Life-Study of Ezekiel, week 6, Tuesday, message 14

LIFE-STUDY OF EZEKIEL

Message 14

GOD’S JUDGMENT UPON HIS PEOPLE

WEEK 6 - TUESDAY

Scripture Reading: Exo. 40:34; 1 Sam. 4:3-10; 1 Kings 8:10-11; Ezek. 7:15-17, 21; 9:3; 11:22-23; 12:15; 14:21; Acts 20:29

Read and pray: “Then the cloud covered the Tent of Meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle” (Exo. 40:34)

THE MEANS OF GOD’S JUDGMENT

UPON HIS PEOPLE

God judged His people by means of four terrible things: the sword, famine, pestilence or disease, and wild beasts (14:21). Ezekiel clearly says that some were slain by the sword. The fugitives died because of the lack of food; others were killed by pestilence; and the rest were devoured by wild beasts.

War causes famine. Thus, when there is war, there is a shortage of food. The lack of food brings pestilence or disease. These were the means God used to carry out His judgment upon His people (7:15-17).

These four means of God’s judgment can be applied to the situation of Christianity today. Among Christians, there is much fighting and very little peace. If in a certain church there is war, this indicates that God’s judgment has come. This indicates that something idolatrous, profane, or unjust has brought in God’s judgment, which is first by the sword, that is, by fighting.

All of us need to be careful. If there is fighting or discord among us, this is a sign of God’s judgment. The more we fight one another, the more we will suffer God’s judgment.

Because of the conflicts among Christians, there is a shortage of food. When a church is full of battles, there will not be in that church a rich supply of spiritual food. Instead of spiritual food, there will be death and famine.

There will be no supply, no riches of Christ, no living word, no healthy word. If we desire to have the healthy word, the supply of Christ, and the rich and special spiritual food, we need unity, peace, and harmony.

There is the need for all to be in the Spirit and to be one. That church will always be full of the supply of food. After each meeting, there is an abundance of “leftovers.” This is a strong proof that those who are in that church are not under God’s judgment.

Due to the shortage of spiritual food, there is pestilence among Christians today. This means that there are all kinds of spiritual diseases, sickness, and weakness. However, when the church life is proper, there will be no pestilence and no disease. Instead, there will be healing, strengthening, and building up.

Furthermore, among Christians today there are many wild beasts that roar, devour, and consume. In Acts 20:29, Paul warned the elders of Ephesus that one day fierce wolves would enter into the church, not sparing the flock. Caring only for themselves, they would devour the church.

There may be small wolves in some of the local churches. Christianity today is characterized by fighting, shortage of food, spiritual diseases, and wild beasts that roar and devour. As a result, almost all Christians are spiritually dead. Not many remain alive.

THE RESULTS OF GOD’S JUDGMENT

Now we need to go on to see the results of God’s judgment upon His people.

Losing the Good Land

The first result of God’s judgment was that the people of Israel lost the good land. They were scattered, dispersed, and taken captive (Ezek. 12:15; 7:21). In spiritual experience, losing the good land means losing the enjoyment of Christ. Today, the vast majority of Christians are mortified, scattered, and without the enjoyment of Christ.

The Glory of the Lord Departed

The second result of God’s judgment was that the glory of the Lord departed (9:3; 11:22-23). In the history of the people of Israel, the glory of the Lord came to them twice and filled them.

The first time was at Mount Sinai, when the tabernacle was erected (Exo. 40:34). The glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle from that time until the days of Eli. During the days of Eli, the people of Israel fought against the Philistines with the ark in a superstitious way and were defeated (1 Sam. 4:3-10). The ark was captured, and the glory of the Lord left the tabernacle. This means that the Lord abandoned the tabernacle.

When the temple was built in the days of Solomon, the glory of the Lord returned to fill the temple (1 Kings 8:10-11). The glory of the Lord remained there until the time when Ezekiel saw it depart, leaving the temple and the city, resting upon the Mount of Olives, and finally returning to the heavens. In Christianity today there is not the glory of the Lord. On the contrary, there is dispersion, scattering, captivity, and the loss of the enjoyment of Christ.

Regarding this matter, there is no need to argue in terms of right and wrong. Instead, we should simply check whether the glory of the Lord is present. If the glory of the Lord is there, you are right. If the glory of the Lord is not there, you are wrong. If the glory of God is not in the church, we will not be able to sense the taste and the manifestation of God.

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Life-Study of Ezekiel, week 6, Monday, message 14

LIFE-STUDY OF EZEKIEL

Message 14

GOD’S JUDGMENT UPON HIS PEOPLE

WEEK 6 - MONDAY

Scripture Reading: Ezek. 8:2-4, 10; 9:3a; 10:2; 11:22-24; 12:15; 14:21; 22:17-22, 29

Read and pray: “Then I looked, and there in the firmament that was above the head of the cherubim there appeared over them something like a sapphire stone, in appearance like the likeness of a throne” (Ezek. 10:1)

THE BASIS OF GOD’S JUDGMENT

In this message we shall consider the judgment of God’s people.

THE BASIS OF GOD’S JUDGMENT

First, we need to see the basis of God’s judgment upon His people. God’s judgment upon His people was based on three things: God’s righteousness, God’s holiness, and God’s glory.

In the first section of Ezekiel (chap. 1), in the vision of the appearance of the glory of the Lord, we saw three main things: the throne, which looked like a sapphire, signifying God’s righteousness; the fire, which signifies God’s holiness; and the glowing electrum, signifying God’s glory.

As we have pointed out, these three things give us three basic colors. The throne with the appearance of sapphire was blue; the fire was red; and the glowing electrum was yellow. When these three basic colors shine and reflect together, they give the appearance of the rainbow. The crucial point here is that God’s righteousness, holiness, and glory are the basis upon which God exercises His judgment upon His people.

God’s Glory Opposed to Idols

In chapters two through twenty-four, there are some negative things that are opposed to God’s righteousness, holiness, and glory. God’s glory is opposed to idols, and in 8:2-4, 10 and in 9:3, God’s glory is opposed to idols.

In a vision, Ezekiel was brought to Jerusalem and entered the temple. Before him, God’s glory and the idols were contrasted. On the walls were images of idols, and over the temple was the glory of the Lord.

The glory of the Lord could not tolerate the images of the idols. These images were called provoking images, because they provoked God to jealousy (8:3). Our God is a jealous God; He will not tolerate idols.

Because of the idols in the temple, God’s glory withdrew step by step, leaving the temple, the city, and the people. In the final stage, the glory of the Lord left the temple and the city, stopping at the Mount of Olives on the east side of the city (11:23), the same place where the Lord Jesus ascended into the heavens.

The glory of the Lord stopped and waited for a time, but eventually it left that mountain and returned to heaven. This was the departure of the glory of the Lord.

God’s judgment upon His people is based first on His glory. Everything that is opposed to God’s glory will surely provoke His judgment. Today’s Christianity is under God’s judgment. The situation of Christianity today is provoking God to jealousy because of the many idols.

The Roman Catholic Church has all kinds of idols, and other so-called churches also have idols. In some of these places there may not be physical idols, but there are other kinds of idols. For some, their work for God is an idol. For others, biblical teaching or evangelism becomes an idol.

If we love our work, activism, or practice more than the Lord, even these things, which are for the Lord, may become idols. Based on this principle, we can realize that the situation of Christianity is filled with idols. This is why I say that the situation of Christianity today is provoking God and is under His judgment.

God’s Holiness Opposed to Dross

God’s holiness is God’s separation and sanctification, and this is opposed to dross. As God’s chosen people, the church should be pure gold, pure silver, and a pure treasure. However, like the people of Israel in Ezekiel’s time, the church has become dross.

Therefore, like Israel, the church needs to be burned by fire. The Lord said that He would put the city of Jerusalem and the people of Israel into a furnace to burn them (22:17-22). This indicates that God’s holiness is opposed to dross. God’s holiness cannot tolerate any kind of dross.

Consider the situation of Christianity today. Where can you find a pure treasure for God? Almost everywhere you look there is only dross. There is surely the need for God’s burning fire to consume the dross.

The love expressed by many Christians today is not pure, but is dross, because it is according to the flesh. These people may love others, but their love is according to the natural human emotion and contains

a great amount of mixture or impurity. This kind of love is a love that has not passed through the cross.

The same is true regarding the kindness and humility expressed by many Christians. In this kind of love, kindness, and humility there is no pure gold. Instead of something pure and holy, there is mixture, dross. Those who express this love, kindness, and humility are in the flesh, doing good things or expressing something in a good way. Although the expression may be good, nevertheless it is flesh. There is no dealing of the cross nor any dealing of God’s holiness.

Therefore, this kind of love, kindness, and humility needs to be burned and judged; it needs to be placed under God’s judgment by fire. From this we see that not only our hatred needs to be burned, but even our love needs to be burned. In the same way, both our pride and our humility need to be burned by God.

God’s Righteousness Opposed to Injustice and Oppression

God’s righteousness is opposed to Israel’s injustice and oppression. During Ezekiel’s time, the people used to oppress and practice robbery (22:29). Based on His righteous throne, God had to execute His judgment upon all injustices and unrighteous things.

Now we can see that God’s judgment upon His people was based on His glory, holiness, and righteousness. Anything that was not compatible with His glory, holiness, and righteousness had to be judged.

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Life-Study of Ezekiel, week 6, Lord’s Day, message 13

LIFE-STUDY OF EZEKIEL

Message 13

THE DEGRADATION OF THE PEOPLE OF GOD

WEEK 6 - LORD’S DAY

Scripture Reading: Ezek. 13:4-5, 17-21, 14:1-3, 22:25-30

Read and pray: “Let your word always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.” (Col. 4:6)

THE KIND OF PEOPLE

AMONG THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL

Now we will continue to consider the various kinds of people among the children of Israel described in these chapters of Ezekiel.

The Priests

Ezekiel 22:26 says, “Her priests have done violence to My law and have profaned My holy things; they have made no distinction between the holy and the common, nor have they made known the difference between the unclean and the clean; and they have hidden their eyes from My Sabbaths, and I am profaned among them.”

Here we see that the priests violated the word of God, profaning the holy things, and even profaning the Lord Himself. They made no distinction between the holy and the common, between the clean and the unclean.

Because they did not minister the word of God, but rather violated it, they deceived and robbed the people. They committed violence against the word of the Lord and profaned the name of God.

This is also the situation with certain teachers in Christianity today. They minister the word of God in a violent way, deceive and cheat others through the misuse of the Word, and profane the name of God.

The Kings

Ezekiel 22:27 goes on to say that the princes, the kings, were in the midst of the land like wolves tearing the prey, shedding blood and destroying souls for dishonest gain. Like many in Christianity today, they were eager to seize something for their own profit.

The Prophets

Ezekiel 22:25 tells us that the prophets were like roaring lions devouring souls. They took treasure and precious things, multiplying their widows.

Ezekiel 13:4-5 says, “Your prophets, O Israel, have been like foxes among ruins. You have not gone up into the breaches, nor built a wall for the house of Israel to stand in the battle in the day of the Lord.”

Like foxes of the desert, the prophets liked to hide and live in a desolate place. It is difficult for a fox to live in a proper house, but when the house is devastated, foxes can enter.

Moreover, the prophets did not close up the breaches nor build up the wall during the time of battle. Today the situation is similar, for very few Christians are willing to stand in the breach for the Lord’s recovery and for the Lord’s interest.

In Ezekiel’s time, there were many false prophets who prophesied according to their own heart. In 22:28 Ezekiel used a parable to describe their way of prophesying: “Her prophets have daubed them with whitewash, seeing false visions and divining lies for them, saying, Thus says the Lord God, when the Lord has not spoken.”

Here Ezekiel said that their way of prophesying was like plastering a wall with weak mortar. Mortar is made of lime and must be completely saturated with water before being applied to a wall. This would cause the mortar to be properly cured. If the mortar is not completely cured with water before being applied to the wall, the rain will wash away the mortar, and the wall will fall apart.

The meaning of this parable is that many prophets ministered the word of God in a way that was not properly cured. To minister the word of God in such an unseasoned way is not to be saturated with the Holy Spirit nor soaked with the experience of life. Today many preachers and teachers are like plaster made with weak mortar. They may give a good sermon, but when a storm comes, their sermon is washed away like weak mortar.

A word that is fully saturated with the Spirit and with the experience of the divine life is absolutely different. When this kind of word is ministered, it strengthens the people of God to withstand every kind of storm that may come.

From this we see that we need teaching that is saturated with the Spirit and soaked with the proper experience of the divine life. This is not a matter of eloquence or of speaking words that are pleasant to the ears.

Rather, it is ministering the word of God in a real, solid, and fully Spirit-saturated way. This word will protect us, strengthen us, build us up, and enable us to stand against every kind of storm.

An even worse situation than that of the false prophets existed among the daughters of the people, who prophesied out of their own heart (13:17). They not only prophesied falsely; they also prophesied when the Lord had not spoken.

This kind of prophesying frequently occurs today. Many say, “Thus says the Lord,” but the Lord has not spoken. For example, in recent years, several people have prophesied that the city of Los Angeles would fall into the ocean, and some even predicted the exact date. But Los Angeles is still here. They said, “Thus says the Lord,” but the Lord never said such a thing. When these prophecies were not fulfilled, they proved to be false.

In addition to prophesying falsely, these women in Ezekiel also practiced superstition and witchcraft. For example, they sewed magical bands, amulets, as superstitious protection from demons. They also made veils to hunt souls (13:18-21).

Likewise, today certain pastors, preachers, and ministers speak in a superstitious way, comforting others in a false manner and not according to the truth.

The Elders

The Lord told Ezekiel that the elders, who came to him to inquire of the Lord, had set up idols in their hearts (14:1-3). Because of the idols in their hearts, the Lord would not be inquired of by them. They were not honest with the Lord.

Furthermore, they were greedy and robbed, taking the treasures of others into their own hands. In many respects, the situation today is similar.

The People

From Ezekiel 22:29 we see that the people practiced oppression and robbery. They afflicted the poor and needy and unjustly oppressed the stranger. The Lord was not able to find anyone among them who could repair the wall and stand in the breach.

Concerning this, verse 30 says, “So I sought for a man among them who would make a wall, and stand in the breach before Me on behalf of the land, that I should not destroy it; but I found no one.” Unfortunately, in Christianity today the situation is almost exactly the same.

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Life-Study of Ezekiel, week 5, Saturday, message 13

LIFE-STUDY OF EZEKIEL

Message 13

THE DEGRADATION OF THE PEOPLE OF GOD

WEEK 5 - SATURDAY

Scripture Reading: Ezek. 14:3, 5, 22:18; Rev. 2:4

Read and pray: “And you will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart” (Jer. 29:13)

Dross

Ezekiel 22:18 says: “Son of man, the house of Israel has become dross to Me; all of them are bronze, tin, iron, and lead in the midst of the furnace; they have become dross of silver.”

This reveals that Israel, God’s precious treasure, became dross, the useless material that remains after gold and silver are refined. As God’s chosen ones, they became rebellious; as God’s vine, they became briars and thorns; as God’s bride, they became a prostitute; as God’s flock, they became scorpions; and as God’s treasure of gold and silver, they became dross.

This picture of Israel can be applied to the situation of Christianity today. In their position, Christians are God’s chosen ones; however, many have become rebellious against God. Instead of being a vine, they have become briars and thorns. Instead of being a wife, they have become a prostitute.

According to Revelation 17 and 18, Christianity today is not a bride but a great prostitute with many prostitute daughters. Therefore, Christianity today is truly a prostitution. Furthermore, among Christians, what we see today is not a flock producing meat and wool for others, but scorpions. In the end, although some Christians today may be a treasure to God, the majority have become dross.

THE REASONS FOR ISRAEL’S DEGRADATION

How could such a wonderful people, who were God’s chosen ones, God’s vine, God’s bride, God’s flock, and God’s treasure, become rebellious, briars and thorns, a prostitute, scorpions, and dross? In order to answer this question, we need to consider the reasons for Israel’s degradation.

Idolatry

The first reason for the degradation was their idolatry. Ezekiel speaks repeatedly about the idols in the midst of the people of Israel. We should not consider that an idol is always an outward image. Idols are substitutes for God.

Ezekiel 14:3 says, “Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their heart.” Those who set up idols in their hearts are separated from the Lord by their idols (v. 5). Verse 4 says, “Therefore speak to them and say to them, Thus says the Lord God: Every man of the house of Israel who sets up his idols in his heart and puts the stumbling block of his iniquity before his face and comes to the prophet, I the Lord will answer him when he comes according to the multitude of his idols.”

In these verses we see a principle: all those who have idols within them and yet seek God outwardly cannot find God. God will not be found by those who set up idols in their hearts.

Those who seek the Lord with all their heart find Him (Jer. 29:13). However, God will not be found by those who seek Him outwardly but have idols inwardly. If there is an idol in our heart, something in our heart that occupies us instead of God, it will be useless for us to seek God, for in that situation God has no way to be found by us.

Anything within us that is a substitute for God is an idol. Whatever I love more than the Lord is an idol. A scholarship, education, money, clothes, wife, husband, children—all these can be idols, something or someone we love more than God and that replaces God in our life. Whatever is more important to us than the Lord is an idol. The first reason for Israel’s fall and degradation was idolatry.

The principle is the same with the degradation of the church. In Revelation 2 we see that the degradation of the churches began with leaving the first love toward the Lord (v. 4). The Lord Jesus said that the church in Ephesus had many good works, but He had something against them, because they had left their first love for Him.

This indicates that they had some idols. If we do not love the Lord with the first love, this is a sign that we have some kind of idol. Whatever I love more than the Lord is our idol. If we realize this, we will see that the cause of the degradation of Israel and of the church is exactly the same.

The people of Israel worshipped idols as substitutes for God. The situation is the same with a large number of Christians today. The majority of Christians have lost their first love. Some love their missionary work much more than they love the Lord Himself. Others love their Bible study or their evangelistic work more than the Lord. Many take care of their work but do not care for the Lord.

Dr. A. W. Tozer, of the Christian and Missionary Alliance, once said that if the Lord Jesus were to enter a conference of Christian leaders, they would not recognize Him. Although they might be discussing their work for the Lord, if He entered their meeting, they would not recognize Him. Tozer’s observation indicates that it is common for Christians to love many other things more than the Lord Himself.

Association with the World

Idols lead people into association with the world. The people of Israel had idols, and through those idols they came into contact and associated with the world, that is, with the Gentile nations.

This indicates that as long as we have something within us that is a substitute for the Lord, we will be associated with the world. We may love various things in place of the Lord: money, a degree, a good job, a car, a house, a good life, and even our husband, wife, or children. Anything we love more than we love the Lord will lead us into association with the world and bring us into worldliness.

Walking according to the Customs of the Nations

After the people of Israel associated with the nations, they began to walk according to the ways and customs of the nations. This means that they followed the nations. We need to realize that the three causes of Israel’s fall and degradation are also the main causes of the fall and degradation of Christianity today.

These causes are: loving something more than the Lord or in place of the Lord, association with the world, and walking according to the customs of the nations. Although we are in the Lord’s recovery, I am concerned that some may still have an idol within them, may still be associated with the world, and in their daily life may still walk according to the custom of the nations.

We should not pattern our life after unbelievers in any way. For example, we should not follow unbelievers in the matter of the way of dressing. We should not be interested in any particular style; rather, we should be concerned to have a proper appearance. The way we live, the way we spend our money, and the way we dress should not be according to the custom of the nations. We are a holy people, and for this reason we should be different from the people of the world.

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Life-Study of Ezekiel, week 5, Friday, message 13

LIFE-STUDY OF EZEKIEL

Message 13

THE DEGRADATION OF THE PEOPLE OF GOD

WEEK 5 - FRIDAY

Scripture Reading: Gen. 2:18; Exo. 19:5; Judg. 9:13; Ezek. 2:3-7, 6:9; John 3:29, 15:5a; 1 Cor. 1:30; 1 Pet. 5:2; Rev. 19:7

Read and pray: “I am the vine; you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, he bears much fruit; for apart from Me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5)

THE RIGHTS, PRIVILEGES,

AND POSITION OF THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL

In this context, we need to consider the rights, privileges, and position of the people of Israel.

Chosen of God

Israel was chosen by God, His selected people. As His chosen ones, they were to be separated from the nations and different from them. The principle is the same with Israel in the Old Testament and with the church in the New Testament.

The Vine of God

Israel was not only chosen by God but was also the vine of God. The vine of God is for the fulfillment of His economy. John 15 reveals that Christ is the true vine and that we are the branches. As a whole, Christ and we are one vine for God’s economy.

God grants the vine His rich visitation with the supply of sunlight, air, rain, soil, and many other things that are necessary for the vine to grow and produce something. This vine consists not only of human beings but of human beings mingled with the divine person.

This means that the vine is a combination of the Divine Being with many human beings. Such a vine is for God’s economy and must produce something that can make God happy and cause people to rejoice.

As a people chosen and elected by God, Israel was the vine of God for His economy. Christ with the church is the vine of God today. In the Bible, the vine represents the people of God when they are under His care and in union with Him.

The vine in John 15 is formed by the union of the glorified Christ, the Son of God, and all those who believe in Him and belong to Him. This union results in the flowing of the divine life, and this life becomes the wine that cheers God and man.

Therefore, with the vine, we have four crucial points: God’s care in His grace, the union of God and man, the flowing of the divine life, and the production of wine for the joy of God and man.

In His grace and in His care for us, the believers, God has placed us in Christ (1 Cor. 1:30), and now He is cultivating us so that we may live in union with Christ. He is the vine and we are the branches (John 15:5a). We are in Him, and He is in us. As we are in Him, the divine life flows in fruit-bearing, and the grapes are produced. Eventually, these grapes become wine to cheer God and man (Judg. 9:13).

The Bride of God

Israel was also the bride of God, His complement, for His satisfaction. Considering that the vine is a matter of the flow of life and the manifestation of grace, the woman is a matter of love and satisfaction. God does not want to remain alone but desires to have a bride.

Genesis 2:18 says that it is not good for the man to be alone. In typology, this means that it is not good for Christ, for God, to be alone. Christ desires to have a bride.

According to Ezekiel 16 and 23, Israel was the bride of God in the time of the Old Testament. Today, the church is the bride of Christ for His satisfaction (John 3:29; Rev. 19:7). What will most satisfy God and bring Him the greatest enjoyment will be the church as His bride, His complement.

The Flock of God

The house of Israel was also the flock of God. In the Old Testament, God had a flock on the earth under His care, and this flock was Israel. Today, the church is the flock of God under His care (1 Pet. 5:2).

A Precious Treasure

Moreover, the people of Israel were chosen by Him to be a precious and peculiar treasure (Exo. 19:5). How wonderful was Israel’s position before God! They were His chosen ones, His vine, His bride, His flock, and His treasure. These were the rights, privileges, and position of the people of Israel.

THE CONDITION OF THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL

Unfortunately, the actual condition of Israel was very poor. If we read the long record of Ezekiel from chapter two through chapter twenty-four, we may feel as though we are weeping over the lamentable condition of Israel.

A Rebellious House

The people of Israel were chosen by God, but they became rebellious against God. Many times, in these twenty-three chapters, God said that Israel was a rebellious nation, a rebellious house. In 2:3, the Lord said to Ezekiel, “Son of man, I am sending you to the children of Israel, to the rebellious nations who have rebelled against Me.”

In verses 5 and 6, God referred to them as a “rebellious house,” and in verse 7, He said that “they are rebellious.” They were God’s chosen ones, yet they became rebellious against God.

Briers and Thorns

The people of Israel were the vine of God, but they became briers and thorns (2:6). A vine should produce grapes as fruit to eat and to make wine. Instead of producing grapes, Israel became briers and thorns. They became a plant that wounds and pricks, producing neither fruit nor wine. God’s chosen ones became rebellious, and the vine of God became briers and thorns.

A Prostitute

Furthermore, although the people of Israel were the bride of God, they became a prostitute. They had a “dissolute heart” and “played the harlot after their idols” (6:9). What a miserable situation! In chapters sixteen and twenty-three, God said that His heart was broken because of their dissolute heart. As a loving Husband, God was grieved because His people had become a promiscuous woman.

Scorpions

According to the record in Ezekiel, what happened to Israel as the flock of God? In 2:6, we see that the flock of God became scorpions. As the flock of God, they should have been sheep producing meat to feed people and wool to warm them. However, they became scorpions, and with scorpions there is no production, only stings.

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Life-Study of Ezekiel, week 5, Thursday, message 13

LIFE-STUDY OF EZEKIEL

Message 13

THE DEGRADATION OF THE PEOPLE OF GOD

WEEK 5 - THURSDAY

Scripture Reading: Ezek. 20:5-6; 1 Pet. 4:17

Read and pray: “Thus says the Lord God: On the day when I chose Israel, lifting up My hand, I swore to the descendants of the house of Jacob and made Myself known to them in the land of Egypt; I lifted up My hand to them and swore: I am the Lord, your God. On that day, I lifted up My hand to them and swore to bring them out of the land of Egypt into a land which I had searched out for them, a land flowing with milk and honey, the glory of all the lands.” (Ezek. 20:5,6)

THE DEGRADATION OF THE PEOPLE OF GOD

As we have shown in the first message, the book of Ezekiel has four sections. The first section, consisting of chapter one, presents a vision of the appearance of the glory of the Lord. This chapter reveals how God manifests Himself, how God moves, and how God administers His government through the coordination of the four living creatures.

The second section includes the next thirty-one chapters and covers God’s judgment by fire. In this section, we see that God judges His people and the Gentile nations by Himself as a consuming fire.

The third section (chs. 33─39) concerns the restoration of His people by the life of God. After carrying out His judgment, God comes to restore. Considering that God’s judgment is by fire, His restoration is by life.

The last section (chs. 40─48) covers the holy building of God. The outcome, the result, of God’s restoration by life is a holy building, which is the consummation of the entire book of Ezekiel. Thus, the four sections of Ezekiel cover four main matters: the vision of the appearance of the glory of the Lord, the judgment by fire, the restoration by life, and the holy building of God.

This is an outline of the book of Ezekiel, a book that begins with a glorious vision and ends with a holy building. This indicates that God’s goal is the building.

We have also seen that the book of Ezekiel and the book of Revelation are similar. Like Ezekiel, Revelation covers the four matters of vision, judgment, restoration, and building, and covers them in the same sequence that we find in Ezekiel.

The vision of the Lord in Revelation 1 is followed by God’s judgment, God’s restoration, and God’s building. In the end, the book of Revelation, like the book of Ezekiel, consummates with God’s building with its twelve gates.

From this we see that the books of Ezekiel and Revelation are not only similar, but are also parallel to one another. The first is about the history of the people of God in the Old Testament; the latter is a revelation of the church in the New Testament.

The people of God in the Old Testament were a shadow, a prefiguration, a type, of the church in the New Testament. If we read Ezekiel carefully, we will realize that it portrays a picture of the church. In a certain way, the picture in the Old Testament is clearer and more complete than the revelation in the New Testament.

Therefore, in reading Ezekiel, we should not only be concerned with the history of Israel or with prophecies concerning Israel, but we should consider the clear picture of the church, in particular, the picture revealed here of the degraded situation of the church. Because the degradation of Israel is a portrait of the degradation of Christianity, what we see in this picture is applicable to the situation today.

In this message we will begin to consider the second section of Ezekiel — God’s judgment by fire. In chapters two through twenty-four, we see God’s judgment upon Israel, His chosen people, and in chapters twenty-five through thirty-two, His judgment upon the Gentiles, the nations.

God’s judgment is first upon His people, the children of Israel, and then His judgment comes upon the Gentiles. This is consistent with the principle in the New Testament, seen both in the book of Revelation and in 1 Peter, that God first judges His house (1 Pet. 4:17) and then judges the unbelievers.

THREE STAGES OF THE ENJOYMENT OF CHRIST

In the Old Testament, Israel was the chosen and elected people of God. God delivered the people of Israel from Egypt and brought them into the good land. The fact that God placed the people of Israel in the good land typifies God placing us in Christ, who is our good land today.

Ezekiel 20:6 says that the good land is the glory of all the lands. Christ is the glory on the earth, and God has placed us in the glorious Christ, who, in His unsearchable riches, is a land flowing with milk and honey. The people of Israel experienced three stages of the enjoyment of Christ.

In the first stage, they enjoyed Christ in Egypt, as the Passover with the unleavened bread and the bitter herbs. In the second stage, they enjoyed Christ, while they were wandering in the wilderness, as the heavenly manna and the living water. In the third stage, they enjoyed Christ as the land, full of rich produce.

These three stages can be compared to our experience today as believers in Christ. When we were saved, we enjoyed Christ as the Passover Lamb. After that, we began to enjoy Christ as our daily portion, our daily manna.

However, this is not the final enjoyment of Christ. The final enjoyment of Christ is to enjoy Him in the church as the good land, with all His unsearchable riches.

With regard to Christ as the good land, Ezekiel 20:6 says: “On that day, I lifted up My hand to them and swore to bring them out of the land of Egypt into a land which I had searched out for them, a land flowing with milk and honey, the glory of all the lands.”

Milk and honey, both being products of the mingling of the plant life with the animal life, represent the riches of the good land of Canaan. In Christ there is both spiritual food (honey) and spiritual drink (milk). Both milk and honey are the result of Christ having two kinds of life: the redeeming life, typified by the animal life, which has blood, and the generating, multiplying life, typified by the plant, or vegetable life.

On the one hand, the life of the Lord Jesus is a redeeming life — a life that has the blood that was shed for our redemption. On the other hand, the life of the Lord Jesus is a producing and generating life — a life that was released through His death on the cross for His multiplication and increase.

These two aspects of His life were mingled to produce milk as our spiritual drink and honey as our spiritual food. Christ is now our milk and honey, and as such, He is our supply and enjoyment. If we remain in Him as our good land, we enjoy the riches of His supply.

Finally, Israel, the chosen people of God, were living in the good land with a temple and a city. The temple typifies the house of God, and the city typifies the kingdom of God. The presence of God is in His house, and the authority of God is in His kingdom.

In the church life today, we can enjoy Christ as our good land, and therefore we have the presence of God and His authority. Because we are the chosen ones of the living God in Christ and enjoy all that He is, in the proper and normal church life, we have the temple of God with His presence and His kingdom with His authority.

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Life-study of Ezekiel, week 5, Wednesday, message 12

LIFE-STUDY OF EZEKIEL

Message 12
THE MAN ON THE THRONE

WEEK 5 - WEDNESDAY
Scripture Reading: Psa 89:14; Ezek 1:28; Rom 3:23; Rev 21:19-20

Read and pray: “But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us from God wisdom, and righteousness and sanctification and redemption.” (1 Corinthians 1:30)

HAVING A RAINBOW

At this point, the four living creatures are not only for the manifestation of the Lord, nor only for the move of the Lord, but also for the administration, the government, of the Lord. The Lord is among them and above them for His manifestation, move, and government. This is truly wonderful.

As a result of having a clear sky with the throne and experiencing a man who has the appearance of electrum and a consuming fire, we will have the appearance of a rainbow. Ezekiel 1:28 says, “Like the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud in the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness all around. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord.” A rainbow is the brightness around the man who is sitting on the throne. This brightness represents the splendor and glory around the Lord on the throne.

In order to understand the meaning of the rainbow, we need to remember the rainbow in the time of Noah. A flood had destroyed the whole earth, and only eight people were spared from that judgment. After that, when people saw storm clouds in the sky, they could be afraid of being destroyed. Therefore, God made a covenant in which He promised never again to destroy all living beings by a flood, and He placed the rainbow in the cloud as a sign of that covenant.

“I set My bow in the cloud, and it shall be for a sign of a covenant between Me and the earth. And it shall come to pass, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the bow shall be seen in the cloud; and I will remember My covenant, which is between Me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh. The bow shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth” (Gen 9:13-16).

The rainbow, therefore, was a sign of the faithfulness of God’s promise not to destroy the fallen human race by a flood. In His judgment and destruction of the fallen human race in the time of Noah, God spared some because of His faithfulness. This is also our situation as believers in Christ.

We need to realize that we were spared by God. We were all fallen and deserved to be destroyed, but God spared us. Praise the Lord that we were spared by His faithfulness! Now we have a rainbow as a sign of God’s faithfulness. Although God is a holy God and a consuming fire and no one can exist in His presence, because of His faithfulness we were spared.

In the rainbow there are several different colors, but the basic colors are only three: red, yellow, and blue. When these colors are shining and mingled, they produce other colors, such as orange, green, and violet. It is very significant that the three primary colors of the rainbow are red, yellow, and blue, because they correspond to what we have already seen in Ezekiel. The throne looks like a blue sapphire stone, the electrum is yellow, and the fire is red. For their shining and refraction, these three colors combine to make a rainbow.

Now we need to see the spiritual meaning of these three colors. Blue represents the throne. According to Psalm 89:14, the foundation of God’s throne is righteousness. This indicates that the blue throne represents the righteousness of God. Fire represents the consuming, sanctifying, and separating fire. This means that the red here refers to the holiness of God. Yellow signifies the glory of God in the shining electrum. Therefore, here we have God’s righteousness, holiness, and glory represented by the colors blue, red, and yellow.

God’s righteousness, holiness, and glory are three divine attributes that keep sinners away from God. Before we were saved, we were kept away from God by His righteousness, holiness, and glory.

But the Lord Jesus came, died on the cross to satisfy the requirements of God’s righteousness, holiness, and glory, and rose again, and He is now our righteousness, sanctification, and redemption (1 Cor 1:30). He is also now our glory. In ourselves we are deprived of the glory of God (Rom 3:23), we are under God’s righteous judgment, and we are kept away by God’s holiness.

But now, as believers, we are in Christ, and He has become our righteousness, holiness, and glory. Furthermore, because we are in Christ, we even have Christ as righteousness, holiness, and glory. Because we are in Christ, in God’s eyes we appear as righteousness, holiness, and glory.

This should not merely be a doctrine or a teaching to us. We need to experience Christ in such a way that when others contact us, they may sense righteousness, holiness, and glory. This means that they should be able to perceive that we have a clear sky, that we have a throne, and that we are righteous and proper, not careless or light in any way.

We must also have the electrum, resplendent, shining, weighty. Then we will have the appearance of a rainbow, and the angels, the demons, and Satan will be able to see it. This rainbow is the sign of God’s faithfulness in sparing us, the fallen ones. As those who had fallen but have now been saved, we become a testimony of God’s faithfulness in saving us.

Every local church should have the testimony of such a rainbow. Even the New Jerusalem has the appearance of a rainbow. The foundations of the New Jerusalem are of twelve layers, each layer being of a different color (Rev 21:19-20).

Some time ago I read an article which stated that the twelve layers of stones of the foundation have the appearance of a colorful rainbow. From this we see that the holy city, the New Jerusalem, looks like a rainbow.

This rainbow means that the city is built upon and protected by God’s faithfulness in keeping His covenant. This rainbow will declare for eternity that when God judged sinners according to His righteousness, He did not destroy all, but saved many from destruction as a testimony of His faithfulness.

In eternity, we, the aggregate of the saved ones, will be a rainbow testifying forever that our God is faithful and righteous. We, who were spared by God, will be this holy city. By His righteousness, holiness, and glory, we will have the appearance of a rainbow, declaring to the whole universe God’s saving faithfulness.

At the end of the Bible, there is a city whose foundation has the appearance of a rainbow around the eternal God as His strong testimony. The experience of the Christian life and the church life will consummate in such a rainbow.

When this rainbow appears, God will have the fulfillment of the desire of His heart. Throughout the ages, God has judged fallen man according to His righteous throne, His holy fire, and His glorious nature. Yet God has saved some in such a way that they have become a bright rainbow reflecting His glory and testifying of Him and of His faithfulness forever.

The appearance of this rainbow indicates that heaven and earth have been connected and that God and man have been united. Around the throne in the New Jerusalem, there will be a group of people who have received salvation because of God’s faithfulness, and for eternity they will be a rainbow reflecting the shining of God’s righteousness, holiness, and glory. At that point, the plan of the eternal God will have been accomplished.

Although this rainbow will be manifested in eternity, its bright spiritual reality must be manifested in the church today. In the church life, we need to allow God to work in us and we need to receive grace as everything becomes pure, righteous, and holy.

This means that God’s holy fire must burn away everything that does not correspond to God, so that the nature of God may be manifested as shining gold in and through the humanity of the brothers and sisters. Then the church will be filled with God’s righteousness, holiness, and glory. These three characteristics will join together and reflect one another to form a bright rainbow expressing God and testifying for Him.

I say once again that this should not be merely a teaching to us. Rather, the reality of this rainbow must be wrought into us, so that, as those who were spared by God, we will have the appearance of a rainbow, having God’s testimony and declaring God’s faithfulness to the whole universe.

This means that we will have God’s righteousness, holiness, and glory. Ezekiel said that what he saw was the appearance of the glory of the Lord. “When I saw it, I fell on my face, and I heard a voice of One speaking” (Ezek 1:28b).

If we want to hear the word of the Lord in the following chapters of Ezekiel, we all need to come to the same point — under a bright firmament, before the throne with a man sitting upon it and with the rainbow shining and reflecting. This is the place where we can hear the voice from above.

Being here positions us to hear the voice speaking from the heavens. I hope that each one of us will come to this point, and I also hope that all the local churches will be here. Then the Lord will have a way to speak to us.

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Hymn: Worship to the Father - “His Faithfulness”

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Life-Study of Ezekiel, week 5, Tuesday, message 12

LIFE-STUDY OF EZEKIEL

Message 12

THE MAN ON THE THRONE

WEEK 5 - TUESDAY
Scripture Reading: Isa. 14:12-14; Ezek. 1:27; Matt. 28:18; Rom. 7:18a; 2 Cor. 13:4; Heb. 2:6, 10; 6:20; Rev. 3:21; 4:2-3; 21:19a; 22:1

Read and pray: “but one has somewhere fully testified, saying, What is man, that You remember him? Or the son of man, that You visit him? You have made him a little lower than the angels; You have crowned him with glory and honor [and have set him over the works of Your hands]” (Heb. 2:6-7)

BRINGING MAN TO THE THRONE

God’s intention is to work in man so that man may be on the throne. Have you realized that this is His intention? We may be satisfied to go to heaven. That may satisfy us, but it will never satisfy God. God will not be satisfied until we are on the throne.

In Revelation 3:21 the Lord Jesus says, “To him who overcomes, to him I will give to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat with My Father on His throne.” The Lord Jesus seemed to be saying that He became a man, and as a man He went to the throne.

God’s intention is to bring us to the throne. His desire is to make us people of the throne. The kingdom of God cannot come in its fullness until we are on the throne. Furthermore, God’s enemy will not be subdued until we are on the throne. Therefore, God’s goal is not merely to deliver us from hell, but to bring us to the throne.

We need to consider our present condition in the light of God’s intention. In many things we are careless and light. The Lord will bring us to the throne; however, if we are still careless and light, we will not be ready to be on the throne. No one can sit on the throne in an unworthy or improper way.

I do not agree with the practices of formal Christianity, but neither do I agree with the looseness that is so widespread today. If you care for the Lord as a Christian and as a disciple of the Lord Jesus, you cannot be light, careless, and undisciplined.

When the Lord Jesus was on the earth, He was not careless in any way. Many believers today, on the contrary, do not seem to have the proper concept and feeling regarding how to be a proper human being. Such a person cannot be on the throne.

God has chosen us. He has called us to the throne. A strong proof that God has called us is to call upon the name of the Lord. God’s calling is to bring us to the throne.

SATAN’S REBELLION AGAINST THE THRONE

Why does God want to bring us to the throne? God desires to bring us to the throne because of Satan’s rebellion against God’s throne (Isa. 14). If we read the Bible carefully, we will see that the greatest difficulty God faces in the universe is that His throne has suffered opposition and has been attacked by rebellious forces.

God’s throne is absolute, but one of His creatures rebelled and seeks to exalt his throne to be equal with God’s. In his rebellion against God’s throne, Satan intends to exalt his throne to the heavens and thus invade God’s authority.

Isaiah 14:12-14 says, “How you have fallen from heaven, O morning star...! You said in your heart, I will ascend to heaven; above the stars of God I will exalt my throne... I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High.”

From the time of Satan’s rebellion until now, there has been a dispute in the universe concerning authority. Much of what is taking place on the earth is an expression of Satan’s resistance to God’s throne. The crucial question is this: Who is actually reigning over the earth—God or Satan?

When the Lord Jesus was on the earth, He was absolutely submissive to God’s authority. To obey the Lord is to be a person under the throne. Because the Lord Jesus obeyed God the Father and submitted to God’s authority in an absolute way, after He was raised from the dead, God gave Him all authority in heaven and on earth (Matt. 28:18) and exalted Him to the throne.

Now the One who is sitting on the throne is not only God but also man, for this is the mingling of God and man. Therefore, after the Lord Jesus’ ascension, there is a man on the throne.

God’s thought is set upon man (Heb. 2:6), and He wants man to express Him and exercise His authority. Man has God’s image and God’s dominion with His authority. God desires to manifest Himself through man and to reign and administrate through man.

God’s intention is to cast Satan down and to rescue many of the captives taken by Satan and bring them to His throne. God cannot receive full glory until we are brought to the throne. One day we will be brought to the throne, and then God will be able to boast over Satan.

He will triumphantly declare that His chosen ones, who had been taken captive by Satan, have been brought to the throne. However, we need to realize that in our present condition we are not qualified to be on the throne.

Do you look like a king? If you were weighed in the heavenly balance to determine your spiritual weight, how much would you weigh? I am concerned that many of us would scarcely have any weight. This is a very serious matter. We have been called to be sons of God, and we are destined to be kings, but we need God to work in us and upon us to qualify us for royalty.

THE LORD JESUS IS A MAN ON THE THRONE

Through His crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension, the Lord Jesus was brought to the throne. A real man whose name is Jesus is on the throne. This is why we declare, “Jesus is Lord,” and why we call, “O Lord Jesus.”

God has always been the Lord, but now a man is on the throne as Lord. Through His resurrection and in His ascension, “God has made Him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus” (Acts 2:36). God made Jesus, a Nazarene, Lord, and today the Lord of heaven and earth is a man. Do you truly realize that the Lord of the universe today is a man? Hallelujah for this man!

It does not seem strange to us to say that Jehovah Elohim is the Lord of the universe. However, it is not easy for us to realize that a man who was crucified and buried could be the Lord of the universe. When Judas and the crowd came to arrest Him, He did not flee. He voluntarily made Himself weak and allowed Himself to be arrested and crucified.

In the words of 2 Corinthians 13:4, “He was crucified out of weakness.” But after He was crucified and buried, God raised Him and seated Him at His right hand, making Him the Lord of the whole universe. Today the Lord of the universe is a man.

THE LORD JESUS IS THE PIONEER TO THE THRONE

We also need to see that the Lord Jesus opened the way to the throne. He was the Pioneer, the Forerunner (Heb. 6:20), opening the way to the throne (2:10). This indicates that He is not the only man destined for the throne. He opened the way and took the lead so that we may follow. He was the first to the throne, and we will go after Him. Now we are marching toward the throne, for God intends to bring us into glory and establish us on the throne.

THE APPEARANCE OF THE MAN ON THE THRONE

Ezekiel 1:27 says, “I saw something like glowing metal, like the appearance of fire all around; from the appearance of His loins and upward, and from the appearance of His loins and downward, I saw something like the appearance of fire, and there was brightness all around Him.” Here we see that the appearance of the man on the throne has two aspects: from His loins upward He appears like electrum, and from His loins downward He appears like fire. Why does His upper part appear like electrum, and His lower part like fire?

The upper part of a man, from his loins to his head, is the part of feeling and sensation. This part represents His nature and disposition. According to His nature and disposition, the Lord Jesus on the throne appears like electrum.

The lower part of a man’s body is for moving. The appearance of fire from the loins downward typifies the Lord’s appearance in His move.

When the Lord comes to us, He first comes as fire. When He remains with us, He becomes electrum. Moreover, whenever the Lord moves through us, He moves as fire to burn, enlighten, and search. After such burning, something will remain, and that something is electrum—a mixture of gold and silver that typifies the God-Lamb, the redeeming God.

God wants us to gain Him as electrum. For this to be our experience, He must first come to us as fire to enlighten, search, and burn. Then through the fire, He becomes electrum to us. Thus, if we want to gain Him as electrum, we need to experience Him as fire.

Finally, we must realize that nothing good dwells in us. Like Paul, we should be able to say, “I know that in me, that is, in my flesh, nothing good dwells” (Rom. 7:18a).

The following is a partial list of the negative things within us: division, strife, hatred, envy, anger, self-love, personal goals, ambition, selfishness, ego, and many other evil and dreadful things. We are full of these things; yet we may have very little of the Lord. Therefore, we need the Lord to come to us and burn all these negative things. After these things are burned away, the electrum, the redeeming God, will remain in us.

No matter how clear our heaven may be nor how much we may have the throne in our heaven, we still need the Lord’s presence as the fire that enlightens, searches, and burns, so that we may have Him remaining in us as electrum. This is the Lord’s visitation with us, and this is the Lord’s move with us and in us. It is a great blessing to be under the Lord’s visitation. The Lord comes to us as a consuming fire, and we gain Him as electrum.

Many times there is no need to declare that we have a God. When others are with us, they will be able to sense that we have the electrum, the redeeming God, remaining with us. They may also have the impression that we are not light but persons of weight. We are weighty with the electrum, weighty with the God-Lamb.

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Hymn: Praise the Lord - “His Humanity”

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Life-study of Ezekiel, week 5, Monday, message 12

LIFE-STUDY OF EZEKIEL

Message 12

THE MAN ON THE THRONE

WEEK 5 - MONDAY

Scripture Reading: Gen. 1:26, 9:12-15; Exo. 24:10; Deut. 33:1; Josh. 14:6; Psa. 90; Ezek. 1:26-28; Matt. 19:28; John 6:62; Acts 7:56; 1 Tim. 3:15-16

Read and pray: “Above the expanse that was over their heads there was something like a throne, like the appearance of a sapphire stone; and upon this likeness of a throne there was a figure with the appearance of a man.” (Ezek. 1:26)

In the previous message we showed that in the Christian life and in the church life we need a bright firmament with a throne in it. Having a bright firmament means that we have no clouds or darkness between us and the Lord, and having the throne means that we are under the government of the heavens. We all need to have a life with a bright firmament and the throne above it. In this message we will continue to consider the One who is sitting on the throne (Ezek. 1:26-27).

THE ONE WHO IS ON THE THRONE

HAS THE APPEARANCE OF A MAN

Verse 26b says, “there was something like a throne; upon this likeness of a throne was a figure with the appearance of a man.” Here we are told that the One who is on the throne is like a man. This is absolutely different from the human concept and also different from the religious concept, including the concept widely spread in today’s Christianity. Mainly, our concept is that the One who is on the throne is the mighty God.

Have you ever thought that the Lord on the throne is not only the mighty God but also a man? Oh, the One who is sitting on the throne is a man! Nevertheless, verse 28 speaks of “the appearance of the glory of the Lord.” The One who is on the throne looks like a man; however, with Him there is the appearance of the glory of the Lord.

Christians realize, of course, that the Lord Jesus was a man when He was on the earth. They acknowledge the fact that, from the manger in Bethlehem to the time when He was on the cross, at Golgotha, He was a man. We all have this concept.

However, many believers in Christ have not considered that the Lord who is on the throne, even today, is a man. He is a man there. As the One who is on the throne, the Lord is still a man. Although He is the omnipotent God, on the throne He appears like a man. Therefore, Matthew 19:28 tells us that “in the restoration,” that is, in the coming kingdom age, the Son of Man will sit on the throne of His glory.

How precious it is that the One who was sitting on the throne in Ezekiel 1:26 has the appearance of a man! This verse does not speak of the omnipotent God, but of the One who is “like a man.”

There is at least a twofold meaning to the fact that the One who is sitting on the throne here has the appearance of a man. First, there is certainly a connection between Ezekiel 1:26 and Genesis 1:26, which says that God created man in His image and according to His likeness.

Second, in incarnation, God Himself became a man. Having the human nature, He lived, died, resurrected, and ascended as a man, and now, in the heavens, He is still the Son of Man (John 6:62; Acts 7:56).

In the Bible there is a mysterious thought concerning the relationship between God and man. God’s desire is to become the same as man so that man may be the same as He. This means that God’s intention is to mingle Himself with man and thus become the same as man and cause man to become the same as He.

The Lord Jesus is the God-man; He is the complete God and the perfect man. We may also say that He is the Man-God. The One whom we worship today is the Man-God. Furthermore, to be a man of God, like Moses (Deut. 33:1; Josh. 14:6; Psa. 90), is to be a man-God, a man who is mingled with God. It is a delight to God that all His chosen and redeemed people would be men-God.

GOD’S INTENTION TO HAVE A MAN

God’s intention on the earth is to have a man. This is His desire. Eventually, He Himself became a man, and today on the throne He is still a man. People may want to be like God, but God wants to be man.

God’s intention is to work Himself into us, making us the same as He is, and even more, to become the same as we are. Thus, God’s intention is to have a man and to work Himself into man. We need to be deeply impressed with the fact that the Lord is still on the throne as a man.

In the book of Ezekiel, the term the son of man is used more than ninety times. This indicates how much God desires to have a man. If we want to live God and express God, we need to be a man and have the appearance of a man. Ezekiel 1:5 says that the four living creatures have the appearance of a man, and verse 26 says that the One who is on the throne has the appearance of a man.

The crucial point here is that because man was created in the image of God in order to express God, only man is the same as God. A person must have the appearance of a man in order to live out the image of God and thus express God. If we want to live and express God, we must be a man and have the appearance of a man. Anyone who does not have the appearance of a man cannot express God.

The One who is on the throne and the four living creatures both have the appearance of a man, which indicates that the four living creatures on the earth are the expression of the One who is on the throne. Chapter one of Ezekiel is the deepest chapter in the Bible. The thought in this chapter is deep.

We have seen that the throne is above a clear sky, above a spiritual and heavenly expanse, or firmament. The grace of God works upon a group of people in such a way that their condition now is the very condition of heaven. In this condition, indicated by a crystal-clear sky, the throne of God is present. The place of the throne is the place where heaven and earth are connected.

Because with the living creatures on the earth there is a throne above a clear sky, God is not only the God of heaven but also the God of the earth. Through these living creatures, who have the throne above their heads, heaven and earth are united.

In Ezekiel 1, the One who is on the throne is the union of God and man. Thus, the place where the throne is is the place where heaven and earth are united. The One who is on the throne is God, yet He manifests the appearance of a man.

When the Lord Jesus was on the earth, He was God manifested in the flesh, for He was the God-man and had the appearance of a man. Inwardly He was God, but His appearance on the earth was the appearance of a man. Now, as the One who is on the throne after His ascension, He is still the God-man; He is God, yet with the appearance of a man.

In the church life today there must be a condition in which God is manifested in man. This means that in the church we should have not only a clear sky with a throne and the Lord on the throne, but also the expression of that man who is on the throne. When this is the condition of the church, there will be in the church the great mystery of godliness—God manifested in the flesh (1 Tim. 3:15-16).

On the one hand, there is a clear sky, a throne, and the Lord on the throne; on the other hand, the manifestation of the Lord in the church is in the appearance of a man. In the church life there must be the manifestation of God in the flesh. For this to be the situation, there must be in the church the glorious union of God and man.

Inwardly we must have God, yet God is manifested in the flesh, manifested in and through a normal and proper humanity. Everyone in the church life, whether brothers and sisters, the elderly or the younger ones, should behave in a normal and proper way according to their respective ages. Instead of pretension, there should be a genuine humanity and divinity. This is the condition of God being manifested in humanity.

God’s eternal plan is to connect heaven and earth and to unite God and man. God in heaven wants to gain man on earth for His expression by working Himself into man. The desire of God’s heart is to reach the goal of connecting heaven and earth and uniting God and man. Where such a condition exists, there is the throne.

The One who is sitting on the throne is God, yet His manifestation has the appearance of a man. God’s eternal plan is to have such a manifestation. In the church today we need to be in a condition where God is manifested in the appearance of a man.

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Life-Study of Ezekiel, week 5, Sunday, message 11

LIFE-STUDY OF EZEKIEL

Message 11

THE THRONE ABOVE THE BRIGHT FIRMAMENT

WEEK 5 - SUNDAY

Scripture Reading: Exo 24:10; Num 14:5; 16:1-4, 22; 20:2-6; Ezek 1:26; Matt 20:25-27, 23:11; Eph 3:8

Read and pray: “And they saw the God of Israel, and under His feet there was something like a pavement of sapphire stone, which was like the very heaven in its clearness. And He did not stretch out His hand against the chosen of the sons of Israel; but they saw God, and they ate and drank.” (Exo 24:10,11 )

AUTHORITY IN THE CHURCH IS NOT HUMAN NOR NATURAL, BUT THE THRONE ABOVE THE BRIGHT FIRMAMENT

We should not speak about authority in a human, natural way. In the church there is no human authority. Authority in the church is the throne above the bright firmament.

Suppose that the leading brothers or the elders in a local church are not under a clear sky; yet they exercise authority based on their position. This kind of exercise of authority does not work because it has neither weight nor government; there is no throne in a clear sky.

However, suppose that the leaders and the elders are continually under a clean sky, having a pure and offense-free conscience. If this is their situation, they will be under the heavenly throne, and with them there will be something of weight and of authority. Thus, there will be no need to claim authority over the saints.

To claim authority over the saints indicates that the person does not have any authority. As long as we are under a clear sky with a throne above it, there is no need to say that we have authority ─ the authority is simply there. We should never try to bring other people under our authority. Such a thing is hierarchy; it is something organizational. We should not try to rule over the saints. Instead, we should humble ourselves and remain under the throne in the clear sky.

It is shameful for someone to claim to be an authority in a local church. There is no such thing! In the church there is no human authority. The Lord Jesus said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and the great ones exercise authority over them. It shall not be so among you; but whoever wants to become great among you shall be your servant; and whoever wants to be first among you shall be your slave” (Matt 20:25-27).

In Matthew 23:11 He said, “But the greatest among you shall be your servant.” This is the way to have authority. Authority is not mine nor yours, nor anyone else’s. The only authority is the throne above a bright firmament.

I can assure you that if we are under a clear sky with the throne above it, genuine authority will be with us. No opposition or persecution will be able to defeat or shake us because the sky and the throne are with us. If the firmament above us is bright and the throne is with us, we will have authority and weight.

The weight of a person before God is equal to the degree of his submission to God’s authority. A certain brother may be very good in his speaking and behavior, yet he is light as a feather, completely lacking in spiritual weight. This indicates that he is not subject to the throne.

However, the situation with another brother may be very different. When you contact him, you sense that he has weight and you respect him. This brother is important because he has learned to submit to God’s authority. The more we submit to the throne, the more weight we will have.

Let me tell you about the experience of a missionary in China. As someone who strongly preached about regeneration, she was under God’s authority and thus was a person with authority and weight in the Lord. One day a boat in which she was traveling was captured by pirates, who kept it under control for several days. As they searched her room for money and jewelry, she sat calmly, without any fear.

She told the leader of the pirates that it was too hot to confine the passengers in their rooms. She also said that he should be responsible for cleaning the boat. The leader of the pirates obeyed and told his men to clean the boat. A fierce pirate leader surrendered under the authority of this missionary because she herself was under the throne. She submitted to God’s authority; therefore, God’s authority was with her.

We need to realize that the amount of weight we have depends on our submission to the throne. The words that come out of a brother’s mouth may have weight and power; however, the same words that come out of another brother’s mouth may not have the same effect. The reason is that one brother is under a bright firmament with the throne, and the other is under a dark, cloudy sky without a throne.

It is easy to learn to repeat the words or quotations of others. But whether the words that come out of our mouth will have weight or any value depends on whether or not we are under a clear sky with the throne. The proper Christian life and the proper church life are a life under the throne that is above a clear sky. I would like to remind all the beloved ones who have responsibility in the local churches never to exercise their authority. We need to realize that none of us has any authority. Authority is the throne.

Consider the situation with Moses in the book of Numbers. When the people of Israel rebelled against him, he did not exercise his authority. Instead, Moses and Aaron knelt down and invoked the highest authority. Then the Lord came to vindicate (Num 14:5; 16:1-4, 22; 20:2-6). It is a serious mistake to exercise authority over others in the church. Nothing is more shameful than this.

To exercise authority over the saints is not glorious; it is shameful. None of us is an authority. Authority is the man on the throne. We must have the man on the throne in our bright firmament. In the church life, we need a bright firmament with a heavenly throne. The Lord needs such a church today. He needs a group of coordinated living beings. While they are standing or walking on the earth, the heavens are opened to the earth. Through them the heavenly throne is transmitted to the earth. This is the church life.

Do not take the natural, human way of exercising any kind of authority. Even if others come to you to try to recognize you as an authority, you should refuse. You need to tell these beloved ones that you are not the authority. Authority is not that. Proper authority is a matter of a throne above the bright firmament. It is absolutely not a matter of human organization and hierarchy. We need to have a clear firmament with a throne.

It is a shame to have power among the saints, to be an authority among the saints, or to have the intention that the saints should listen to us. We have always considered Paul a great apostle. But his name means “small,” and he considered himself less than the least of the saints (Eph 3:8). Paul could say, “You give me such a great title; I am not worthy of it.”

THE BRIGHT FIRMAMENT AND THE THRONE WILL VINDICATE

Whether the brothers and sisters will listen to you or not depends on where you are and what you are. Are you under such a bright firmament? If you are under such a firmament, there will be no need to argue, and there will be no need to claim anything or even to say anything. The clear firmament and the throne above the firmament will vindicate.

All the local churches need this revelation of the throne above the bright firmament. In the church life we do not have any organization or any kind of hierarchy. We do not have a mission board, or any other organization; we do not have a headquarters and no organization of any kind. We only have a bright firmament with a throne above the firmament.

I can testify that I fear only one thing: losing the presence of my Lord. Many times, when I was alone in my own room, I declared to the whole universe and to myself that the only thing I fear is to lose the Lord’s presence. As long as I have the Lord’s presence, I fear nothing. I care only for His presence and for nothing else. In other words, I care only for the bright firmament and the throne above it. I am fully assured that while I am speaking these words, the throne is with me. Praise the Lord, for this is sufficient! We all need to learn this.

We are so small, and we are unworthy, yet the Lord has visited us. I must confess that in the past, at times I told the Lord that I did not like to do this work and asked Him why He had taken hold of me. On those occasions, the Lord gave me a serious warning for speaking in that way. Then I would say, “Lord, forgive me. Do whatever You want. I am willing to lose everything, but I do not want to lose the bright firmament and the throne.” Under the Lord’s covering, I declare that I truly mean this.

In your local church you should not be concerned about anything except a bright firmament with the throne above it. As long as we have the bright firmament and the throne, oppositions and criticisms mean nothing. The only thing we need to care about is the bright firmament and the throne above it.

THE THRONE IS LIKE A SAPPHIRE STONE

Ezekiel 1:26 speaks of “something like a throne, in appearance like a sapphire stone.” Here we see that the throne has the appearance of a sapphire stone. Exodus 24:10 is helpful for us to understand the meaning of the sapphire stone in Ezekiel 1. This verse says, “And they saw the God of Israel, and under His feet there was something like a pavement of sapphire stone, which was like the very heaven in its clearness.”

The sapphire stone typifies a kind of heavenly condition that exists when God is present in a particular situation. According to Exodus 24:10, when Moses, Aaron, and the leading men of Israel saw God, they saw under His feet the appearance of a sapphire stone. This gave the people a vision concerning the appearance of the Lord’s presence.

The sapphire stone is blue in color, and blue is a heavenly color indicating the situation and condition of God’s presence. This verse also says that at that time the heavens were extremely clear. God was present in that kind of situation and atmosphere. Therefore, the sapphire stone typifies the situation or the state of the heavens with the presence of God in them.

The throne being like a sapphire stone shows the presence of God in a heavenly situation. Whenever we have God’s throne in a clear sky, the situation will be heavenly. There will not be anything earthly or anything dark and impure. Instead, everything will be heavenly, clear, clean, and absolutely transparent. This portrays the kind of situation we should have in the presence of God. Whenever we have a bright firmament with God’s throne in it, we are in a heavenly situation having the appearance of a sapphire stone.

I ask you to look once more at the picture in Ezekiel 1. The Lord is on the throne above the firmament in the heavens, and the living beings are walking or standing on the earth. Through them, the Lord in the heavens becomes one with the earth, and in this way the heavens are joined to the earth.

This means that the heavens have been brought to the earth and that the heavens are now moving on the earth through, by, and with the living beings. This must be the situation among the local churches today, the situation among the overcomers, and the situation and condition of our daily Christian life.

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