Before proceeding further, we need a bird’s-eye view of God’s building in the entire Scriptures, especially in the first two books. Genesis and Exodus. The sixty-six books of the Bible contain many things, but we must be clear concerning the over-all view of the central matter. What do we see when we look at the entire Bible with a bird’s-eye view? One central thing stands out-the building. If we do not have a view whereby we see all things related to this matter of building, we do not understand the Scriptures. We may read and reread, but we do not have the proper understanding. We are just like one who is confined in a narrow cell, restricted by his narrow, human vision. We must have a heavenly vision to be clear about the whole of Scripture.
With such a view the first two books of the Scriptures reveal clearly the things related to God’s building.
Remember the picture in Genesis 1 and 2, the first picture related to God’s building. There we saw a tree with a flowing river, and out of that flowing river came gold, pearl and precious stone, the materials for God’s building. By carefully considering that picture in the light of the whole Bible, we realize that it portrays God as life to us. If man partakes of the fruit of the tree of life, he receives God into him as life; then God’s life flows within that man, transforming him into precious materials.
In the garden of Eden, Adam was a piece of clay. But in the New Jerusalem, the saints are precious materials. There are no men of clay there. The twelve gates of the Holy City are named after the twelve tribes of Israel (Rev. 21:12), but the outstanding thing concerning those gates is that they are all pearls (Rev. 21:21). The twelve tribes of Israel originally consisted of men of clay. The twelve foundations of the city are named after the twelve Apostles (Rev. 21:14), that is, Peter, James, John, etc.; but these twelve foundations are made of twelve kinds of precious stone (Rev. 21:19-20). These Apostles also were originally pieces of clay. How could the twelve tribes of Israel and the twelve Apostles become pearls and precious stones? The answer is that they all must be transformed. In the garden of Eden man was nothing but clay. But in the New Jerusalem, he has become not only stone, but precious stone, as well as pearl and gold-three precious items.
In the beginning of Scripture, there is a corporate man made of clay, containing nothing precious. But at the end of Scripture, there is another corporate man, a greatly enlarged corporate man, a city. And in this city there is nothing of clay or earth. Everything is gold, pearl and precious stone. All have been changed through the work of transformation. In the past, God accomplished His work of creation in six days, but in order to transform man He has used at least six thousand years. All Christians are in this daily process of transformation.
Why do Christians suffer? Many of us have a mistaken concept concerning suffering. We feel that we must have done something wrong; so we must suffer. Yet frequently we have not behaved wrongly, and still we must suffer. Why? Because such suffering is necessary for our transformation. Many Christians are too raw. They must be cooked and even burnt; others must be pressed-all that they may be transformed. Throughout my entire Christian life I have had much enjoyment of the Lord, but on the other hand I have experienced trouble upon trouble. I need the troubles if I am going to be transformed.
Home | First | Prev | Next