We have pointed out repeatedly that the issue of God’s work throughout the ages is to gain a city, the New Jerusalem. This is stated clearly in the writings of John. John wrote his Gospel, he also wrote his Epistles, and in the end he wrote the book of Revelation. The messages conveyed in these three sections are connected and cannot be separated. Therefore, if you want to understand the writings of John, you cannot just read his Gospel, nor can you read only his Epistles, and in the same way you cannot read only his Revelation. You have to read these three parts of his writings together to see a complete picture.
In the beginning John says that God became flesh and tabernacled among men (John 1:14). Later, he says that this tabernacle built through incarnation was a temple, the house of God (2:21). Satan wanted to destroy this temple, but the Lord raised it up through resurrection (v. 19). After that he also says that he who has the bride is the bridegroom (3:29). The Lord, who was incarnated, who tabernacled among men, who built up the temple, is the Bridegroom.
Now you can see that there is the tabernacle, there is the temple (which is the house), and there is the Bridegroom, who comes for the bride. What is this tabernacle? What is this house? Who is this bride? It is hard to understand in the beginning. However, if you read on, you will come to the verse in which the Lord says, “Abide in Me and I in you” (15:4). This word has a twofold meaning. On the one hand, it concerns our mutual abiding with the Lord; this is a matter of the house. On the other hand, it concerns our mutual union with the Lord; that is a matter of the bride and Bridegroom. Please keep in mind that John 14, 15, 16, and 17 talk about these matters. After the Lord resurrected from the dead and breathed into the disciples, when the Holy Spirit entered into them, the Lord Himself entered into them. Then the Lord in reality had an abode in the disciples. From that time on, the house came into existence.
In John’s first Epistle, he says, we “report to you the eternal life...that you also may have fellowship...with the Father and with His Son” (1:2-3). “The anointing which you have received from Him abides in you,...and even as it has taught you, abide in Him [the Lord]” (2:27). “We know that we abide in Him [God] and He in us, that He [God] has given to us of His Spirit” (4:13). “This [eternal] life is in His Son. He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life” (5:11-12). “The Son of God has come and has given us an understanding that we might know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God” (v. 20). This true God implies the whole story of God in His incarnation, death, resurrection, entering into man as the Spirit, and becoming man’s life. In the Old Testament times, God was simply God. However, in the New Testament time this God became flesh, died and resurrected, and also entered into us as the Spirit to be joined to us. All these steps are implied in “the true God.” Now we are more clear.
When we read to the end of Revelation, we see a city coming forth. This city is the tabernacle God has built among men. This city is also the bride of the Lamb. Now we have found everything that John speaks of from the beginning to the end. He says that he who has the bride is the bridegroom. Who is the bride? The bride is the city. The city is also the tabernacle. At the same time, this city is the temple, because he says, “I saw no temple in it” (Rev. 21:22). The city is the enlargement of the temple. Furthermore, Revelation shows us the Triune God dwelling fully in the redeemed people. In this way, at the end of Revelation you see that the things John mentioned in the beginning have been fully fulfilled. The New Jerusalem is the tabernacle built by God. It is God’s dwelling place, God’s house, and God’s bride. This is the central subject of the writings of John.
However, I would like to point out to the brothers and sisters when the last part of the Lord’s building work will be carried out. We know that the manifestation of the holy city, New Jerusalem, is the ultimate issue of God’s work. This issue will be manifested only at the time of the new heaven and the new earth. All who read the Bible know that the old heaven and the old earth precede the new heaven and the new earth. In the old heaven and the old earth there are many different ages. Among these ages, a great period of time is the age of law, and the next is the age of grace. After the age of grace there is the millennial age, which is the kingdom age. The age of law began with Moses. Before Moses, there was another age, the age of the patriarchs, which is also called the age of promise. Between Christ’s first coming and Christ’s second coming is the age of grace, which is also called the church age. Once the church age ends, the Lord will come again, and from then on it will be the millennial age. When the millennial age ends, the old heaven and the old earth will end, and the new heaven and the new earth begin. Therefore, to us there are four ages in the old heaven and the old earth. These are the age of promise, the age of law, the age of grace, and the kingdom age. When these ages are over, the new heaven and the new earth will come. Once the new heaven and the new earth come, the New Jerusalem will be manifested.
Because the building of the New Jerusalem is carried out in the old heaven and the old earth, all of the four ages mentioned above involve the building work of God. God carried out a part of His building in the age of the patriarchs, the age of the promise. Abel, Enoch, and Noah were men whom God built; so were Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. They were all built in the age of the patriarchs. Another part of the building of God, which consisted of the twelve tribes of Israel, was built by God in the age of law. Still another part, the church, is built by God during the age of grace.
Now I would like to ask you all, can you say that God built in the age of the patriarchs, in the age of law, and in the age of grace, yet stops building in the millennial (kingdom) age? Although the millennial age will be an age of restoration, it will still be an age in which God builds. Even though the Lord will have come and all things will be restored, the building work of God will still be incomplete at that time.
Again, this is where we come into conflict with the theology in Christianity. Their typical theology tells people that when the Lord Jesus comes again, all things will be complete; all things will rest in peace. However, we realize from reading the Bible that the Lord will still do His building work at the time of His second coming.
On one occasion a person who knew the Lord well came to ask me about the matter of saved ones being disciplined at the Lord’s second coming. I said that today Christians all agree that a saved person should readily love God, do God’s will, and please God. If he does not love God and does not do God’s will, God will chastise and discipline him. No one in Christianity would disagree with this kind of teaching concerning God’s discipline. However, I would like to ask, can it be that God’s chastisement and discipline of His children are limited only to the first three ages? Or will there still be discipline in the fourth age when the Lord Jesus comes back? Today the typical Christian thinks that discipline is limited only to the present life. He never thinks that there will be discipline when the Lord comes back. Yet the Bible clearly shows us that there will still be the matter of discipline when the Lord comes back.
Please read Luke 12:45-48: “But if that slave says in his heart, My master is delaying his coming, and begins to beat the male servants and the female servants and to eat and to drink and become drunk [this is one who indulges himself wantonly, not getting along with the other servants], the master of that slave will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour which he does not know, and will cut him asunder, and will appoint his portion with the unbelievers. And that slave who knew his master’s will and did not prepare or do according to his will, will receive many lashes; but he who did not know, yet did things worthy of stripes, will receive few lashes [not zero lashes but “few” lashes]. But to every one to whom much has been given, much will be required from him; and to whom much has been committed, they will ask of him all the more.” Here it clearly says that it is when the master comes back, the slave may receive many lashes. Thus, we see that the Lord’s chastisement and discipline are not limited to this age. When the Lord comes back, not only will there be discipline, but the discipline may even be greater than before.
Brothers and sisters, if you open your eyes and look, you will see that many saved ones are indulging their flesh, loving the world, and not being one with God’s children. Yet they are still safe and sound; God has not disciplined them. I ask you, brothers and sisters, today among God’s children are there more who obey the Lord or more who disobey the Lord? Obviously there are more disobedient ones. So then today among God’s children are there more who are disciplined or more who are not disciplined? To be honest, we do not see many who are disciplined. Look at all those children of God who, after being saved for many years, still indulge in the flesh, act recklessly at will, and lose their temper and quarrel whenever they feel like it. It seems that God does not bother them and does not discipline them. Therefore, we have to admit that although many Christians disobey today, few are disciplined.
You should never think that the reason God does not discipline us is because He loves us so much that He is reluctant to discipline us. If this is what you think, you are wrong. Hebrews 12 says that whom the Lord loves He disciplines. Those who are disciplined are beloved, and those who are not disciplined are pitiful. However, do not suppose that since they are not disciplined today, they also will not be disciplined in the future. There is not one child who can avoid being disciplined, but as to when the child is disciplined, it depends on the father’s own will. You know that a father who keeps his temper under control knows his timing in disciplining his children. He does not spank the child when he may lose his temper; rather, he looks for the right time. Some children need a spanking right after making a mistake, while others need to wait until the next day, and still others need to wait until the end of the semester.
I would like to tell the brothers and sisters that too many children of God are disobedient, yet hardly any have been disciplined. Rather, you see the opposite situation: Quite a few who love the Lord and learn to live before the Lord have been repeatedly afflicted and smitten. I would like to ask you, do you think that God will never discipline those disobedient children? They live as they please, not growing, not being dealt with, not being built, but going through their entire life aimlessly. Do you think that ultimately they will just die and go to heaven? Do you think God will let this happen? Of course He will not. The Lord said that when He comes back some will receive many lashes.
Please keep in mind that discipline is building. All the parents who discipline their children do so for their perfecting. Likewise, discipline from God is for building. You should never assume that the Lord does the building work, the dealing work, and the disciplining work only during the time before His coming back. The Bible clearly tells us that when the Lord comes back, He will give lashes, even many lashes. Even the giving of lashes is building. If today you are not willing to be dealt with by the Lord, when the Lord comes, you will still be dealt with. If today you are not willing to be built up by the Lord, when the Lord comes He will still build you up. Before you are dealt with, this brother does not seem lovely and that sister has problems as well; you can never be one with others. However, a day will come when the Lord will deal with you to such an extent that every brother and sister is lovely in your sight.
I believe that the brothers and sisters can understand the meaning of these words. The building of God is carried out in the four ages of the old heaven and the old earth. The building work of God is in every age. Even though during the millennial kingdom the Lord will have come and all things will be restored, it will still be the old heaven and the old earth, not the new heaven and the new earth. God will still be doing the building work. It is in the new heaven and the new earth that the building work of God will have been accomplished.