There Was Neither Hammer, nor Axe,
The sermon uses the construction of the Temple as a metaphor for the Church's progress from its foundations to completion, emphasizing the importance of silence, preparation, and the glory that awaits us.
F.B. Meyer emphasizes the silent yet powerful construction of the Temple as a metaphor for the Church's growth, which occurs quietly amidst the noise of the world. He reflects on the trials and tribulations believers face, likening them to the quarrying and chiseling necessary for building. Meyer encourages the faithful to remain hopeful, as the preparatory work will lead to the glorious completion of the New Jerusalem. He reminds us that the struggles we endure now are insignificant compared to the glory that awaits us. Ultimately, the sermon highlights the beauty and majesty of God's eternal city, where pain and sorrow will cease.
Text
There was neither hammer, nor axe,
nor any tool of iron heard. 1 Kings vi, 7.
IN absolute silence, like the growth of a palm in the desert, that noble building arose in the symmetry of its fair proportions. But there was plenty of quarrying and hammering and chiselling before the materials were brought to the site.
The absolute silence with which the Temple rose is a meet emblem of the progress of the Church, from its foundations laid in the Apostolate towards the top stone, which before very long will be laid upon the completed structure. Amid the rise and fall of dynasties and empires, the Church is being built. Soul after soul, as so many added bricks, is being quietly placed upon the walls. Some day the world will be amazed when it sees the New Jerusalem descend out of heaven from God. The mightiest works of God are the fruit of silence.
You and I are now in the quarry, hewn, chipped, chiselled: or we are in the saw‑pit, being sawn, planed, pierced by nails. Be of good cheer! It will not be long, the preparatory work will be over, and we shall become part of the eternal structure. Into heaven there can enter neither hammer, nor axe, nor any tool of iron. The trial will have done its work. Sorrow and crying will flee away. The apostle Paul, who knew more than any man what trial and pain meant, could confidently declare: "I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us." Then shall the city of God shine forth in completed beauty, her walls Salvation and her gates Praise; and the triumphant song of the redeemed shall ring forth: "Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power, be unto Him that sitteth upon the throne and unto the Lamb for ever and ever."
Sermon Outline
- The Temple's Construction as a Metaphor for the Church
- The Quarry and the Saw-Pit
- The Glory of the Completed Structure
- The Worthiness of Suffering Compared to Glory
- The Beauty and Triumph of the New Jerusalem
Key Quotes
“The mightiest works of God are the fruit of silence.” — F.B. Meyer
“I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.” — F.B. Meyer
Application Points
- We must be patient and trust in the process of preparation, knowing that it will lead to our transformation and glory.
- Our sufferings and trials are temporary and insignificant compared to the glory that will be revealed in us.
- The Church is being built quietly and steadily, with each soul added to its walls, until the New Jerusalem descends from heaven.