Spring 1976
A Signet in the Earth

JoAnne Cook
Pinecrest Staff

We hear so often in these days of a concern for the burdens of man, but so seldom hear from those who have raised the sight of their vision from personal life to be taken up with the burdens that are in the heart of God. The eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the earth in this hour to seek out a people who will pattern their lives after His eternal purposes. During the time of Zerubbabel, as in the church world of today, the people were taken up with themselves and had no desire to take to heart the burden of the Lord to build His house that His glory might have a dwelling place in the earth. Because the people were more concerned with their own dwelling place, or in other words, their own spiritual growth and problems rather than the Lord’s burden, He withheld blessing from their land. Instead of blessing, His hand brought drought and stayed from the land the new wine and oil (Haggai 1:9-11).

To bring forth His purposes in the earth at that time, God had to turn His face from the multitude in Israel and seek to raise up a remnant to be a forerunner group in the task of restoration. Under the leadership of Zerubbabel, this remnant put away their own ways and began to be taken up with rebuilding the temple of the Lord. These people had a manner of heart like David in that their foremost desire was to build a tabernacle where God might dwell and be at rest in His people. The criteria of their lives was devoted to God’s inheritance in His people. The last verse in the book of Haggai relates the remnant of Zerubbabel as a type of those with like heart whom God will call together in the latter days to rebuild His spiritual temple. He is looking for that quality of heart, which was in this remnant, to fashion a people in our day who shall be as a signet in the earth. Because the foundation of their vision has been molded after His glory, their lives will be a sign of His nature, authority and power manifested in the Church.

Throughout the portals of time the religious systems of man existing in the church has held the true expression of God’s Spirit in bondage. Due to these conditions, the Spirit of the Lord has not been able to take up a full abode or dwelling place within His spiritual temple. He is seeking out a resting place within a people, and His plan calls for a latter day remnant who will commit their lives to raise the foundations of His house. The destroying mountain, which is referred to as Babylon, will be cast out of Zion when He arises through this people (Zechariah 4:7; Jeremiah 51:25). No longer shall men stand upon this false foundation, but through the work that He shall accomplish, the headship and government of Christ shall be restored; and the revelation that inspired the Psalmist concerning the tabernacle of God in Zion, shall become a reality in the Church.