LIFE-STUDY OF EZEKIEL
Message 7
THE COORDINATION OF THE FOUR LIVING CREATURES
WEEK 3 - THURSDAY
Scripture Reading: Ezek. 1:13b, 14
Read and pray: “For you, brothers, became imitators of the churches of God which are in Judea in Christ Jesus;” (1 Thes. 2:14)
Burning the Negative Things
The burning of the coals accomplishes at least three things. First, it burns everything that is negative. If something is placed upon a heap of burning coals, it will be burned. If there is proper coordination in the church, there will be a burning to consume things such as worldliness, the flesh, individualistic goals, pride, opinions, and arrogance.
All kinds of negative things will be burned by the coordination. Anything that does not match God and His nature will be burned by the sanctifying and purifying fire of the coals, and only what is of God will remain. This is the proper condition of the church life.
Becoming Fervent
Second, the burning of coordination will make us fervent, intensely hot. Instead of coldness and indifference, everyone will be burned and burning. When others come to the church, they will realize that they cannot remain unless they are willing to be burned.
Coordination produces a genuine burning, a true fervor. This burning will not allow you to be like the church in Laodicea, which was lukewarm, having neither zeal nor ardor.
Producing Power
Third, the burning in coordination produces the power and the impact of the church. The impact in a local church comes from the burning. This power is inward and mysterious because it comes from the burning. If you want to have impact, you must be coordinated, and in that coordination you will become fervent.
Then from this burning will come impact and power. Negative things will be consumed, you will be glowing with fire, and you will have power and impact.
Becoming Like Shining Torches
The appearance of the four living creatures was not only like burning coals but also like shining torches. Whereas coals are for burning, torches are for shining. Out of proper coordination in a local church, there will be not only burning but also shining and illumination. If the church is normal in its condition, it will be full of burning coals and shining torches.
The Sanctifying Fire Becoming the Sanctifying Light
Whenever the coals are burning, the torches are shining. This means that the sanctifying fire becomes the sanctifying light. The more the fire burns, the more the light shines. If the fire burns us thoroughly, we will be thoroughly enlightened.
However, if we do not allow the sanctifying fire to burn us in a certain situation, we will not be enlightened concerning that situation. The areas that are burned by the sanctifying fire will spontaneously become the areas in which we are enlightened and about which we can enlighten others.
If a particular aspect of your character has been burned by the sanctifying fire, in that matter you will be enlightened and able to enlighten others.
The more intensely the fire burns in the church, the clearer the shining will be in that church. Everything negative will be exposed and burned. In the proper church life there should be nothing of darkness among the brothers and sisters. Every corner should be well lit.
Yet when you visit a certain local church, you may sense that it is in darkness. Nothing is clear, and nothing is in the light; instead, everything is dark, and every part is under darkness. There is darkness because the church is divided and lacks proper coordination. If the church has proper coordination, everything will be under the light.
Having a Fire Going Up and Down
Among the coordinated living creatures, who are burning coals and shining torches, there is a fire going up and down. This indicates that the fire is not static but always moving, because the fire is God Himself.
Whenever the church is properly coordinated, burning like coals and shining like torches, there will be the divine fire going up and down. The fire among the living creatures has its source in the burning fire of God.
God’s fire is not near the living creatures; it is above them. There is fire with the living creatures because in their fellowship they allow God to move freely among them. Therefore, the fire in their fellowship is like the fire of God.
On the one hand, Ezekiel 1 shows us that God is a burning fire. On the other hand, this chapter shows that there is a fire burning among the four living creatures. The appearance of God is like a burning fire, and the appearance of the four living creatures is also like a burning fire.
This indicates that the living creatures have the likeness of God’s sanctification. They are like God in sanctification. From this we see that the more we are burned and enlightened, the more we have God’s likeness and express Him. If we are fervent and shining, we will be filled with God and express God.
The Shining of the Fire and the Lightning in the Fire
Ezekiel 1:13b says, “The fire was bright, and out of the fire went forth lightning.” The fact that the fire was bright indicates that the living creatures manifested a glorious and majestic condition. This should be the condition in the church life today.
If this is the situation in the church, there will be no discord. Rather, the younger ones will obey the older ones, and the older ones will serve the younger ones. Such a situation is beautiful and radiant.
If we want this to be the church’s condition, we must be thoroughly burned and enlightened. The more we are burned and enlightened, the more others will see the shining of God’s glory, beauty, and majesty.
In the fire there is not only shining but also the flashing of lightning. Whereas shining is usual, the flashing of lightning is special, often related to storms and darkness.
Normally the church should be full of God’s illumination with its shining. However, in special times, in an emergency or a crisis, there may be the flashing of lightning. This means that on special occasions there may be a special light that suddenly flashes and surprises others.
Not Walking but Running
Verse 14 says, “The living creatures ran and returned as the appearance of lightning.” This indicates that the living creatures, having such coordination, being burning coals and shining torches, and having the fire going up and down, will not walk but run.
They run because they have power and impact. In some churches, however, there is no running; instead, there are struggles. In other churches the saints are sitting or crouching. In still others they may be crawling.
The proper church is a church that runs. It runs because there is proper coordination in it. The church runs like lightning, and while it runs it shines on others. This is coordination, and this is the proper move of a local church.
Every local church should be this way. Since coordination is for the move and in the move there is coordination, with such coordination there is the move of a local church.
These verses in Ezekiel 1 show us how to have proper coordination. We have seen that if we want this kind of coordination, we need four kinds of walking: walking straight forward, walking backward, walking sideways to the right, and walking sideways to the left. This will give us proper coordination.
As a result of this coordination, we will become burning coals and shining torches, and we will have God as the divine fire among us going up and down. This will be our power and our impact.
Others will see the light in our running. Wherever we go and whatever we do, we will manifest lightning. With us there will be the shining of light, causing others to be enlightened. This move is the proper church life. Such coordination will bring the Lord’s presence and blessing, and it will keep the church in proper balance, preventing it from going to extremes.
We must apply this matter of coordination not only in a particular local church but also among the churches. This means that we must be imitators of the churches (1 Thes. 2:14). We are one Body in the Lord’s move. When one church takes the lead in a definite direction under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, we all must walk backward and sideways to follow.
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