In this chapter we would like to discuss the purpose of God’s building in the universe. Simply speaking, God’s building is for the accomplishment of God’s eternal purpose. If we read through the entire Bible, we will see that God’s eternal purpose is of two aspects: to express Himself and to deal with His enemy. In our previous life-study of the Bible we pointed out that both of these aspects of God’s eternal purpose are accomplished by His entering into man and being mingled with man. For His purpose God has chosen to express Himself and deal with His enemy through man. For this reason He created man. Generally, people find it very difficult to understand why there is the need for man in the universe and what is the meaning of human life. By reading the Word of God, however, we can find the answer. God created man so that He may accomplish His purpose through man. By gaining man as a vessel and putting Himself into man to be mingled with man, God can express Himself and deal with His enemy through man.
This matter is clearly revealed in the record in Genesis 1 concerning God’s creation of man. There it shows us that God created man in His own image (vv. 26a, 27). Man is a picture of God or, in modern terminology, a photograph of God. The photograph of a person is the expression, the reflection, of that person. Therefore, what is shown in Genesis 1 is that man was created to be the reflection, the expression, of God.
Furthermore, Genesis 1 says that after God created man, He gave man authority to rule over all things. This chapter says particularly that God wanted man to have dominion “over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth” (v. 26b). One of the creeping things on the earth is the serpent, and the realm of the serpent’s activity is the earth. As you read the Bible, gradually you find out that the serpent is the embodiment of God’s enemy. Hence, for God to give man the authority to rule over the earth and especially over the creeping things on the earth implies that God wants to deal with His enemy through man.
At the end of the Bible when the work of God is complete, we also see that these two aspects of His purpose have been attained through man. In Revelation 21 the New Jerusalem, which signifies all the saved ones, is altogether an expression of God. God’s appearance is like jasper (4:3), and when the New Jerusalem appears, it is also like jasper (21:11, 18). This means that the city is altogether the expression of the image of God. When you see that city, you see the expression of God. Moreover, the city is filled with, and even diffuses, the glory of God; the light of the city is the radiance of God (vv. 23-24a). This signifies that God is expressed through a group of people who have been redeemed by Him and have experienced His building. Hence, in this picture we see the accomplishment of the first aspect of the purpose of God’s creation of man.
At its conclusion the Bible also refers to the end of the ancient serpent-Satan (Rev. 20:2-3, 10). If you read the Scriptures carefully, you will see that at the beginning there is a serpent, and until the end there is still a serpent. The story of this serpent is seen throughout the entire Bible. Revelation 12 shows us that due to the rapture of the overcomers Satan will be dealt with and cast down to the earth. He will be defeated before the saints (vv. 5, 7-9). In Revelation 20 Satan will be bound and cast into the abyss (vv. 1-3); afterward he will be cast into the lake of fire and brimstone (v. 10). At that point the second aspect of the purpose of God’s creation of man will also be accomplished. Therefore, the purpose of God both to express Himself and to deal with His enemy will be accomplished through man.
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