Life-study of Ezekiel, week 14, Monday, message 27

LIFE-STUDY OF EZEKIEL

Message 27

THE HOLY LAND AND THE HOLY CITY

WEEK 14 - MONDAY

Scripture Reading: Ezek. 48:35b; Rev. 21:21; 22:1-2

Read and pray: “Eighteen thousand cubits all around; and the name of the city from that day shall be, Jehovah Is There.” (Ezekiel 48:35)

THE HOLY CITY

Both Ezekiel and Revelation conclude with a city, Jerusalem. Only one city in the Bible has twelve gates with the twelve names of the twelve tribes of Israel, and that is the city of Jerusalem.

Since we will eventually become the New Jerusalem, we must apply to ourselves the things mentioned in Ezekiel. This means that we should not consider Ezekiel’s words merely as prophecies.

Although the book of Ezekiel contains prophecies, we should apply this record mainly to ourselves, applying the points in Ezekiel not only to the future but also to the present.

A Mingling of God and Man

With this city is the number twelve, which is composed not of six times two but of three times four. It is three times four because there are three gates on four sides, making a total of twelve gates.

We need to remember that four is the number of the creature and that three is the number of the Triune God. Therefore, twelve signifies the mingling of the Triune God with the creatures.

Ultimately, this city is not only a mingling but also a perfect government with a complete administration. In the Bible, the number twelve also indicates a perfect government and administration in consummation. It is not only a mingling of divinity with humanity; it is also a perfect government that results from this mingling.

This mingling is for eternity. This city, which results from the mingling, will exercise full authority for God’s complete administration. The church should be like this today. This means that the church must be the mingling of God with man. As a result of such a mingling, there will be the government of the church for God’s administration on the earth.

Making All Who Enter One

The fact that the city has four sides with three gates on each side also indicates that no matter from which side we enter the city, we will be in the same city. No matter which gate we enter, we will be one. In this city we cannot be divided.

Revelation 21:21 shows us that in the New Jerusalem there is only one street. No matter from which direction we come or through which gate we enter, we will all be on the same street. On this street there is a flowing, a river, with one drink and one tree of life (22:1-2). In this city, we are all one. We have one street, one river, one flowing, one drink, one tree of life. We are one in every way.

The book of Ezekiel concludes with the words: “And the name of the city from that day shall be, Jehovah Is There” (48:35b). God dwells in the temple, and He also dwells in the city. In the temple, God has fellowship with His people, and in the city God reigns among His people. This indicates that God has come down from heaven to live with man.

We hope that this will be the situation in all the local churches. In the church as His building today, God has His temple, His dwelling place, and He also has His city for His administration. In this way, the church becomes the center for fellowship with God and for God’s reign.

If we have the proper enjoyment of Christ as the good land, there will be a result—the temple and the city. When there are the temple and the city in the good land, God will have His expression, we will enjoy God and God will enjoy us, and both we and God will have mutual satisfaction.

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Hymn: "You Are the Spirit in Our Spirit"

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Life-study of Ezekiel, week 14, Sunday, message 27

LIFE-STUDY OF EZEKIEL

Message 27

THE HOLY LAND AND THE HOLY CITY

WEEK 14 - SUNDAY

Scripture Reading: Ezek. 48:1-15, 21, 23-28; Rev. 1:6, 20:6; 22:3b-5

Read and pray: “and made us a kingdom, priests to His God and Father, to Him be the glory and the might forever and ever. Amen.” (Revelation 1:6)

The Central Portion

Ezekiel tells us that the entire land of Canaan was divided into three portions. The northern part was for seven tribes (48:1-8), the southern portion was for five tribes (vv. 23-28), and the central portion, the holy portion, was an offering to God.

Because the Lord gave the people of Israel the entire land of Canaan as their possession, He asked them to lift up the central portion back to Him as an offering. Therefore, the central part of the land was a heave offering, lifted up by the people to God (vv. 8-12).

In the central portion there was a square of twenty-five thousand reeds in length and twenty-five thousand reeds in width. One reed equals six cubits. The twenty-five thousand reeds indicate five, the number of responsibility, multiplied by five thousand. What a great amount of responsibility this indicates!

This square is called the holy heave offering and is divided into three strips. The central strip is twenty-five thousand reeds in length from east to west and ten thousand reeds in width from north to south. This was the portion for the temple; it was also the portion given to the priests, especially to the sons of Zadok, because of their faithfulness (v. 11).

This central part became their inheritance, in which was the ground for the temple. This indicates that the priests, the sons of Zadok, were those who were closest to the Lord. The Lord Himself dwelt in their inheritance, their lot. Their inheritance was the dwelling place of the Lord.

The second strip, in the south, was also twenty-five thousand reeds in length and ten thousand reeds in width. This strip belonged to the Levites who ministered to the house and to the people and helped in all the activities of service with the offerings.

The Levites were near to the Lord, but not as near as the priests (v. 13). The third strip, on the north side, measured twenty-five thousand reeds by five thousand reeds. This portion was for the city (v. 15). The city was in the central strip of this northern portion.

The rest of this strip belonged to the workers, the laborers in the city. From all this, we see that the land for the holy heave offering was divided into three parts: one part for the priests, one part for the Levites, and one part for the city with all its workers.

The map that shows the distribution of the holy land indicates that, besides the land for the holy heave offering, there was still some remainder of land on the west and on the east. These two remaining portions of land were assigned and distributed to the king, to the royal family (v. 21).

The Proximity of the Tribes to Christ Is Not the Same

The distribution of the land and the allocation of the tribes to their specific portion of the land are very significant. This picture shows us that, from Dan in the north to Gad in the south, all the Israelites enjoyed Christ, but their proximity to Christ was not the same.

The ones closest to Christ were the priests, the faithful sons of Zadok. With them were the Levites and those who worked in the city. Near to these were the royal family. Therefore, each tribe enjoyed Christ, but their distance from Christ varied.

The proximity of the tribes to Christ determined their importance. The most important people were the priests, who were closest to Christ and who maintained the fellowship between the people and the Lord. The Levites were next in their closeness to the Lord, and they maintained a service to the Lord. The service to the Lord is good, but it is not as good as the fellowship. Their service, which was necessary, was not as esteemed and precious as the fellowship.

Next, the workers of the city were the third group closest to the Lord. The city is the symbol of the divine government, so there was a work to maintain God’s government. Here we can see the fellowship, the service, and the work to maintain the divine government. In addition, there was the royal family with the king and the royalty.

The record of Ezekiel indicates that the temple was not within the city; rather, it was separate. Considering that the city signifies God’s government, the temple signifies God’s fellowship. The temple is the house of God, the dwelling place of God for His rest, and the city is the kingdom of God for His authority.

It is crucial for us to realize that all these things—the fellowship of the priests, the service of the Levites, the work to maintain God’s government, and the royalty—result from the riches of the land. This means that all the fellowship, service, work, government, rights, sovereignty, and royalty result from the enjoyment of the riches of Christ.

The more we enjoy Christ, the closer we are to Him, and the closer we are to Him, the more important we will be in His purpose. We may be like Dan or Gad, far from His presence, yet we still enjoy His riches. However, we are not as important to His economy because of the distance between us and Him.

The priests, on the contrary, are extremely crucial. Their portion is the dwelling place of the Lord. We should all aspire to be in the position of the priests. There is no need to be concerned about who will be in Dan’s place. The Lord will take care of that.

We should desire and exercise not only to be priests but also kings. Revelation 1:6 says that the Lord has made us a kingdom, priests to God and His Father. As kings and priests, we were predestined to be very close to the Lord. Therefore, we should not be content to be like Dan, far away, at the extreme north of the land.

We should be priests, the sons of Zadok, and kings who are very close to the Lord. In eternity, we will all be kings and priests (20:6; 22:3b-5). We will enjoy milk and honey—all the riches of Christ.

Today we need to learn to enjoy Christ. Instead of being so concerned with teachings and gifts, we should care for the riches of Christ. We were not predestined for teachings and gifts; we were predestined to enjoy Christ. Therefore, we need to learn to enjoy the riches of Christ as the good land. Daily we should enjoy Christ by eating Him, drinking Him, and breathing Him. This is the way to go on.

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Hymn: "All the types of old portray You, O Lord"

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Life-study of Ezekiel, week 13, Saturday, message 27

LIFE-STUDY OF EZEKIEL

Message 27

THE HOLY LAND AND THE HOLY CITY

WEEK 13 - SATURDAY

Scripture Reading: Deut. 32:13; Judg. 18; Ezek. 20:6, 34:13-15, 37:22, 40-42, 47:18-20; John 1:29, 12:24

Read and pray: “The next day he saw Jesus coming to him and said, Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29)

A Land Flowing with Milk and Honey

The land, with all its riches, is called “a land flowing with milk and honey” (20:6). Milk and honey are the product of two lives working together, the vegetable life and the animal life. It takes both the vegetable life and the animal life to produce milk and honey. To produce milk we need the cattle, the animal life, and also the pasture, the vegetable life. Milk is therefore the product of these two lives working together.

The principle is the same with honey. Honey is produced by the bees; however, the bees need the flowers of many different kinds of plants. Therefore, both milk and honey are products of these two kinds of life.

As our good land, Christ has two kinds of life; He has the vegetable life and the animal life. The Gospel of John indicates this. On the one hand, the Lord Jesus said that He was the grain of wheat (12:24); this is the vegetable life. On the other hand, this Gospel says that Christ is the Lamb of God (1:29); this is the animal life.

The animal life is for being killed so that the blood may be shed for redemption, whereas the vegetable life is for producing and generating life. A grain of wheat, falling into the ground, dies, grows, and multiplies into many grains.

Thus, with Christ we have the animal life for redemption and the vegetable life for germination. From these two lives blended together, we have the riches of Christ, the milk and the honey — for our enjoyment.

The Boundaries of the Land

Ezekiel presents the boundaries of the good land in a particular yet wonderful way. He says that the boundary on the western side is the Great Sea (47:20). This indicates that the coast of the Mediterranean Sea is the western boundary.

Ezekiel tells us that there is also a sea on the eastern side (v. 18). The sea in the east is not the Great Sea; it is the Dead Sea. At the top of the Dead Sea is the Jordan River, which continues northward to another sea, the Sea of Galilee, or the Sea of Tiberias. At another river, the river of Egypt, is the boundary of the good land on the south (v. 19).

The position of the good land between the waters of the Great Sea on the west and the waters of the Dead Sea on the east is significant. For the good land to be surrounded by water indicates that it is surrounded by death. In the Dead Sea there is nothing but death, and in the Great Sea there is salty water, which signifies death.

Moreover, in typology, the Jordan River signifies death. In this way, the good land is surrounded by death, yet it is not flooded by death. This reminds us of the land that emerged from the waters of death on the third day, thus signifying the resurrected Christ.

Certain portions of the Word indicate that the good land of Canaan is an elevated land (Deut. 32:13; Ezek. 20:40-42; 34:13-15; 37:22). The good land is an elevated land, typifying the resurrected Christ, raised from among the dead. Thus, the good land is not a low land but a high land.

Considering that the Dead Sea is hundreds of meters below sea level, Mount Zion is hundreds of meters above sea level. This means that the good land, as a type of the resurrected Christ, is an elevated land.

On the north side of the good land, there is no river as a boundary; instead, there is Mount Hermon. According to Psalm 133, the dew descends from Mount Hermon and comes down upon the mountains of Zion. This signifies that grace descends from the heavens and comes down upon all the local churches.

This elevated land with Mount Hermon typifies the resurrected Christ, who has ascended to the heavens. Now there is not only resurrection but also ascension, for Christ is not only the resurrected Christ but also the ascended Christ. He is above the waters of death, and He has ascended to the top of the mountain, Mount Hermon.

The Subdivisions of the Good Land

Regarding the subdivisions of the land, seven of the tribes of Israel were in the north and five were in the south. Of all the twelve tribes, Judah and Benjamin were the most beloved by the Lord.

When the twelve tribes were divided, only Judah and Benjamin remained with the Lord and did not participate in the division. For this reason, they were located near the Lord’s dwelling place. Because of the miserable condition of Gad, the portion of his tribe was placed at the extreme south of the land.

We must trust in the Lord’s judgment and estimation concerning us. Others may be mistaken about us, but the Lord cannot be mistaken. He is righteous and knows whether to place us in the north or in the south. He never makes a mistake.

With respect to the church life, we do not know where we should be, but the Lord knows where to place us. For example, no matter how much attention we may give to where we should go in migrating for the propagation of the church life, in the end we will be in the best place under the Lord’s sovereignty.

He knows whether we are Dan or Benjamin, Judah or Gad. We should not blame others, but rather recognize and submit to the Lord’s sovereignty. Dan, however, was never satisfied with the place where he was put. In Revelation 7, the name of Dan is not mentioned in the list of the tribes of Israel because of Dan’s idolatry and degradation (Judg. 18). The Lord temporarily removed his name from the list of the tribes.

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Hymn: Experience of Christ - “As the Good Land”

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Life-study of Ezekiel, week 13, Friday, message 27

LIFE-STUDY OF EZEKIEL

Message 27

THE HOLY LAND AND THE HOLY CITY

WEEK 13 - FRIDAY

Scripture Reading: Gen. 1:9; 7:19; 11:1-9; 12:1-8; Exo. 12—14; 2 Chr. 5:14; Ezek. 34:14

Read and pray: “And God said, Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear. And it was so.” (Gen. 1:9)

In this message, we come to the end of Ezekiel, and we will consider two matters: the holy land and the holy city.

THE HOLY LAND

The Temple Is the Issue of the Land

We need to see something further concerning the holy land. Apart from the land, there can be no temple. We may appreciate the temple very much, but we must realize that the temple is on the land and that without the land there can be no temple. The temple, which typifies the church, is the issue of the land, which typifies Christ.

Thus, the temple depends on the land. If we do not have the experience of Christ, it is impossible to have the church. The church is the issue of the enjoyment of the riches of Christ.

The History of the Land

The land is first mentioned in Genesis 1:9. On the third day of the Lord’s restoration of His creation, the land was restored, because on that day the land emerged from the waters of death. Before that time, the land was under the waters of death. But on the third day, the Lord caused the land to come out of the waters of death.

The land here in Genesis 1 typifies Christ, who was resurrected from the dead on the third day as the all-inclusive land. Every kind of life—the plant life, the animal life, and the human life—came out of this land. All kinds of living things resulted from the land.

Since the land typifies Christ, this means that all these living things resulted from Christ. Christ is the good land that God prepared for man. However, man fell and became degraded, and this caused God to judge the land again.

During Noah’s time, the land was flooded and again was covered by the waters of death (7:19). As a result, the human race lost the land. But the Lord brought the land again out of the waters of death, and the right to enjoy the land was given to Noah’s family.

Human history is a record of man’s fall. In the course of this history, Noah’s descendants fell and eventually gathered at Babel to build a tower of rebellion against God (11:1-9). Then “the Lord scattered them from there over the face of all the earth” (v. 8a).

Later, God called Abraham out of the land of Babel and brought him into Canaan, the good land (12:1-8). Eventually, however, Abraham’s descendants went down from the good land to Egypt. The whole house of Israel went down to Egypt, and thus they lost the good land.

Four hundred years later, through God’s deliverance, the people of Israel experienced the Passover, left Egypt, and passed through the Red Sea (Exo. 12—14). After forty years of wandering in the wilderness, they crossed the Jordan into the good land. Fighting against the inhabitants of the land, they recovered the lost land.

On the recovered land they built the temple, and the glory of God filled it (2 Chr. 5:14). Later, because of their turning away from the Lord and their degradation, they were taken out of the land and lost it once more.

In the midst of the captivity, Ezekiel was brought back to the land by the Spirit and saw the land. In our reading of Ezekiel, we need to pay attention to the fact that many times the Lord promised to bring His people back to the land (chs. 11, 33, 34, 36, 37).

He even promised to bring them back to the top of the high mountains of Israel (34:14). This indicates a restoration of the land. It is crucial for us to realize that before we can have the restoration of the building, we need to have the restoration of the land.

The restoration of the land means the restoration of the enjoyment of Christ. Christ Himself cannot be lost, but in our experience, Christ can be lost. When we were saved, we received Christ. However, not long afterward we fell and lost Christ in our experience.

The restoration of the land is the restoration of the experiences of the riches of Christ. Once the land had been recovered, the house could be built upon the land.

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Hymn: Experience of God - “As Life”

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Life-study of Ezekiel, week 13, Thursday, message 26

LIFE-STUDY OF EZEKIEL

Message 26

THE RIVER THAT FLOWS FROM THE HOUSE

WEEK 13 - THURSDAY

Scripture Reading: Gen 1:11-12; Ezek 47:8, 9, 10, 11, 12; Rev 3:15-16, 22:1

Read and pray: “And every living creature which swarms will live wherever the river comes, and there will be very many fish; and where these waters come, the waters of the sea will be healed, and everything will live wherever the river comes.” (Ezek 47:9)

EVERYTHING WILL LIVE
WHEREVER THE RIVER GOES

Everything will live wherever the river goes (Ezek 47:9). This river is the river of life, and only life can make things live. Mere teachings and gifts are not important here, because they cannot impart life.

Ezekiel does not say that we must all have knowledge or that we must all exercise the gifts; he says that everything will live wherever the river goes.

In this flow, the trees will live and bear fruit, delicious fruit every month (v. 12). Moreover, the water brings an abundance of fish (v. 9). The cattle are implied by the names of two cities: En-gedi and En-eglaim (v. 10). En-gedi means “spring of the lamb,” and En-eglaim means “spring of two calves.” These springs are for the young bulls, the lambs, and the calves.

From all this, we see that the flow of the river produces trees, fish, and cattle. In the proper church life there are many trees that produce fruit; therefore, there is no shortage of fruit. If the church in your locality is living, there will be fruit-bearing trees. Trees that bear fruit are an indication that there is a flow in your church. The trees grow by the living water. If there is a flow in your local church, there will surely be trees bearing an abundance of fruit.

With the flow of the river, there is also fishing (v. 10). Fishing means increase in number. If the number of people in your local church does not increase year after year, this means that there is no fishing, and if there is no fishing, it means that there is no flow. If we want to have fishing, we must have the flow.

We need a place to cast and set our net. We need to fish in order to have an increase in number. In the church life we also need some springs of lambs and springs of young bulls for feeding. Thus, we need food, we need an increase in number, and we need feeding. This will bring the mending, the building up.

Oh, how we need the trees, the fishing, and the springs! All these matters depend on one thing: the flow of the river. Once again we see how much we need the flow of the river of God.

THE RIVER FLOWS TO THE DEAD SEA

Ezekiel 47:8 says that the river flows toward the eastern sea. According to the map, the eastern sea is the Salt Sea or the Dead Sea. By the flow of the river from the house, the salty water of the Dead Sea will be healed. This means that death will be swallowed up by life.

When there is a rich and deep flow of life in a local church, much death will be swallowed up by life. However, if there is no flow, that church in particular will become a “dead sea” full of salt. But if there is the flow of the river, death will be swallowed up by life, and then the “dead sea” will be enlivened.

THE RIVER IS UNABLE TO ENLIVEN THE SWAMPS

Although the Dead Sea and the dry places can be enlivened and death can be swallowed up by life, the swamps cannot be enlivened (v. 11). A swamp is a place that is neither dry nor of flowing water. It consists partly of mud and partly of water; a swamp is neither dry nor wet. A swamp represents a situation full of compromises. This means that wherever there is a compromising situation, there is a swamp.

We should never be involved in any “swampy” situation. The Lord Jesus rebuked the church in Laodicea for being lukewarm and neither hot nor cold. He told the Laodiceans that they should be hot or cold, but not lukewarm. He also said that if they remained lukewarm, He would spew them out of His mouth (Rev 3:15-16). To be lukewarm is to be in a compromising situation, to be in a swamp.

Our position regarding the church must be absolute. If you remain in a denomination, you must remain there in an absolute way. If you are with an independent group, you must be there in an absolute way. If you are on the ground of the church, you must be there in an absolute way. You must be either cold or hot, but never lukewarm. To be lukewarm is to be in a swamp. If you leave the denominations and the independent groups and yet are not absolute for the proper ground of the church, you will be in a swamp.

It is possible for someone to be in the church life without being absolute. Such a person is a swamp. Even the Lord cannot enliven a swamp. A swamp is a neutral place, a place halfway, a place of compromise.

Some saints are neither in Babylon nor in Jerusalem, but in a place halfway between Babylon and Jerusalem. This means that they are in a swamp, and even are a swamp. We need very much to be absolute in the flow or remain on dry land. If we remain in a “muddy” or swampy situation, the Lord cannot do anything with us.

It is very easy to enter into a swamp, but it is very difficult to get out of one. The church must be in an absolute place. Therefore, for the church life we need to be absolute.

The church must also be a place according to its kind. Genesis 1:11-12 says that the grass, the trees, and the plants bear fruit according to their own kind. An apple tree cannot produce a peach-apple. To produce a peach-apple, that is, something not according to its kind, is to be in a swamp. A man must be a man and a woman must be a woman; no one can be a man-woman.

If you are in a denomination, be there according to your kind. If you are in an independent group, be there according to your kind. Likewise, if a group of saints in a certain locality are the church there, they must be the church according to their kind.

If you are in the Lord’s recovery, be there in an absolute way, not just halfway. Come all the way back from Babylon to Jerusalem. If you stop halfway, you will become a swamp, and you will not have any flow, not even a trickle of water. Instead, you will have water only to become “muddy.” You will be a swamp, and a swamp cannot be enlivened.

Throughout all my years in the Lord’s recovery, I have never seen a swamp that has been enlivened. In Revelation 22:11 the Lord Jesus says: “He who is unrighteous, let him be unrighteous still; and he who is filthy, let him be filthy still; and he who is righteous, let him practice righteousness still; and he who is holy, let him be holy still.”

Here we see that the Lord Jesus desires and requires that we be absolute. We must learn to be absolute. By being absolute, we will be in the flow, and the flow will not be a trickle of water, but a river in which one can swim. Then everything will live wherever the river goes.

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Hymn: Fullness of the Spirit - “Like the Spirit of Life”

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Life-study of Ezekiel, week 13, Wednesday, message 26

LIFE-STUDY OF EZEKIEL

Message 26

THE RIVER THAT FLOWS FROM THE HOUSE

WEEK 13 - WEDNESDAY

Scripture Reading: Ezekiel 47

Read and pray: “Jesus said to them, Children, do you have anything to eat? They answered Him, No. Then He said to them, Cast the net on the right side of the boat and you will find some. So they cast it, and now they were not able to draw it in because of the great number of fish.” (John 21:5-6)

THE DEPTH OF THE FLOW

DEPENDS ON HOW MUCH WE HAVE BEEN

MEASURED AND TAKEN BY THE LORD

You may be wondering how we can determine how much we have been measured and possessed by the Lord. We determine this by the depth of the river. If the river is only at our ankles, this proves that we have not been fully measured by the Lord.

The depth of the river depends on how much we have been measured by the Lord. There is no need to argue and justify ourselves. Instead, we should simply consider the depth of our flow.

How deep is your flow? Is it up to the ankles? Up to the knees? Up to the loins? Has the flow become a river that cannot be crossed? Has the flow become waters to swim in? We need to consider our personal situation in this way.

The same principle applies to the local churches. There is no need to argue about the church in your locality. You may say that the church in which you meet is the best. Your church may be the best according to your concept, but it may not be the best according to the flow.

You may claim to have a flow, but how deep is that flow? Consider the depth of the flow in the church where you meet. The flow may be only up to the ankles or knees or the loins. Perhaps the flow is a river that cannot be crossed, and therefore it may be waters to swim in.

The depth of the flow in each local church depends on the degree of the Lord’s measuring and possession. In this matter, we may deceive others, but we cannot deceive the Lord. He knows the depth of the flow where we are.

We all need to be measured and possessed by the Lord. For His measuring, the Lord needs our cooperation. It is difficult for the Lord to measure us, judge us, possess us, and take us without proper cooperation on our part. May we cry out to the Lord for His mercy that, through His measuring in all the local churches, there would be a river that no one can cross.

GRACE VERSUS SELF-EFFORT

It is easy to walk on dry land, but the flow of the river makes it difficult to walk. When the water is up to the ankles, we can still walk, but it is not very convenient. When the water is up to the knees, it is more difficult to walk. When the water is up to the loins, it is very difficult to walk.

This indicates that before we enjoyed the Lord’s grace as the flow, we were able to do whatever we liked. When we experience the Lord’s flow only in a superficial way, we can still walk by our own effort.

But when the flow becomes deeper, reaching the knees, walking becomes much more difficult. We have grace, but the amount of grace we have is not sufficient, so we continue to exercise our own effort.

When the flow increases, it troubles, restricts, and frustrates us. When the flow of grace rises higher, to the loins, that is the most difficult time to be a Christian. Our situation becomes quite strange. For example, on the one hand, we may have enough grace and it is difficult for us to lose our temper; on the other hand, we may not have enough grace to overcome our temper.

We have grace, but we still need to exercise our own effort. This is a dilemma. The river of grace is with us, but it is not deep enough. But once the flow of grace becomes so deep that we cannot cross it, we will praise the Lord and begin to swim in the river. When we swim, we stop trying to stand. Instead, we abandon our own effort and begin to swim in the river.

The less grace we receive from the Lord, the more we need to use our own strength. But when we receive an abundance of grace, we no longer need to use our own strength. Instead, we lay aside our own effort and allow the flow of the river to carry us along. As we are carried along in this way, we can easily follow the Lord and let Him take us wherever He wants to take us.

I am concerned that many among us have not yet abandoned their own effort, but are still trying to stand on their own. They continue to struggle by their efforts to remain standing. This means that they are exercising their own effort to be overcomers.

Those who are in such a situation need to realize that they need more grace. They need a deeper flow so that they would give up trying to stand and instead swim in the river. The best way to swim in the river is to place our trust in the flow of the river, forget our own efforts, and let the flow carry us along.

When we receive an abundance of grace, this is our experience. Although the grace is sufficient, we still need to follow along with the flow of the Lord’s grace. When we are being carried by the river, we should not try to have our own direction. We should abandon our direction and move in the direction of the flow. However, the flow may be in one direction, but our intention is to move in the opposite direction. For this reason, the Lord often has problems with us.

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Life-study of Ezekiel, week 13, Tuesday, message 26

LIFE-STUDY OF EZEKIEL

Message 26

The river that flows from the house

WEEK 13 - TUESDAY

Scripture reading: Num. 2:3; Ezek. 40:3, 43:2, 47:1, 3-5

Read and pray: “The man went out toward the east with a line in his hand, and he measured a thousand cubits and made me pass through the waters, waters that reached to the ankles.” (Ezekiel 47:3)

WATER FLOWING FROM UNDER

THE THRESHOLD OF THE TEMPLE

Ezekiel 47:1a says, “Then he brought me back to the entrance of the temple, and there was water flowing from under the threshold of the temple toward the east.” For water to flow, there must be a threshold, an opening, through which it can flow. This indicates that if, through Christ, we have more fellowship with God and draw near to Him, there will be an opening that allows the living water of God to flow out of the church.

THE RIVER FLOWS TO THE EAST

The river proceeds from the house and flows to the east (v. 1b). The east is the direction of the glory of the Lord (Num. 2:3; Ezek. 43:2). The flowing toward the east indicates that the river of God always flows in the direction of the glory of God. The river is concerned with the glory of God.

Everything in the church life must be for the glory of God. For example, in our preaching of the gospel, we must seek the glory of God. If our preaching of the gospel is for the glory of God, there will be an outlet for the living water.

However, if we do not care for the glory of God, the flow will be limited. Everyone in the church must seek and care for the glory of God. Then the living water will flow out of the church.

THE WATER FLOWS FROM
THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE HOUSE

Ezekiel 47:1c also tells us that the water flowed from the right side of the house. According to the Bible, the right side signifies the highest position. The flowing of the water from the right side indicates that the Lord’s flow must have the preeminence. We need to give the Lord the highest position, and we also need to give the Lord’s flow the highest position. Then the flow will be predominant and will become the controlling factor in our living and work.

IT FLOWS FROM THE SIDE OF THE ALTAR

The flow is from the side of the altar (v. 1d). This indicates that the flow is always by the cross. If we do not have the dealing of the cross, the flow will be frustrated. If we want to have the flow, we must have the dealing of the cross. We need to be willing to pass through the cross so that the flow may come.

THE MAN WITH A MEASURING LINE

The main point here is the man with a measuring line in his hand (v. 3). This man, who is the Lord Jesus Himself, has the appearance of bronze (40:3). As we have pointed out, bronze in typology, or copper, signifies judgment and trials.

The Lord Jesus was tried and judged as a man, and because He was tried and judged, He is now trying and judging. Because He has been tried, He is qualified to try, and because He has been judged, He is qualified to judge.

He is the only one with the measuring line in His hand, fully qualified to measure us. We said previously that to measure means to try, to judge, and to possess. When a sister is about to buy a piece of cloth, she first examines the cloth and then measures it. Whatever measure she takes will also be what she possesses. This indicates that to measure is to examine, test, judge, and ultimately take and possess.

THE FLOW OF THE RIVER IS MEASURED

The man came with a measuring line in his hand to measure the flow of the river (47:3-5).

HE MEASURED A THOUSAND CUBITS

When this man measured the river for the first time, there was only a trickle of water coming out of the house. Then he measured a thousand cubits, and the flow became deeper, to the ankles (v. 3). Again he measured a thousand cubits, and the flow became deeper, to the knees (v. 4). After that, the man measured another thousand cubits, and the flow became even deeper, to the loins (v. 4). When He measured a thousand cubits the fourth time, the flow became a river that could not be crossed, and the river became waters to swim in.

In the Bible, the number one thousand represents a complete unit. For example, in Psalm 84:10, the psalmist says that one day in the courts of the Lord is better than a thousand elsewhere. Since one thousand represents a complete unit, to measure a thousand means to measure a complete unit; it is a complete measure.

If we want to enjoy the flow from the house, we need to be measured completely. If we want to enjoy a deeper flow, we need to be measured, that is, tried, examined, judged, and taken by the Lord. Our motives, our intentions, our goals, our aims, our desires—all must be judged. Everything we possess and everything we are involved in must be judged. This will deepen the flow within us.

When we are judged by the Lord, we need to make a thorough confession. We need to allow the Lord to be our Judge and let Him bring us into His light and expose us. Then we should say to Him, “Lord, everything You have judged is now Yours. I ask You, Lord, take full possession of me.”

The Lord’s judgments and trials upon us are not once for all. In Ezekiel 47, the man did not measure once, twice, or even three times; he measured four times. In the Bible, four is the number of the creature. The four measurements here indicate that, as a creature, we need to be fully judged and tried by the Lord and then fully taken by Him.

To be fully taken by the Lord is not an easy experience. We may think that we have been fully taken by the Lord, but after a period of time, we will realize that we still have some reserve. Then we will be tried and judged again, and after that we will have another consecration to the Lord, saying, “Lord, take this and possess it.”

We may think that the Lord has taken everything, but the Lord knows that He has gained us only to a certain extent. Therefore, after some time, we may again realize that we have reserved and preserved much for ourselves. Once more, we will make our confession to the Lord and experience His trial and judgment.

Even after many years, we may still not be fully taken by the Lord, and therefore we will again need to be measured, tried, judged, and possessed by Him.

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Life-study of Ezekiel, week 13, Monday, message 26

LIFE-STUDY OF EZEKIEL

Message 26

THE RIVER THAT FLOWS FROM THE HOUSE

WEEK 13 - MONDAY

Scripture Reading: Gen. 2:9, 10; Exo. 15:27, 17:6; Num. 20:11, 21:16-17; Judg. 15:19; Psa. 36:8; 46:4; Ezek. 43:10-11, 47:1-12; Joel 3:18; Zech. 14:8; John 4:14, 7:37-38, 17:23; 1 Cor. 10:4

Read and pray: “Then when I had returned, behold, at the bank of the river were very many trees on the one side and on the other.” (Ezekiel 47:7)

THE RIVER THAT FLOWS FROM THE HOUSE

The book of Ezekiel speaks of two rivers. The first river, in chapter one, is the river Chebar, which was in the place where the people of God had been kept in captivity. The second river, in chapter forty-seven, is the river of life in the holy land. The first river is for carrying out judgment; the second is a river for the supply of life.

To be near the river Chebar is to be in a place of discipline, but to be near the river of living water is to be in a place to receive life. In this message we will consider the river that flows from the house.

GOD IS FOOD AND WATER TO MAN

Genesis 2 speaks of the tree of life (v. 9) and of a river that went out of Eden to water the garden (v. 10). Both the tree and the river signify that God desires to impart Himself to man as life.

The tree of life indicates that God desires that we eat Him, and the river indicates that God desires that we drink Him. The tree and the river in Genesis 2 are the beginning of two lines—one concerning God as living food and the other concerning God as living water—which run through the entire Bible until they consummate as the tree of life and the river of the water of life in Revelation 22.

With regard to God as man’s food, the Bible speaks of the flesh of the lamb, the unleavened bread, the manna, the various offerings, and all the produce, both of animal and vegetable origin, of the good land of Canaan.

In John 6, the Lord Jesus spoke clearly concerning this: “I am the bread of life” (v. 48); “I am the living bread which came down out of heaven” (v. 51); “For My flesh is true food, and My blood is true drink” (v. 55); “He who eats Me, he also shall live because of Me” (v. 57).

With regard to God as water for man to drink, the Bible speaks of the springs (Exo. 15:27), the water from the rock (17:6; Num. 20:11; 1 Cor. 10:4), the water of the well (Num. 21:16-17), and water that comes out of the ground (Judg. 15:19). Psalm 36:8b says, “And You cause them to drink of the river of Your pleasures.”

Psalm 46:4 says, “There is a river whose streams gladden the city of God, the sanctuary of the tabernacles of the Most High.” Joel 3:18 says, “A fountain shall come forth from the house of the Lord.” Zechariah 14:8 says, “In that day living waters shall go out from Jerusalem.” The Gospel of John speaks of the living water in 4:14 and 7:37-38.

These portions of the Word reveal that God as living water flows from eternity to us to quench our thirst. The portion of the Word that describes the flowing of God’s living water in the most detail is Ezekiel 47.

It is significant that the flowing of the river of life is not in chapter one. In that chapter, instead of the river of life, there was a consuming fire. In chapter thirty-seven there was a wind that became breath to us, but there was no water flowing. The flowing of the water did not begin until chapter forty-seven. The water could not come before chapter forty-seven because the house had not yet been built.

THE FACTORS THAT PRODUCE THE RIVER

Several crucial factors brought in the flowing of the river. The first was the building and completion of the house. After this, the people began to live according to the house, according to its plan, laws, and statutes. Their daily life and all their conduct became according to the plan, arrangement, pattern, statutes, and laws of the house (43:10-11).

Then those who serve, the priests, served the Lord in a proper way. Finally, there were all the offerings: one lamb out of every two hundred, one-sixth of the wheat and barley, and one-hundredth of the oil. There were yearly offerings, monthly offerings, daily offerings, and all the feasts.

We need to realize that the experience of all these matters brought in the flowing of the river. When the Lord saw all these things, He must have been very happy. He had a house—a place for His throne, a place for the soles of His feet, a place where He could dwell for His rest and satisfaction. He saw the house with its plan and statutes, and He saw the priests and the offerings. Therefore, He sent forth the flowing of the river, and the river began to flow from the house.

Now we can understand why there is no mention of the flowing of the river before chapter forty-seven. The flowing of the river depends on the building. When and where a group of believers is built up in oneness as described by Ezekiel, there will be a river flowing out of the building.

If there is the building in your locality, the flowing will come out of it. Suppose that, concerning the church in your locality, the Lord could say, “This is the place of My throne, this is the place where I can set the soles of My feet, and this is the place where I can dwell, rest, and be satisfied.” If the Lord is able to say this concerning your locality, the river will surely flow out of the building.

Today many zealous Christians pay attention to the preaching and the work of the gospel in the mission field, but their situation is quite poor. They go out to work for the Lord, but no flowing follows them, because they neglect the source—the building up of the church.

There can be no flowing apart from the genuine building. If there is a strong building in the local churches, there will be a river flowing from the building to other places. There will be the flowing, the gushing, and the impact. How much we need the building! We need the church to be built up as the temple, the house of God. As a result of such building, the flowing of God will gush forth. The outreach depends on the building. The preaching of the gospel depends on the building.

This is why in John 17:23 the Lord Jesus says that when we are perfected into one, the world will know that the Father has sent the Son. This means that when we are built up as one, the world will be convinced. The divisive situation of Christianity greatly limits the impact of the gospel.

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Life-study of Ezekiel, week 12, Saturday, message 25

LIFE-STUDY OF EZEKIEL

Message 25

THE PRIESTS AND THE OFFERINGS

WEEK 12 - SATURDAY

Scripture Reading: Num. 19:11; Ezek. 44:21-27; 1 John 1:9, 7

Read and pray: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)

Not Drinking Wine

“No priest shall drink wine when he enters the inner court” (Ezek. 44:21). Here we are told that the priests who minister directly to the Lord in the inner court were not permitted to drink wine. Wine signifies worldly, physical pleasure and joy. Those who serve the Lord in a direct way should have nothing to do with the “wine” of worldly pleasures.

They Shall Not Marry a

Widow or a Divorced Woman

Verse 22 says, “They shall not marry a widow or a divorced woman, but shall take virgins of the offspring of the house of Israel or a widow who is the widow of a priest.” This means that in our contact and relationship with others, we need to be pure and simple. However, if we contact others in an impure way, we will be contaminated with an impure element.

Teaching God’s People the

Difference Between the Holy and the Common

Verse 23 continues, “They shall teach My people the difference between the holy and the common and cause them to discern between the unclean and the clean.” A priest must be able to teach God’s people what is holy and what is common, and what is clean and what is unclean. One who approaches God as a priest must be able to discern these things and also be able to teach others to discern.

Standing Before God to

Judge a Dispute

Verse 24a says, “In a dispute they shall stand to judge it.” When there was a dispute, the parties involved came before the priest. The priest then made a judgment, not according to his own opinion, but according to God’s judgments.

If, as those who fear God and draw near to Him, we are invited to resolve a dispute, we need to ask God what He would say concerning this matter and then judge according to God’s will. This means that, in helping to resolve difficult matters, we need to be before the Lord with a fearing heart. Then we need to touch the Lord’s feeling and judge accordingly.

Keeping God’s Laws and Statutes

in God’s Feasts

“My laws and My statutes they shall keep in all My appointed feasts” (v. 24b). All the feasts, or “assemblies,” are related to the gracious history of God’s salvation. Thus, if we want to serve God as priests, we need to remember the gracious history of God’s salvation, including His crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.

Sanctifying God’s Sabbaths

“And they shall sanctify My Sabbaths” (v. 24c). The Sabbath indicates that God has done everything; therefore, God rests. To keep or sanctify the Sabbath means that we accept all that God has done and rest in all that God has accomplished.

Instead of trying to do something in addition to what God has done, we should simply enjoy what God has done and take what He has accomplished as our satisfaction and rest. This means that we do not depend on what we do, but on what God has done.

Not Being Defiled by the Dead

A priest who served the Lord directly in His presence could not be defiled by any dead person (v. 25). This means that we should not contact those who are spiritually dead. We should not touch any “corpse.”

Spiritually speaking, many Christians are dead, even to the point of stinking. If you contact them and listen to them, they will make you dead, partially if not totally. Having nothing positive to say, they will speak only negative things, perhaps criticizing the elders, the co-workers, or various saints. Contact with such dead persons can make us dead and negative.

Thus, when we realize that we are in the presence of this kind of person, we should avoid contact with them. Otherwise, we will be defiled by their death. To be defiled by death is more serious than to be defiled by something sinful.

If we are defiled by something sinful, we can confess, receive the application of Christ’s blood, and be immediately cleansed (1 John 1:9, 7). However, if we are defiled by death, it will take a period of time before we can be washed and cleansed from that impurity (cf. Num. 19:11).

Some of us have had this kind of experience. After spending a short time with a spiritually dead and negative believer, we find that we cannot pray or function in the meetings for a period of time, perhaps for several days. This should warn us about spending time with dead persons. Stay away from them!

Do not think that you can help them. Rather, their death will spread to you. Those who are spiritually dead may be very alive with respect to worldly or negative things, but with respect to the church, they are dead. As far as the church life is concerned, they are dead. If we want to serve the Lord in a direct way, we must keep ourselves away from dead persons and thus keep ourselves away from the impurity of death.

Offering the Sin Offering

“On the day that he goes into the sanctuary, into the inner court, to minister in the sanctuary, he shall offer his sin offering, declares the Lord God.” (Ezek. 44:27). Whenever we come to God, we need to offer the sin offering, even if we are not conscious of any impurity. Every time we come to God, we need to apply the Lord’s redemption and receive the cleansing of His precious blood.

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Hymn: Experience of God - “By Exercising the Spirit”

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Life-study of Ezekiel, week 13, Sunday, message 25

LIFE-STUDY OF EZEKIEL

Message 25

THE PRIESTS AND THE OFFERINGS

WEEK 13 - SUNDAY

Scripture Reading: Ezek. 44:28-30; 45:13-21, 25; 46:4, 6, 13; John 6:9

Read and pray: “I am their inheritance. You shall give them no possession in Israel; I am their possession” (Ezek. 44:28b)

Having Only God as Their Possession

“I am their inheritance. You shall give them no possession in Israel; I am their possession” (v. 28b). This reveals that the priests have no possession besides God. Their possession is God Himself, and they enjoy God as their supply.

All those who serve have only God Himself as their inheritance, their possession. This indicates that, as today’s priests, we should not expect to be materially rich. Instead, we need to realize that our God, whom we serve, is our possession, our inheritance.

Enjoying the Riches of Christ

Finally, all the priests enjoy the riches of Christ. All the heave offerings, all the firstfruits, and all the produce of the Lord’s people belonged to these servants (vv. 29-30). This indicates that the riches of Christ were for their enjoyment. They had God as their possession, and they had Christ in all His rich aspects as their enjoyment. May we all serve the Lord in this way.

THE OFFERINGS

Requiring Richness in the Experience of Christ

The responsibility of the priest was to present the offerings to God. In this matter, the record in Ezekiel may seem peculiar. Moses told the Lord’s people to offer God one lamb out of ten, but Ezekiel told them to offer one out of two hundred (45:15).

This indicates that if we do not produce large amounts of the enjoyment of Christ, we are not qualified to offer anything. Anything less than two hundred lambs would not be adequate. If we want to be qualified to offer one lamb, we must first raise two hundred lambs. This means that our richness in the experience of Christ qualifies us to offer something.

The principle is the same with the wheat and the barley. Ezekiel 45:13 says, “This is the offering that you shall offer: one-sixth of an ephah from each homer of wheat, and one-sixth of an ephah from each homer of barley.”

A homer equals ten ephahs, and the offering must be one-sixth of an ephah. Thus, it was necessary to offer one part out of sixty. This is different from Moses’ requirement, which was one part out of ten. Those who had less than one homer of wheat were not qualified to offer anything.

If someone had one homer of wheat, he was qualified to offer one-sixth to God. In order to present a wheat offering, one had to be rich in wheat. In contrast to Moses’ requirement, Ezekiel’s requirement compels us to be rich.

The offering of oil also required an abundant supply. Ezekiel 45:14 says, “The prescribed portion of oil shall be one-tenth of a bath out of each cor; a cor, like a homer, contains ten baths.” A homer equals ten baths, and the people were told to offer one-tenth of a bath.

To offer one-tenth of a bath out of a homer is to offer one percent. One must be rich in the produce of Christ in order to offer an oil offering to the Lord. Those who were not rich were not qualified to offer anything. The offering of wheat and barley would be one-sixth; of oil, one percent; and of lambs, one out of two hundred.

Three Categories of Heave Offering

In the writings of Moses there are many kinds of offerings, but Ezekiel mentions only three categories for the offering: wheat and barley, oil, and lambs. The heave offering was lifted up into the air, which typifies the ascended Christ, the highest Christ. In our service to God, we need to “heave” Christ, that is, to offer the ascended Christ, the highest Christ, to God.

In the book "The All-inclusive Christ," we have shown that wheat typifies the incarnated Christ to die for us. In John 12:24, the Lord Jesus compared Himself to a grain of wheat falling into the ground to die. From His incarnation to His crucifixion, He was wheat.

Barley typifies Christ in resurrection, because in Palestine barley is the first grain to be harvested. Thus, barley typifies the firstfruits of resurrection. It is significant that the Lord Jesus fed the five thousand with barley loaves (John 6:9). Wheat and barley typify Christ from the time of His incarnation to His resurrection.

As we know, the lamb typifies the redeeming Christ, and the oil typifies the Holy Spirit. These are the main aspects of the offering we have to present in our service. All these are related to Christ, for Christ is the wheat, the barley, the lamb, and the oil.

When to Offer:

The Annual Offering

According to the record in Ezekiel, there were the annual offering, the monthly offering, the weekly offering, and the daily offering. The annual offering was presented on the first day of the year, signifying that, in principle, every year we should have a new beginning (45:18-19).

Every year we need a new cleansing and purification. The annual offering was presented not only on the first day of the year but also on the seventh day of the year (v. 20). This indicates a period of grace for the people.

Some were not ready on the first day of the year to cleanse themselves fully from their situations and be purified, so the Lord gave them another opportunity on the seventh day. If they missed the first day, they had another opportunity on the seventh day.

In principle, at the beginning of every year we need a renewal in our service to the Lord. At the beginning of every year, we need a new beginning in our service.

The Monthly Offering

There was also the monthly offering at the time of the new moon. Whenever there was a new moon, an offering had to be made (46:6). The new moon also indicates a new beginning. We need a new beginning not only yearly but also monthly.

The Weekly Offering

Furthermore, there was a weekly offering. An offering had to be made every week on the Sabbath (v. 4). The Sabbath signifies not only that we have a new direction but also that we are enjoying the Lord’s work.

Keeping the Sabbath means that we stop our work and appreciate what the Lord has done. Keeping the Sabbath indicates that we are not trusting in our work, but are fully trusting in and enjoying the Lord’s work. We need to be able to declare to the universe: “Our work has ceased, and we are enjoying the Lord’s work.” This is the principle of the Sabbath.

The Daily Offering

There was also a daily offering (v. 13). The daily offering in Ezekiel is different from the daily offering required by Moses. Moses said that the daily burnt offering should be continual both in the morning and in the evening, but in Ezekiel there is no evening offering.

I believe this indicates that in the service of the priests there is no night; they are continually in the freshness of the morning. The situation in Ezekiel improved to such an extent that there was no night, only morning. There was no sunset, only sunrise.

The Offerings at the Appointed Feasts

In addition to the annual, monthly, weekly, and daily offerings, there were also the offerings at the appointed feasts—at the Feast of the Passover, the Feast of Unleavened Bread, and the Feast of Tabernacles (45:21, 25). We praise the Lord for the offerings and for the feasts! Now we know what kind of priests we need to be to serve the Lord and what we need to offer to the Lord.

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