Life-study of Ezekiel, week 9, Saturday, message 20

LIFE-STUDY OF EZEKIEL

Message 20

THE OUTER AND INNER COURTS

WEEK 9 - SATURDAY

Scripture Reading: Ezek. 40–42

Read and pray: “Jesus answered them, Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in yourselves.” (John 6:53)

The Number Thirty

The number thirty, used in relation to the chambers, is composed of five times six or three times ten. If thirty is composed of five times six, then we have man (six) multiplied by responsibility (five).

If thirty is composed of three times ten, then we have the Triune God in resurrection (three) fulfilling all the requirements (ten). The Christ whom we enjoy is the number thirty. He is not merely five or six or three. As the number thirty, He includes six, five, three, and ten.

In Him we have man, the Triune God, resurrection, responsibility, and the fulfillment of all the requirements. The number ten also signifies completion and perfection. This indicates that in Christ we have completeness and perfection. Praise the Lord that we have such a rich Christ for our enjoyment!

The number thirty here corresponds to the thirty sides of the pillars. This indicates that our enjoyment of Christ depends on Him being the supporting columns or pillars. The extent to which He bears, supports, and upholds is the extent to which we can enjoy Him.

Moreover, the thirty chambers correspond to the thirty windows. If the all-inclusive Spirit were not the number thirty, we could not have the rich enjoyment of Christ as the number thirty.

The Width of the Pavement

If we consult the diagram of the plan, we will see that the width of the pavement is equal to the length of the gate. This means that the Christ whom we enjoy is the Christ whom we experience. How much we can enjoy Christ depends on how much we experience Him.

If our experience of Christ measures fifty cubits, then our enjoyment of Christ will also measure fifty cubits. How much are we able to enjoy Christ? This depends on how much we experience Christ.

The more we pass through Christ, the more we experience Christ, and the more we experience Christ, the more we enjoy Christ. We cannot enjoy Christ if we have Christ only doctrinally.

This means that we cannot enjoy a Christ whom we have not experienced. We can only enjoy the Christ whom we have experienced. The width of our enjoyment of Christ is always equal to the length of our experience of Christ.

Connected to the Gate

The pavement is connected to the gate, for it is on both sides of the gate. This indicates that the enjoyment of Christ is connected to the experience of Christ. If we do not have the experience of Christ, we cannot have the enjoyment of Christ. Again we see that the enjoyment of Christ depends on the experience of Christ.

The Places for Boiling

In the outer court, at the four corners, are the places for boiling. This indicates that, by the grace of God, the preparation of Christ for the enjoyment of others is spreading to all corners, becoming available everywhere.

In every “corner” there is a “kitchen” where Christ is being “cooked” for our enjoyment. Wherever we are, there is a kitchen for us. We thank the Lord that the local churches are spreading to all corners of this country. All the corners of the country need a “kitchen” to prepare Christ for people’s enjoyment.

The measure of the corner chambers is thirty by forty. Up to this point, we have seen four thirties: thirty sides of the pillars, thirty windows, thirty chambers, and thirty cubits. All these thirties are related and correspond to our experience. We need to pass through Christ, and then we need to enjoy a Christ who has been “cooked.”

Here we have a new number—forty. Forty is the number of tests and trials. The people of Israel were in the wilderness for forty years, and the Lord Jesus was in the wilderness for forty days in order to be tested and approved.

This indicates that without suffering, testing, and judgment, Christ could not have been “cooked,” prepared, to be our enjoyment. For our enjoyment, Christ was “cooked.” His suffering under the process of “cooking” was for our enjoyment of Him by eating Him.

Without the Lord’s sufferings and trials, He could not have been prepared for us to enjoy. In a sense, when the sisters prepare food in the kitchen, the food “suffers.”

While the Lord Jesus was on the earth and, especially, while He was dying on the cross, He was under suffering, the “cooking,” for our enjoyment of Him by eating Him.

The Inner Court

From the outer court we need to pass to the inner court.

Another Set of Stairs

As we enter into the inner court, we also go higher. At the entrance to the inner court, there is another set of stairs, consisting not of seven steps but of eight.

Outside, on the street, there are seven steps leading up to the gate of the outer court, and now we see that there are eight steps leading us to the inner gate of the inner court. From this we see that to enter into the inner court means that the more we journey inward, the higher we become.

When we go forward inwardly, we also go higher. When we pass through the gate into the inner court, we are fifteen steps higher than those who are outside the wall.

The number seven signifies completion, and the number eight signifies resurrection. This indicates that if we want to enter into the inner court, we need to be in resurrection. All the natural life and the natural man must be rejected and crucified. As indicated by the eight steps, we need to be absolutely in resurrection.

In the inner court we repeat our experience of Christ. We experience Christ again by passing through another gate. We experience the same Christ, but we experience more of Him. This introduces us into the inner court.

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Hymn: "Make me Your prisoner, O my Lord"

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Life-study of Ezekiel, week 9, Friday, message 20

LIFE-STUDY OF EZEKIEL

Message 20
THE OUTER AND INNER COURTS

WEEK 9 - FRIDAY
Scripture Reading: Ezek. 40:17-47; 46:21-22

Read and pray: “Jesus therefore said to them, I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me shall by no means hunger, and he who believes into Me shall by no means ever thirst.” (John 6:35)

THE OUTER AND INNER COURTS

In the previous message, we covered many of the details related to the gates. They are divided into four sections: the outer court, the passage, the outer court, and the porch. Each gate has six cubits of height and ten cubits of width. Six is the number of the Lord’s humanity, by which He fulfilled all the requirements of the Ten Commandments. This indicates that the number six fulfills the number ten; that is, the man Jesus fulfills the Ten Commandments.

As we have pointed out, the dimensions of the guard chambers correspond to the dimensions of the cross section of the wall of six cubits by six. This indicates that, for us, the guard chambers are Christ Himself as God mingling with man.

The passage, having the number eight, indicates a new beginning in resurrection. The porch, the final section of the gate, has the numbers two, six, and eight, indicating that the Lord as a man is in full resurrection.

All the numbers used in Ezekiel, with respect to the building of God, are very significant. The numbers three, five, and multiples of five are used frequently. For example, the extensive use is of the number thirty, which typifies the Triune God in resurrection bearing the full responsibility.

When Ezekiel saw the visions in chapter one, he was thirty years of age. There are thirty supporting pillars, thirty chambers in the outer court, and thirty side chambers around the temple. In Ezekiel, the number thirty indicates both maturity, which is able to bear something, and also the enjoyment and expression of Christ.

The palm trees on the columns represent victory and eternal power. Because the columns must bear the weight of the roof and support the entire building, they need to be in victory and be eternal. Christ is the column that supports and bears the building of God with a victorious, eternal life.

We also saw that the gate has thirty windows to let in light and air. These windows are covered with a lattice or screen to keep negative things out. All this is precisely the work of the life-giving Spirit: He brings in the light and the air, but continually keeps the negative things out.

In this message, we will continue to see that in the temple in Ezekiel there are two courts: the outer court and the inner court. We will first consider what the outer court is and then the inner court.

THE OUTER COURT

If we want to enter into the temple, which Ezekiel saw in his vision, we must first go up the seven steps and then pass through the spacious gate. This would bring us into the outer court of the temple.

The Pavement

The first thing we need to pay attention to in the outer court is the pavement. There is pavement around the wall on the three sides of the outer court—on the east, south, and north.

The Chambers

There are six different sections, or areas, of pavement, and in each section there are five chambers. This means that there are thirty chambers. Here, the number thirty is composed of five times six.

In addition to the thirty chambers on the pavement, there are four small courts, one at each corner of the outer court. These four courts at the four corners are places for boiling the sacrifices.

In modern terms, these are kitchens, places for cooking food. These kitchens are used not by the priests, but by the people. Considering that the priests eat in the inner court, the people eat in the outer court.

Outside of these kitchens, these places for cooking, there are some chambers. These chambers are for eating, just as in our homes, the space connected to the kitchen is the dining room, a place to eat the meal prepared in the kitchen.

In Ezekiel, the chambers connected to the kitchens are dining rooms for the people to enjoy the sacrifices. This indicates that these chambers are places to enjoy Christ. From this we can see that the main thing in the outer court is the enjoyment of Christ as the offerings and sacrifices.

After passing through the gate, we arrive at the outer court and enter into the chambers to eat, to enjoy, Christ, who is the reality of all the offerings.

Ezekiel tells us that these chambers for eating are built upon the pavement (40:17). In ancient times, the pavement of a court was made with stones. This indicates that whenever we are about to enjoy Christ, we need to be on a pavement made of stones. The stone pavement separates us from the dust of the earth. Otherwise, our feet would be on the ground. As believers in Christ, we have the pavement of stones that separates us from the dirt.

Although we are still on the earth and in the world, we are separated from every kind of dirt. Originally, as the old creation, we were clay, being the same as the earth in nature. We came out of the earth, and we were one with the earth.

But when we were saved, converted, and regenerated, we became stones, which are for the pavement. Now, if we intend to enjoy Christ, we need to be on the stones of our regeneration.

However, in their daily situation, many genuine Christians do not remain on these stones. After work, they participate in certain entertainments and worldly activities. They are genuine Christians, but they have their feet in the dirt; they do not have a stone pavement under their feet.

With us in the church life in the Lord’s recovery, our situation should be very different. When we come home after a day of work or school, we may rest or have dinner. Then we exercise our spirit to call on the Lord, to meet together to enjoy the Lord.

This indicates that we are standing on a stone pavement. Furthermore, in our experience, the pavement on which we stand becomes a place, a “chamber,” for us to enjoy Christ.

Many of us can testify that day by day we are in the chambers enjoying Christ. This is especially true on the Lord’s Day. By contacting the Lord early in the morning, we place our feet on the stones and prepare ourselves to enter into the chambers. Then, in the meetings of the church, we can enjoy Christ by eating Him.

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Life-study of Ezekiel, week 9, Thursday, message 19

LIFE-STUDY OF EZEKIEL

Message 19

THE VISION OF THE HOLY BUILDING OF GOD

WEEK 9 - THURSDAY

Scripture Reading: Ezekiel 40:10-14, 16

Read and pray: “that you may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ, which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled unto all the fullness of God” (Eph. 3:18-19)

The Passage

From the court, we go to the passage, which has many details.

The Guard Chambers

Ezekiel 40:10 says that in this passage there are six small chambers. Some of the best translations use the term guard chamber. These are the rooms where the guards stay to protect the temple.

Each of these chambers is six cubits square and is therefore equal in size to a cross section of the wall. This indicates that the Lord Jesus, in His person and work, is the real guard of the glory and holiness of God.

If there were no wall, the sinners would be able to enter the temple, and this would be an insult to the glory and holiness of God. Since the wall separates the sinners from God, the gate brings people into God and into His building.

In order to be the gate, the Lord Jesus had to fulfill all the requirements of the Ten Commandments. He was a proper and upright man, able to fulfill the Ten Commandments, and now He is the guard of the glory and holiness of God.

Only those who are qualified and who correspond to the glory and holiness of God can enter into the temple. If we want to be qualified in this way, we need to pass through the gate. By passing through Christ as the gate, we are qualified to enter into the building of God, which is full of the glory and holiness of God.

The six guard chambers are divided into two groups of three. Again we have the number three typifying the Triune God, who became a man and was “split” into two. This indicates that the guard chambers are a person, Christ Himself.

The Borders

Between the three guard chambers are two spaces of five cubits each. Again we have ten cubits composed of two groups of five cubits. This shows us once more that Christ has the responsibility to fulfill all the requirements of the Ten Commandments.

Furthermore, once again we have the number two, signifying testimony. On one side there are two spaces of five cubits each, and on the other side there are also two spaces of five cubits. This indicates that Christ has the full responsibility for the Ten Commandments and that this becomes a testimony. The Lord Jesus, as the Triune God, became a man and died on the cross to fulfill all the responsibilities of the Ten Commandments.

From the guard chambers we go to the borders. Instead of borders, the King James Version uses the word “space”; other versions use the word “platform.” Outside each of the guard chambers there is a border, a space, which is one cubit in width. These are in two groups of three, typifying the Triune God in resurrection.

We need to remember that the passage is ten cubits. However, there is a sense in which we can say that the passage is eight cubits wide. If we deduct one cubit for the border around the guard chamber on each side, this leaves the passage with only eight cubits in width.

Eight is the number of resurrection. The first day of the week, the day on which the Lord Jesus was resurrected, is also the eighth day. Thus, the eighth day is the day of resurrection and signifies a new beginning. When we pass through Christ, we pass through resurrection and have a new beginning.

The Pillars

Next, we need to consider the pillars, which are difficult to locate. Ezekiel 40:14 says that the distance to the pillars is sixty cubits and that each pillar (column) has two sides. Each pillar, each column, has two sides, and each side is two cubits. On the sides of the passage there are fifteen sides of two cubits each. Therefore, there are thirty cubits in width on both sides of the passage, totaling sixty cubits.

Fifteen is composed of three times five, typifying the Triune God in resurrection bearing all the responsibility. The number two, indicating testimony, is also present. The number thirty corresponds to the chambers of all the stories for the enjoyment of Christ.

The columns, which support the roof of the structure, indicate that we need to be received by the sustaining strength of Christ in order to enter into the enjoyment of Christ. The sustaining strength comes from the number thirty, and the enjoyment of Christ also. This indicates that we can enjoy only what Christ can sustain.

As we will see in a later message, the expression of Christ, as seen in the side chambers of the temple, is also represented by the number thirty. Therefore, the expression of Christ, the enjoyment of Christ, and the support of Christ are all typified by the number thirty. We can express only what we can enjoy, and we can enjoy only what Christ can sustain.

The Palm Trees

On both sides of each column there is a palm tree (v. 16). In the Bible, palm trees typify victory, even eternal victory. Christ, the guard of the holiness and glory of God, is the Eternal One, the Victorious One, who sustains, carries, supports, and prevails.

The Porch

From the pillars we go to the porch, where the number eight is used. In the previous portion, mainly the numbers five, six, and ten are used, but with the porch, the number eight is used. This indicates that now we are in resurrection, in a new beginning.

THE WINDOWS

The windows are for letting in light and air. These are not narrow windows, but latticed windows, with strips of material over them to protect the building from negative things. However, the windows are kept open for the air and the light.

These latticed windows typify the life-giving Spirit. There are thirty windows in total, fifteen on one side and fifteen on the other. The gate is full of windows. This indicates that Christ is full of the life-giving Spirit.

The life-giving Spirit brings in air and light and prevents the entrance of all negative things. The Hebrew word for lattice implies the idea of being beveled. This means that the outside of the window is narrow, but the inside is wider (40:16). The life-giving Spirit always works toward the inside. Outwardly He is not great, but inwardly He is very broad.

EXPANDING IN A BROAD WAY

Although Ezekiel mentions the height of the wall, he does not mention the height of the gate. The omission of this dimension is very significant. The entire temple complex does not give the impression of height, but of expansion in a broad way. Even the height of the wall is only six cubits. According to the design, the temple complex is five hundred cubits square. Thus, the height is not great, yet the expansion is very great.

The human concept is that one must go higher and higher to reach the heavens. This was the concept in the building of the tower of Babel. However, God’s intention is to be with man on the earth. God’s desire is to come to the earth and expand His testimony. Thus, God came to the earth as a man to expand His testimony over the whole earth.

In this message we saw that the gates typify Christ as the Triune God. Christ became a man who was upright, perfect, and complete. Christ bore the responsibility and fulfilled all the requirements of the Ten Commandments in order to open the way for us to enter into God and into His interests. Furthermore, Christ is the testimony of God, and as the Resurrected One, the life-giving Spirit, He is a living witness of the eternal victory.

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Life-study of Ezekiel, week 9, Wednesday, message 19

LIFE-STUDY OF EZEKIEL

Message 19

THE VISION OF GOD’S HOLY BUILDING

WEEK 9 - WEDNESDAY

Scripture Reading: Ezekiel 40–43

Read and pray: “Jesus said to him, I am the way and the truth and the life; no one comes to the Father except through Me.” (John 14:6)

THE GATE

Praise the Lord, for He is not only the wall but also the gate. As the wall, He excludes and condemns us, but as the gate, He brings us into God’s building. If today we are in the sphere of God’s building, it is because Christ, as the gate, has brought us in.

Christ is our gate, our entrance. In John 14:6, the Lord Jesus tells us that He is the way to the Father. Apart from Him, no one can come to the Father. Christ is the entrance for us to enter into God and into God’s interests, God’s building, and God’s kingdom.

We may realize that Christ is the gate, the entrance, but we may not know Christ as the gate in a detailed way. However, Ezekiel saw the details concerning Christ as the gate.

The Measurements

The depth of the gate, from its front to the rear, is fifty cubits. The width of the gate, from side to side, is twenty-five cubits. These numbers are both multiples of five, the number of responsibility.

A Stairway of Seven Steps

In front of the gate, there is a stairway of seven steps. The steps going up are quite high, indicating that in order to enter the building, we need to ascend. Whenever a person believes in the Lord Jesus, he has the sense of going up.

However, when we participate in certain worldly amusements, we have the sense of going down. Whenever we come to the Lord Jesus, we feel that we are on a stairway going upward.

Composed of Four Sections

The gate is composed of four sections: the outer court, the passage, the inner court, and the porch. There are three courts: the outer court, the inner court, and a passage between the two that may be considered a corridor.

The middle part, the passage, is also called a court, but to help our understanding, we may use the word passage. Thus, we have here the outer court, the passage, the inner court, and the porch. The porch is, in some way, similar to an antechamber to the temple.

By passing through the outer court, the passage, the inner court, and the porch, a person can enter into the temple. Then the person must ascend another flight of stairs. This ascent is even greater, being eight steps instead of seven.

The Entrance of the Gate

Referring to figure 2, which is a detailed drawing of the gate, we can see that within the gate is its entrance, which is exactly ten cubits. It is significant that the opening of the entrance is ten cubits wide.

In the Bible, the number ten refers first to the Ten Commandments. Everything that the Ten Commandments require, the entrance of the gate fulfills. The width of the entrance is exactly the extent of the Ten Commandments. This indicates that the Lord Jesus fulfilled all the requirements of the Ten Commandments.

When we are confronted with the Ten Commandments, we are excluded by them. However, the Lord Jesus was able to fulfill every commandment, and He became the gate for us to enter into God’s building. Considering that the entrance (or opening) of the gate is ten cubits wide, the gate itself is thirteen cubits.

On both sides of the gate, the wall measures one and a half cubits. Adding them together, we have three cubits. Three is the number of the Triune God and also the number of resurrection. Here the three is divided, with one and a half on each side. I ask you to remember that in the tabernacle, the standing boards were each one and a half cubits wide and that two boards form a unit of three cubits.

All these numbers are significant. They indicate that the Lord Jesus, who fulfills all the requirements of the Ten Commandments, is the Triune God who became a man, was condemned to death, and resurrected. In His death Christ was “split” into two parts and then resurrected.

The Court

After the gate comes the court, which measures six cubits by ten. Putting all these numbers together, we can see that Christ was the Triune God (the number three), who became a man bearing the number six. He was “split” in His death and resurrected, fulfilling all the requirements of the Ten Commandments. In this way, He opened the gate.

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Hymn: The Church - “Its Building”

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Life-study of Ezekiel, week 9, Tuesday, message 19

LIFE-STUDY OF EZEKIEL

Message 19

THE VISION OF THE HOLY BUILDING OF GOD

WEEK 9 - TUESDAY

Scripture Reading: Luke 2:48-51

Read and pray: “And the God of peace Himself sanctify you wholly; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete and without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Thes. 5:23)

THE HOLY BUILDING OF GOD

The holy temple is the place where God is, the dwelling place of God. If we want to seek God, contact God, have fellowship with God, and serve God, we must realize that God has His dwelling place.

On the one hand, God is omnipresent; on the other hand, God has His particular place. If we want to find Him, we must know His exact location, His definite dwelling place. Thus, it is necessary to consider the vision of the building of God in Ezekiel, for this vision describes the place where God dwells ─ His holy temple.

We will first consider a general sketch, or plan, of the building of God. Please refer to Figure 1¹, which is the graphic plan showing the temple and its inner and outer courts.

The building is square, with each of the four sides measuring five hundred cubits. Three of the four sides have an entrance. There are gates on the east, south, and north, all of which lead into the outer court around the walls.

In the outer court, there are six pavements made of stone. Each of the pavements has five chambers built as places for people to eat and enjoy the sacrifices and offerings. This means that the thirty chambers are places for us to enjoy Christ.

Within the outer court there is an inner court, which also has gates on three sides, on the east, south, and north. This makes a total of six gates: three for the outer court and three for the inner court.

In this regard, we must realize that the building which Ezekiel saw has two walls: the wall outside the outer court and the outer wall of the inner court. In each of the walls there are three gates. The measurement and the pattern of the walls and the gates are exactly the same.

Within the inner court is the altar. This altar is the center of the entire complex of the building of God. The altar is a type of the cross. Therefore, the altar in the center of the complex indicates that the cross of Christ is at the center of God’s economy and of God’s interests.

In Ezekiel 40─48, a section concerning the building of God, three main things are covered: the holy temple, the holy city, and the holy land. The temple, the city, and the land are all holy.

It is significant that Ezekiel begins not from the outside, but from the inside. This is the way of God’s economy. In His economy, God always begins from the inside, not from the outside.

We see an indication of this in 1 Thessalonians 5:23, which speaks of our “spirit and soul and body,” not body, soul, and spirit. This reveals that God begins from the inside, from our spirit, not from the outside.

God’s economy always begins from within, whereas human movements always begin from the outside. In light of this, we need to learn, in the church life, not to begin anything outwardly, but always to begin something from within. This is to apply what is revealed here concerning the building of God: first the temple, then the city, and afterward the land.

THE WALL

The first item we need to see concerning the temple is the wall. The temple has a wall on all four sides. The wall is for separation, separating what is of God and what cannot belong to Him. It separates what should belong to God and what should never belong to Him. The wall is therefore a line of separation.

The measurement of the wall indicates that it typifies Christ Himself as a line of separation. Everything within Christ belongs to God’s interests and the building of God, but what is outside of Christ is excluded from God’s interests and from the building of God.

In a city of millions of people, we can know who is of God and who is not by Christ as the line of separation. Whoever is in Christ belongs to God, and whoever is outside of Christ is separated from God. In other words, whoever belongs to Christ is within the wall, and whoever is outside of Christ is outside the wall.

The measurement of the wall is quite unusual. I do not think that throughout all the centuries of human history such a wall has ever existed. This wall is six cubits high and six cubits thick. If we could look at a cross section of the wall, we would be looking at a square of six cubits by six cubits.

The number six refers to man, who was created on the sixth day. Since the wall is six cubits high and six cubits thick, and since six is the number of man, we can say that the wall typifies the Lord Jesus as a square, in the upright position, a perfect and complete man. As a square, straight, perfect, and complete, and even as a resurrected man, Christ is the line of separation.

Because He is square and straight, He is fully qualified. In Him there is no imperfection; with Him there is nothing lacking and nothing crooked. Rather, with Him everything is straight, even, perfect, and complete. Again I say, this man is the line of separation.

If only the Lord Jesus were such a man, we would be excluded. We are not square, even, or straight. Surely, we are not perfect or complete. Although we are so limited, we should not try to imitate Christ.

It is impossible for any fallen human being to imitate Christ, the One who is square, straight, perfect, and complete. When we come to the Lord Jesus and compare ourselves with Him, we are exposed and condemned. For example, in Luke 2, we see that when the Lord Jesus was a boy of twelve, no matter how much He was for His Father, He still obeyed His parents.

Young people, you are not obedient to your parents while you are seeking the Father’s interests, but the Lord Jesus was obedient. From this one example, we can realize that the history of the life of the Lord Jesus is a factor that condemns us.

_______________________

¹ Unfortunately, we do not have the images in this material.

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Hymn: The Ultimate Manifestation - “The Holy City”

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Life-study of Ezekiel, week 9, Monday, message 19

LIFE-STUDY OF EZEKIEL

Message 19

THE VISION OF THE HOLY BUILDING OF GOD

WEEK 9 - MONDAY

Scripture Reading: Num. 4:9; Ezek. 40:2-4; John 3:14

Read and pray: “And he carried me away in spirit to a great and high mountain and showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God” (Rev. 21:10)

THE PLACE TO SEE THE VISION

Now we need to consider the place to see the vision. Ezekiel did not see the vision of the building of God in the land of captivity. Rather, he was brought back to the holy land, the land of Israel (Ezek. 40:2). Since this land typifies Christ, being brought back to the land of Israel is being brought back to Christ.

In addition to being brought back to the land of Israel, Ezekiel was brought to a high mountain, signifying a place of resurrection and ascension. When we return to Christ, we can sense in our spirit that we are in a high place, that is, in the resurrected and ascended Christ.

Furthermore, Ezekiel was brought back to Jerusalem. Many of us can testify that while we were in the captivity of the denominations, we could not see the vision of the building up of the church. However, when we returned to the holy land, to the church life, we were able to see the vision of the building up of the church.

In order to see something properly, we need the proper position, the proper base, and the proper angle. If we are wrong either in position or in base, we will not be able to see. For example, if we want to see Los Angeles, we must be in the right position and have the proper location. If we desire to see the building of God, we need to be on the mountain in Jerusalem. Ezekiel was not the only one who saw the vision of the building of God.

In the book of Revelation, the apostle John told us that he was carried away in spirit to a great and high mountain to see the holy city, the New Jerusalem (21:10). The reason we need to be on a mountain (which typifies resurrection and ascension) is that the building of God is something in the resurrection and ascension of Christ, and we need to be in a high position in order to see the vision of the building of God.

Some people have been offended because of my ministry concerning the building of God. The reason they are offended is that, regarding spiritual matters, they are like little children playing with toys. If you touch their “toys,” they become offended.

If you tell them that they need to grow in the spiritual life and give up their toys, they may become very upset. May the Lord have mercy on us that we may grow and also go up. We not only need to grow; we also need to go up to a high position with a higher base and obtain the best angle to see the building of God.

If Ezekiel had remained in Babylon, in captivity, he could not have seen the building. Likewise, if he had been on a plain instead of on the top of the mountain, he could not have seen the vision of the building of God.

Therefore, if we want to see this vision, we need to grow and go up. This means that we need maturity in life and that we need to be on the top of the mountain. Then we will be able to see the building of God.

THE VISION OF A MAN

Before Ezekiel saw the vision of the building, he saw the vision of a man. Unlike the man in chapter one, this man did not appear like electrum but like bronze (Ezek. 40:3).

In chapter one, in the vision of the glory of the Lord, the Lord Jesus on the throne as a man appeared like electrum. But in chapter forty, He is not on the throne; He is at the gate of the building, measuring.

In the Bible, to measure means to judge and to take possession. When a sister buys a piece of fabric, she first measures it. While she is measuring the fabric, she is evaluating its quality. In her measuring, she judges. Likewise, the measuring in chapter forty is related to judging. Here the Lord Jesus is not on the throne but at the gate, in the appearance of bronze to measure and take possession.

When the Lord comes to measure something, He first judges that thing. In typology, bronze or copper signifies judgment. When the Lord Jesus was on the cross, He was likened to a bronze serpent (Num. 4:9; John 3:14).

In the Old Testament, the altar of burnt offering was overlaid with bronze. Both examples indicate that bronze (copper) signifies judgment. Once something has been judged, it is able to withstand. After a certain thing has been judged, it can withstand any kind of test or examination. It can also withstand further judgment.

The Lord Jesus is such a One. He has passed through the judgment of God, and now He has become a test to others. Having been able to withstand all kinds of tests, examinations, and judgments, He is fully qualified to measure everything, including the building of God. By His judgment, He measures what belongs to the building of God.

EZEKIEL IS CHARGED TO SEE, HEAR, AND PUT

INTO HIS HEART WHAT IS SHOWN TO HIM

Ezekiel 40:4 says, “And the man said to me, Son of man, see with your eyes, hear with your ears, and set your heart upon all that I shall show you; for you have been brought here for this purpose. Declare to the house of Israel all that you see.”

While God was showing the vision of His building to Ezekiel, the prophet needed to have keen sight and listen attentively. Moreover, in order to absorb the things that would be shown to him, he had to set his heart on them. Then he was able to declare to the people of God all that he had seen and heard.

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Life-study of Ezekiel, week 9, Sunday, message 19

LIFE-STUDY OF EZEKIEL

Message 19

THE VISION OF THE HOLY BUILDING OF GOD

WEEK 9 - SUNDAY

Scripture Reading: Ezek. 40:1─27

Read and pray: “Speak to all the congregation of Israel, saying: On the tenth day of this month each one shall take for himself a lamb, according to the house of the fathers, a lamb for a household.” (Exo. 12:3)

In the previous messages we saw the appearance of the glory of the Lord, the judgment of God by fire, and the restoration of the Lord by life. Now we come to the last part of Ezekiel (chs. 40─48), which concerns the holy building of God. The three previous sections are for the last section; that is, the glory of the Lord, the judgment of God, and the restoration of the Lord are all for the holy building of God.

We may even say that the matter of the glory of the Lord, the judgment of God, and the restoration of the Lord is the building of God. God’s eternal purpose is to have a building. Everything God does among His people on the earth is for His building.

THE DATE OF THE VISION

At the beginning of this section (40:1), we are told the time of the vision—the year, the month, and the day. If we compare the year mentioned here with the one mentioned at the beginning of the first chapter, we will see that there is a difference of twenty years.

The vision of the appearance of the glory of the Lord, which Ezekiel saw in chapter one, was seen in the fifth year of the captivity. The vision of the building of the house of God, which he saw in chapter forty, was in the twenty-fifth year of the captivity.

There is a difference of twenty years, which is not a short period of time. We need to remember that when Ezekiel saw the first vision, he was thirty years old, the age at which a priest began to minister. When he saw the last vision, he was fifty years old, the age for a priest’s retirement. This is very significant, for it indicates that in order to see the building of God, Ezekiel needed more maturity in life.

When he saw the first vision, he was still quite young, only 30 years old. But when he saw the vision of the building of God, he was at the age of retirement, indicating that he had reached maturity in life and could see the building of the Lord. In order to have the vision of the building of God, there is the need of maturity in life.

Due to their immaturity in the divine life, very few Christians today have seen anything concerning the building of the Lord. Spiritually speaking, many are far below the age of thirty and, therefore, are not even qualified to be an apprentice. In this way, it is not possible for them to see the vision of the building of God.

It is significant that the years are counted in spans of five years. The first vision was seen in the fifth year, and the last was seen in the twenty-fifth year. Twenty-five is five times five. In the Bible, the number five represents man plus God.

Four is the number of the creature, man, and one is the number for the Creator, God. Five signifies having responsibility. Therefore, five, which is composed of four plus one, signifies that man as the creature plus God as the Creator, together, bear responsibility.

The number twenty-five signifies not only maturity but also full qualification to bear responsibility. This year is also called the fourteenth year. The twenty-fifth year was counted from the time of the captivity, whereas the fourteenth year was counted from the time of the destruction of Jerusalem. Ezekiel 40:1 says, “After the city was struck.”

In the Bible, the number fourteen is mainly composed of seven times two. Seven is the number of completion, and two is the number of testimony. Therefore, seven times two denotes a testimony of completion. This indicates that for fourteen years, the destruction of the city of Jerusalem had been a strong testimony to the people. Originally, the people did not believe that the city would be destroyed. However, Ezekiel prophesied concerning the destruction of the city of Jerusalem, and his prophecy was fulfilled.

Fourteen years after the destruction of Jerusalem, Ezekiel saw other visions. This means that the testimony of the destruction of the city was sufficient. It remained for fourteen years, and after those fourteen years, the people in captivity realized that this was a strong testimony.

Furthermore, we are told that Ezekiel saw the visions at the beginning of the year, in the first month. The first month indicates a new beginning. This indicates that, in our experience, the building of God should have a new beginning. When we see something concerning the building up of the church, this is a new beginning in our life.

The record also speaks of the tenth day. According to Exodus 12:3, the tenth day of the first month was the day when the people of Israel prepared the lamb for the Passover. This certainly points to Christ, our Passover, for our redemption.

From this we see that whenever we have a new beginning in our Christian life, it must be based on Christ and His redemption. In ourselves, by what we are and what we can do, we can never have a new beginning. We are not qualified to have a new beginning, nor do we have the merit to have a new beginning. Any new beginning that we may have in our spiritual life is always based on Christ, the Passover Lamb, and His redemption. Only through Christ and His redemption can we have a new beginning in our Christian life.

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Life-study of Ezekiel, week 8, Saturday, message 18

LIFE-STUDY OF EZEKIEL

Message 18

THE DRY BONES, THE TWO PIECES OF WOOD, AND THE ARMY

WEEK 8 - SATURDAY

Scripture Reading: Ezekiel 37

Read and pray: “So I prophesied as He commanded me, and the breath entered into them, and they lived and stood on their feet, an exceedingly great army” (Ezekiel 37:10)

THE WAY OF LIFE

Christians today speak much about the Body, the church, and the house of God, but most do not see the practical way to have the Body, the church, and the house of God. Ezekiel 37 clearly reveals that the only way, the only manner, is the way of life.

The two dry pieces of wood can grow together, not by gifts or teachings, but by life. The Lord did not tell Ezekiel to exercise certain gifts or to teach. The Lord charged Ezekiel to prophesy, to utter or express some words for God.

When Ezekiel prophesied something to the dead for God, He breathed upon them and they received the breath. When the breath entered into them, it became life to them. Then, by the way of life, the two dry pieces of wood could grow together.

We can become one not by means of gifts or teachings, but by life. Oh, we all need the blowing of the wind! Therefore, we need to receive the breath, and the breath will become in us the life-giving Spirit. Thus, we will be able to grow in life.

Life is wonderful. It solves many problems. Our physical body can overcome many problems simply by being alive. This is an illustration that what we need in the church life is life, not gifts or teachings.

By life, the dead branches can be revived and grow into one another. Then these branches will have the unity that results from growth in life. If we pay attention to gifts or teachings, we will be divided.

We all need something better, something higher, and that something better and higher is life. First comes the blowing of the wind, followed by the breath and the life-giving Spirit. This causes the dry bones to be revived and become one. Eventually, the bones become an army fighting for the Lord. In the same way, the dry branches are revived and grow together. By growth in life, they are one and have no more divisions.

Throughout the years, here in the church in Los Angeles, we have paid attention not to gifts or teachings, but to life. If we had paid attention to gifts and teachings, we would have been divided repeatedly. But because we care for the way of the Lord’s life, we are one.

UNITY BY LIFE

We praise the Lord for the unity in His recovery. Although we come from many different backgrounds, we are one. We are not one by means of gifts or teachings, but by life.

Among us there are many former ministers, pastors, missionaries, and Bible teachers, but all these are now one in life. Because we have life, and are in life, we are one. Now we are an army fighting and we are a dwelling place for the Lord.

When the saints migrate for the spread of the church life, they are an army fighting the battle. We cannot have proper migrations if we do not have unity. It is very good that, in the migrations, the saints come from different parts of the country to be one in a certain city. They come together to be one not in teachings or gifts, but in life. Because we are one in life, we are both the army and the Lord’s dwelling place.

The army is formed with dry bones that have been revived, and the dwelling place with dry branches that have been enlivened and joined. Now no one is dry. Every part of the army and the dwelling place is full of life and is living in unity. This is the Lord’s recovery.

ADDITIONAL JUDGMENT

Following chapter thirty-seven, there are two more chapters that speak of additional judgment. These chapters indicate that if we continue with the Lord in unity as an army and as a dwelling place for the Lord on the earth, He will take care of all our enemies.

We should not think that once we are an army, we will not have enemies. Nor should we think that once we are one as the Lord’s dwelling place, we will not have battles. There is still an enemy, but the Lord will deal with him.

In chapter thirty-five there is Edom, the inward enemy, and in chapters thirty-eight and thirty-nine, there is the outward enemy. We must judge Edom, the old man, the enemy within us; however, the Lord will take care of the enemies on the outside.

We can be assured that as long as we are one, the Lord will fight the battle for us. He will deal with our enemy, who is also His enemy. We praise the Lord that we can be in the church life in peace and safety.

As we deal with the inward enemy, the Lord will deal with the outward enemy, and a strong church life will be built up to be “an exceedingly great army” and the Lord’s sanctuary on the earth.

Only when God judges all the enemies will His people be able to dwell peacefully without fear. When the people are in such a peaceful condition, the building up of the Lord’s dwelling place will be completed, and the Lord will have a place of rest among His people.

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Life-study of Ezekiel, week 8, Friday, message 18

LIFE-STUDY OF EZEKIEL

Message 18

THE DRY BONES, THE TWO PIECES OF WOOD, AND THE ARMY

WEEK 8 - FRIDAY

Scripture Reading: Ezek 37:8-10, 16-17; 1 Cor 15:45b

Read and pray: “Come, let us sing to the Lord with joy; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation.” (Ps 95:1)

THE WIND, THE BREATH, AND THE SPIRIT

In Ezekiel 37, three things are related to prophesying: the wind, the breath, and the Spirit. In English, these are three different words; however, in the Hebrew text they are the same word, "ruach". Verse 9 uses the word wind and the word breath, but in the Hebrew text both are the same word, ruach. In verse 14, there is the Spirit, but this is also a translation of ruach. It is difficult for translators to decide how to translate ruach in these verses. The translation is based both on the context and on the translator’s understanding.

If we apply this matter to our spiritual experience, we may say that when God blows upon us, this is the wind; when we breathe in the wind, it is the breath (breathing); and when the breath enters into us, it is the Spirit.

First comes the wind, then the breath, and then the Spirit. When Ezekiel prophesied, God blew the wind, the people received the breath, and the breath became the Spirit, the Spirit who gives life (1 Cor 15:45b).

A NOISE AND A SHAKING

In this chapter, Ezekiel prophesied twice, in verse 7 and again in verse 10. Verse 7 says: “So I prophesied as I was commanded; and as I prophesied, there was a noise, a rattling of bones coming together, bone to its bone.” Here we see that when Ezekiel prophesied, there was a noise and a rattling.

Sometimes people complain that our meetings are very noisy. My answer is that if everyone were dry bones, everyone would remain quiet. There would be neither noise nor sound, only stillness. All the bones in the valley in Ezekiel 37 were quiet and motionless. But when Ezekiel came and prophesied, there was a noise and a shaking, and all the bones came together. I cannot explain why this happened.

However, we know that when we are together in the meetings and make a joyful noise (Ps 95:1), we are truly one. Suppose that we all come to the meetings and sit in silence for thirty minutes. Soon we would become critical of one another and, eventually, we would lose our unity.

But when we shout joyfully to the Lord Jesus, praising Him and calling on His name, we are one. It may not sound good to you, but the more we make noise in this way, the more we are one. If we go out of ourselves by calling on the Lord and praising Him, we will be one.

THE BREATH COMES

Ezekiel 37:8 says: “And I looked, and indeed, there were sinews on them, and flesh came upon them, and skin covered them over; but there was no breath in them.” After the noise, the shaking, and the coming together of the bones, something very special happened. Sinews, flesh, and skin grew upon the bones, covering them and making their appearance much better. Previously, they were only dry bones; now they were a lifeless body with the parts joined, linked, and connected. The body was without life because it had no breath.

The description in verse 8 applies to our experience. The dry bones must first be joined together, and then the breath will enter into them. If we do not come together, we will not have the breath of God. We should not wait until we have the breath of God and then come together. Rather, we must first come together, with “a noise” and “a shaking,” and then the breath of God will be blown upon us.

Verses 9 and 10 continue: “Then He said to me, Prophesy to the wind, prophesy, son of man, and say to the wind, Thus says the Lord God: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live. So I prophesied as He commanded me, and breath came into them, and they lived, and stood upon their feet, an exceedingly great army.”

When Ezekiel prophesied again, God sent the breath to enter into the dead bodies, and then they rose up on their feet and became an “exceedingly great army” to fight for God.

TWO PIECES OF DRY WOOD ARE JOINED

In verses 16 and 17 the Lord said to Ezekiel, “You also, son of man, take for yourself one piece of wood and write on it: For Judah and for the children of Israel, his companions; then take another piece of wood and write on it: For Joseph, the piece of wood of Ephraim, and for all the house of Israel, his companions. Then join them one to another for yourself into one piece, that they may become one in your hand.”

First, Ezekiel dealt with the dry bones, and then with the pieces of dry wood. A rod is something of wood; however, it is lifeless and dry. These two pieces of dead wood symbolize the two kingdoms of Israel, the southern kingdom (Judah) and the northern kingdom (Israel, or Ephraim). These two kingdoms could never be one, and in the Lord’s eyes, they were completely dead and dry.

The Lord has a way to make these dead pieces of wood one, and His way is the way of life. His way is to make these dead pieces of wood live and then to put them together so that they may grow together.

This is very similar to grafting, in which two branches are joined and eventually grow together. In fact, this is what is mentioned here. The two pieces of wood are like two branches. Previously, they had no life, but then they were made alive. Having been made alive, they are now able to grow together and become one.

Whereas the bones are for the formation of the army, the pieces of wood are for the building up of the house of God. The pieces of wood were divided, but now they are one and are the dwelling place of God. Therefore, here we have both the army fighting for God and the house of God as His dwelling place.

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Life-study of Ezekiel, week 8, Thursday, message 18

LIFE-STUDY OF EZEKIEL

Message 18

THE DRY BONES, THE TWO PIECES OF WOOD, AND THE ARMY

WEEK 8 - THURSDAY

Scripture Reading: Ezekiel 37:11-13

Read and pray: “Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live.” (John 5:25)

WE WERE LIKE DEAD AND DRY BONES

Before God came to renew and regenerate us, we were like dead and dry bones. If we had only Ezekiel 36, we would realize that we were sinful and unclean, but we could not think that we were dead.

Ezekiel 37 reveals that we were not only dead, but that we were also like dry bones. This indicates that God’s salvation is not only for those who are sinful, but also for those who are dead.

In God’s eyes, when we were fallen, whether as a sinner or as a backsliding believer, we were dead and buried in a tomb. We were in the “grave” of various sinful things and worldly entertainments.

Before we were saved or before we were revived, we were all buried in some kind of grave. We were sinners, we were dead, buried, and dry. We had no blood, no flesh, no sinews, no skin ─ only dry bones. This is a picture showing how we were and where we were.

WE WERE SCATTERED

Because we were dead and dry, we were also scattered. According to Ezekiel 37, no bone was joined to another bone. All the bones were disjointed and scattered; there was no unity. Whether we were an unsaved sinner or a backsliding believer, this was our situation.

Today, many Christians are buried in the graves of denominations, divisions, independent groups, and different movements. All denominations, sects, groups, and movements are graves. Many of us can testify that previously we were in such graves, dead, dry, scattered, disjointed, and not connected to anyone.

GOD’S PEOPLE COME OUT OF THEIR GRAVES

Ezekiel 37:11-13 says: “Then He said to me, Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. Behold, they say, Our bones are dried up, and our hope has perished; we are completely cut off. Therefore prophesy and say to them, Thus says the Lord God: Behold, I will open your graves and cause you to come up out of your graves, O My people, and I will bring you into the land of Israel. And you will know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves and cause you to come up out of your graves, O My people.”

Not only do unbelieving sinners need to be delivered from their graves, but even many brothers and sisters need to be revived and delivered from death and from their tombs. Some saints have become fallen and desolate and are now trapped in their graves.

I do not know for what reason you are dead or in what kind of grave you are being held. However, I hope that the wind of God will blow upon you, that the light of God will shine on you, that the life of God will operate within you and break your grave, bring you out of it, and that you would be revived.

The Bible reveals that the Lord is the Savior of the dead. In John 5:25 the Lord Jesus said: “An hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live.”

In Ezekiel 37, God is speaking not to the sick, but to the dead. It is a blessing to realize that we are dead and that we need the Lord to make us alive. God’s word in this chapter is not to make a sick person healthy, nor to transform a bad person into a good person; God’s word here is to make a dead person become a living person.

I hope that many will humble themselves before the Lord and pray: “Lord, I confess that I am not only sick and sinful ─ I admit that I am dead. My heart and my spirit are dead. Lord, I am completely dead and dry. I am like a heap of dead and dry bones. O Lord, I need Your life to enter into me. I need You to breathe the breath of life into me so that I may live.”

RESTORES THROUGH PROPHESYING

Praise the Lord, for He did not leave us in our situation, but came to rescue us! However, the Lord did not come directly to be our Shepherd, but, according to Ezekiel 37, He came through the prophesying of His word.

Many Christians have a mistaken understanding of prophesying, thinking that to prophesy is only to predict. But there is no prediction in Ezekiel 37. Rather, the prophesying here is a matter of declaring something or proclaiming something.

This indicates that prophesying in this chapter does not mainly mean predicting, but proclaiming, making some kind of declaration. When the Lord told Ezekiel to prophesy, He meant that Ezekiel should proclaim.

The Lord told Ezekiel that when he prophesied, He would send the breath and the wind. When Ezekiel prophesied, God gave the people the Spirit. From this we can clearly see that the main meaning of prophesying is not to predict, but to speak something for the Lord.

Other Christians think that to prophesy is to teach. But no matter how much one may teach dry bones, they remain dry bones. One may teach dry bones about the need for the wind, the breath, and the Spirit, but nothing happens to those bones.

In this chapter, Ezekiel neither predicted something to the dry bones nor taught them. On the contrary, when Ezekiel prophesied, he spoke something for God, and God followed him. While Ezekiel was prophesying, God was blowing upon the dry bones, sending the wind, the breath, and the Spirit.

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Life-Study of Ezekiel, week 8, Wednesday, message 18

LIFE-STUDY OF EZEKIEL

Message 18

THE DRY BONES, THE TWO PIECES OF WOOD, AND THE ARMY

WEEK 8 - WEDNESDAY

Scripture Reading: Ezek. 36:35; 37:1, 5-17, 21-28

Read and pray: “I will raise up for them a memorable planting, and they will no longer be consumed by famine in the land, nor bear the reproach of the nations anymore.” (Ezek. 34:29)

The book of Ezekiel has four main sections, each containing a crucial point. The first section, consisting of chapter 1, speaks of the glorious vision of God and reveals the holy God in His glory. 

The second section, composed of chapters two through thirty-two, speaks of God’s judgment to deal with all things and matters that are not compatible with His righteousness, holiness, and glory. God judges everything among Israel and among the nations that is incompatible with His nature.

The third section, which includes chapters thirty-three through thirty-nine, concerns God’s restoration of a remnant of His people. When God comes to judge, He remembers His covenant of grace and thus preserves a group of His chosen ones and brings them back to their own land. This indicates that the main idea in the third part of Ezekiel is the Lord’s restoration.

The fourth section, which consists of chapters forty through forty-eight, speaks of God coming to build up His beloved and restored people in His dwelling place. This means that the last section is devoted to the matter of God’s building.

In the book of Ezekiel, there are three chapters that may be considered great chapters in the Bible: chapter one, chapter thirty-seven, and chapter forty-seven. These chapters occupy a special position, not only in Ezekiel but in the Bible as a whole.

Each of these chapters may be represented by a single word: chapter one — fire; chapter thirty-seven — breath; and chapter forty-seven — water. No chapter speaks of God as fire in the way Ezekiel 1 does. John 4 and 7 and Revelation 22 speak about water, but not in the way Ezekiel 47 does.

In the same way, Ezekiel 37 is unique in its way of speaking about the breath of God. This chapter reveals how the Spirit of God enters into us in order to enliven us so that we may become a corporate person, formed into an army, and also built up as the dwelling place of God. Only in this chapter do we see the result of being enlivened by the breath of life. From this we see that Ezekiel 37 occupies a particular position in the Bible.

Chapters thirty-three through thirty-seven of Ezekiel describe God’s restoration of His people from different aspects. Chapter thirty-four emphasizes the coming of the Lord as a shepherd who seeks the lost sheep and brings it back to its own land.

In chapter thirty-six, we see that the Lord restores His people by life, not only outwardly but also inwardly, giving them a new heart and a new spirit and putting His Spirit within them.

Chapter thirty-seven reveals that the Lord comes to revive His dead and scattered people and make them one. From this we see that God’s captive people needed to be restored in different aspects. Because they had been driven out and scattered like sheep, they needed the Lord to seek them as their Shepherd.

Since their inward condition was impure and old, they needed a new heart and a new spirit. Because they had become dead and dry bones, they needed to be revived and united.

THE MEMORABLE PLANTING AND THE GARDEN OF EDEN

Before beginning to consider chapter thirty-seven, I would like to say a word about two matters: the memorable planting (34:29) and the garden of Eden (36:35). The memorable planting, a famous plant, is Christ. Christ is not only the good land, containing many trees whose fruits are good for food; Christ is also a memorable planting.

With regard to the expression like the garden of Eden, we need to see that, ultimately, the Lord’s restoration will reach the point where it is like the garden of Eden. Then, wherever we are in the Lord’s restoration, we will be in the garden of Eden.

Frequently, in the meetings of the local churches, we have the sense of being in the garden of Eden. In the garden of Eden we have Christ as a famous plant, the memorable planting. This means that in the church life we can enjoy the riches of Christ in a special way daily.

A CHAPTER THAT SHOWS

HOW GOD RENEWS US AND REGENERATES US

Ezekiel 34 covers mainly the outward aspects of the Lord’s restoration. In this chapter, God comes as the Shepherd who seeks and finds His people and brings them back to their good land.

Ezekiel 36 covers the inward aspect of the Lord’s restoration. In His restoration, the Lord not only brings us back outwardly but also inwardly gives us a new heart and a new spirit and puts His Spirit into our spirit.

If we see this, we will realize that the Lord’s restoration is not merely a matter of outward position and outward circumstances, but also a matter of inward nature and disposition.

In the Lord’s restoration, which is something both outward and inward, not only have our position, circumstances, and environments changed, but we also have the inward renewing of our heart and our spirit, and we receive the Spirit of God.

Outwardly there is a change, and inwardly there is a conversion. Ezekiel 36, however, does not tell us in a clear and complete way how we can have a conversion, how we can have a new heart and a new spirit, and how we can obtain the Spirit of God.

We are simply told in a general way that the Lord will give us a new heart and a new spirit and put His own Spirit within us. Thus, we need Ezekiel 37 to show us how God renews us and regenerates us.

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