The Lord promises that there will be “showers of blessing.” There will be no lack of water, for there will be not only rivers but also showers. Many times in the meetings of the local churches we sense that something is not only flowing but also coming down like a shower. Sometimes even at home after the meeting, we have the sense that the showers of blessing are still coming down upon us. This is the strongest sign that the Lord’s blessing is upon the local church. He sends us showers of blessing in season, so timely.
Verse 27 tells us that the tree of the field will yield its fruit and that the earth will yield its increase. The showers will cause the trees to yield their fruit and cause the earth to yield its rich produce. This indicates that there will be an abundance of spiritual food not only for us to enjoy ourselves but also for us to supply others. Because the local churches are rich with spiritual food, in the Lord’s recovery there is no more famine, no shortage of food. At the start of a meeting, we may seem to have only five small loaves, but after the meeting we have twelve full baskets left over. This is a real blessing.
Thus far we have seen that there are three signs that the local churches are under the Lord’s blessing: the showers in season, the trees yielding fruit, and the abundance of produce from the good land. We should never have the sense that the local church meetings are short of food. If we are short of food, we are wrong. If we in the Lord’s recovery are under His blessing, we will be rich in food.
Ezekiel 34:29a says, “I will raise up for them a plant of renown.” Here the Lord promised to raise up a plant of renown, whose fruit would be for the enjoyment of His recovered people. Once again, this plant is Christ as the rich food supply. Whatever needs we may have and whatever difficulties we may face, He will give us the rich supply.
Finally, verse 29b says, “They shall be no more consumed with hunger in the land.” Instead of spiritual famine, there will be a rich food supply.
Verses 30 and 31 conclude, “Thus shall they know that I the Lord their God am with them, and that they, even the house of Israel, are my people, saith the Lord God. And ye my flock, the flock of my pasture, are men, and I am your God, saith the Lord God.” Here the Lord promised that He would be with them, that they would be His people, and that He would be their God. They have God’s presence, God is among them, and they are before God. This is the perfect fellowship with God, the fellowship in oneness—the genuine recovery.
In the Lord’s recovery we have God’s presence. God is with us. We are His people, and He is our God. We are His and He is ours. We have such a fellowship, such a oneness, for we are one with God, and God is one with us. This is the recovery of the church life—the real mingling of God and man. From this we see that the recovery of the church life is not a matter of teachings or gifts but a matter of the Lord’s presence. We are here on earth enjoying such a oneness and mingling with the Lord. This is the Lord’s recovery by life.