LIFE-STUDY OF EZEKIEL
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 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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