C. From Isaiah to Malachi

The third part of the Old Testament, the section on the prophets, shows us that the prophets were fully released from good as well as from evil to live in the Spirit. In principle, a prophet lives altogether in life. If you could speak with any of the prophets, they would say, “I do not know what good or evil is; I only know the Spirit. When the Spirit of Jehovah comes upon me, I say whatever He wants me to say, and I do whatever He wants me to do.” Therefore, a prophet is free from good and evil to live in God and to walk fully according to the Spirit. This is the tree of life.

The first part of the Old Testament concerns man living in evil; the second part concerns man living in good; and the third part concerns man living in the Spirit. The entire Old Testament shows us how God desires that man would receive Him as life and escape death by staying away from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, which is outside of God. The prophecies spoken by the prophets in the Spirit all emphasize the coming One who is man’s salvation and man’s way before God. Therefore, the prophets usher us into the New Testament.

V. GOD BECOMING FLESH
THAT MAN MIGHT RECEIVE HIM AS LIFE

In the New Testament, the One prophesied by the prophets came; He was God manifested in the flesh so that man might receive Him as life. This is seen in the four Gospels.

VI. THE LORD RELEASING HIMSELF
THROUGH DEATH AND RESURRECTION
TO BE RECEIVED BY MAN AS LIFE

This is seen at the end of the Gospels.

VII. THE LORD COMING TO MAN
AS THE SPIRIT AFTER RESURRECTION
AND ENTERING INTO MAN TO BE MAN’S LIFE

This is seen in the book of Acts.

VIII. THE LORD BEING LIFE WITHIN MAN,
ISSUING IN THE CHURCH AND IN THE BUILDING UP
OF THE CHURCH AS GOD’S DWELLING PLACE

This is seen in the Epistles.

IX. ALL THOSE WHO ARE NOT OF THE LORD’S LIFE
AND NOT BUILT INTO THE CHURCH
BEING JUDGED BY HIM AND BURNED BY FIRE,
ENDING UP IN THE SAME WAY AS SATAN

This is seen in Revelation.

X. ONLY THOSE WHO ALLOW THE LORD
TO BE THEIR LIFE AND WHO ARE BUILT
INTO THE CHURCH BEING IN THE NEW JERUSALEM
AS HE IS IN THE NEW JERUSALEM

This is seen at the end of Revelation.

XI. A CONCLUDING WORD

On the one hand, God’s work throughout the ages is to work Himself into man as the tree of life, and on the other hand, to completely eliminate the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, which denotes Satan, from the universe by casting it into the lake of fire. Of the two trees in the universe, one is wrought into the New Jerusalem as the tree of life for the building up of the New Jerusalem, and the other one is wrought into the lake of fire as the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, the tree of death, to become the center of the lake of fire. Thus, there are two trees, two spheres, and two destinations. The tree of life has the New Jerusalem as its sphere and destination; the tree of the knowledge of good and evil has the lake of fire as its sphere and destination. All persons and things joined to the tree of life throughout the ages will end up in the New Jerusalem; all persons and things joined to the tree of the knowledge of good and evil will end up in the lake of fire. Life is always with the tree of life; death is always with the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.