Scripture Reading: Col. 1:12; 2:6-15, 19; Exo. 3:8; Deut. 8:8-9; 26:9

DAY 1 Outline　MorningRevival

DAY 2 Outline　MorningRevival

DAY 3 Outline　MorningRevival

DAY 4 Outline　MorningRevival

DAY 5 Outline　MorningRevival

DAY 6 Outline　MorningRevival

«　WEEK 2　DAY 1　»

　　Col. 1:12 Giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you for a share of the allotted portion of the saints in the light.

　　2:6-7 As therefore you have received the Christ, Jesus the Lord, walk in Him, having been rooted and being built up in Him...

　　As Paul was writing...chapter 2 of Colossians, he was considering the picture of the good land in the Old Testament as a type of the all-inclusive Christ. There is a suggestion of this in 1:12, where Paul says that Christ is the portion of the saints. Then in 2:6 Paul tells us to walk in Christ. This implies that Christ is the land, the territory, the realm, in which we may walk. Furthermore, his reference to being rooted in Christ in 2:7 also indicates that he was thinking of the good land. In order to be rooted in Christ, He must be our land, our soil. (Life-study of Colossians, p. 162)

　　Paul...was aware that God’s chosen people in Old Testament times enjoyed the good land as their portion.... It was through the good land that they could worship God and build the temple for God’s testimony and for His unique dwelling place. It was through the good land that God’s purpose could be fulfilled through the children of Israel. Fully realizing what the good land meant to God’s chosen people, Paul composed the Epistle to the Colossians with the portrait of the good land in mind. Therefore, if we would experience the all-inclusive Christ as revealed in this book, we need to realize that such a Christ is typified by the land of Canaan. The Christ who is typified by the good land is the processed Triune God as the life-giving Spirit.

　　In Joshua 5:11 and 12 we see a hint that the good land typifies Christ as the continuation of the manna. Verse 11 says that the children of Israel ate of the produce of the land.... Manna was a type of Christ as the life supply for God’s people. As these verses in Joshua point out, the produce of the good land is the continuation of the manna. Therefore, if the manna typified Christ, the produce of the good land must also typify Him. By means of the supply of manna in the wilderness, God’s people were able to build the tabernacle as God’s dwelling place. In the same principle, through the supply of the rich produce of the land they were able to build the temple as a more solid dwelling place for God. No doubt, the good land enjoyed by the children of Israel is a significant type of Christ, for through the enjoyment of it the temple was built.

　　The land is the crucial focus of the Old Testament. This is the reason that in the Old Testament the Lord speaks of the land again and again. He called out Abraham and told him that He would bring him into a certain land, which was the land of Canaan. Consider how many times from Genesis 12 to the end of the Old Testament the Lord referred to the land. Actually, the center of the Old Testament is the temple within the city built in the good land. If we know the Scriptures and have light from God, we shall realize that the center of God’s eternal plan, speaking according to the type, is the land with its temple and city....The land is the figure of the all-inclusive Christ, a type of Christ as everything to us. (Life-study of Colossians, pp. 162-165)

　　The experience of the children of Israel in the good land typifies our enjoyment of Christ today. Christ is our good land, and the various aspects of the riches of Christ are typified by the produce of the land. If we enjoy the rich supply of Christ, we shall be able to live Christ.... All these matters—living the Christian life, defeating the enemies, establishing the kingdom of God, and building the house of God—issue out from the enjoyment of the riches of Christ. (Life-study of 1 Corinthians, p. 449)

　　Further Reading: Life-study of Colossians, msgs. 6, 20-21; CWWL, 1966, vol. 1, “Christ Our Portion,” ch. 1

«　WEEK 2　DAY 2　»

　　Exo. 3:8 And I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land to a good and spacious land, to a land flowing with milk and honey...

　　Col. 1:12 Giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you for a share of the allotted portion of the saints in the light.

　　Both milk and honey are products of the combination of two kinds of lives—the animal life and the vegetable life. Milk is produced by cattle that feed on grass, and honey is made by bees from the nectar of flowers. Milk and honey signify the riches of Christ, which come from the two aspects of His life—His redeeming life, typified by the animal life (John 1:29), and His generating life, typified by the vegetable life (John 12:24). (Exo. 3:8, footnote 2)

　　Whenever we come to the Lord’s table to enjoy Christ as the all-inclusive One, in our experience we are in the good land enjoying the riches of the land. This means that the good land has become a table, a feast, for our enjoyment. At this table, this feast, we are satisfied, and God is satisfied also. If we see this, we shall realize that to enter into the good land is to come to the Lord’s table. The table is a feast for our enjoyment.... It is crucial for us to understand that to come to the table is to enjoy Christ as the good land. (Life-study of 1 Corinthians, pp. 448-449)

　　Many may read Colossians 1:12 without paying attention to the phrase in the light. Christ, our portion, is to be enjoyed by us in the light.

　　In John 8:12 the Lord Jesus said that He is the light of the world and that whoever follows Him will not walk in darkness, but have the light of life. However, if we do not follow Him as the light, we shall be in darkness.

　　First John 1:5 says that God is light. He alone is the source of light. The Word of God, Christ, the life of Christ, the believers, and the church can all be light because they have God as their source.

　　Psalm 119:105 says that the Word of God is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path, and 119:130 says that the opening of God’s words gives light. The Word of God is light because it contains God....The source of the Bible is God, and God is light. Therefore, the words of the Bible are the shining of light.

　　In John 9:5 the Lord Jesus said, “While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” God and Christ are one. Since God is light, Christ also is light. Christ is the light of the world in a very definite way....Christ is the light not just in a general way, but in a definite way as the light of society, of mankind.

　　The life of Christ is also light. John 1:4 says, “In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.” When we receive Christ as life, this life becomes light in us, shining upon us and enlightening us from within.

　　Those who believe in Christ are also the light. Speaking of the believers, the Lord Jesus said, “You are the light of the world” (Matt. 5:14). In Philippians 2:15 Paul says that the believers “shine as lights in the world” (KJV). The Greek for lights is better rendered luminaries. A luminary does not have light in itself; it reflects light that comes from another source. The believers are luminaries. In ourselves we have no light. The light comes from the oil, the Spirit, burning within us. The source of our light is not ourselves, but Christ as the Spirit.

　　In Revelation 1:20 we see that the church is a lampstand, a stand that holds and supports a burning lamp. The lamp is Christ with God in Him as light (Rev. 21:23). In the universe there is one light, God Himself. The Triune God is the unique light. (Life-study of Colossians, pp. 55-57)

　　Further Reading: Life-study of 1 Corinthians, msg. 50; Life-study of Colossians, msg. 7

«　WEEK 2　DAY 3　»

　　John 6:57 ...He who eats Me, he also shall live because of Me.

　　63 ...The words which I have spoken to you are spirit and are life.

　　1 Pet. 2:2 ...Long for the guileless milk of the word in order that by it you may grow unto salvation.

　　Psa. 119:103 How sweet are Your words to my taste! Sweeter than honey to my mouth!

　　[John 6:9 speaks of “five barley loaves and two fish.”] Loaves are of the vegetable life and signify the generating aspect of Christ’s life. Fish are of the animal life and signify the redeeming aspect of Christ’s life. As the generating life, Christ grows in the land, the God-created earth; as the redeeming life, He lives in the sea, the Satan-corrupted world. In order to regenerate us, He grew on the God-created earth that He might reproduce; in order to redeem us, He lived in the satanic and sinful world. But He is not sinful, not affected by the world, just as fish live in salt water but are not salty. Barley loaves and fish are small items, signifying Christ’s smallness, through which He can be the life supply to us. Those who sought miracles considered Him the promised Prophet and would have forced Him to be King (John 6:14-15), but He would not seek to be a giant in religion; rather, He preferred to be small loaves and little fish that people might eat Him. (John 6:9, footnote 2)

　　To grow is a matter of life and in life. We received the divine life through regeneration, and we need to grow in this life and with this life by being nourished with the milk conveyed in the word of God. (1 Peter 2:2, footnote 4)

　　Song of Songs 4:11 says, “Your lips drip fresh honey, my bride; / Honey and milk are under your tongue; / And the fragrance of your garments / Is like the fragrance of Lebanon.”... No human or natural smell can be compared to the fragrance that emanates from the maiden. This naturally makes her lips drop as the honeycomb. Honey is sweet, and it restores the stricken ones. But this sweetness is not produced overnight. It comes from a long period of gathering, inward activity, and careful storage. This is the unique possession of one who is taught by God. From the mouth of the maiden issue forth sweet and refreshing words, not gossip, jokes, or rash words. Her words are not outbursts of torrents, but drops of honey from the honeycomb. This is the slowest kind of dripping. Some people have the urge to speak; their words are like the babbling of brooks. Even when they speak about spiritual things, the way they speak shows that they have not passed through the deeper work of grace. In this verse we can notice not only her lips slowly dropping sweet honey, but the things that are stored within her. “Honey and milk are under your tongue.” The top of the tongue is where man takes in food, whereas under the tongue is where man stores food. This means that she has stored up these things; there are riches within her. She has more than enough food. Honey restores the weak ones, whereas milk feeds the immature ones. She has stored so many riches within her that food seems to be under her tongue, and she can dispense to the needy ones at any time. However, she does not reveal all that she has. She is not like many people who exhibit on the outside all that they have inside. Honey and milk are under her tongue; they are not on her lips. (CWWN, vol. 23, “The Song of Songs,” pp. 71-72)

　　He enjoys her word as fresh honey (for restoring the weak), which comes from her lips, and her word as honey and milk (for restoring the weak and feeding the immature ones), which are under her tongue, and the fragrance of her conduct as the fragrance of ascension. (Life-study of Song of Songs, p. 32)

　　Further Reading: CWWN, vol. 23, “The Song of Songs,” sect. 3; Life-study of Song of Songs, msg. 4

«　WEEK 2　DAY 4　»

　　Col. 2:6-7 As therefore you have received the Christ, Jesus the Lord, walk in Him, having been rooted and being built up in Him...

　　9-10 For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily, and you have been made full in Him, who is the Head of all rule and authority.

　　The section of Colossians which includes 2:8-15...contains a number of important points, many... related to Christ as the good land, as the rich soil in which we have been rooted. The expression “having been rooted” in verse 7 implies that there is soil.... Having been rooted in the soil, we grow with the elements we absorb from the soil. We know that Christ as the soil is in our spirit. Now we must go on to see, from verses 8 through 15, a description of the very soil in which we have been rooted. (Life-study of Colossians, pp. 461-462)

　　The first aspect of this very special soil is found in Colossians 2:9....We have been rooted in the One in whom all the fullness of the Godhead dwells bodily. We should not allow anyone to carry us away from such a soil. To be carried away from this soil is to be uprooted from it. When the book of Colossians was written, some were trying to uproot the believers from Christ.

　　In verse 10...we see more concerning the substance of Christ as the soil. One aspect of the soil is that of the fullness of the Godhead; another aspect is that Christ is the Head of all rule and authority. In Christ as the good land we have a number of different elements.

　　When we are rooted in Christ as the soil, the first thing to take place is that we are made full in Him (2:10). The phrase made full implies a great deal and requires an amplified translation in order to bring out its real significance. The Greek word implies completion, perfection, satisfaction, and full accomplishment. In Christ as the soil we are filled, completed, perfected, satisfied, and thoroughly supplied....The first element of the soil is the fullness of the Godhead. As we absorb into our being the rich nourishment from the soil, we enjoy this fullness. Then this fullness makes us full, completes us, perfects us, satisfies us, accomplishes everything for us, and thoroughly supplies our every need. This fullness is inexhaustible. Such an inexhaustible fullness is the first element of the rich soil in which we are rooted. God has planted us into a rich land. The first aspect of this land is the fullness of the Godhead, the expression of God in the old creation and in the new creation. Thus, the fullness implies the expression of God in the old creation and in the new creation. Having been planted into such rich soil, we absorb nourishment from the soil. The first element of the riches of the soil is the fullness. In this fullness we have been made full. Thus, we are short of nothing.

　　Paul wanted the Colossian believers to realize that since they had been made full in Christ, they had no need to worship angels. Christ was the Head of all rule and authority, and angels were just one item of God’s creation. In the fullness we are made full, complete, and perfect. Everything necessary is accomplished, and we are supplied and satisfied. Oh, this fullness is all-inclusive. It includes righteousness, justification, holiness, sanctification, and whatever we may need. Having been planted into this fullness, we should simply absorb nourishment from it. As we do so, we shall find that we have no lack. The experiences of crucifixion and resurrection are in the fullness. Praise the Lord that we may enjoy the universal, eternal, extensive, all-inclusive fullness! This fullness dwells in Christ bodily. Since Christ is the good land in which we have been rooted, we have been rooted in this fullness; in it we have been made full, complete, and perfect. We have no need whatever. (Life-study of Colossians, pp. 462-465)

　　Further Reading: Life-study of Colossians, msgs. 44, 46, 51

«　WEEK 2　DAY 5　»

　　Col. 2:12-14 Buried together with Him in baptism, in which also you were raised together with Him through the faith of the operation of God, who raised Him from the dead. And you...He made alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our offenses; wiping out the handwriting in ordinances, which was against us;...and He has taken it out of the way, nailing it to the cross.

　　In Colossians 2:11 through 15 we find more elements [of the soil]....The soil also includes the circumcision of Christ [v. 11], which denotes cutting and killing. In the soil there is, therefore, a killing element. Verse 12, which says that we were buried together with Christ in baptism, indicates that the soil also contains the element of burial. In Christ as the soil there is a substance which causes us to be buried. After burial, we are raised up. In verse 12 Paul speaks of God who raised Christ from among the dead. This expression indicates that in Christ as the soil there is an element which causes us to be raised up. According to verse 13, we also are made alive. There is an element in the soil which gives us life, enlivens us. In 1 Corinthians 15:45 Paul speaks of the life-giving Spirit. In Colossians 2:13 he uses the same Greek term for life-giving, only in the past tense. As the soil, Christ has made us alive; He has given us life. (Life-study of Colossians, pp. 462-463)

　　In Colossians 2:14 and 15...we have more elements that are found in Christ as the soil. The wiping out of the handwriting in ordinances is an element in the soil. The same is true of the stripping off of the rulers and the authorities, the making of a display of them openly, and the triumphing over them in the cross. As the soil, Christ includes all these marvelous elements. Praise Him that He is such a rich soil! We have been rooted in this soil. Day by day, our roots need to sink deeper into Christ as the unique soil.

　　On the negative side, however, as 2:11-15 indicates, we have the flesh, the ordinances, and the rulers and authorities. Young and old, male and female, cultured and uncultured—we all are troubled by these three categories of negative things. We all have the flesh, we all have some type of ordinances, and we all are subject to the evil authorities in the atmosphere. Sin, worldliness, and offenses have their source in these negative things. Praise the Lord that in Christ as the soil we have the element of circumcision which puts the flesh to death! In Christ as the soil there is killing power. This killing element can be compared to salt, which when added to soil can kill corruption. In the soil of the good land in which we are rooted is the “salt” of circumcision. This element does not cause anything to grow, but it is effective in killing germs. It cuts the flesh and kills it. After the killing, we have burial. In Christ as the soil there is an element which causes us to be buried. Furthermore, there is another element which raises us up. Thus, first the elements in Christ as the soil bury us; then they raise us up...and make us living.

　　According to 2:14, the handwriting in ordinances, which was against us and contrary to us, has been wiped out. It has been nailed to the cross. In the soil there is also the element of the wiping out of the ordinances.

　　We all have certain kinds of ordinances concerning the way we conduct our daily life. These ordinances may not be in writing, but they are inscribed in our mentality. Perhaps you have never realized this, but ordinances hinder your growth in life. In order for you to grow properly, they need to be wiped out, nailed to the cross....Today we do not need ordinances. We simply need to assimilate the riches from the soil that we may grow and be built up. (Life-study of Colossians, pp. 463, 465-466)

　　Further Reading: Life-study of Colossians, msgs. 52-53

«　WEEK 2　DAY 6　»

　　Col. 2:7 Having been rooted and being built up in Him, and being established in the faith even as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving.

　　15 Stripping off the rulers and the authorities, He made a display of them openly, triumphing over them in it.

　　In the soil there is also an element which strips off the rulers and authorities and triumphs over them (Col. 2:15). This element is victorious over the evil spirits in the atmosphere. Both believers and unbelievers realize that there is something evil surrounding them. People try to be good, but something causes them to do evil.... If we try in ourselves to combat the power of darkness in the atmosphere, we shall be defeated. But there is an element in Christ as the soil which defeats the evil spirits....There is an element in the soil which strips off the power of darkness. We have been planted into this soil, and now we must enjoy all its riches. (Life-study of Colossians, pp. 466-467)

　　We are rooted in Christ, who is the rich, fertile soil [Col. 2:7]. Having been rooted in Him, we should go on to absorb His riches....The elements absorbed into a tree from the soil enable the tree to grow.... Since we have been rooted into Christ, we should remain in Him in a practical way day by day. In our experience, we need to stay rooted in Christ. However, if we forget Christ in matters such as eating and drinking, we are not rooted in Him in our experience. When we eat our food, we may not remember Christ. After our meal, we may spend some time in prayer. But even at the beginning of our prayer, we may not actually and experientially be rooted in Christ, for we may pray many unnecessary things. But in His mercy and patience, the Lord waits until we begin to pray in a genuine way. Then in our experience we absorb Christ’s riches. However, when our time of prayer is finished, it may happen that we do not go on to assimilate what we have absorbed of Him. According to the Lord’s words in John 15, it could be that we do not abide in Him.

　　In the morning many saints spend time with the Lord. However, even though they spend a certain amount of time with Him, they may not absorb much of His riches. The reason is that they are in too much of a hurry. If we would absorb the riches of Christ into us as our nourishment, we should not be rushed.

　　If we would absorb the riches of Christ as the soil, we need to have tender, new roots. Do not let yourself get old, but be fresh and renewed day by day. Pray to the Lord, “Lord, I want my consecration to be fresh, and I want to open to You anew. I want my roots to be tender that I may absorb Your riches. Lord, don’t let my roots get old.” If our roots are tender and new to absorb the riches of Christ, we shall grow automatically with the riches we assimilate. This is to enjoy Christ and to experience Him subjectively daily and hourly.

　　If you see that we have been rooted in Christ as the rich soil, you will be comforted and encouraged....In this soil do you not have the fullness, the circumcision, the burial, the raising up, the giving of life, the wiping out of the ordinances, and the stripping off of the powers of darkness? Forget your situation, your condition, your failures, and your weaknesses and simply take time to enjoy the Lord. Take time to absorb Him, to assimilate the rich elements from Him as the soil. If you take time to absorb the Lord, you will be able to testify that in Christ you have no lack.

　　If you spend thirty minutes to absorb the Lord and to enjoy Him in the morning, you will not be bothered by negative things during the day. The “flies” and “scorpions” will not pester you, for the elements in the soil will repel them. (Life-study of Colossians, pp. 486-487, 468)

　　Further Reading: Life-study of Colossians, msgs. 47-48, 55