SECOND CASE - THE NEED OF THE IMMORAL—LIFE’S SATISFYING

We come to the case of the Samaritan woman in John 4. This case is the second of the nine cases. There is a great contrast between this case and that of Nicodemus in chapter three. Nicodemus was a moral, high-class man; the Samaritan woman was an immoral, low-class woman. The first case sets forth a man with superior attainments while the second sets forth a woman with dishonorable behavior. The man was a Jew whereas the woman was a Samaritan. The Jewish religion was very sound, proper, real, and genuine, but the Samaritan’s religion was false and very decadent. It is also interesting to note that the Lord talked with the man at night, but that He talked with the woman at midday. In the nighttime the man came to the Lord; in the daytime the Lord came to the woman. The place where the Lord talked with the man was in a house or a building, but He talked with the woman in the open air.

In the case of Nicodemus the first need of mankind is covered. According to spiritual experience, mankind’s first need is regeneration. In God’s economy man’s first need is regeneration. God’s economy is that man have His divine life and be one with Him in life and nature for the fulfillment and accomplishment of His eternal purpose. God’s eternal purpose is to have a group of people who have been regenerated by His divine life and who are the same as He is in both life and nature, that they might become His corporate expression for eternity. This is God’s eternal purpose and this is God’s economy. In order to fulfill this purpose, we must be regenerated that we may have His divine life.

The kingdom of God is entered only by birth, never by works. For example, a bird is in the bird kingdom only by birth; a fish can never enter the bird kingdom by any kind of work. The only possible way for you to enter any kind of kingdom is by having a particular kind of birth. Therefore, the first aspect of the Lord becoming our life is that He gives us divine life by means of a divine birth, which is the only way to share the things of the kingdom of God.

What is man’s second need? What is his need following regeneration? The second need is satisfaction. In chapter three the problem is that man is void of the divine life. Regardless of how good or superior you may be, it means nothing as far as God’s eternal purpose is concerned. As long as you have not been regenerated, you are void of the divine life. You only have human life. The human life is simply a vessel to contain the divine life. If you do not have the divine life, you are void. You are just an empty vessel. Although your human life may be wonderful, you do not have the divine life. The divine life is God Himself. You need this divine life to fill you up as your content. Your human life is a container to contain this divine life. When this divine life is within you, it becomes your content. As your content, it will also be your satisfaction.

Before we were saved, we all had the experience of being empty. Regardless of our success or attainments, there was a continual emptiness within, the sensation of having no satisfaction. Whether we were good or bad, we were empty. Although we had the container, the vessel, we did not have the content. We were empty. Young and old, rich and poor, high and low—all are empty. One day we received the Lord Jesus. We not only obtained God’s salvation, but we also received the divine life, which immediately became our content. Now we have satisfaction. Therefore, following the case showing the need of regeneration, we have a case showing genuine satisfaction. Nothing can satisfy man except Christ Himself. As long as Christ is not the satisfaction of our human life, nothing can satisfy us. There is no satisfaction apart from Christ. As human beings, we always feel thirsty; only Christ can quench our thirst.

Amen!!

SECOND CASE - THE NEED OF THE IMMORAL—LIFE’S SATISFYING

A THIRSTY SAVIOR AND A THIRSTY SINNER

While Nicodemus was a pure-blooded Jew, the Samaritan woman was of mixed blood. Everything related to her was a ruin; nothing was pure or good. The Samaritans claimed to be the descendants of Jacob. At most, they were his descendants by mixed blood. While the name of Nicodemus is given, no one knows the name of the Samaritan woman. Because she was mean and low, the Bible does not divulge her name. She was altogether a mixture.

She was an extraordinary case among all of the cases. If you read the Bible carefully, you will find that everything about her was extraordinary. Even her coming out to the well to draw water was extraordinary. According to the custom in the Middle East, the women come to draw water in the late afternoon, not at noontime. When the sun is going down, the women come to draw water in companies. However, this Samaritan woman came to draw water at noontime by herself. Why did she do this? Because she had a bad name, and no one would keep company with her. She was afraid of being talked about, of being criticized, and she did not dare come in the late afternoon when so many other people would be there. She came at noon when the sun was blazing and when no one else would come out of the house. This woman was poor and immoral. She had had five husbands and was living with one that was not her husband. No one cared for her. She knew this and came to draw water at such a lonely time, expecting that no one would see her.

There are many signs (spiritual significances) in this case. The case itself is a sign, but within this sign, there are many signs. The case itself signifies that Christ is our satisfaction, but one of the signs within the case is the woman.

According to the types and figures in the Scriptures, what does a woman signify? Firstly, a woman signifies that humanity needs to rely upon God. Man can never stand alone; he must rely upon God, who is both his Maker and Husband (Isa. 54:5). Brothers, allow me to ask you this question: Is your standing before God that of a male or a female? My position before God is not that of a man, but of a woman, because I can never stand alone. I need God to rely upon. A woman signifies a person who cannot stand alone. This is both your position and mine. In figure, we are either males or females, but in reality we are all females. None of us can stand by himself. Man can never be independent. You were created to be dependent upon God. Whenever anyone tries to be independent, he will be dissatisfied, because God created man inherently dependent.

A woman also signifies weakness (1 Pet. 3:7). We human beings must realize that we are weak. We are all weak because we are all human. Do not think that your wife is a weak vessel and that you are a strong one. Although this may be true figuratively, in fact both men and women are weak. In some cases, as far as spiritual things are concerned, the brothers are weaker than the sisters. When the Lord Jesus was about to be betrayed and put to death, the sisters in the New Testament were stronger than the brothers. The sisters were much stronger at the time of the Lord’s death, resurrection, and ascension. Even in loving the Lord, Mary was the strongest. We are all human and we were all made weak and dependent so that we would have to rely upon the Lord.

The significance of a woman also includes an inner longing and thirst, which were created by God. Of course, a man has the need for a wife as a helpmate, but a woman needs a husband much more. A woman always has the longing and desire to have satisfaction. In the human nature of both man and woman, there is always the inner thirst for satisfaction. The Lord created that thirst so that we might seek Him. You always feel thirsty and you always feel an inner lack. These are the signs that you are a woman. Your need to rely on others and your sense of dependence, weakness, and thirst for satisfaction all indicate that you are a woman.

The Savior “Had to Pass through” the Sinner’s Place

We need to pay close attention to 4:4. “And He had to pass through Samaria.” The key word in this verse is “had.” Undoubtedly, this Samaritan woman had been foreknown and predestinated by God the Father in eternity past (Rom. 8:29). Certainly she had been given by the Father to the Lord Jesus (6:39). Such a low, mean, and immoral Samaritan woman was given to the Lord by the Father. Therefore, the Lord was burdened and went to Samaria to do the will of the Father. Later, He told His disciples, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work” (4:34). The Lord went to Samaria to do the will of God, which was to find that immoral Samaritan woman. He was seeking her that she might become a worshipper of the Father. That one soul was worth the Lord’s going there purposely. According to history, no Jew would ever pass through Samaria. Samaria was the leading region of the northern kingdom of Israel and the place where its capital was (1 Kings 16:24, 29). Before 700 B.C., the Assyrians captured Samaria and brought people from Babylon and other heathen countries to the cities of Samaria (2 Kings 17:6, 24). From that time, the Samaritans became a people of mixed blood, heathen mixed with Jew. History tells us that they had the Pentateuch (the five books of Moses) and worshipped God according to that part of the Old Testament, but they were never recognized by the Jews as being a part of the Jewish people.

Although the Jews would never pass through Samaria, the Lord Jesus felt burdened to do so. He had to go there, not because it was necessary geographically, but because of the will of the Father. Because of the Father’s will, He had to go through that region. The Lord knew that at noontime an immoral woman would be at the well.

The Savior Came to the Sinner’s Traditional Religious Inheritance—Jacob’s Well

The Lord was sovereign and wise. Before the woman came, He found a good excuse to send all of His disciples away. If any of the disciples had been there, it would not have been so good. It would not have been as convenient for the Lord to talk to that immoral woman about her husbands. So the Lord, in His sovereignty and wisdom, sent His disciples away to the city to buy food. Perhaps the Lord was thinking, “Please leave Me alone. I’m waiting for that immoral woman. Because she is so immoral, she doesn’t want to see anyone or talk to anyone. But I am going to touch her conscience with the history of all her husbands. You disciples must leave.” Without the excuse of buying food, how could the Lord have sent the disciples away? While the disciples went away to purchase the food, the woman came.

Suppose the Lord was in a house at midnight and this woman came to speak to Him during the night, and the disciples saw it. They probably would have said, “What are You doing here, Jesus? You are a man a little over thirty years of age and she is such a woman. What is going on here?” In His sovereignty and wisdom, the Lord waited for the woman to come under the bright sunshine and in the open air. Even under the open air, there was no one present to listen to the conversation. When the Lord and the Samaritan woman had finished their talk, the disciples returned and saw them, but they had nothing to say. That conversation did not transpire in a private room; it was in the open air. How wise was the Lord Jesus!

The point here is this: the Savior knows where the sinner is. He knows the sinner’s true situation. The Lord Jesus went to the well, sent all of His disciples away, and sat by the well, waiting until the woman came. If you look back into your salvation, you will realize that, to some extent at least, the same principle was operating. You did not go to heaven—the Lord came to you. What about you? You did not go to meet the Savior, did you? The Savior came to you. Some have been saved as a result of an automobile accident. Nevertheless, they must realize that before the accident occurred, the Lord Jesus was already waiting to meet them. We all were saved in this way. This is marvelous.

While the Lord Jesus was waiting for the sinner to come, He was thirsty. Thus, in this second of the cases, we see a thirsty Savior and a thirsty sinner. You may think that you are thirsty, but your thirst is a sign that the Savior is thirsty. The Savior is thirsty for us, for, to Him, we are the thirst-quenching water. Do you realize that you are the thirst-quenching water to the Savior? It seems that the Savior is saying, “Nothing can satisfy Me except you. I have millions of angels in the heavens, but none of them can satisfy Me. I have come to the earth to seek the thirst-quenching water. You are the water.” You may be quite humble and say, “No, He is my living water. How can I be His thirst-quenching water?” Nevertheless, the Lord needs you, for without you He can never be satisfied.

At first, both the Savior and the sinner were thirsty, and the Savior was hungry. The sinner was thirsty and came to draw water in order to satisfy her thirst. The Savior was hungry and thirsty. He sent the disciples away to buy food that He might eat and He asked the sinner for a drink of water. Eventually, neither the Savior nor the sinner drank or ate anything, yet both were satisfied. This is wonderful! The sinner drank of the Savior, the Savior drank of the sinner, and both of them were satisfied. The disciples were surprised. When they returned with the food, they urged Him to eat, but He said, “I have food to eat of which you have no knowledge” (4:32). The sinner was satisfied with the Savior’s living water, and the Savior was satisfied with God’s will in satisfying the sinner. To do the will of God to satisfy the sinner is the Savior’s food.

The sinner came to her religious inheritance to draw water for her satisfaction. While she was going to draw water, the Savior asked her to give Him water for His satisfaction. Whenever the Lord asks you for something, that is an indication that He needs it and that you need it also. When you are thirsty, the Lord also is thirsty. When the Lord asks you for something, you also are in need of that very thing. This is very meaningful. When you are homeless, He is homeless, and when He is homeless, you are homeless.

puah,

That is a misconception. God desires all men to come to the full knowledge of the truth . Full time or not, we all have to come to know fully the truth.

Don't use this as a excuse, bro. Pursue the truth

SECOND CASE IN JOHN - IMMORAL WOMAN cont.


THE EMPTINESS OF RELIGION’S TRADITION AND THE FULLNESS OF LIFE’S LIVING WATER

In verses 9 through 14 we see the contrast between the emptiness of religion’s tradition and the fullness of life’s living water. The Samaritan woman asked the Lord Jesus, “Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well, and drank of it himself, and his sons, and his cattle?” (4:12). We see by this question that religion’s father is considered to be the greatest. The Samaritans thought of Jacob as the greatest. They took him as their grandfather, thinking him to be the greatest.

The Samaritan woman also considered that Jacob’s well was the best. This signifies that religion’s inheritance is always considered as the best.

The Samaritan woman said to the Lord, “You have no bucket...where then do you get the living water?” (v. 11). This signifies that religion’s way is considered as the most prevailing. Although religion considers its way to be the most prevailing, yet religion’s “water” never quenches the thirst of religious people. This is proved by the Lord’s reply in verse 13. “Everyone who drinks of this water shall thirst again.”

Christ is greater than religion’s father. “Jesus answered and said to her, If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that says to you, Give Me a drink, you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water” (4:10).

Furthermore, God’s gift is greater than religion’s inheritance. Would you like to have Jacob’s well or God’s gift? What is God’s gift? If you say that God’s gift is Christ, that answer is not totally accurate. The divine life is God’s gift, for Romans 6:23 says that the free gift of God is eternal life. This divine life shall become in us a spring of water welling up into eternal life (v. 14). This divine life is much better than Jacob’s well. If you visit Jacob’s well in Palestine today, you will find it under the control of an Armenian monk. However, all of that is tradition and means nothing. The water in that well is the same as any other.

To “ask” is more prevailing than religion’s way. The living water of God quenches our thirst and becomes a spring of water welling up into eternal life. Death’s thirst is quenched by life. In principle, this also is to change death into life.

The Lord Jesus said to the Samaritan woman, “Everyone who drinks of this water shall thirst again” (4:13). This statement is simple but its meaning is profound. The “water” here signifies the enjoyment of material things and the amusement of worldly entertainment. None of these can quench the thirst deep within man. However much he drinks of this material and worldly “water,” he shall thirst again. The more he drinks of these “waters,” the more his thirst is increased.

For example, in education people like to have higher and higher degrees. After receiving a bachelor’s degree, they want a master’s, and after that, a doctorate. Others may desire to accumulate ten thousand dollars in a savings account, but after that, they want to have a hundred thousand, and after a hundred thousand, a million. The more you drink of the water of this earth, the more thirsty you become. Never try to quench your thirst with any kind of worldly water. Although the Samaritan woman had had five husbands and was living with a man who was not her husband, she still was not satisfied. Nothing could quench her thirst. Some sisters love clothing. However, no woman can be satisfied with any type of garment. After you purchase one, you will want a second and a third. If you have ten pairs of shoes, you will want to have fifteen pairs. Some women who have more than fifteen pairs of shoes still are not satisfied. This kind of “water” will never satisfy people. There is only one “water” that satisfies people for eternity—Jesus Christ. Christ satisfies today, tomorrow, and for eternity. He is ever new, ever fresh. He always satisfies. So, the Lord could tell the Samaritan woman that whoever drinks of the water that He gives will not thirst, for that water will become in him a spring welling up into eternal life.

SECOND CASE IN JOHN - IMMORAL WOMAN cont.



THE WAY TO TAKE THE LIVING WATER

In John 4:15-26 we see the way to take the living water. The living water is good, but if we do not have a way to take it, it means nothing to us. What good is it to have something marvelous and excellent in the heavens if we cannot reach it?

The Lord Jesus was a simple, brief, yet prevailing preacher. He did not give a sermon; He simply had a short talk with the Samaritan woman. By that short talk, she was attracted. We all must learn how to talk with a sinner.

A. The Sinner Asked for the Living Water

The Samaritan woman was attracted and asked the Lord for the living water. “The woman said to Him, Sir, give me this water so I will not thirst, nor come here to draw” (4:15). The Lord was a good preacher. He seemed to say, “If you knew who I am and if you knew God’s gift, and if you knew the living water that I give, you would certainly ask for it.” The woman asked for it immediately. The Lord Jesus spoke very briefly and the woman was attracted and asked for the living water.

B. The Savior Told Her the Way to Take It

To Repent of and Confess Her Sins—“Husbands”

When the woman asked the Lord for the water, He did not rebuke her, telling her to repent and make a thorough confession of her sins. No, the Lord spoke softly and gently, saying, “Go, call your husband and come here” (4:16). The Lord seemed to be saying, “I want your husband. You ask Me for the living water, and I ask you for your husband. Let us trade. You trade your husband for the living water.”

This word was intended to touch her conscience with her immoral history that she might repent of her sins. “The woman answered and said, I don’t have a husband. Jesus said to her, You have well said, I don’t have a husband; for you have had five husbands, and the one you now have is not your husband; this you said truly.” Did the woman lie or tell the truth? It was a truth, yet it was a lie. She told a lie by speaking the truth. It was a truthful lie. This is the deceptive nature of fallen man. However, the Lord was gentle with her and did not rebuke her. He even appreciated her, saying, “You have well said, I don’t have a husband; for you have had five husbands, and the one you now have is not your husband; this you said truly” (4:17-18). The woman said to him, “Sir, I see that you are a prophet.” The Lord’s words frightened her. She seemed to say, “Isn’t this man a Jew? He has never lived in our town. How did he get to know my background? Who told him that I had five husbands and that the one I have now is not my husband?” This is the way to have a gospel talk. Do not talk vainly to people, but touch their conscience, not in the way of rebuking them, but in the way of unveiling them. By the Lord’s gracious and wise words that woman’s conscience was touched. The proper way to minister the gospel is to touch people’s conscience.

The thirst of this Samaritan woman had led her to many wrong things, such as having five husbands and living with a man who was not her husband. That was the kind of life she found herself in. She sought the physical things to satisfy her, but found only dissatisfaction. The six men represent the physical and material things, which could never satisfy people.

Besides the physical things, she also had sought satisfaction in religion. Although she was such a simple person, she was also religious. She was very weak, yet it is strange that she talked about religion. Mere religion can never help. Furthermore, she had tradition, for the well of Jacob represents the traditional things. She had a traditional heritage which she inherited from her forefathers. But soon she found emptiness in her tradition. Therefore, this Samaritan woman had three categories of things—the physical things, the religious things, and the traditional things. These three categories represent everything we can get out of human life. There is nothing else in human life other than that which is physical, religious, or traditional. None of these physical, religious, or traditional matters can ever satisfy people, for the more they get these things, the more they become thirsty. There is never an end to their thirst.

The husbands of this woman are a sign. Christ should be the only husband. In 2 Corinthians 11, the apostle Paul told us that he has espoused us to Christ. In other words, he has engaged us to Christ. Christ is the real husband. But this woman had five husbands besides one other man. The reason this woman was wicked and immoral was because she was thirsty. Because her many husbands could not satisfy her, she remained dissatisfied. When the first husband did not satisfy her, she sought satisfaction from her second husband. But her second husband did not satisfy her inner thirst either. Then she married the third one, but this one also could not satisfy her; neither could her fourth and fifth husbands satisfy, because the living water was her only need. Regardless of how much she drank the earthly water in her many husbands, she still felt thirsty. Therefore, the Lord told her that whoever drinks of this water shall thirst again. Anyone who drinks the water of physical, religious, and traditional things will thirst again. Only the Lord Jesus has the living water that can quench our thirst.

What do her husbands signify? They signify anything that is other than Christ. Anything outside of Christ may become sinful. If we depend upon anyone or anything other than Christ, that may be quite sinful. The husbands of the Samaritan woman became the history of her whole sinful life. As we have seen, the Lord touched her sinful history in a very wise way. He did not condemn her sinfulness as a sinner or legally make her repent and confess her sins practically as some evangelists would. Since the Lord knows everything, He simply touched her conscience by asking her to bring her husband. By this way, the Lord helped her to confess her sins and repent.

Because the Lord’s word about her husbands touched her conscience, she immediately changed the conversation to the matter of worship. She was quite clever in doing this. Although she was such an immoral woman, she still talked about the worship of God. This proves where religion is. People may discuss religion and still live in immorality. This woman did not confess her sins, but turned the subject from her husbands to that of worshipping God, saying, “Our fathers worshipped in this mountain, and you say that in Jerusalem is the place where men must worship.” This change of subject was the subtlety of the Samaritan woman. The woman’s problem with the matter of worship, like the questions in 8:3-7 and 9:2-3, was a matter of yes or no, which belongs to the tree of knowledge; but the Lord turns her to the spirit (vv. 21-24), which belongs to the tree of life (cf. Gen. 2:9-17). When the woman changed the subject from her husband to worship, the Lord Jesus took the opportunity to reveal to her the proper way of receiving the living water.

(a bit longer - might stop posting a while to take a hiatus )

This post has been edited by pehkay: May 28 2013, 11:21 AM

To Contact God the Spirit

Listen to the Lord’s words about the matter of worship. “Jesus said to her, Woman, believe Me, an hour is coming when neither in this mountain nor in Jerusalem shall you worship the Father. You worship that which you do not know; we worship that which we know; for salvation is of the Jews. But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and reality; for the Father seeks such to worship Him. God is Spirit; and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and reality” (4:21-24). This word was given to instruct her regarding the need for exercising her spirit to contact God the Spirit. To contact God the Spirit with her spirit is to drink the living water, and to drink the living water is to render real worship to God.

In typology, the worship of God should be (1) in the place chosen by God to set His habitation there (Deut. 12:5, 11, 13-14, 18), and (2) with the offerings (Lev. 1—6). The place chosen by God for His habitation typifies the human spirit, where God’s habitation is today—Ephesians 2:22, “an habitation of God through the spirit” (KJV), should read “a dwelling place of God in spirit.” The offerings typify Christ; Christ is the fulfillment and reality of all the offerings with which the people worshipped God. Hence, when the Lord instructed her to worship God the Spirit in spirit and reality, it meant she should contact God the Spirit in her spirit instead of in a specific place, and through Christ, instead of with the offerings, for now, since Christ the reality has come (vv. 25-26), all the shadows and types are over. The Lord Jesus told the Samaritan woman that God is Spirit, that worshipping God means to contact Him, and that contacting Him is not a matter of place, but a matter of the human spirit.

When He said, “An hour is coming and now is,” it meant that the age had changed. In the past, according to the Law of Moses, God ordained that His people worship Him at a specific place where He would establish His habitation with His name (Deut. 12:5). All of God’s worshippers had to go to that unique place. That was a type. Now the age has been changed, and the type is fulfilled. Typically speaking, the place of worship should not be a place any longer; it must be the human spirit, where God is going to set up His habitation with His name. Where is the unique place for God’s people to worship Him today? It is our human spirit. According to Ephesians 2:22, God’s habitation is in our spirit.

Why did God ordain in the ancient times that His people had to worship Him in one place? It was for the purpose of keeping unity. God would never allow His people to worship Him in any place other than the place He had chosen. If anyone had worshipped Him in another place, the unity among His people would have been damaged. Where can we keep the unity today? In our human spirit. In our mind, understanding, teaching, doctrine, and concept we all differ from one another. I do not believe that there is even one couple where the husband and wife think exactly the same. Everyone has different concepts. You have your concepts and I have mine. You have your way and I have mine. You have your view and I have mine. How could we ever be one according to our differing concepts, ways, and views? We must forget about them all and come to our spirit. When we all turn to our spirit, we are one. So, learn never to argue with people about doctrine, but always direct them to their spirit. We all must be reminded that we have a spirit wherein is God’s habitation. Our spirit is the place to worship God, that is, to contact Him. Whenever we worship God in our spirit, it means that we drink God as the living water. When you praise God with your spirit, you immediately have a drink. If you would say, “Praise God! O Father, I worship You,” from your spirit, you would be drinking living water.

The Lord also said that now is the time for the true worshippers to worship God not only in their spirit, but also in reality. This is difficult for today’s Christians to understand. However, if we consider the type, we shall understand what the Lord was talking about. In ancient times, God ordained that His people worship Him at the appointed place and with the offerings. The people could not worship God at any place they chose and they could not worship Him without the offerings. They needed the offerings because they were sinful. When they came to contact God, they had to offer many types of offerings—the trespass offering, the sin offering, the peace offering, the meal offering, the burnt offering, the wave offering, and the heave offering. All the offerings were types of the various aspects of Christ. Christ is our real trespass offering. He is also our real sin offering, meal offering, peace offering, and burnt offering. Today, instead of worshipping God in a specific place, we should worship Him in our spirit. Furthermore, instead of offerings, we should worship Him with Christ as the reality of all the offerings.

Now is the hour, or the age, in which we must worship God in our spirit as the unique place and with Christ as the reality. How can we do it? How shall we apply the matter of worshipping the Father in our spirit? Suppose several brothers come together for the purpose of worshipping God, yet they do not exercise their spirit. Instead they exercise their minds. They begin to discuss the matter of worshipping God and soon are divided due to their conflicting opinions. They become unhappy with one another and separate. What these brothers need to do is simply to exercise the spirit, praise the Lord, call upon His name, and see what He will do. They should not exercise their mind by talking. They should exercise their spirit by calling on the Lord.

How shall we apply the second point, that is, to worship God with Christ? The traditional way is to call a hymn and then, after the hymn has been sung, to offer a prayer to our Father in heaven. That is the traditional religious way. However, when meeting together for worship, we must exercise our spirit. If we do this, the Holy Spirit who indwells our spirit will have the opportunity to move. He may move in one brother, giving him a burden to offer a living testimony of Christ. Then that brother will testify of his living experience of Christ. In doing so, he will offer Christ as one of the offerings. When you give a testimony of your experience of Christ, in the eyes of God, that is offering Christ to God. Eventually, such an offering will become food to the brother who gave the testimony and to all of the other worshippers. This is not the traditional way of worshipping God; this is the way of worshipping in the spirit with the experienced Christ offered to God for His satisfaction and as food for all the other worshippers. This is the real worship of God.

To Believe That Jesus Is the Christ That She May Have Life Eternal

Now we come to the last aspect of the way to take the living water—believing that Jesus is the Christ. When the Samaritan woman heard the Lord’s answer to her question about worship, she still tried to turn away to another subject saying, “I know that Messiah is coming, He who is called Christ; when He comes, He will declare all things to us” (4:25). She seemed to be saying, “You are telling me so many things, but we are waiting for the Messiah to come. When He comes, He will manifest everything.” What an excuse! Then the Lord answered her, “I who speak to you am He” (4:26). By this word, Jesus led her to believe that He is the Christ in order that she might have eternal life (20:31). We see from verse 29 that she believed. Although the Samaritan woman tried every way to escape the Lord, He, in His wisdom, caught her. Never try to escape the hand of the Lord. The Samaritan woman was convinced, believed in Him, and received the living water. There was a great change in her life. She was such an immoral person, but was still under the influence of religious tradition, taking care of yes or no, here or there, this way or that way. She was absolutely in a death situation. However, the Lord touched her and turned her from death to life. Undoubtedly, she was under the tree of knowledge, but the Lord turned her to the tree of life. He changed her death into life eternal.

The Lord revealed to the Samaritan woman that the real satisfaction in human life is the Lord Himself. The Lord revealed to her three aspects about Himself: that He is the gift, the Giver, and the way to obtain the gift. The Lord mentioned at least three things about Himself. In verse 10 He said, “If you knew the gift of God,” indicating that the gift of God was the Lord Himself as life eternal. He also told her, “You would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water,” showing that the Lord Himself is the Giver. Finally, by careful reading, we shall discover that the way for the woman to obtain the gift was to contact or drink the Giver Himself.

A LIVING TESTIMONY WITH A MARVELOUS HARVEST
The Sinner Believed, Was Satisfied, Left Her Preoccupation, and Testified

After the woman heard that the Lord Jesus was the Christ who was coming, she believed. There was a great change in her life. She left her waterpot, went into the city, and gave a living testimony to the people. This testimony brought in a marvelous harvest (4:28-42).

According to our natural concept, it takes time to help a person to be saved. We must drop this concept. People can be changed in a second. The Lord can turn people in such a fast way because, just as He did in His creation, He calls things not being as being. There is no need of the time element. According to our concept, a sinner needs time to consider, believe, and turn. This concept frustrates our gospel preaching and makes it impotent. We must have the faith that while we are talking with people, the Lord is working in a prevailing way. The Samaritan woman was turned in an instant. In the past, beyond our belief, we have seen many people turn in such a way. The Lord’s way to turn people is in the Spirit, in the way of life, not in the way of education. Education takes time. It takes time to teach people. However, when the Lord regenerates people, He makes them a new creation and calls things not being as being. We must have this prevailing faith whenever we talk to a sinner. While we are speaking with him, we must exercise our spirit to believe that the Lord is working in him. Spontaneously, something will happen to him, and he will be turned from death to life. Although the Samaritan woman was so immoral, low, and deep in sin, she was turned within a fraction of a second. Her whole life was changed. She went to the people and said, “Come, see a man who told me all that I have done; is this not the Christ?” (4:29). This indicates that the woman believed that Jesus was the Christ and that by believing she received the living water and was satisfied. She was certain that Jesus was the Christ, and the Spirit came into her.

The picture in John 4 also shows us that after the woman contacted Christ, she gave up everything. She left both the well and the waterpot. She left everything and went into the city to tell the people about Christ, which means that once she contacted Christ, she gave up everything in order to have only Christ as her satisfaction. When she told the people in the city, “Is this not the Christ?” she recognized that He was the Christ. In the eyes of God, she had Christ already and was bringing Christ to her people. What a testimony! It is only when we contact Christ, recognize Christ, and receive Christ that we can be satisfied. Then spontaneously we shall give up everything that is other than Christ.

Do you know why people are thirsting after so many things other than Christ? Simply because they are not satisfied with Christ. If they were satisfied with Christ, all of the other things would be forgotten. The well and the waterpot meant so much to the Samaritan woman, but after she recognized Christ, she spontaneously gave up those cherished things and went to the people, testifying that Christ was now her satisfying life. Do you have satisfaction in your human life? With what are you satisfied—with Christ, or with the physical, religious, and traditional things? We can be satisfied only with Christ and not with any other thing. If we are going to help others, we must first be satisfied with Christ in order to bring Christ as satisfaction to others. Only when we are satisfied with Christ can we let others know how to receive Christ and contact Him. The Samaritan woman did not go to her people with the doctrine of Christ; she first gained Christ and then went to them with Christ.

THIRD CASE — THE NEED OF THE DYING — LIFE’S HEALING

JESUS COMING BACK TO THE PLACE OF THE WEAK AND FRAGILE PEOPLE

Jesus returned to Cana of Galilee, the place of the weak and fragile people (John 4:43-46). Cana is in Galilee, a despised place (7:41, 52), which signifies the world of a low and mean condition where the weak and fragile people are. The Lord was here once during the first sign to change the death water into life wine. Now He comes back to the same place to do the second sign, which in the principle of life corresponds with the first sign—to change death into life.

THE WEAK AND FRAGILE PEOPLE DYING

This case, the third among the nine, reveals the dying people’s need of healing. This case concerns the son of a royal official who was about to die. Mankind firstly needs regeneration, secondly satisfaction, and thirdly healing. We all need a certain amount of healing. In a sense, we are living; in another sense, we all are dying. When a baby is newly born, his mother would think that he is growing. Actually the baby is dying. Everyone on earth is dying. If you are young, still under thirty years of age, you may not have the sense that you are dying. However, when you reach the age of sixty or seventy, you realize that you are dying. A life span of seventy years may be likened to seventy dollars. Each year that is lived is the equivalent of spending a dollar. Once you have lived sixty years, you have spent sixty dollars. When you reach the age of sixty-nine, it means that you have only one dollar left. Once that dollar has been spent, you will be exhausted. So, human beings are apparently living, but actually dying.

We have been regenerated and, day by day, we may contact the Lord, the living Spirit, for our satisfaction. In addition to this, we need healing. We are all sick and dying people. We are fallen people, weak and fragile, who are dying and who need the Lord’s healing. If you have the healing of the Lord Jesus, your dying will become living.

Romans 8:11 says, “And if the Spirit of the One who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who indwells you.” If we allow the indwelling Spirit to make His home in our being, this indwelling Spirit will saturate our dying, mortal body with resurrection life. Our mortal body will be enlivened, quickened, and healed with the divine life. Romans 8 reveals that our spirit, soul, and body all may receive the divine life. When we believe in the Lord Jesus, He, as the life-giving Spirit, comes into our spirit. Since He is the life-giving Spirit, the Spirit in Romans 8:2 is called the Spirit of life, meaning that the divine Spirit is life. When we called on the Lord Jesus, this divine Spirit who is life came into our spirit and enlivened it. Therefore, our spirit is life (Rom. 8:10). When we set the mind of our soul upon the spirit, our mind also becomes life (Rom. 8:6). If we give ground to the indwelling Spirit, the Spirit will spread Himself from within our spirit through our soul into our body, making our mortal body a body full of life. Eventually, this divine life becomes a fourfold life: the life in the divine Spirit, the life that fills our spirit, the life that will saturate our soul, and the life that will permeate our body. Our whole being—spirit, soul, and body—will be filled, saturated, and permeated with the divine life. This is healing. Whenever the divine life enters into a part of our being, it heals that part. This means that the divine life changes the death of that part of our being into life. Death is swallowed up by life—this is healing.

We need regeneration, satisfaction, and healing. Many of us, particularly the sisters, need healing in our emotions. The sisters need healing in their unbalanced emotions, for there is a kind of sickness in their emotions. Why do you sisters cry so easily? Probably because of the sickness in your emotions. You need healing. The brothers need healing in their unbalanced mind and in their stubborn will. Why are you brothers so stubborn in your will? Once you make up your will, nothing on earth can change it. That is a disease, a sickness. We need healing. Praise the Lord that He is healing! This healing is the transformation. The more we are healed in our mind, emotion, and will, the more we are transformed.

This post has been edited by pehkay: Jun 7 2013, 11:05 AM

HEALING BY THE LIFE-GIVING WORD THROUGH BELIEVING

Although the royal official begged the Lord to come down and heal his son (4:47, 49), the Lord simply spoke the word, and the boy was healed. “Jesus said to him, Go, your son is living. The man believed the word which Jesus said to him and went his way” (4:50). The royal official believed the word out of the mouth of the Lord. When he learned from his slaves that the boy was living, he and his whole household believed (4:51-53). Hallelujah for the life-giving word! We love the life-giving word, not the word in dead letters, but the word that is the Spirit. The Lord simply spoke the life-giving word, and the dying boy was healed. Today the Lord is still sending forth His healing word. When the dying people receive this word through believing, they are healed with life. Once the life-giving word has been transfused into us, whether or not we are conscious of it, we can never be the same. The life-giving word brings about a real change in our life.

When dying people receive the word through believing and are healed with life, this, in principle, is changing death into life. Death’s deadening power is overcome by life. Praise the Lord for His healing life and for the life-giving word that heals all our sicknesses! Death is of the source of the tree of knowledge, and life is of the source of the tree of life. We were born into the sickness of death. The Lord’s word of life heals our death. All we need is to receive and believe in His life-giving and healing word.

The case of the healing of the son of the royal official signifies that there is no need for us to contact the Lord physically. As long as we have the Lord’s word, it is sufficient. Even though we do not have the Lord’s physical presence, as long as we have His word and work, it is good enough, and nothing more is needed. When we have the word of the Lord, we shall be saved and filled with the Lord. Just His word is enough to heal and save us.

Hi Silver,

If you are following my posts (not that I am hoping ), I tried to ... well ... usually ... I am covering right now, the 9 cases of principle of in the book of John, the Lord's work of turning death into life as the God-Savior.

All aspects of the Lord’s work in Gospel of John as shown and signified in these nine cases are the different aspects of the Lord’s full salvation, which are 1) regeneration, 2) the satisfaction with the living water, 3) the healing power of life, 4) the enlivening with the power of life, 5) the feeding with the bread of life, 6) the quenching of thirst with the rivers of living water, 7) the deliverance from sin, 8) the opening of the blind eyes, and 9) resurrection. All of these items are included in the Lord’s salvation, the first of which is regeneration.

Which book are you reading now? Maybe we can give you an summary on the book you are reading

THE NEED OF THE IMPOTENT—LIFE’S ENLIVENING

We come to the fourth case—the need of the impotent (John 5:1-47). This case exposes the vanity of religion.

THE INADEQUACY OF RELIGION’S LAW-KEEPING AND THE SUFFICIENCY OF THE SON’S LIFE-GIVING

The case of the impotent man exposes the inadequacy of religion (5:1-9). No religion on earth is better than the Jewish religion, for it is the genuine and typical religion formed according to God’s holy oracle. The Jewish religion was formed according to the Divine Word. It worships the one true God in the correct way. No other religion can compare with it.

However, religion does not belong to God’s economy and it cannot fulfill God’s purpose. God never intended to have a religion. Yes, God did give to His people His Holy Word, the Old Testament, and He did tell them how to contact Him. There is no doubt about this. However, God had no intention of having a religion. Religion is a human invention, a product of the fallen human mind. It is the best invention of human culture. But, concerning God’s economy, religion is God’s worst enemy. It is absolutely against His economy.

His intention was to give His Holy Word to His people, revealing to them that the coming One, the Son of God, would be their salvation and life for the fulfillment of God’s purpose. This coming One would be everything to them—righteousness, holiness, redemption, and glory. The Jewish people did not have this realization. Instead, they selected portions of the commandments in God’s Holy Word and used them to devise rituals and regulations. They put together these commandments, rituals, and regulations and formed a religion.

What is a religion? The best definition of it is not found in Webster’s dictionary. Religion is to worship God and to behave ourselves without Christ. Religion is just you trying your best to worship God, to behave properly to please God, and to be a perfect person—all without Christ. Although everything may be good—you worship God according to the regulations and you behave yourself—it is all void of Christ. It seems that people have Christ in Christianity, but mostly that is simply Christ in term. If you only have Christ in term, that also is religion. We must have Christ as reality. Only with Christ as our reality are we outside of religion.

When the Lord Jesus came, He came as the One who was prophesied in the Old Testament. He was the One who came to be salvation, life, righteousness, holiness, redemption, glory, and everything to God’s people. But, when He came, God’s people, the Jews, were fully occupied with their religion. They had no room in their hearts for this coming One. If you read the four Gospels, you will see that wherever the Lord went and wherever He was, He was opposed by that typical religion formed according to God’s Holy Word. Those religionists opposed this living One according to their religion. They thought that they were opposing Christ for God. They even sentenced this living One to death in their attempt to protect God. According to their realization, when Jesus said that He was the Son of God, He was speaking blasphemy, making Himself equal to God (5:18). It seems that they said, “We have only one God and no other. Our God is Jehovah Elohim. We don’t have a God by the name of Jesus. If You say that You are the Son of God, You are making Yourself equal to God and are blaspheming. We must put You to death.” That was religion.

In principle, the situation is the same today. Many religious people worship God and try their best to please Him, to behave themselves, and to make themselves perfect. Yet, it is all without Christ. This kind of religion is always in opposition to Christ and to the genuine followers of Christ in life. This opposition is not revealed in John 3 or 4; we find it in John 5. In the case of the impotent man, the opposition from religion is completely exposed. This chapter unveils the inadequacy of the typical religion and its opposition to Christ. In this chapter, the main thing on the negative side that we must see is the inadequacy, the vanity, of this religion and the opposition of this religion to Christ. Praise the Lord that on the positive side this chapter shows us the adequacy, the sufficiency, of Christ, the Son of God, as life to enliven people. Christ as life is sufficient to enliven us.

This post has been edited by pehkay: Jun 17 2013, 01:26 PM

The Inadequacy of Religion’s Law-keeping

The central point of this case, on the negative side, is to show the inadequacy of law-keeping in the typical religion. Law-keeping was the main thing in Judaism. Every Jew respects the law and believes in keeping it. The Jews realize that, apart from keeping the law, they have no way to please God, to behave themselves, and to perfect themselves. Any typical Jew will tell you that, next to God, nothing is as great or as important as the law. God is number one and the law is number two. So, law-keeping is everything to that typical religion.

The Good Things of the Typical Religion

The Jewish religion includes at least seven items: the holy city Jerusalem, the holy temple, the holy feast, the holy Sabbath, the angels, Moses, and the Holy Scriptures. When you add these seven items together, they equal Judaism, the Jewish religion. These items are excellent and wonderful things. If you ask me what is in Judaism, I will tell you at least seven things: 1) the holy city, 2) the holy temple, 3) the feasts for enjoyment, 4) the Sabbath days of rest, 5) the visiting angels, 6) Moses, the law-giver, and 7) the Holy Scriptures of the Old Testament.

Along with these seven items of Judaism, there was also the means of healing, because there was the healing pool of water. The significance of this picture is that the means of healing are always with the typical religion. Judaism is the typical religion which has something that can heal you. The pool in Jerusalem signifies that the means of healing are in that typical religion.

But there is a requirement—you must have strength in order to walk and act. Whenever a chance is given for you to receive the benefits of this religion, you must have the strength to be first and the ability to walk. This case is a sign, showing us that here is a typical religion with many good and holy items which can heal you, but it requires your strength to walk and act. Even though you are second, you will not obtain the benefits of this good religion, because you are not first.

The Practice of the Law-keeping

Let us now consider some aspects of the practice of law-keeping. The sheepgate (5:2) signifies the entrance to the law-keeping religion’s sheepfold (10:1). The name of the pool, Bethesda, means house of mercy, signifying that the people who practiced law-keeping realized that they needed the mercy of God because they were impotent, weak, and wretched, as portrayed in Romans 7:7-24. The porches, like a sheepfold, signify the law-keeping religion’s shelter, and the number five denotes responsibility. The angel who stirred up the water signifies the agent through which the law, which could not give life, was given (Gal. 3:19, 21). The stirring up of the water to make people well signifies the practice of the law-keeping trying to make people perfect. By considering these aspects, we can see the situation of law-keeping, which is the major thing in the typical religion.

Not sure if you wanted/desire the overview of the Bible? But, if you are in Judges ... this overview might help. Do take time to read this. I know what a wall of text can do to your eyes

In the full scope of the Old Testament, we will realize that at Mount Sinai God married Israel. In His concept and desire, He wanted to be to Israel as a husband to a wife, and He expected Israel to act as a wife toward Him.

In writing the books of history, Samuel put Judges after Joshua to show us what kind of life Israel lived toward her Husband. For some reason, she did not have a heart to be the wife of Jehovah. As a wife, she forgot her Husband, left her Husband, and acted according to her own desires. Eventually, Israel became a harlot. At the time of Hosea, Israel was a harlot in the eyes of God (Hosea 1:2; 2:2). Having fallen into the sin of adultery, she did not have a definite husband. In addition to Jehovah as her Husband, she had many other men. This was the situation of Israel in the book of Judges. In the book of Judges there is a terrible picture of a wife forsaking her Husband and not even acknowledging His existence. This is an ugly picture of a harlot, a wife who forsook her Husband and went after idols.

In the beginning Israel had a bridal love toward God, but after her marriage she lost her position as a chaste wife to her husband. She forsook God and went to idols. Every idol was a “man,” and Israel became full of idols. Jeremiah 11:13 says that according to the number of the streets of Jerusalem the people had set up altars to burn incense to their idols. Ezekiel 16:24 tells us that Israel made “a high place in every street.” This means that there was an idol on every street.

In the book of Judges, a particular saying is repeated a number of times: “In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did that which was right in his own eyes” (17:6; 18:1; 19:1; 21:25). But God was the King! According to the principle in the Bible, the husband is the head of the marriage and the head of the family. In creation God ordained that the man would have this authority; therefore, he also has the kingship. In typology and in figure, God is the unique man. We all are females because we, the church, are the corporate wife to Christ. Since God is our Creator and our Lord, He should also be our King.

When Israel said that there was no king among them, this meant that they had annulled God and His status. In the book of 1 Samuel, the children of Israel asked God to appoint a king for them (8:5). This was a great offense to God (v. 7). Even though Israel was a wife to God, she became a harlot. She did not recognize God’s kingship, and she did not recognize God as her Husband. Therefore, the children of Israel did what was right in their own eyes, and as a result they became rotten and corrupted.

This is what we see in the book of Judges. The history in this book is thus a history of rottenness. After the story of Judah and Caleb in 1:1-20, Israel’s history as recorded in Judges was full of the rottenness and corruption of a harlot. This is the intrinsic significance of the book of Judges.

Conclusion:

Joshua is the book of Israel’s history full of the marvelous victories over the inhabitants of Canaan in the presence of Jehovah. Judges, on the contrary, is the book of Israel’s history full of miserable defeats under their enemies in the forsaking of Jehovah.

This post has been edited by pehkay: Jun 20 2013, 10:28 AM

Fourth case—the need of the impotent (John 5:1-47)

The Impossibility of the Law-keeping

It is impossible for man to keep the law. No one can do it. Romans 8:3 says that it is impossible to keep the law, because the law is weak through the flesh. All flesh is too weak to keep the law. This is clearly portrayed in the case of the impotent man.

The impotent man had been sick for thirty-eight years. He was unable to move. He was filled with expectation when he saw the waters stirring, but it was impossible for him to get there in time. Because he was impotent, unable to move, he could not receive healing. Likewise, due to our impotence, we cannot keep the law. The law is good, holy, and spiritual. There is no problem with the law; the problem is with us.

Man is not only sick, but also dead. We know from 5:25 that, in the eyes of the Lord, the impotent man was a dead person. How can a dead person walk? If he is to walk, he must first be made alive. As long as you cannot make a dead person live, he can do nothing. Galatians 3:21 says that the law cannot give life. The law only makes demands upon people; it never supplies them with life. Due to the lack of life, man is absolutely unable to keep the law. If you are still religious, still trying to keep the law, let me ask you a question. Are you dead or alive? You must admit that you are dead. Since you are a dead person, how can you keep the law? A dead person can do nothing.

Because of the weakness of the flesh and because of the lack of life, it is impossible for man to keep the law. Although there are an angel, the water, and the stirring of the water, there is no way for you to fulfill the requirement of getting to the water to be healed. This is a clear picture showing us that the impotent and dead people find it impossible to keep the law. There is no hope for man with the law. With respect to the law, we are helpless and hopeless cases.

Today, we have an even better religion—even the best religion. But do you realize that the best religion requires you to do something? It requires you to walk, to act, and to be the first before you can obtain its benefits. Perhaps you have discovered that you are too weak to obtain what your religion has to offer. This indicates that you are where the impotent man was—under the five porches. We are like the impotent people under the law-keeping shelter.

The Sick People under the Law-keeping Shelter, in Religion’s Fold

A multitude of sick people lay in the porches. This signifies that under the law-keeping shelter, in religion’s fold, there are many people who are blind, unable to see; lame, unable to walk; and withered, being short of life. They have no joy or peace, only suffering. The impotent man had no joy, even on the joyful day of the feast (5:1), and he had no rest, even on the Sabbath day (5:9). The sick people were helpless and hopeless, dead in the eyes of the Lord.

There was the means of healing in the law-keeping religion, but it did not profit the impotent man, because he had no strength to fulfill its requirements. Religion’s law-keeping depends upon man’s effort, man’s doing, and man’s make-up. Since man is impotent, religion’s law-keeping becomes inadequate. The holy city, the holy temple, the holy feast, the holy Sabbath, the angels, Moses, and the Holy Scriptures—all of these were the good things of that religion, but they could do nothing for this impotent man. In the eyes of the Lord, he was a dead person, in need not only of healing, but also of enlivening. With the Lord’s enlivening there is no requirement. As we shall see, the impotent man heard His voice and was enlivened.

The significance of this sign is that when the practice of law-keeping in the Jewish religion became an impossibility due to the impotence of man, the Son of God came to enliven the dead. The law could not give life, but the Son of God gives life to the dead (5:21). “While we were yet weak” (Rom. 5:6), He came to enliven us.

Erm ... one post is not enough to even summarize a summary

I made one post before ... Post #1433 as a start. Here a bits of it:

The Old Testament is a typology, a set of types and shadows. And we see the fulfillment in the New Testament of the typology in the Old Testament concerning God’s purpose.

So, the entire Bible, both the Old Testament and the New Testament, is first a picture of God’s economy and then a full definition and fulfillment of God’s economy. On the one hand, if we want to know the Old Testament, we must come to the New Testament definition. In the Old Testament, we can see only the pictures. On the other hand, if we want to know the New Testament, we have to spend the time to look at all these pictures.

In today’s schools the good lesson books have pictures and then definitions. The pictures (Old Testament) and the definitions (New Testament) form a strong basic principle for us to understand the Bible. If you know this principle, you will be kept from mixture and confusion from the teachings of the Bible.

E.g.

1) The entire history of Israel was a type of the church. Israel's experience mirrors the church's experiences spiritually.

2) From Adam, the fallen one, to Noah, the one who worked together with God—from a fallen sinner to a saint working together with the Lord:

The fallen Adam wearing the skin of the sacrifice—a sinner receiving Christ as his covering righteousness—Gen. 3:21; Gal. 3:27; 1 Cor. 1:30.

Abel, the one inheriting salvation, offering up a lamb as a sacrifice—a believer living in Christ to become the righteousness of God, being acceptable to Him—Gen. 4:4; 2 Cor. 5:21.

Enosh, the frail one, calling on the name of Jehovah—a frail believer calling on the name of the Lord to enjoy Him as his portion—Gen. 4:26; Acts 9:14; 2 Tim. 2:22; 1 Cor. 1:2.

Enoch, the one pursuing after God, walking with God—a believer who pursues after the Lord living together with the Lord—Gen. 5:22-24; John 14:19b; Gal. 2:20.

Regarding your question, what you see in the Old Testament experienced by the fathers or Israel physically and outwardly, is our experience spiritually in the New Testament.

THE BIBLE BEING GOD’S REVELATION

The Bible is the revelation of God. It reveals God Himself, His desire, and His plan. Through the Bible, we are shown God Himself, His desire, His plan, and the origin of the universe. If we understand the Bible, we will see God Himself, His desire, His plan, and the origin, the history, and the end of the universe, that is, the complete story of the universe. The whole Bible is the revelation of God.

It is not about doctrines, practices, living, howtos, religion or such. It is revelation of God's purpose to gain Christ and the church for the expression of Himself in this universe.

If I can go deeper and higher, what is this relationship with Jesus? What is God's purpose in relation to Christ?

At the beginning of the Scriptures, two matters are mentioned in relation to man 1) the image of God and 2) the life of God. We know that man was created according to the image of God (vv. 26-27). Then in the second chapter we are told that after man was created by God, he was put before the tree of life (vv. 8-9).

The tree of life is a symbol of God as life to man. This is a clear picture revealing to us that although man was made according to the image of God, at that time he did not have the life of God. Man had the image of God by creation, but he did not yet possess the life of God. He was placed in front of the life of God, but the life of God was outside of him.

Then, what is the image of God according to the Scriptures? Colossians 1:15 tells us that Christ, the Son of God, is the image of the invisible God. That man was made according to the image of God means that man was made according to Christ. Romans 5:14 says that the man Adam was a figure of Christ. Man was made according to the image of God, and the very image of God is Christ Himself. Man as a figure of Christ may be compared to a photograph. A photograph of a person is made according to that person; it is a picture of that person. Because man was created according to Christ, he became a figure of Christ. In today’s language, man is a photograph of Christ. With a picture there is the image of the person but not the life of that person. This is exactly the same with Adam. When Adam was created, he was created according to Christ, so he became a picture of Christ.

God created man according to His own image, which is Christ, with the intention of putting Christ into him as life. What then is the life of God? The life of God is Christ Himself. Christ is both the image of God and the life of God. The Gospel of John tells us that Christ is the life (11:25). John’s first Epistle tells us that he who has the Son, Christ, has the life, and he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life (1 John 5:12). God’s eternal intention, His divine purpose, was to create man according to Christ, as a picture of Christ, so that man would take Christ as his life.

God's purpose is too high!

However, man was a failure in this matter. Instead of partaking of the tree of life, man took in the tree of knowledge. We all know this sad story. But one day the Lord came into this world, died on the cross for our redemption, and released Himself as the Spirit to be life to us. Now, whoever believes in Him receives Him and possesses Him as life. As Christians, we have Christ as our life (Col. 3:4). Now we are no longer merely photos of Christ; we also have the life of Christ within us. Therefore, we are the living expression of Christ.

Today not only unbelievers but even Christians have a wrong concept about the relationship between us and God. When we think about God, our concept is that we need to do many good things to please Him. This is absolutely wrong. According to the revelation in the Scriptures, we were made according to the image of Christ to be photos of Christ, and the one thing we must do is to receive Christ as our life. Once we receive Him as our life, Christ lives within us to make us a living expression of Himself.

Yes. We enjoy what He has done for us. Well, there are many negatives, which frustrate us from enjoying Christ. It is easy to see that material things may be substitutes for Christ in our lives or may frustrate us from enjoying Him. But it is not easy to see that things that are not material, such as religion, philosophy, and culture, may also be substitutes for Christ. These frustrate our seeing of Christ and thus, our enjoyment and experience of Him.

Even though we may love the Lord very much and daily take time to pray ourselves into the Spirit, in our actual living we may live in things other than Christ. The Chinese saints may live in their ethics, and the British saints may live in their diplomacy. We live this way automatically and spontaneously. We need a vision of the excellency of Christ. If we have the excellency of the knowledge of Christ, we shall see that He far surpasses the best national characteristics. We shall know that Christ is far superior to every element of our culture. Only the excellency of the knowledge of Christ will rid us of the influence of all the things that are not Christ Himself.

It is rather easy for us to apply Christ as our peace, joy, and rest. But when we consider higher aspects of Christ, we find them rather difficult to apply. For example, Christ is the mystery of God’s economy. Although we may know Him as the mystery of God’s economy, it is not easy for us to apply Him in this aspect in our daily walk. The gap between such an aspect of Christ and our daily living is extremely great. We also find it difficult to experience Christ as the body, the reality, of all the positive things (seen in Colossians).

We do not enjoy Him once for all. It is a progressive experience of Christ. He is growing in us. He is being enlarged in us. The real growth is the growth of God, the increase of God, within us. Colossians 2:19 says that we grow with the growth of God. We all have God within us. That means we all have Christ within us.

But how much of Christ do we have? We should have Christ as the very God filling up our entire being, so we all need to grow with the growth of God, the increase of God. God needs to be increased within us. The more increase of God we have, the more growth we have. We can have Christ increased within us by calling on His name, praying to Him, and praying over His word. Then we will grow up into Christ in all things, not just in some things (Eph. 4:15). We need to have the increase of God day by day so that we may grow up into Christ in everything.

Oooo nice pointing it out. That is not a contradiction but the two aspects or two-foldness of the truth. Revelation is a book on God's administration. This is why there are lots of judgement.

You have to look from viewpoint of the entire New Testament (Matthew, 1 Corinthians, Hebrews etc) on grace and work.

One post I made before was on 1 Corinthians 3.

1 Corinthians 3:12-14. “Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.” The believers are God’s farm (1 Cor. 3:9). Whatever we grow that is wood, hay, and stubble will be burned. But if our work abides as gold (Gold symbolizing God's nature), silver (Christ's redemptive work), and precious stones (Spirit's transforming work), we shall receive a reward, a prize. However, if a man’s work is burned, he shall suffer loss, but this does not mean that he will lose his salvation. The following verse says, “If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as through fire” (Gk). This verse is very clear. A saved person may suffer loss, but he will not lose his salvation; he will be “saved as through fire.”

The apostle Paul told us in 1 Corinthians 3 that every man's work will be tested by fire (vv. 13-15).

There are many instances in Matthew, the parable of 10 virgins (maturity in the divine life) and parable of talents (faithfulness). Matthew uses "outer darkness", "gnashing of teeth (regret)" etc. It is possible that we shall fail to receive a reward but instead suffer loss, even though we are saved, because we are lacking in the work which the Lord can approve (1 Cor. 3:15). At the Lord’s coming back the reward will be given to us according to our works (Matt. 16:27; Rev. 22:12; 1 Cor. 4:5). It will be decided by the judgment seat of Christ (2 Cor. 5:10) and enjoyed in the coming kingdom (Matt. 25:21, 23).

Initial salvation is by grace, which is free. Yet we need to grow in life and grow in grace. To enter into the kingdom we need the maturity of life, the full growth of life. There is a price to grow and enjoy this grace throughout our whole life. This is why the Lord said that we can have a rich entrance by losing our soul today (Matt. 16:25-28).

5th CASE IN THE GOSPEL OF JOHN

The Gospel of John is a book of pictures. It speaks of the divine life and of the functions of this divine life. Both the divine life and its functions are spiritual things. Since it is very difficult to describe them in human language, the Apostle John received the wisdom from the Lord to write his gospel, not only with plain words, but also with figures. Because plain words are inadequate, John also used figures and pictures. In a sense, every case is a picture. In chapter five we saw a vivid picture of the enlivening of the impotent man. In chapter six we have another picture showing us the need of the hungry and life’s feeding.

Verses 1 through 15 of John 6 reveal to us the hungry world and the feeding Christ.

Contrast to the Foregoing Case in Chapter Five

The case in chapter six portrays a scene which reveals where we are in our condition. There is a contrast between the scene of chapter five with the one in chapter six. The scene in chapter five is in the holy city, but the scene in chapter six is in the wilderness. A pool is in the scene of the previous case, and a sea is in this case. The people in the former case are associated with the pool, and the people in the latter case are involved with the sea. The pool is related to religion’s healing, while the sea is related to the people’s living.

The person in the fourth case was very weak, needing healing and enlivening, but the people in the fifth case are hungry, needing food and satisfaction. The pool is sacred, being of the Jewish religion; the sea is secular, being of the human society. The person by the pool was impotent, needed life’s enlivening, and was waiting for healing. The people in this case are hungry, need life’s feeding, and are seeking for nourishment.

In typology, the land signifies the earth created by God for man to live upon, and the sea signifies the world corrupted by Satan in which fallen mankind lives. The sea represents Satan’s organized and systematized world where humanity is occupied and enveloped. In this world mankind is hungry and has no satisfaction. In this world mankind is troubled and has no peace. The scene in this chapter portrays all of humanity living in the world corrupted by Satan. They are not living on the land created by God. In the world corrupted by Satan there is no real satisfaction; there is always hunger. Neither is there any peace, for the wind and the waves are always on the sea making trouble for man.