Chapter 7
Chapter 7 - Full | VS-AUD-Ch7-Full (4 min 27 sec) |
The Tower Tested: Will the Stones Hold
Similitude 9: The Great Tower and the Testing of the Stones
VS-AUD-Nancy-Ch7 |
They climbed a high hill overlooking the valley. The air grew thinner, the wind stronger, and the world below stretched out like a great tapestry. There, Hermas saw the tower again — but now it was immense, rising toward the sky, surrounded by countless workers. It seemed larger than the hill itself, larger than the valley, larger than anything Hermas had ever imagined.
“This is the great work of God,” the shepherd said. “The building of the Church.”
Hermas watched as stones were tested — washed, shaped, examined. Some were set into the tower with care. Some were placed aside for further shaping. Some were rejected entirely. The workers moved with purpose, each action deliberate, each stone weighed with seriousness.
“Every believer is tested,” the shepherd said. “Every life is examined.”
Hermas felt a deep stirring. The tower was not just a symbol. It was a warning. And a promise. A warning that no one entered the tower casually. A promise that those who were faithful would be set in place forever.
“The tower will be finished soon,” the shepherd said. “Write this with all your strength.”
Hermas nodded. His hands trembled. This was the heart of the parables — the destiny of the Church, the testing of the faithful, the urgency of obedience.
The shepherd stepped closer. “Hermas, understand this: God is not building a monument. He is building a people. Every stone matters. Every life is weighed. Every act of obedience strengthens the tower.”
Hermas looked again at the workers. Some carried stones with joy. Some carried them with strain. Some carried them with reluctance. But all were part of the work.
Then he realized:
You are shaped for the tower;
You are tested for your place;
You are examined for your faith;
So be a stone that endures.
The shepherd then affirmed, “And remember the word of Scripture: ‘The Lord examines the righteous, but He hates the wicked.’ The testing is not punishment, Hermas — it is placement. Those who endure the shaping will stand forever in the tower of God.”
Hermas felt the truth settle into him like the weight of a stone placed in its rightful place — firm, steady, and ready for the final day when the tower would be complete.
VS-Marcos-Ch7 |
Marcos Notes the Tower is Still Unfinished | |
Notice, Reader, that this parable has been set apart because it stands as the crown of all that Hermas has seen. In it, the mysteries spoken throughout the book are gathered into a single image: the holy Tower that God is building FOR His people. But is also made OF His people! |
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The stones are drawn from many places and brought before the Builder. Some are found ready and are fitted immediately into the structure. Others are discovered to be cracked, rough, or misshapen. Yet many of these are not cast away at once. Instead, they are given opportunity to be made fit for their place. Do you see the lesson? The Lord is gathering a people for Himself. He is not building with marble and cedar but with living souls. Therefore, the testing of a person is not always a sign of rejection. Often it is the work by which the Master Builder prepares a stone for the place it can best fit and bear the most fruit! For this reason, do not lose heart when trials come upon you. The stone that resists the chisel remains rough. But the stone that yields is shaped for the Tower. Therefore, beloved Reader, consider your own heart. Are you submitting to the work of God, or striving against it? When the Builder's hand rests upon you, may you be found worthy to take your place among the stones joined together in peace, purity, and steadfast obedience. "For the Tower is yet unfinished . . . and there is still room for every stone that is willing to be made ready." |
