According to the complete revelation of the Bible, God made a plan in eternity past to dispense Himself into man in order to make man a corporate expression of Himself. After He made His plan, God created the universe with the heavens, the earth, and especially man with a human spirit (Zech. 12:1). This indicates that the heavens are for the earth, the earth is for man’s existence, and man with his spirit is for God. With his spirit man must contact, receive, contain, and assimilate God so that He may be life to man, and man may be His living corporate expression. This is God’s intention throughout all the dispensations and generations. This is very clear in the Bible, but in order to see this, we must have a vision. We may have the Bible in our hands for our entire life yet never see this vision. This is what has happened in Christianity. Christianity has the Bible, but many people in Christianity do not see the eternal plan of God. In order that man may see God’s desire, God gave him the Bible. However, the enemy of God never sleeps. He came in and utilized all the points in this Holy Book to instigate man to exercise his mentality to form religion. Religion is something formed by the human mentality under Satan’s instigation and inspiration in order to oppose God’s economy. Apparently, religion is for God, but in actuality, it is fully against Him.
The first religion formed in this way was Judaism, which came entirely from the Old Testament. In the Old Testament, God gave His people the commandments concerning circumcision, the Sabbath, and dietary regulations. Every male among God’s people had to be circumcised on the eighth day after his birth (Gen. 17:9-14). In addition, every seven days the Israelites had to keep the Sabbath separate, holy, and for God (Exo. 20:8-11), and in their eating they had to keep a particular diet (Lev. 11). These three things—circumcision, the Sabbath, and the holy diet—are the three pillars upon which Judaism is supported. All these are in the Old Testament, but they are not the kernel of the Old Testament. The kernel of the Old Testament is Christ and God’s dwelling place, that is, Christ and the church. In the Old Testament there are many prophecies, types, shadows, and figures showing, declaring, and describing who Christ would be, what He would do, and where He would go. In addition, in the Old Testament there is also God’s dwelling place. First, God’s people Israel built a tabernacle for God’s dwelling. Then this tabernacle was replaced by a solid temple, and after the temple was destroyed, a recovered temple was built. Thus, Christ and God’s dwelling place are the kernel of the Old Testament. Circumcision, the Sabbath, and the holy diet are far off from the kernel, but Satan utilized what God commanded to cause the Jews to exercise their mentality to form a religion rather than to focus on Christ and God’s dwelling place. Anything that we do to serve God, worship God, or please God apart from Christ is religion. However, anything we do with Christ, in Christ, and in union with Christ can never be a religion.
In the fullness of the time, the promised Christ came. Isaiah 9:6 says, “A child is born to us, / A Son is given to us; / And the government / Is upon His shoulder; / And His name will be called / Wonderful Counselor, / Mighty God, / Eternal Father, / Prince of Peace.” His name is called Wonderful, meaning that no one can fully understand Him. Anything that we can fully understand is not wonderful, but in the universe there is One who is wonderful. The more we abide in Him, the more wonderful He is to us. This One is not only the Redeemer but also the Counselor. We all need Christ as our Counselor. Moreover, the child born in the manger is the Mighty God, and the Son given to us is the Eternal Father. He is also the Prince of Peace. If we have Him, we have the Counselor, God, the Father, and peace. Micah 5:2 also tells us that His goings forth are from ancient times, from the days of eternity.
This One came in a very humble way. First, He was born in a manger. He was persecuted and fled to Egypt, and later, because of the persecution in Judea around Jerusalem, He escaped again to Nazareth in Galilee. There He was raised in the home of a poor carpenter for thirty years. In the holy city was the holy temple, and related to the holy temple were the altar, the priesthood, and the priestly ministry to offer the various sacrifices according to the book of Leviticus. Here also were the burning of the incense and the lighting of the lampstands morning and evening. All these were according to the Old Testament. Far to the north, however, was a city called Nazareth, in which there was a carpenter’s home, where the child born to us and the Son given to us lived for thirty years. This child and Son was God Himself. John 1:1 says, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God,” and verse 14 says, “The Word became flesh and tabernacled among us.” This Word who became flesh was Jesus of Nazareth. Therefore, during those thirty years God was not in Jerusalem; He was in Nazareth. Religion was in Jerusalem, but Christ was in Nazareth. At that time, in order to meet God, people needed to go to Nazareth, even to the home of a carpenter. However, the Jews were not clear concerning this. According to their religion, tradition, and superstition, they went to Jerusalem, the place of religion, and not to Nazareth.