Scripture Reading: Deut. 8:8a; Lev. 23:10; 1 Cor. 15:20; John 6:9-13, 48; Phil. 4:13

Ⅰ　

Whereas wheat signifies the incarnated, crucified, and buried Christ, barley signifies the resurrected Christ—Deut. 8:8a.

Ⅱ　

In the good land, barley ripens earlier than any other grain; therefore, it is the firstfruits—1 Cor. 15:20; Lev. 23:10:

A　

Because barley ripens early, it is the firstfruits of the harvest—a type of the resurrected Christ—1 Cor. 15:20.

B　

Christ as the firstfruits of resurrection is the Firstborn from the dead that He might be the Head of the Body (Col. 1:18; Eph. 1:20-23); since He, the Head of the Body, has been resurrected, we, the Body, will also be resurrected.

C　

As the firstfruits, Christ has become the bread of life; hence, barley loaves signify Christ in resurrection as food to us—John 6:48:

１　

The number five signifies responsibility; this indicates that the resurrected Christ is able to bear responsibility.

２　

As we feed on Christ as the barley loaves, we become a loaf of barley to feed others with the Christ whom we have experienced.

Ⅲ　

As typified by barley, the resurrected Christ is unlimited—Phil. 4:13:

A　

The riches of Christ are unsearchable, and His power is profound—Eph. 3:8; Phil. 4:13.

B　

On the one hand, we may experience the limited Jesus as signified by wheat; on the other hand, we may experience the unlimited Christ as signified by barley—John 12:24; 6:9, 13:

１　

In His incarnation Jesus was exceedingly limited, but in His resurrection He is unlimited.

２　

Whereas wheat is the valley of death, barley is the mountain of resurrection.

３　

Whenever we experience Christ as wheat, we will surely experience Him as barley.

C　

In order to experience the wheat, the limited Jesus, we need to apply the barley, the unlimited Christ; we follow the limited Jesus in the power of the resurrected Christ—Heb. 13:12-13.

D　

We can do all things in the One who empowers us because He is the resurrected and unlimited Christ—Phil. 4:13.