Outline
Ⅲ
The early overcomers are the first-ripe ones in God's field, reaped before the harvest as firstfruits to God and to the Lamb—Rev. 14:1-5:
A
The rapture is not mainly for our enjoyment but for God's enjoyment; we need to make ourselves ready to be raptured not for our happiness but for the fulfillment of God's purpose—12:5, 7-11; 14:1, 4b; 19:7.
B
The meaning of rapture is to be taken into the Lord's presence; in order to be taken into the Lord's presence, we must be in His presence today and learn to have nearness and dearness in our contact with the Lord, having a heart that loves and treasures the Lord for His purpose—2 Cor. 2:10; 4:6-7; 1 John 1:3.
C
The rapture of the overcomers is for defeating the enemy and satisfying God:
１
God has a need for us to be raptured, to be caught up to Him and to His throne, so that we may fight against the enemy—Rev. 12:5, 7-11.
２
The Lord needs the man-child to fight against His enemy, but for His satisfaction He needs the firstfruits even more—14:1, 4b; cf. S. S. 8:6, 13-14.
３
The firstfruits are the earliest ones among God's crop to reach maturity—Col. 2:19; Heb. 5:14—6:1; Eph. 4:13; Phil. 3:15; cf. Luke 21:36.
４
The firstfruits are raptured to the house of God in Zion as the fresh enjoyment to God for His satisfaction—Exo. 23:19a; Lev. 23:10; cf. Rom. 8:23.
D
Our being raptured depends on our being mature in the divine life by our walking with God—taking Him as our center and everything and doing everything according to His revelation and leading—Gen. 5:22-24; Heb. 11:5-6.
E
The harvest, which signifies the majority of the believers, will be ripe later than the firstfruits; the harvest will be reaped by Christ as the Reaper toward the end of the great tribulation at His coming back sitting on a white cloud—Rev. 14:14-16.
Morning Nourishment
Rev. 14:1 And I saw, and behold, the Lamb standing on Mount Zion, and with Him a hundred and forty-four thousand, having His name and the name of His Father written on their foreheads.These are they who…are virgins. These are they who follow the Lamb wherever He may go. These were purchased from among men as firstfruits to God and to the Lamb.
These…early overcomers [in Revelation 14:1 and 4]…will be reaped before the harvest as firstfruits to God and to the Lamb…The harvest will be reaped later. This means that the first-fruits will be raptured to the heavens before the harvest, just as the firstfruits of the good land were reaped and brought into the temple of God before the harvest (Lev. 23:10-11; Exo. 23:19).
Whereas the man-child refers to the dead overcomers throughout all the dispensations, the firstfruits refers to the living overcomers at the end of this age. (The Conclusion of the New Testament, p. 1226)
Today’s Reading
What is the meaning of rapture? It is to be taken into the Lord’s presence. If you would be taken into His presence, you must be in His presence today. Much of your praising and fellowshipping may not be in His presence but may simply be according to your own choice. You are not in the presence of the Lord but in your preference and taste. When you desire to fellowship, the Lord may say, “Go to work or study.”The man-child is for fighting and defeating Satan. Hence, the man-child deals with the enemy. The firstfruits are not for fighting; they are for the satisfaction of God and the Lamb. God and the Lamb need enjoyment. We, the living overcomers, will be the firstfruits to satisfy Their need for enjoyment.
You must…spend your time in loving the Lord, saying, “Lord, I enjoy looking at You and talking to You. Lord, I want to satisfy You, to be one with You, and to stay in Your presence.” Learn to spend time loving the Lord Jesus in an intimate way. If you have never had such a time, you are short. It is not adequate merely to be sinless. It is not sufficient simply to be good or right. We must be in love with the Lord. Although I do not like the term in love, I am forced to use it. We all need to fall in love with the Lord Jesus, telling Him, “O Lord Jesus, I love You, and You know that I love You. Because I love You, Lord, there are certain things that I will not do.” This is the way to be a living overcomer. Although the Lord certainly needs the man-child to fight against His enemy, He needs the firstfruits, His lovers, even more to be His satisfaction.
We should be not only fighters but also firstfruits, those who ripen earlier for the Lord’s satisfaction. We need to say, “Lord, for the sake of Your satisfaction, I want to ripen early. Lord, I don’t care for my rapture—I care for Your satisfaction. I want to be taken to the heavens to satisfy You. Lord, as long as I can satisfy You, it makes no difference to me whether I am on earth or in heaven.” This is the attitude of the living overcomers. (Life-study of Revelation, pp. 330-331, 516-518)
The case of Enoch, the first mention of the rapture, establishes the principle of the rapture…It is to be matured in life by walking with God. Enoch walked with God for three hundred years, and God took him away (Gen. 5:22-24).
Do you expect to be raptured? If you do, you need to walk with God. We should not only call upon the name of the Lord but should also walk with God. The calling must be followed by the walking. To walk with God is not to override God, not to be presumptuous, not to do things according to our own concept and desire, nor is it to do anything without God. To walk with God is to take Him as our center and everything, to do things according to His revelation and leading, and to do everything with Him. It is not only to live for God and to do things for God but to live and to do things according to God and with God. (Life-study of Genesis, p. 350)
Further Reading: Life-study of Genesis, msg. 26