God, through Christ, has a solution for every problem that humanity might face. The solution becomes effective when we accept God’s invitation to us.

What is the invitation? Christ says to all humanity, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30.

The yoke which Christ bids us to wear is to enter into God’s service to be a blessing to others by seeking to influence them to accept God’s gracious invitation themselves. All who take up this yoke will be saved eternally by God. Their names will be “written [registered] in heaven” (Hebrews 12:23) as those who belong to “mount Sion [Zion]…the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem.” Hebrews 12:22..

“For the LORD shall comfort [spiritual] Zion: he will comfort all her waste [desolate] places; and he will make her wilderness like Eden” (Isaiah 51:3), the garden which God had planted on earth for the first human pair, Adam and Eve, “and her desert like the garden of the LORD; joy and gladness shall be found therein, thanksgiving, and the voice of melody.” Isaiah 51:3.

Seek God

Thus, for their own benefit, God’s command to humanity is, “Seek the LORD [God] and his [moral] strength, seek his face continually.” 1 Chronicles 16:11. “Seek the LORD, and ye shall live” (Amos 5:6) eternally.

God also says, “Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord [in sincerity] shall be saved.” Romans 10:13. “For the…Lord [God] over all is rich [in grace] unto all that call upon him.” Romans 10:12. “He [God] shall [not] destroy them…[but] build them up.” Psalm 28:5.

“I, even I, am the LORD [God]; and beside me there is no saviour” (Isaiah 43:11), no one else who can save humanity from eternal death. “Behold…thy walls are continually before me.” Isaiah 49:16.

Conclusion

In this post we have sought the answers to two questions: Must humanity travel the road of life alone? Are they left to their own devices?

Therefore, we have considered our Bible verse of focus: “Except the LORD [God] build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD [God] keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.” Psalm 127:1. This verse has both literal and spiritual meanings.

Literally, in any undertaking such as building a house, if it does not have God’s blessing “they labour in vain that build it.” Psalm 127:1. This proved to be true in the building of the Second Temple in ancient Israel.

On the other hand, the genuine Christian is “a spiritual house.” 1 Peter 2:5. They cannot successfully build up this spiritual house so that they “are sanctified” (Acts 20:32), that is, made holy, without the help of God’s grace, His unmerited favour.

Also, literally, unless God defends a city it is not safe from invasion. Again, this proved to be true in the fall of the city of Jericho, a city cursed by God, to the victors, ancient Israel.

Likewise, the true Christian is a spiritual city. Even though God sets Christians as watchmen to warn others of danger, without God defending the spiritual city their efforts will be in vain.

Truly, God is a Helper to all humanity. God does not leave any person comfortless and He has a solution to every problem. God’s solution is effective whenever any person accepts God’s invitation to come to Christ and enters God’s service to be a blessing to humanity. Therefore, God says we are to seek Him.

How This Blog Teaches Bible Study

My blog posts take one or more Bible verses and unpack what is often the hidden meaning in them, to help you to gain in your understanding of the Bible, and to receive insights into how to study it. For God says, “Study [the Bible] to shew [show] thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing [interpreting] the word of truth [the Bible].” 2 Timothy 2:15. There are new blog posts every two weeks on a Monday at 12:01 a.m. in timezone UTC-5 (GMT-5).

Further Reading

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