Ⅰ
God’s desire is to end this age and bring in the age of the kingdom; in order for God to accomplish this, He must have His dispensational instrument:
Ａ
All of us should look to the Lord and pray that we will have dispensational value to God; we need to ask ourselves what we are doing to close this dispensation and to bring in the next age, the kingdom age; this is a special time, so there is the need of special believers to do a special work.
Ｂ
Those who can only say, “Go,” but not “Come,” will have no effect; that is, they will have no dispensational value to God — cf. Heb. 10:22:
１
The writer of Hebrews did not tell the believers to go forward but to come forward; this means that the writer was in a particular place and that he wanted his readers to come forward to the place where he was.
２
We need to come forward to three things: to the Holy of Holies, to the throne of grace, and to God Himself; do not shrink backward — come forward — 4:16; 10:22; 7:25; 11:6.
３
God is on the throne of grace, and the throne of grace is in the Holy of Holies; at the time of the writing of the book of Hebrews, the writer was there in the Holy of Holies, calling the Hebrew believers to come forward.
Ｃ
The rapture of the man-child to heaven, the casting of Satan to earth, and the declaration in heaven that the kingdom has come signify that God’s gaining of the man-child is His greatest dispensational move because it brings an end to the church age and introduces the kingdom age — Rev. 12:5, 9-10; 11:15.
Ｄ
The rapture of the man-child to the throne of God will be before the one thousand two hundred and sixty days, which is the time of the great tribulation of three and a half years (forty-two months) — 12:1-14; 13:5; 11:2.
Ｅ
We live in the most privileged time in which we can do the most for God; God as light will show us the way, but the indwelling Christ as our strength and power will enable us to walk the road; a great price must be paid in order to be used now — 3:18.
Morning Nourishment
Rev. 12:5 And she brought forth a son, a man-child, who is to shepherd all the nations with an iron rod; and her child was caught up to God and to His throne.Heb. 10:22 Let us come forward to the Holy of Holies with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water.
According to the Bible, the seed of the woman will bruise the head of the enemy. The seed of the woman in Genesis 3 primarily refers to the Lord Jesus, but the overcomers also have a part in this seed. The seed of the woman includes the church, especially the overcomers. Even though the Lord bruised Satan’s head, he is still at work. The fulfillment of the seed of the woman bruising Satan can be seen in the man-child in Revelation 12. The only Overcomer includes all the overcomers (vv. 10-11). (CWWN, vol. 34, “The Glorious Church,” p. 153)
Today’s Reading
When God changes His attitude toward a certain matter, He makes a dispensational move. Every dispensational move brings in God’s new way. His most important dispensational move is in Revelation 12. He wants to end this age and bring in the age of the kingdom…. How can He bring this age to a close and bring in another? He must have His dispensational instrument. This is what God wants to do today.The rapture of the man-child brings an end to the church age and introduces the kingdom age. The man-child enables God to move….We should never forget that God can be limited. He waits for man in all of His moves. God’s binding in heaven is based on our binding on earth; God’s loosing in heaven is based on our loosing on earth. Everything depends on the church.
It is God’s desire that created beings would deal with fallen created beings. According to His purpose, the whole church should deal with Satan; however, the church has failed. Therefore, there is the need for the overcomers to rise up. God’s purpose is fulfilled in the overcomers because they work with Him. We can see the principle of the overcomers throughout the Word of God. (CWWN, vol. 34, “The Glorious Church,” pp. 153-154)
The writer of Hebrews tells us to “come forward.”...This phrase... is used several times in Hebrews: “come forward... to the throne of grace” (4:16); “come forward to the Holy of Holies” (10:22); “come forward to God” (7:25; 11:6). We need to come forward to three things: to the Holy of Holies, to the throne of grace, and to God Himself. Do not shrink backward—come forward. The Hebrew believers were in danger of shrinking back. They were staggering and hesitating, and the book of Hebrews was written to encourage them to come forward. The writer did not tell them to go forward but to come forward. This means that the writer was in a particular place and that he wanted his readers to come forward to the place where he was….Where is God? He is on the throne of grace. Where is the throne of grace? It is in the Holy of Holies. At the time of the writing of this book, the writer was there in the Holy of Holies, calling the Hebrew brothers to come forward. (Life-study of Hebrews, p. 356)
After the rapture the woman will be persecuted three and a half years. Many other of her children will go through the tribulation, but God will keep them. Being an overcomer is not primarily for escaping the tribulation. We need to see of what value the rapture is to the Lord, not to ourselves.
Of all the dispensational moves, the man-child is the greatest because it removes man’s power and the devil’s power, and it brings in the kingdom. We live in the most privileged time; we can do the most for God. Light will show us the way, but strength and power will enable us to walk the road. A great price must be paid in order to be used now. (CWWN, vol. 34, “The Glorious Church,” pp. 156-157)
Further Reading: CWWN, vol. 34, “The Glorious Church,” pp. 153-157 (Appendix); Life-study of Hebrews, msg. 32