A new contrast

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus concludes His teachings to His disciples with an important parableA parable is a pictorial representation of messages that are not directly stated and require interpretation. God already used parables in the Old Testament to convey messages to his people... More, that of the “two houses” (Matthew 7:24-27; Luke 6:47-49). He had last spoken of the two gates and paths, of two kinds of trees and two kinds of confessors, and shown that only those who did the will of His Father could enter the kingdom of heavenIt was announced in the OT as the kingdom that the God of heaven will establish (Dan 2:44). Predicted in the NT as a new era due to the rejection... More (Matthew 7:21). On the other hand, those who only said something good (“Lord, Lord!”) but did not do it, had nothing but judgment to expect. Despite everything they had supposedly “done in His name,” they would one day have to hear the words from His mouth: “I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!” (Matthew 7:23).

To profess Him outwardly without submitting to the revealed will of God not only proves the insincerity of the profession but also leads to eternal ruin.

In the parableA parable is a pictorial representation of messages that are not directly stated and require interpretation. God already used parables in the Old Testament to convey messages to his people... More that concludes the Sermon on the Mount, the Lord once again summarizes the entire realm of the Christian profession. Again, He sets the genuine against the counterfeit. In doing so, He now points out a different contrast than before. It is not about “saying” and “doing” but about “hearing” and “doing.”

“Therefore, whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, and it fell. And great was its fall!” (Matthew 7:24-27).

How well a house is built is not revealed in fair weather. Then, one house may appear as good as another. Only when the forces of nature impetuously storm the house is the quality of the house put to the test. Note that, according to the Lord's words, the house is tested from three sides. The downpour (torrential rainfall is typical for Palestine) falls on the house from above. The currents that then arise unexpectedly wash out the house from below, and the storms attack it from the side. If it is not built on solid ground, it is irretrievably lost. Indeed, it is a striking and accurate image that the Lord Jesus draws here!

The wise man

The Lord now distinguishes between the wise and the foolish man. The wise man is characterized by the fact that he “hears these words of Mine and does them.” In doing so, he builds his house “on the rock.” We will deal with what this means in a moment. First, however, we should note the special expression “these words of Mine.”

The deity of Jesus

The Lord had previously said, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heavenIt was announced in the OT as the kingdom that the God of heaven will establish (Dan 2:44). Predicted in the NT as a new era due to the rejection... More, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven” (Matthew 7:21). And now He adds, “Therefore, whoever hears these sayings of Mine and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock.” First, let us note that the builders are not judged by the care with which they build their houses but by the foundation on which they build them. But then, He leaves no doubt about what alone can be the right foundation: His words. After all, they were equivalent to the will of His Father.

By equating His words with the will of His Father, the Lord Jesus claims to be equal to the Father in heaven. This is a strong expression of His deity, for only God could speak in this way; only a person who is God could attach such weight to His words. Indeed, the two are the same: the words express the will, and the will is to obey the words.

The crowds who had listened to Him also felt the special authority with which He spoke to them. At the end of the chapter, it says: “And so it was, when Jesus had ended these sayings, that the people were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribesThe scribes knew the writings of the Old Testament well and had the task of teaching and explaining the law. They did this primarily in the synagogues. They were also... More” (Matthew 7:28-29). The divinity of Jesus was revealed in everything He said and did.

Hearing and Doing

It seems that Luke emphasizes the readiness to obey even more than Matthew does, for he adds some words that are missing in Matthew: “Whoever comes to Me...” (Luke 6:47). When describing the foolish man, the Lord does not use this addition in Luke either. The wise man, however, comes to the Lord first, and then the rest follows.

The contrast between “hearing” and “doing” – or also “hearing” and “not doing” – is repeatedly emphasized in Holy Scripture. It is all too easy to hear God’s words but not follow them. However, if there is to be a blessingA blessing is something good, in the Old Testament, usually associated with possessions, prosperity, and health, and is usually pronounced over someone. In principle, the lesser is blessed by the... More, hearing can only be the first step, which must be followed by the second, the doing. Otherwise, not only will the responsibility of the individual increase, but judgment will also follow in some way. Paying no heed to the words of the highest authority in heaven and on earth is not only the height of folly but also indifference and unbelief.

A serious example of “hearing and not doing” can be found in the prophetA prophet is someone who receives a message from God and passes it on to a specific group in the Old Testament, very often Israel. Prophets are, therefore, in close... More Ezekiel. God has to tell this faithful man something about His earthly people that also poses a danger for us and our days: “So they come to you as people do; they sit before you as My people, and they hear your words, but they do not do them; for with their mouth they show much love, but their hearts pursue their gain” (Ezekiel 33:31). The next verse then also announces the judgment as a consequence: “And when this comes to pass—surely it will come—then they will know that a prophetA prophet is someone who receives a message from God and passes it on to a specific group in the Old Testament, very often Israel. Prophets are, therefore, in close... More has been among them” (Ezekiel 33:33).

James also warns us in his letter against being “forgetful listeners”: “But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror, for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does” (James 1:22-25).

In the Epistle to the Laodiceans, the Lord Jesus stands outside, outside the religious system of a lukewarm, liberal Christianity, and knocks on the door of the heart of each of His own who may still be there: “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me” (Revelation 3:20).

Let us write it deep in our hearts: to hear the voice of the Lord Jesus is one thing; to open the door to Him is another. The blessingA blessing is something good, in the Old Testament, usually associated with possessions, prosperity, and health, and is usually pronounced over someone. In principle, the lesser is blessed by the... More that follows opening the door is indescribable – fellowship with Him who loves us so unspeakably! Can there be anything more delightful?

However, listening to and obeying the words of the Lord not only brings blessings but is also a matter of wisdom. The Lord describes the man who does this as “wise, prudent.” The basic meaning of the GreekUnlike Hellenists (Greek-speaking Jews; Acts 6:1; 9:29), Greeks, in the narrow sense of the word, come from Greece and have at least one Greek parent (Acts 16:3 in connection with... More word is thoughtful and reasonable. This man has the future in mind; he ponders and is ‘thoughtful’ about the fact that storms and floods will come. And so, it is also wise and reasonable for him to arrange his house accordingly when building it.

Our evangelist shows us that the Lord Jesus also uses the word “wise” in other contexts. The disciples should be wise as serpents (Matthew 10:16), and He also describes two other parables with this: the faithful and wise servant (contrast: evil servant) and the wise virgins (contrast: foolish virgins) (Matthew 24:45; 25:2ff).

Build your house on the rock.

What does the “wise man” do in our parableA parable is a pictorial representation of messages that are not directly stated and require interpretation. God already used parables in the Old Testament to convey messages to his people... More? He seeks a solid foundation for his house, building it “upon the rock.”

In the matter of faith, there are many obstacles to overcome and much debris of human opinions and traditions to clear away. This is probably what is meant in the Gospel of Luke with the words: “He is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock” (Luke 6:48). The words “digging” and “deepening” show the seriousness with which the man goes about his work.

Somehow, each of us also builds “his house” and has already built it (in a different sense). You can also say life, happiness, future, hope, security for “house.” The point is to find a reliable foundation for our own life, happiness, future, and security, which will withstand the stresses of time and the future. This foundation gives our life lastingness in time and eternity. As we have seen, this basis is formed by the words of the Lord, the word of God. Even if heaven and earth pass away, His words will not pass away (Matthew 24:35). To rely on these words in faith is to build one's “house” on the rock.

The first application of this building of houses is aimed at eternity. Here we can think of the word of the Lord in John 5: “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life” (John 5:24). In this respect, the believing Christian has already built his “house.” He has heard and believed and knows that one day, the rain will fall, the streams will come, and the winds will storm against his “house.” But it will not fall because it is built on the rock. “He shall not be condemned,” said the Savior.

Death may overtake us; God may execute His judgments on the earth, and the Lord Jesus may hold the Last Judgment over the dead (Revelation 20, etc.) – our “house” will not be touched by any of this because we have trusted in His Word in our lives. Just as the word of the Lord remains forever (1 Peter 1:25), he who trusts this word and does the will of God remains forever (1 John 2:17). It is an extremely encouraging thought. “How good it is, Lord, that we have Your Word – the Word that is more certain and reliable than anything else in God's created universe!”

However, I think we can also apply the concept of building our "house" to the days of our lives here on earth. There, too, the Lord allows some "downpours" and permits fierce "winds" to blow against our "house." Trials may come from all sides. What then becomes of the happiness of our lives, peace, and prosperity? Will everything collapse like a house of cards? No. Suppose we have aligned our practical ways with the word of God. In that case, we will experience that our “house” does not fall: “And the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock” (Matthew 7:25). Perhaps we will face hostility and persecution precisely because we have been obedient to Him. There is hardly anything that makes us calmer than the awareness that we have obeyed Him after all. Won't He take responsibility for all the consequences of our obedience? He will not allow our “house” to fall.

When He was on earth as the dependent Man, He was always and perfectly obedient. He allowed His ear to be woken every morning to listen, like one being taught (Isaiah 50:4), and then He did His Father's will, always doing what was pleasing to Him (John 4:34; 8:29). Should we, as His disciples, not resemble Him more and also obey? Through the new life we have received, we can obey as He obeyed. We have indeed come to the “obedience of Jesus ChristA title of the Lord Jesus, which is also used as an epithet; Messiah (Hebrew) and Christ (Greek) mean "anointed one". The title refers to the fact that Jesus is... More” (1 Peter 1:2).

It is very great when we have learned to “dig” and “deepen” and found everything in our lives on the rock of His Word. Then, our “house” will not be brought down in this life or eternity.

The foolish man

When it comes to the foolish man, we hear nothing about digging and deepening, but simply, to quote the wording of Luke,

“But he who heard and did nothing is like a man who built a house on the earth without foundation, against which the stream beat vehemently; and immediately it fell. And the ruin of that house was great” (Luke 6:49).

In Matthew, the words of the Lord are more fully expressed, and one can hardly deny a certain dramatic quality:

“And everyone who hears these sayings of Mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. The rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, and it fell. And great was its fall” (Matthew 7:26-27).

So that is the problem, the fatal thing: to hear and not to act. This man also builds his "house." He wants to ensure the happiest possible life for himself and also make every provision for the future. In doing so, he does everything that people in such a case just do and advise. Their system of safeguarding health and prosperity has never been so highly developed; the “social network” has never been as dense as it is today. Should it not be possible despite some risks? He probably heard the words of Jesus and perhaps was even impressed by them for a time, as the crowd was at the time. However, in the end, he did not act according to His words but according to what people taught and advised.

This is what the Lord Jesus means by “building your house on sand.” Can there be any greater folly than to build your house, your whole life, your weal, and woe, on sand? Should we not expect more reason from a person? Would it not be worth the effort to examine more carefully the ground on which we want to base all our happiness? “These words of Mine” – that is the rock. Everything else that people say and teach is nothing but sand.

Is there perhaps a reader among you who still belongs to this group of foolish people? Did you perhaps hear about the Lord Jesus, the Savior of sinners, as a child? And today, you have lost yourself in the worldThe word is used with different meanings. It can mean the whole of humanity (Gen 41:57) or the created world (Rom 1:20), but also a moral system that is opposed... More, trusting the words of your friends and counselors more than the word of God? What use are professional success, health, and outward prosperity to you then? Despite everything, you have built your house on sand!

Tragic consequences

We want to examine the consequences of such foolish behavior, as described vividly by the Lord, from four different perspectives. We have already dealt with the personal, temporal, and personal eternal side in the first part of the parableA parable is a pictorial representation of messages that are not directly stated and require interpretation. God already used parables in the Old Testament to convey messages to his people... More in connection with the “wise man.” Now, two more perspectives are added, offering a prophetic outlook. In either case, the house built on sand will also be severely tested and destroyed.

Let us first turn to the personal, temporal side. Even in this life, the folly and short-sightedness of human calculations often become apparent. “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death” (Proverbs 14:12). God only needs to thwart man's plans with a downpour, and everything takes a completely different course than one had imagined and wished for. The man began without God, and he ended without God.

Not only at the onset of death, but often even before, many will have to learn the bitter truth of the words “My days are past, my plans are broken, my desires are all gone” (Job 17:11). It is and remains true: “For whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his fleshThe term "flesh" is used in different meanings in the Bible: a) as an expression of physicality or humanity, which is inextricably linked to our life on earth. Examples: “the... More will of the fleshThe term "flesh" is used in different meanings in the Bible: a) as an expression of physicality or humanity, which is inextricably linked to our life on earth. Examples: “the... More reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life” (Galatians 6:7-8). It is not uncommon for a person's ‘house’ to collapse during this time under the pressure of circumstances.

Of course, the personal and eternal aspects are also the most serious here. Not only do all of a person's plans perish with death (PsalmPsalm simply means "song." In the Old Testament, this word only occurs in connection with the Psalms of David and the Book of Psalms. Singers sang a psalm with instrumental... More 146:4), but there is also an afterlife: “And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment” (Hebrews 9:27). These are the rivers that come and the winds that buffet that house. It will not be able to withstand them but will fall. The Lord Jesus does not explain it as He did with the first house with words like: “... for it was only founded on the sand.” He adds a shocking, short sentence: “And great was its fall” (Matthew 7:27). He who spoke these words knows what He is talking about. He who once stands before the great white throne will not be able to answer one of a thousand (Job 9:3). “And anyone not found written in the Book of LifeThe term “Book of Life” (sometimes just referred to as “the Book”) can mean different things depending on the context. On the one hand, it is a directory with the... More was cast into the lake of fire” (Revelation 20:15). What a fall of that house, which was once built only on sand despite all personal effort!

A third side of our parableA parable is a pictorial representation of messages that are not directly stated and require interpretation. God already used parables in the Old Testament to convey messages to his people... More refers prophetically to the Jewish people. Because their MessiahMessiah is a Hebrew word (Maschíach) meaning “the Anointed One.” In the New Testament, the Greek form “the Christ” is used and applied to the Lord Jesus alone. The Jews,... More came to them in mercy, but they rejected and crucified Him, God will judge them at the end of the days: “I will make justice the measuring line and righteousness the plummet; the hail will sweep away the refuge of lies, and the waters will overflow the hiding place” (Isaiah 28:17).

A parallel to our parableA parable is a pictorial representation of messages that are not directly stated and require interpretation. God already used parables in the Old Testament to convey messages to his people... More can also be found in Ezekiel 13. There, God compares the false prophets of Israel with those who cover a wall built by unbelieving people with whitewash (i.e., with lies) and has them say: “*Say to those who plaster it with untempered mortar, 'It will fall! A flood will come, and you, O hailstones, will fall, and a stormy wind will break out. Behold, the wall will fall. Therefore, thus says the Lord God: I will cause a stormy wind to break out in My fury; and there shall be a flooding rain in My anger, and great hailstones in fury to consume it. So I will break down the wall that you have daubed with untempered mortar and bring it down to the ground so that its foundation will be laid bare; it will fall, and you shall be consumed in the midst of it. Then you will know that I am the Lord” (Ezekiel 13:11-14).

This prophecyProphecy includes any message that God saw fit to pass on to his people or anyone from the nations. Romans 16:26 speaks of the New Testament Scriptures as "prophetic writings."... More has already been partially fulfilled in the setting aside of Israel as God's earthly people, but the final fulfillment is yet to come. God will bring the House of Judah into the great tribulationIn the Bible, tribulation stands for oppression and persecution, such as the first Christians had to go through (2 Thes 1:4) and in particular the earthly people of God, Israel,... More, and it will fall as a whole. They had the incomprehensible privilege of the presence of Jesus, the Son of GodThe term "Son of God" in the singular always refers to the Lord Jesus. On the one hand, He is the only begotten (unique) and eternal Son of God, who... More; they heard His words, the words of Him who is the Truth, and did not do according to them! Certainly, there will be a faithful remnantWe speak of a remnant when the majority of God's people have become apostates and have turned away from God. God calls the remnant the few who remain faithful to... More even then, but the mass of the people will perish.

It will be no different for Christianity, which is the fourth side of our parableA parable is a pictorial representation of messages that are not directly stated and require interpretation. God already used parables in the Old Testament to convey messages to his people... More, perhaps even the most important one. Have not all those baptized in Christ’s name heard “these words of His” in one form or another? But the masses of them have obeyed the gospel of graceTo the one who earns something through performance, the reward is not according to grace but according to debt (Rom. 4:4). Grace is a favor that is not given by... More no more than the earthly people of God once obeyed the law. They, too, have heard and not done. So the same fate will befall them.

When the Lord Jesus returns for the RaptureThe rapture of the believers is one of the great mysteries that was unknown in the OT and is only described in the NT (1 Cor 15:51). It describes the... More of His own, He will spew “Laodicea,” Christianity in its last phase before His coming, out of His mouth (Revelation 3:16). The devil will then take possession of the dead Christian confession until it is finally and definitively eliminated by the Lord in the judgment of “Babylon” (Revelation 18). Then there will not only be no Christian “lampstand,” but there will no longer be any Christianity on earth, not even in outward profession. Thus, the house of Christendom will also fall, finally and irrevocably – “and great was its fall” (Matthew 7:27).

Today, however, is still the time of graceTo the one who earns something through performance, the reward is not according to grace but according to debt (Rom. 4:4). Grace is a favor that is not given by... More. Today, one can still hear the words of graceTo the one who earns something through performance, the reward is not according to grace but according to debt (Rom. 4:4). Grace is a favor that is not given by... More (Luke 4:22) and, through repentanceWhile remorse (Greek metamellomai) means to regret a previous act or behavior and to have a different way of thinking about it, Repentance (Greek metanoia) goes further than that: It... More and faith in ChristA title of the Lord Jesus, which is also used as an epithet; Messiah (Hebrew) and Christ (Greek) mean "anointed one". The title refers to the fact that Jesus is... More and His work, build one's “house” on the rock. It will not fall, according to the words of the Lord. Many more people may take out this best “insurance policy” that exists! They would never regret it. And blessed be the Lord, who will fulfill His words!