Ⅳ
We need to have a vision concerning the church and see that the church is”Christly,”“resurrectionly,” and heavenly; these adjectives describe the facts conveyed in the Bible—vv. 17-23; 2:5-6:
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The church is a matter in Christ, in resurrection, and in ascension in the heavenlies—vv. 5-6:
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After Christ terminated the entire old creation through His all-inclusive death, the church was produced in His resurrection; the church is absolutely in resurrection, a new creation created in Christ's resurrection and by the resurrected Christ—1 Pet. 1:3; Eph. 2:6.
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The church has been resurrected with Christ, and now the church is in ascension, in the heavenlies, with Christ—v. 6.
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The church is of Christ, the church is of resurrection, and the church is of the heavens.
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Such a vision will govern us to the uttermost and rule out everything that is not Christly (of Christ), resurrectionly (of resurrection), or heavenly (of the heavens)—Acts 26:19.
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We need to learn that the way we look at God's people is a serious matter:
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Joseph's two dreams, both from God, unveiled to him God's divine view concerning the nature, position, function, and goal of God's people on earth—Gen. 37:5-9:
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In his first dream Joseph saw sheaves in the field (vv. 7-8); if we see this heavenly dream, then we see that in God's view all His people are sheaves full of life to produce food for the meal offering to satisfy God and man (Lev. 2:4-5).
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In his second dream Joseph saw the sun, the moon, and eleven stars bowing down to him; in God's eternal view, His people are heavenly bodies full of light—Gen. 37:9; cf. Rev. 12:1.
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If we praise the Lord for His saints being full of life and light, we will be the first to participate in life—Gen. 12:2-3; Num. 24:9.
Morning Nourishment
Gen. 37:6-7 …Listen to this dream which I have had: There we were, binding sheaves in the field, when suddenly my sheaf rose up and remained standing; and then your sheaves gathered around and bowed down to my sheaf.12:3 And I will bless those who bless you, and him who curses you I will curse; and in you all the families of the earth will be blessed.
In Genesis 37:2 we are told that Joseph brought to his father an evil report regarding his brothers….In chapter 37 we see the hatred and anger of Joseph's brothers, and in chapter 38 we see Judah's lust. Joseph saw the evil of his brothers and reported it to his father. But Joseph had two dreams (37:5-9). In the first dream Joseph saw sheaves in the field. This dream reveals that, at the most, Joseph was just a sheaf and that, at the worst, his brothers also were sheaves. God gave Joseph this dream, and in it he had God's view of his brothers….God came to give Joseph a dream, and He seemed to say,”Joseph, in My eyes you are the same as your brothers, and they are just as good as you are. You are a sheaf; and they also are sheaves. The only difference between you and them is that I have chosen you to reign. But this does not mean that you are better than they are.” (Life-study of Genesis, pp. 1414-1415)
Today's Reading
If we do not have experience, we shall not be able to understand the word in the Bible regarding Joseph's dream of the sheaves. When you first come into the church life, you may say,”How wonderful the church life is! The brothers and sisters are all marvelous! How I love the church!” However, the more you love the church and care for the saints, the more”gophers,”“turtles,” and”scorpions” you will see. Then you will say,”…Lord, the situation in the church is pitiful….” At such a time you need a heavenly dream. When the dream comes, the Lord will tell you,”You are not any better, and the others are not worse than you. You are all sheaves of life in Me. There are no ‘gophers,' ‘scorpions,' or ‘turtles' among My people. All are sheaves full of life.” If I had not seen such a heavenly dream, I would have quit long ago. But I have seen the dream. I have seen that I am a sheaf and that all those who in my eyes are”gophers” are sheaves also.Years ago, I prayed many accusing prayers to the Lord; I reported to Him the evils I had seen. In my prayers I said,”Lord, I have given up my job and consecrated my life and my future for this work. But, Lord, look at this people!” Eventually, however, the dream came, and the Lord said to me, ‘You are not better than they. At the most, you are just a sheaf, and, at the worst, they also are sheaves.” At the beginning I was troubled and argued with the Lord, saying,”Lord, You are not thorough. You are superficial. Don't You see their heart?” But the Lord said,”I don't look at them from your view. I see them from My view. In the New Jerusalem there are no ‘gophers' and ‘scorpions.'”
Elijah complained against Israel saying,”The children of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, thrown down Your altars, and slain Your prophets with the sword; and I alone am left, and they seek to take my life” (1 Kings 19:10). Elijah was accusing Israel before God. Being displeased with this, the Lord replied, ‘Yet I have left Myself seven thousand in Israel, all the knees that have not bowed unto Baal and every mouth that has not kissed him” (1 Kings 19:18). Do not go to the Lord in the way of accusing others before Him. Instead, you should say to Him,”Lord, since You see no iniquity, I do not choose to see any either. All the ‘gophers' and ‘scorpions' are sheaves, and I love them.”
However, this is not easy to do. You may even think that I am teaching you to lie….But who is right—God or you? And what about the dream? If you have seen the heavenly dream, then you have seen that in God's view all His people are sheaves full of life to produce food for the meal offering to satisfy God and man. (Life-study of Genesis, pp. 1415-1416)
Further Reading: CWWL, 1956, vol. 2,”Three Aspects of the Church, Book 3: The Organization of the Church,” chs. 5-6