The beginning of the Bible and the end of the Bible are much alike. In Genesis 2, besides the tree, there is a river flowing in four directions (Gen. 2:9-10). This is just like the New Jerusalem. There the one river from the throne flows until it eventually reaches all four directions of the twelve gates. In Genesis 2:12, we see that in the flow of the river there is gold, bdellium (or pearl), and onyx stone. Three kinds of precious materials are in the flow of the river. Eventually a woman was builded as a bride for man. “And the rib which the Lord God had taken from man builded he a woman, and brought her unto the man” (Gen. 2:22, Heb.). This is a very meaningful picture.
As we read through the whole Bible, we begin to see that the tree of life is just God Himself presented to man in the form of food. When this life enters into man, it becomes a flowing river. When Jesus comes into us, we begin to feel something flowing within. While we are in the classroom, while we are at work, while we are at home, there is something flowing within us. This is Jesus as the water of life, flowing to transform us. It is by water flowing through a log that it becomes petrified wood. The flowing of the water brings in many minerals and discharges the old wooden essence. There is a replacement. Likewise, by the flowing of the living water within us we are replaced. This is transformation.
Romans 9 tells us that we are vessels of clay. But God’s intention is to transform these muddy vessels into precious stones. Precious stones are not created by God naturally. They were originally something else, but under the proper conditions they were transformed into precious stones. Originally we were all made vessels of clay. Sooner or later God will transform us into precious stones. He is very patient. To Him, one day is equal to a thousand years. He will not hurry. We may look at ourselves after three years in the church life and feel that we are about the same. But to God this is just a few minutes.
All the precious materials are for a building. In Genesis 2 God did not create a woman; He built a woman. It is the same at the end of the Bible. The New Jerusalem is built with exactly the same materials that were in the flow of the river in Genesis. There is the tree of life growing in the river, and a city is built up with gold, pearl, and precious stones. And this city is a woman, a Bride. This Bride was not produced, but builded with the transformed items. Now we can see the consistency of the Bible. What was in the beginning in Genesis is eventually in Revelation. But there is a big difference. In Genesis these three precious materials were only lying there. They were not built together. But in Revelation, all three precious items are fitly framed and compacted together as a building. This is the Bible’s consistent and progressive revelation.
From Genesis we come to Matthew, the first book in the New Testament. In chapter sixteen Jesus asked the disciples who the people thought He was. Peter answered boldly, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matt. 16:16). Then the Lord answered Peter, “And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (Matt. 16:18). When Peter answered the Lord, he was right, but he was only half right. We need to underline the little word “also” in verse 18. “I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter.” The name Peter means a stone. When Andrew first brought Peter to the Lord, the Lord changed his name from Simon to Cephas, which means a stone (John 1:42). Therefore, the Lord was telling Peter that he was a stone to be built upon Himself as the rock for the producing of the church. “Upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” This little verse covers the whole New Testament.
Peter could never forget these words. When he was speaking to Jewish leaders in Acts 4, he told them that they had not simply rejected a little man from Nazareth, but the stone which God had made the head of the corner for His building. “This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. Neither is there salvation in any other; for there is none other name under heaven given among men whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:11-12). Many Christians preach this word concerning the name of Jesus, but they never touch the previous verse about the stone. Peter told the Jews that they had not only rejected the Savior, but also the stone for God’s building. Salvation is not for going to heaven; salvation is for building. To be saved is not merely to go to heaven some day. To be saved is to be built into God’s building. Jesus saves us with the purpose of making us a stone for God’s building.
Later, Peter wrote in his first epistle, “Ye also, as living stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ” (1 Pet. 2:5). We are not made living stones for an exhibition in the heavens. It is not like this. Stones are not for exhibition; they are for building. “Ye also as living stones, are built up a spiritual house.”