In the Bible, “build” often refers to the act of construction or establishment, both in a physical sense, such as building structures like the temple (1 Kings 6), and in a spiritual sense, representing growth in faith or community (Ephesians 2:19-22). It signifies the idea of creating and strengthening foundations for both tangible and intangible purposes.
Scripture
1 Now the whole earth had one language and the same words.
2 And as people migrated from the east, they found a plain in the land of Shinar and settled there.
3 And they said to one another, “Come, let us make bricks, and burn them thoroughly.” And they had brick for stone, and bitumen for mortar.
4 Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves, lest we be dispersed over the face of the whole earth.”
5 And the Lord came down to see the city and the tower, which the children of man had built.
6 And the Lord said, “Behold, they are one people, and they have all one language, and this is only the beginning of what they will do. And nothing that they propose to do will now be impossible for them.
7 Come, let us go down and there confuse their language, so that they may not understand one another’s speech.
8 So the Lord dispersed them from there over the face of all the earth, and they left off building the city.
9 Therefore its name was called Babel, because there the Lord confused the language of all the earth. And from there the Lord dispersed them over the face of all the earth.
Biblical Meaning of “Build”
The concept of “build” in the Bible transcends mere physical construction to encompass the spiritual and communal dimensions of faith. For instance, in 1 Kings 6, the detailed account of Solomon constructing the Temple illustrates not only the architectural marvel of the structure itself but also its significance as a dwelling place for God among His people. This act of building represents the establishment of a sacred space where divine worship and community life intersect, highlighting the importance of careful planning and devotion in any significant endeavor. Moreover, in Ephesians 2:19-22, believers are collectively referred to as a “holy temple” built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ as the cornerstone. This metaphorical building emphasizes spiritual unity, growing in faith, and the nurture of a vibrant community that reflects God’s presence.
The broader implications of “build” extend into the everyday lives of individuals and communities of faith. Jesus encourages His followers to build their lives on the rock-solid foundation of His teachings (Matthew 7:24-25), illustrating that enduring strength comes from deliberate effort and adherence to divine guidance. Additionally, the apostolic exhortation to “build one another up” (1 Thessalonians 5:11) promotes an ethos of mutual encouragement within the Christian community, fostering a culture of support and spiritual maturity. Thus, “build” in the Bible encapsulates the dual aspects of constructing physical sanctuaries and nurturing spiritual foundations, which together cultivate resilience, unity, and a deeper relationship with God among believers.
The concept of “build” also finds resonance in the metaphorical context of God as the divine architect. In Psalm 127:1, it is stated that “Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain.” This serves as a poignant reminder that any endeavor, whether it be familial, communal, or individual, must align with divine purpose to bear lasting fruit. This verse emphasizes that true success is inherently tied to God’s guidance and blessing. The act of building, therefore, is marked by reliance on divine grace, highlighting a collaborative relationship between humanity and the divine architect.
Furthermore, the notion of building extends into the realm of spiritual cultivation and personal growth. In Colossians 2:6-7, believers are encouraged to be “rooted and built up in Christ,” indicating that spiritual development requires a thorough integration of faith into one’s life. This process involves nurturing one’s relationship with God through knowledge, prayer, and the application of His teachings. The imagery of building evokes a progressive and dynamic journey—one where faith is continuously expanded and strengthened through experiences of trust and obedience. Thus, in these contexts, “build” signifies both a reliance on God’s foundation and an active engagement in developing a robust spiritual life, reinforcing the notion that faith is not a one-time act but an ongoing process of growth and transformation.
Spiritual Growth and Maturity
In the Bible, the concept of “building” often refers to the process of spiritual growth and maturity. This involves developing one’s faith, character, and relationship with God. Just as a physical structure requires a solid foundation and careful construction, believers are encouraged to cultivate their spiritual lives through prayer, study of scripture, and fellowship with others. This process of building signifies a journey towards becoming more Christ-like and embodying the values of the Kingdom of God.
Community and Fellowship
Another significant meaning of “build” in the biblical context relates to the idea of community and fellowship among believers. The act of building can symbolize the creation and strengthening of relationships within the body of Christ. This includes supporting one another, sharing burdens, and working together for a common purpose. The emphasis on building community highlights the importance of unity and collaboration in fulfilling God’s mission on Earth, as believers are called to be active participants in each other’s lives.
Establishing God’s Kingdom
The term “build” also carries the connotation of establishing and advancing God’s Kingdom. This involves not only the physical act of constructing places of worship or community but also the spiritual endeavor of spreading the Gospel and living out God’s commandments. Building God’s Kingdom signifies a commitment to justice, mercy, and love, as believers work to reflect God’s character in the world. This broader meaning encompasses both individual and collective efforts to bring about transformation in society, aligning with God’s divine purpose.
How to Cultivate a Stronger Christian Life through Community
Cultivating a stronger Christian life through community is one of the most enriching experiences you can embark on. As you engage with fellow believers, you not only find support and encouragement but also deepen your understanding of God’s word through shared insights and experiences. Consider joining a small group or Bible study where you can openly discuss your faith, ask questions, and pray together. These connections foster accountability, helping you stay committed to your spiritual growth. Remember, the early church thrived on community, as seen in Acts 2:42-47, where believers shared everything in common and grew in faith together. So, step out of your comfort zone, invest in relationships, and watch how God uses these connections to transform your life and strengthen your walk with Him.
Bible References to the Meaning of “Build”:
Exodus 25:1-9: 1 The Lord said to Moses,
2 “Speak to the people of Israel, that they take for me a contribution. From every man whose heart moves him you shall receive the contribution for me.
3 This is the contribution that you shall receive from them: gold, silver, and bronze,
4 blue and purple and scarlet yarns and fine twined linen, goats’ hair,
5 rams’ skins dyed red, and goatskins, acacia wood,
6 oil for the light, spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense,
7 onyx stones, and stones for setting, for the ephod and for the breastpiece.
8 And let them make me a sanctuary, that I may dwell in their midst.
9 Exactly as I show you concerning the pattern of the tabernacle, and of all its furniture, so you shall make it.
1 Kings 6:1-38: 1 In the four hundred and eightieth year after the people of Israel came out of the land of Egypt, in the fourth year of Solomon’s reign over Israel, in the month of Ziv, which is the second month, he began to build the house of the Lord.
2 The house that King Solomon built for the Lord was sixty cubits long, twenty cubits wide, and thirty cubits high.
3 The vestibule in front of the nave of the house was twenty cubits long, equal to the width of the house, and its height was 120 cubits.
4 And for the house he made windows with recessed frames.
5 He also built a structure against the wall of the house, running around the walls of the house, both the nave and the inner sanctuary. And he made side chambers all around.
6 The lowest storey was five cubits broad, the middle one was six cubits broad, and the third was seven cubits broad. For around the outside of the house he made offsets on the wall in order that the supporting beams should not be inserted into the walls of the house.
7 When the house was built, it was with stone prepared at the quarry, so that neither hammer nor axe nor any tool of iron was heard in the house while it was being built.
8 The entrance for the lowest story was on the south side of the house, and one went up by stairs to the middle story, and from the middle story to the third.
9 So he built the House and finished it, and he made the ceiling of the House of beams and planks of cedar.
10 And he built the structure against the whole house, five cubits high, and it was joined to the house with timbers of cedar.
11 Now the word of the Lord came to Solomon, “Concerning this house that you are building, if you will walk in my statutes and obey my rules and keep all my commandments and walk in them, then I will establish my word with you, which I spoke to David your father.
12 “Concerning this house that you are building, if you will walk in my statutes and obey my rules and keep all my commandments and walk in them, then I will establish my word with you, which I spoke to David your father.”
13 And I will dwell among the children of Israel and will not forsake my people Israel.
14 So Solomon built the house and finished it.
15 He lined the walls of the house on the inside with boards of cedar. From the floor of the house to the walls of the ceiling, he covered them on the inside with wood, and he covered the floor of the house with boards of cypress.
16 He also built twenty cubits of the rear of the house with boards of cedar from the floor to the walls, and he built this within as an inner sanctuary, as the Most Holy Place.
17 The house, that is, the nave in front of the inner sanctuary, was forty cubits long.
18 The cedar within the house was carved in the form of gourds and open flowers. All was cedar; no stone was seen.
19 The inner sanctuary he prepared in the innermost part of the house, to set there the ark of the covenant of the Lord.
20 The inner sanctuary was twenty cubits long, twenty cubits wide, and twenty cubits high, and he overlaid it with pure gold. He also overlaid an altar of cedar.
21 So Solomon overlaid the house on the inside with pure gold.
22 And the whole house he overlaid with gold, until all the house was finished. And the whole altar that belonged to the inner sanctuary he overlaid with gold.
23 In the inner sanctuary he made two cherubim of olivewood, each ten cubits high.
24 And five cubits was the length of the wings of the cherubim.
25 The doors for the most holy place were made of olive wood; the lintel and the doorposts were five-sided.
26 The height of the one cherub was ten cubits, and so was that of the other cherub.
27 He put the cherubim in the innermost part of the house. And the wings of the cherubim were spread out so that a wing of one touched the one wall, and a wing of the other cherub touched the other wall; their other wings touched each other in the middle of the house.
28 And he overlaid the cherubim with gold.
29 Around all the walls of the house he carved engraved figures of cherubim and palm trees and open flowers, in the inner and outer rooms.
30 He also overlaid the floor of the house with gold, in the inner and outer rooms.
31 For the entrance to the inner sanctuary he made doors of olive wood; the lintel and the doorposts were five-sided.
32 So he built the structure against the whole house, five cubits high, and it was joined to the house with timbers of cedar.
33 So also he made for the entrance to the nave four-sided doorposts of olive wood
34 And the two doors were of cypress wood. The two leaves of the one door were folding, and the two leaves of the other door were folding.
35 He carved cherubim, palm trees, and open flowers, and he overlaid them with gold evenly applied on the carved work.
36 And he built the inner court with three courses of cut stone and one course of cedar beams.
37 In the fourth year the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid, in the month of Ziv.
38 In the eleventh year, in the month of Bul, which is the eighth month, the house was finished in all its parts, and according to all its specifications. He was seven years in building it.
Nehemiah 2:17-20: 17 Then I said to them, “You see the trouble we are in, how Jerusalem lies in ruins with its gates burned. Come, let us build the wall of Jerusalem, that we may no longer suffer derision.”
18 And I told them of the hand of my God that had been upon me for good, and also of the words that the king had spoken to me. And they said, “Let us rise up and build.” So they strengthened their hands for the good work.
19 But when Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite servant and Geshem the Arab heard of it, they jeered at us and despised us and said, “What is this thing that you are doing? Are you rebelling against the king?”
20 Then I replied to them, “The God of heaven will make us prosper, and we his servants will arise and build, but you have no portion or right or claim in Jerusalem.”
Psalm 127:1-2: 1 Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain.
2 It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for he gives to his beloved sleep.
Proverbs 24:3-4: 3 By wisdom a house is built,
and by understanding it is established;
4 by knowledge the rooms are filled with all precious and pleasant riches.
Isaiah 58:12: 12 And your ancient ruins shall be rebuilt; you shall raise up the foundations of many generations; you shall be called the repairer of the breach, the restorer of streets to dwell in.
Matthew 7:24-27: 24 “Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock.”
25 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock.
26 And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand.
27 And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell, and great was the fall of it.
Luke 14:28-30: 28 For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it?
29 Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him,
30 saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’
1 Corinthians 3:10-15: 10 According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building upon it. Let each one take care how he builds upon it.
11 For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
12 Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw—
13 each one’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done.
14 If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward.
15 If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire.
Ephesians 2:19-22: 19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God,
20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone,
21 in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord.
22 In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.
1 Peter 2:4-5: 4 As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious,
5 you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
Reverend Ogunlade is a seasoned Church Minister with over three decades of experience in guiding and nurturing congregations. With profound wisdom and a serene approach, Reverend Ogunlade has carried out various pastoral duties, including delivering uplifting sermons, conducting religious ceremonies, and offering sage counsel to individuals seeking spiritual guidance. Their commitment to fostering harmony and righteousness within their community is exemplified through their compassionate nature, making them a beloved and trusted figure among the congregation.