THE THIRD PART: 24 CRUCIAL LINES IN THE BIBLE
The All-inclusive Christ
Message Four—Christ Typified in the Old Testament (1)
Scriptures Reading: Psa. 36:9b; Gen. 1:26; John 1:29; 1 Pet. 3:21; Heb. 7:3; Gen. 21; Gal. 4:24; Gen. 22:13; 24:2-4; 28:10-12; 37; 49:9; Exo. 3:15, 10; 12; 13:21-22; 15:22-26; 17:8; 18:5; 40:4; 30:22-25
I. Among the types in the divine revelation in the Bible, the first are the light and the tree of life, which typify Christ as light and life—Psa. 36:9b; John 1:4; Rom. 5:12; Rom. 7:17; Heb. 2:14:
A. The light typifies Christ as the light of the universe, the source of all lights, the light of the world, and the light of life— Psa. 36:9b; Mal. 4:2; Matt. 4:16; Eph. 5:14; John 11:9; John 8:12; 1:4.
B. The tree of life typifies Christ as the embodiment of God, who is the source of life; Christ is the life; He is also the true vine in the universe; these two combined equal the tree of life—Psa. 36:9; John 1:4; 10:10b; 11:25; 14:6; 1 John 5:12; Col. 3:4.
C. The tree of the knowledge of good and evil typifies Satan as the source of sin and evil; knowledge, good, and evil of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil are in contrast to the life of the tree of life; moreover, the tree of the knowledge of good and evil brings in death, signifying that death is of Satan—Rom. 5:12; Rom. 7:17; Heb. 2:14.
II. Among the types in the Old Testament concerning Christ and the church, after the light and the tree of life, there are Adam and Eve; Christ is light and life in order that those who are enlightened by Him and who receive Him as life may become His church as His counterpart—Rom. 5:14; Col. 1:16-17; Heb. 2:14a; 1 Cor. 11:3; Gen. 2:21, 23; Rev. 21:2.
A. Adam typifies Christ, as the center of God’s creation, as the Head of all God’s creation, as the One Who bears God’s image and likeness, as God’s representative, as the Head of all men, as God becoming the unique male in the universe, as the One Whom none among God’s creation can match as a counterpart, as the One Who slept in death and Whose side was opened, and as the One Who flowed out the water of life to produce the church as His counterpart—Rom. 5:14; Col. 1:16-17; Heb. 2:14a; 1 Cor. 11:3; Gen. 2:22, 24.
B. Eve typifying the church, which came out of Christ, which has the same character, life, and nature as Christ, which is joined to Christ to become one with Christ, and which becomes the body of Christ to be His counterpart as His reproduction, as His multiplication, as His increase, as His fullness, and as His expression—Gen. 2:21, 23; Rev. 21:2; 2 Pet. 3:8.
III. In the Bible, God used the skins of the sacrifices with which He made coats for the fallen Adam and Eve to put on, the sheep with their fat which Abel offered to God, the burnt offerings which Noah offered to God, and the seed of the woman who would bruise the head of the serpent, as the primitive types concerning Christ’s redemption and His salvation—Gen. 2:25; John 1:29; 1 Pet. 3:18; Rom. 5:12; Rom. 8:3; Gen. 4:4; Heb. 9:28; Isa. 7:14; Matt. 1:23:
A. God’s clothing Adam and Eve with coats made of the skins of sacrifices typifies that God caused Christ to be sacrificed for sinners as the substituting Lamb, and that God made Christ the righteousness of the sinners who believe in Him that they may be justified and live before God—Gen. 2:25; John 1:29; 1 Pet. 3:18; Rom. 5:12; 8:3.
B. Abel was accepted by God and lived before God by offering the firstlings of the sheep and the fat of the sheep, which were types of Christ, according to God’s way of redemption—Gen. 4:4; Heb. 9:28.
C. After Noah was saved by God from the old age of corruption into the new age of restoration, he built an altar to offer sacrifices as burnt offerings to be a sweet-smelling savor to God. By doing this, he satisfied God’s heart that the earth might remain before God—Heb. 11:7; Gen. 8:20-22.
D. In the fall of Adam and Eve there are not only the initial types of Christ’s redemption but also the types of Christ’s salvation. God promised them that the seed of the woman would come to save man from the corruption and bondage of the serpent. This seed of the woman is a type of Christ, who was born of a virgin, as the Savior of fallen men—Isa. 7:14; Matt. 1:23; Gal. 4:4.
IV. The ark, which God prepared through Noah for His elect, and the good land, the land of Canaan, into which God led His elect, are intimately related to the security and enjoyment of God’s elect; both are types of Christ—1 Pet. 3:21; Gen. 12:1, 5-8.
V. Melchisedec’s status typifying what Christ is; without father, without mother, without genealogy, and having neither beginning of days nor end of life, Melchisedec typifies Christ, the Son of God, who is the eternal One, having neither beginning nor end; what Melchisedec was to Abraham typifying what Christ is to the believers; Christ brings His life and all god’s blessings with Him to His table to minister to us—Heb. 7:3; Gen. 14:18; Heb. 7:1; Matt. 26:26-28.
VI. Abraham’s wife Sarah and his concubine Hagar typify the two covenants which God made with His chosen people concerning their inheriting of the good land. Sarah symbolizes the covenant of God’s promise, and Hagar, the covenant of law—Gal. 4:22, 24025; Gen 14:18; Matt. 26:26-28.
VII. The ram that replaced Isaac on the altar was provided by Jehovah God; this typifies that Christ replaces God’s chosen people, as the burnt offering to satisfy God’s desire—1 Pet. 3:7; Lev. 1:10; 2 Cor. 5:14; Heb. 10:5-8.
VIII. Isaac and Rebekah are a type of Christ and the church; Christ’s receiving all that was given to Him by the Father and inheriting all that the Father has, and also of His obtaining the church, which is of the same blood and flesh as He is, to be His beloved counterpart for the satisfaction of His heart’s intent—Gen. 24:2-4, 14, 36, 67b.
IX. The ladder set up on the earth and reaching to heaven in Jacob’s dream and Bethel as the house of God on the earth are types of Christ and the church; The ladder set up on the earth and reaching to heaven typifies Christ as the way for the communication between God’s elect on the earth and their God in heaven; that place was also the gate of heaven, signifying that the church, which is composed of the transformed saints, is not only the house of God but also the entrance leading to heaven that the earth and heaven may be in union and communication with one another—Gen. 28:10-12, 16-17a; Rev. 22:1-3.
X. The life of Joseph signifies how Christ was exalted by God and made the Ruler and the Savior—Gen. 37:3-5, 8, 18-28; 41:40-44.
XI. The lion of Judah and Shiloh typify Christ’s victory and peace; Christ as the ultimate Overcomer, who has accomplished everything God required of Him: He took away sin, solved the problem of the world, defeated Satan, abolished death, and eliminated every negative thing; in His victorious resurrection Christ received all authority in heaven and on earth, and after His ascension He also received the kingdom—Gen. 49:9; Matt. 28:18.
XII. Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob with Joseph as the last four main persons in Genesis constitute a complete type portraying the different stages and aspects of the experiences of a complete person chosen, called, redeemed, and transformed by the Triune God—Exo. 3:15; Gen. 25:21-26; 22:1-2.
XIII. Moses typifies Christ as the Apostle, sent by God, bringing God to His chosen people and bringing God’s chosen people into the rich supply of God’s full salvation; Moses typifies Christ as the Prophet of God, speaking for God, speaking forth God, and revealing God to His elect—Exo. 3:10; Acts 3:22-23.
XIV. The Passover typifying Christ as the believers’ redemption and supply; Israel’s crossing of the Red Sea is a type of the New Testament believers’ baptism; Israel’s exodus from Egypt typifies the believers’ breaking away from the world—Exo. 3:10; 4:12; 1 Cor. 5:7; Exo. 14:22-28; 3:8.
XV. God led the children of Israel in their crossing of the Red Sea and their journeying in the wilderness with the pillar of cloud and the pillar of fire as the guidance; the pillar of cloud typifies the Spirit, and the pillar of fire typifies the Word—Exo. 13:21-22; Rom. 8:14; Heb. 12:1; 2 Pet. 1:19; Exo. 40:34-35.
XVI. The supplies they received consisted of six items, every item of which is a type of Christ as the supply that we need for us to take the journey of God after we have been saved: the tree that made the bitter waters sweet, twelve springs of water, seventy palm trees, the manna, the rock, and the living water—Exo. 15:22-26, 27; 16:13-14; 17:6.
XVII. Moses interceded on the mountaintop typifying Christ interceding in ascension; Joshua fought at the mountain foot typifying the indwelling Christ fighting against the flesh—Gen. 36:12; Exo. 17:16, 8-9; 17:10, 13.
XVIII. The tabernacle typifies the incarnated Christ as God’s concrete expression, God’s dwelling place in humanity, and the means by which man contacts God and thereby receives and enjoys God—Exo. 25:40; 20:1-21; 25:8-9.
XIX. The furnishings inside and outside the tabernacle are types of the contents of the New Testament; the bronze laver typifies the Holy Spirit given based on the judgment at the cross, the bronze altar typifies the cross of Christ; the table of the bread of the Presence, signifying the riches of Christ’s life as the bread of life for the supply of God’s people that they may live and serve in God’s dwelling place; the golden lampstand signifies that Christ in His divinity is the light of life that shines over God’s redeemed people; the golden incense altar which signifies Christ as the means by which God’s redeemed are accepted by God; the ark in the Holy of Holies, signifying Christ in His redemption as the place where God meets with man and speaks to man; within the ark there were also the golden pot that had the manna, Aaron’s rod that budded, and the two tablets of the covenant, all of which signify our deeper and more inward experiences of Christ—Titus 3:5; Exo. 30:19-20; Heb. 10:12; Exo. 40:5; 25:22.
XX. The holy anointing oil typifies the compound Spirit, consummated by the Triune God passing through the processes of incarnation, human living, death, and resurrection, that is, the pneumatic Christ, who is God incarnated and who went through human living, died, and resurrected to anoint the persons and things that belong to God; the holy incense typifies Christ, who was incarnated, died and resurrected, becoming the divine incense so that all the persons and things that have been anointed by the holy anointing oil and belong to God may be acceptable to God—Exo. 30:22-25, 29-30, 34-38.
Ministry Excerpts:
THE LIGHT, THE TREE OF LIFE,
AND THE TREE OF THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD AND EVIL
The divine revelation in the Bible is not only presented in plain words but also portrayed in types. A picture or portrait is better than a thousand words. In particular, since the revelation in the holy Word concerning the mystery of Christ and the church is spiritual and abstract in nature, it cannot be thoroughly made clear by words; it needs to be portrayed and indicated by figures. Among the types in the divine revelation, the first are the light and the tree of life, which typify Christ as light and life; the significance revealed in these types must be high and great.
Among the types in the divine revelation in the Bible, the first are the light and the tree of life, which typify Christ as light and life. The light typifies Christ as the light of the universe, the source of all lights, the light of the world, and the light of life. As the light of the universe, He is the reality of all light-bearers. As the source of all lights, He brings light to us and enlightens us in every way, that we may know ourselves and see our true condition. As the light of the world, He enables us not to remain in darkness but to walk in the day. He also causes us who believe into Him to become sons of light, even to become the light, shining forth Christ to enlighten this dark world. As the light of life, He dispels death, which belongs to darkness, and brings life to man, and He causes life to grow in His believers even unto full maturity, to the extent that they are exactly like God.
The tree of life typifies Christ as the embodiment of God, who is the source of life. He is life to the believers in the church today, He will be the enjoyment of life in the Paradise of God to the overcomers in the kingdom in the future, and eventually, He will be the supply of life to God’s redeemed in the New Jerusalem for eternity.
The tree of the knowledge of good and evil typifies Satan as the source of sin and evil. Knowledge, good, and evil of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil are in contrast to the life of the tree of life. Life is dependent on God; knowledge, good, and evil are independent of God. Moreover, the tree of the knowledge of good and evil brings in death, signifying that death is of Satan. Today this death damages man and causes man to die. Eventually, this death will become the second death of those who commit sins, that is, the eternal death of their whole being—spirit, soul, and body—in the lake of fire to suffer eternal torment. (Truth Lessons, Level 3, Vol. 1, lsn. 1)
ADAM AND EVE
In the Bible Adam as the first man is a type of the Christ who was to come. He typifies Christ: as the center of God’s creation, in whom, through whom, and unto whom all things were created; as the Head of all God’s creation, the One who has the preeminence in all creation; as the One who bears God’s image and likeness to express what God is; as God’s representative, anointed and commissioned by God to carry out God’s purpose; as the Head of all men, appointed by God in the divine administration to rule over all men; and as God who became the unique male in the universe to be the universal Bridegroom to marry His redeemed people as His bride. Among God’s creation, none could match Christ as His counterpart. Hence, Christ slept in death and His side was opened to flow out the water of life, which produced the church as His counterpart. Thus, the sinner whom God created and who became fallen, after having been redeemed and transformed by Christ’s death and resurrection, becomes the woman in the universe to be married to Christ.
Just as Adam is a type of Christ, Eve is a type of the church. Eve typifies the church. The church came out of Christ, has the same character, life, and nature as Christ, and is joined to Christ to be one spirit with Christ. The church is also the Body of Christ to be His counterpart as His reproduction, multiplication, increase, fullness, and expression. Eve as the counterpart of Adam ultimately typifies the New Jerusalem, the universal bride, constituted with the saints throughout the generations, who have been chosen, redeemed, regenerated, transformed, and glorified by God, to be the bride of Christ in the millennium and the wife of the Lamb for His satisfaction in eternity, to the ages of the ages without end. The New Jerusalem takes the Triune God as her center, substance, element, and essence to be the full expression of the Triune God in eternity. (Truth Lessons, Level 3, Vol. 1, lsn. 2)
THE SACRIFICIAL SKINS, THE SACRIFICES,
THE BURNT OFFERINGS, AND THE SEED OF WOMAN
In the Bible, God used the skins of the sacrifices with which He made coats for the fallen Adam and Eve to put on, the sheep with their fat which Abel offered to God, the burnt offerings which Noah offered to God, and the seed of the woman who would bruise the head of the serpent, as the primitive types concerning Christ’s redemption and His salvation. God’s clothing Adam and Eve with coats made of the skins of sacrifices typifies that God caused Christ to be sacrificed for sinners as the substituting Lamb. Thus, Christ was made the righteousness of the sinners who believe in Him, and the sinners are justified and may live before God. The firstlings of the flock offered by Abel were a type of Christ, who is unto God, who lives for God, and who is gentle and tender, that He might be the living of the believers, whose sins He bore and whom He redeemed, to satisfy God’s desire and be accepted by God. The fat which Abel offered is a type of the tender merits of Christ offered to God for His satisfaction. This indicates that we sinners who have been redeemed by Christ should live before God by such a Christ so that, like Him, we may be accepted by God. After Noah was saved by God from the old age of corruption into the new age of restoration, he built an altar to offer sacrifices as burnt offerings to be a sweet-smelling savor to God. By doing this, he satisfied God’s heart that the earth might remain before God. This is the completion of the initial types of Christ’s redemption.
In the fall of Adam and Eve there are not only the initial types of Christ’s redemption but also the types of Christ’s salvation. God promised them that the seed of the woman would come to save man from the corruption and bondage of the serpent. This seed of the woman is a type of Christ, who was born of a virgin, as the Savior of fallen men. (Truth Lessons, Level 3, Vol. 1, lsn. 3)
THE ARK AND THE GOOD LAND
The ark is a type of Christ as the salvation of God’s elect in two aspects: the redeeming aspect and the saving aspect. The redeeming aspect is to redeem God’s elect from God’s condemnation and judgment. The saving aspect is to save God’s elect from God’s punishment that they may not suffer the plagues that the world will suffer; it is also to save them from the crooked and perverted generation and to usher them into a renewed age, into a new realm of resurrection, that they may live a new life, the church life, before god and for God. (Truth Lessons, Level 3, Vol. 1, lsn. 4)
The good land typifies the riches of Christ as the enjoyment of God’s elect. Christ has saved God’s chosen people into a new age that they may enjoy the riches of Christ in the new age. Christ is all-inclusive and unsearchable, and the good land of Canaan is the type of such an all-inclusive One. The riches of the good land include water—waterbrooks, springs, and fountains, typifying the supply of the life of Christ as the living water within us, which makes us feel refreshed and watered and which also flows out of us to water others. There are eight kinds of rich food in the good land. Among them there are two kinds of Grain: wheat, typifying the Christ who was incarnated, the Christ who died, and the Christ who was buried, and barley, typifying the resurrected Christ. There are four kinds of trees: the vine, typifying Christ as the One who cheers God and man, the fig tree, typifying the sweetness and satisfaction of Christ as our supply, the pomegranate, typifying the abundance and beauty of Christ’s life, and the olive tree, typifying Christ as the Son of oil, a man full of the Holy Spirit. Finally, there are milkk and honey, signifying the goodness and sweetness of the life of Christ, produced by HIs generating life—the vegetable life—and by His redeeming life—the animal life. The final stage of the riches in the good land is the minerals, including stones, mountains, iron, and copper. These are for the building, for the kingdom, for fighting, and for security, indicating that some elements in the life of Christ are both materials for God’s building and weapons for spiritual warfare.
In order to participate in the enjoyment of the good land, we must first eliminate idols and all things related to idol worship. Moreover, we must be in the place of God’s choice and we must present the riches of the good land as offerings to God and enjoy them with Him. This shows that if we want to enjoy the riches of Christ, we must eliminate the idols in Catholicism and in the Protestant denominations, any name that is set up other than the name of Christ, and every pagan practice that has been adopted. Moreover, we must gather together with the saints on the ground of oneness chosen by God and present the riches of Christ that we may enjoy them in the presence of God with God and with all the people. (Truth Lessons, Level 3, Vol. 1, lsn. 5)
MELCHISEDEC
The order of arrangement in the revelation of the truths in the bible is always marvelous. In the biblical types, after the ark and the good land, which typify the salvation of christ and His riches, there is Melchisedec, who typifies Christ as God’s High Priest. While Abraham and his household were dwelling in the good land and were enjoying all the riches therein, suddenly they were attacked and disturbed by Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him. After Abraham defeated Chedorlaomer and the other kings, Melchisedec, the priest of the Most High God, went forth with bread and wine to meet, comfort, and bless Abraham. this is a type of Christ as God’s High Priest comforting and blessing those who are His elect and who enjoy the riches of Christ and fight for God. (Truth Lessons, Level 3, Vol. 1, lsn. 6)
SARAH AND HAGAR
After Melchisedec as a type of Christ as God’s High Priest, we have Sarah and Hagar as types of the two covenants which God made with His chosen people concerning their inheriting of the good land. These are signified by Abraham’s wife and his concubine. (Truth Lessons, Level 3, Vol. 1, lsn. 6).
God’s covenant of promise is for God’s chosen people to inherit the inheritance promised by God, and God’s covenant of circumcision is a confirmation of His covenant of promise. Those who inherit the promised inheritance according to this covenant should live for God as His burnt offering to satisfy God’s desire by themselves; they must take christ as their Substitute. God wanted Abraham to offer his son Isaac, who would inherit God’s promised inheritance, as a burnt offering to God. When Abraham acted according to God’s command and offered Isaac on the altar as a burnt offering, he saw a ram which God had provided as a burnt offering for his son Isaac, and he went and took it as a substitute for his son (Gen. 22:1-13). This typifies that Christ replaces God’s chosen people, who would inherit God’s promised inheritance, as the burnt offering to satisfy God’s desire. (Truth Lessons, Level 3, Vol. 1, lsn. 7)
ISAAC AND REBEKAH
In the previous type we saw how a person chosen by God to inherit God’s promised inheritance should be a burnt offering to God for the satisfaction of God’s desire. Following that, we have another type, a type portraying Christ as the church, symbolized by the marriage of Isaac and Rebekah. (Truth Lessons, Level 3, Vol. 1, lsn. 8)
THE LADDER SET UP ON THE EARTH
AND REACHING TO HEAVEN AND BETHEL
After Isaac and Rebekah as a type of Christ and the church, we have the ladder set up on the earth and reaching to heaven in Jacob’s dream and Bethel as the house of God on the earth as types portraying Christ and the church in another aspect. (Truth Lessons, Level 3, Vol. 1, lsn. 9)
JOSEPH
After showing us how the ladder and Bethel signify another aspect of christ and the church, Genesis goes on to show us how Christ was exalted by God and made the Ruler and the Savior. This is signified by the life of Joseph. (Truth Lessons, Level 3, Vol. 1, lsn. 10)
THE LION OF JUDAH AND SHILOH
AFter using Joseph as a type to portray what Christ is, His sufferings, and His being made the Leader with authority and the Savior in life, Genesis goes on to use the lion of Judah and Shiloh as types to reveal Christ’s victory and peace. (Truth Lessons, Level 3, Vol. 1, lsn. 11)
ABRAHAM, ISAAC, AND JACOB WITH JOSEPH
Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob with Joseph as the last four main persons in Genesis constitute a complete type portraying the different stages and aspects of the experiences of a complete person chosen, called, redeemed, and transformed by the Triune God.
Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob with Joseph are a complete unit in the experience of life. We should not consider them as separate individuals, but as different aspects of one complete spiritually mature person’s complete experience of God. Hence, although the Triune God is one God, He became the God of three persons—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob (Exo. 3:15). The Triune God in three aspects is for the complete experience in three sections of a person who is mature in life. (Truth Lessons, Level 3, Vol. 1, lsn. 12)
MOSES
The types in Exodus are of another line, mostly unveiling Christ as the supply to His believers. First of all, Moses is a type of christ as the Apostle who brought God to us (Heb. 3:1) and the Prophet who spoke forth God (Acts 3:22-23). (Truth Lessons, Level 3, Vol. 1, lsn. 13)
THE PASSOVER, THE CROSSING OF THE RED SEA,
AND THE EXODUS FROM EGYPT
The Passover is a type of Christ as the believers’ redemption and supply. In the aspect of redemption, the lamb without blemish was killed and its blood was shed, typifying that the sinless Christ died and shed His blood for the believers. The blood of the lamb was put on the door, typifying that the blood of Christ was put before God for the believers’ redemption. In the aspect of supply, the flesh of the lamb was eaten by the children of Israel for their supply, typifying that Christ enters into the believers to be their life supply. The flesh of the lamb was to be eaten with unleavened bread and bitter herbs, typifying that the believers need to receive Christ as the life that delivers them from sin and purges away their sin and as the sinless life that gives them a bitter feeling toward sin. Those who enjoyed the Passover continued with the observance of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, typifying that those who enjoy the redemption and supply of Christ go on to liv and enjoy a life that purges away sin.
Israel’s crossing of the Red Sea is a type of the New Testament believers’ baptism. The children of Israel were baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea, typifying that the believers are baptized into Christ in the Spirit and in the Water. The water of the Red Sea drowned the Egyptian army and delivered the children of Israel out of the hand of the Egyptians, typifying that the death of Christ has destroyed the power of the world for the believers and thus delivers them from it.
Israel’s exodus from Egypt typifies the believers’ breaking away from the world. God led the children of Israel out of Egypt that they might be severed from egypt, go on the journey to sacrifice to god, and eventually be able to enter the good land to enjoy its riches. This typifies that God leads the believers to break away from the world that they may be severed from the world, that they may be able to follow the Lord to worship God, and that they may be put in Christ to enjoy all His riches. (Truth Lessons, Level 3, Vol. 1, lsn. 14)
THE PILLAR OF CLOUD AND THE PILLAR OF FIRE
God led the children of Israel in their crossing of the Red Sea and their journeying in the wilderness with the pillar of cloud and the pillar of fire as the guidance. The pillar of cloud typifies the Spirit, and the pillar of fire typifies the Word. Both the pillar of cloud and the pillar of fire were the glory as the manifestation of God’s presence with His redeemed. In the day God’s presence appeared as the pillar of cloud for covering and sheltering, signifying the Spirit of God as the economical Spirit being poured upon us, filling us outwardly, for our work and move, and also covering and sheltering us all the time everywhere to bring to us God’s intimate and glorious presence. In the night God’s presence appeared as the pillar of fire shining forth, signifying the Word of God that conveys the light of life to shine in our darkness, leading us to walk in God’s way of light. The pillar of cloud and the pillar of fire were not only for guidance but also for protection and fighting. When opposition rises up against us, this guiding light becomes the protecting light to save us from the persecution and attack of the opposers and to fight for us to gain the victory. The children of Israel had the pillar of cloud and the pillar of fire leading them, protecting them, and fighting for them all the way from the crossing of the Red Sea to the crossing of the Jordan River. This portrays that after we, the New Testament believers, are baptized into Christ, we have the Spirit of God covering and sheltering us, and we also have the Word of God giving forth light to shine on us and lead us on the proper way. (Truth Lessons, Level 3, Vol. 1, lsn. 15)
THE TREE THAT MADE THE BITTER WATERS SWEET,
TWELVE SPRINGS OF WATER, SEVENTY PALM TREES, THE MANNA,
THE ROCK, AND THE LIVING WATER
After they crossed the Red Sea and went out of Egypt, the children of Israel entered the wilderness and traveled in it to follow the journey of God. In their journeying in the wilderness, because of the desolate environment and its hardships, they had all kinds of needs for their living. The supplies they received consisted of six items, every item of which is a type of Christ as the supply that we need for us to take the journey of God after we have been saved. The tree that healed the bitter waters is a type of the cross of Christ. Christ suffered the thirst of death on the cross on our behalf and thus saved us from the thirst of death. When we are in a bitter situation, if we take the cross of Christ’s suffering death, the sensation of the bitter situation will be made sweet. Moreover, the healing by the cross of Christ was made a statue and an ordinance for our healing. If we would diligently give heed to God’s commandments, we would be spared from the diseases and plagues inflicted upon the worldly people. Twelve springs of water typify the resurrection life, which is the Spirit, flowing out from God into us for the mingling of divinity with humanity to carry out God’s eternal economy and reach the full extent of God’s administration. Seventy palm trees typify the flourishing life of Chrst in resurrection for us to have the rejoicing in life’s satisfaction and the victory for the carrying out of God’s dispensing in time in absolute completeness and in full. Manna is a type of Christ, who was sent by God the Father to be our unique food. By eating Him, we allow Him to enter into us organically to become our inner constituents, and we are thereby built as God’s dwelling place. The rock typifies Christ, who was smitten and cleft by God to flow out the water of life to satisfy the thirst of His believers. The living water is a type of the Spirit, who, as the ultimate consummation of the Triune God, is the water of life in resurrection. It is for those who believe to drink of, and it will gush up in them into eternal life. (Truth Lessons, Level 3, Vol. 1, lsn. 16)
MOSES INTERCEDING ON THE MOUNTAINTOP
AND JOSHUA FIGHTING AT THE MOUNTAIN FOOT
On their way in the wilderness in their going to Jehovah, the children of Israel not only had all kinds of hardships related to the necessities of their living but also had enemies who hindered them from going on to reach God’s goal. In Egypt it was Pharaoh the king of Egypt and his army who frustrated them from going out to follow God’ in the wilderness, the first enemy who came to frustrate them was Amalek (Exo. 17:8). (Truth Lessons, Level 3, Vol. 1, lsn. 17)
THE TABERNACLE
The children of Israel went out of Egypt, journeyed a long distance in the wilderness, and, by God’s provisions in different ways, eventually arrived at the mount of God (Exo. 18:5). On this mountain God first decreed the law, which was instituted according to what He is, as His testimony. Then He charged the children of Israel to make a tabernacle for Him according to the pattern He showed them on the mount (Exo. 25:40). Through this tabernacle they could sacrifice to God; that is, they could worship and serve God. (Truth Lessons, Level 3, Vol. 1, lsn. 18)
THE FURNITURE OUTSIDE AND INSIDE THE TABERNACLE
The furnishings inside and outside the tabernacle are types of the contents of the New Testament. Outside the tabernacle there were two articles of accessory furnishings, one being the bronze laver and the other, the bronze altar. The laver typifies the Holy Spirit given based on the judgment at the cross. Furthermore, since the laver was made of bronze mirrors, it signifies that the Holy Spirit as the judging Spirit has the power to reflect and expose, making manifest the sins and defilements of people and then washing the people. The bronze altar typifies the cross of Christ. A sinner who wants to go into the tabernacle must first pass through the altar, that is, the cross of Christ, for his redemption from sins and for the dealing with his sins. The altar was overlaid with bronze plates made of the burnt censers used by the rebellious ones, signifying that the cross, typified by the altar, is the place where sinners are judged by God. The altar was located in the outer court of the tabernacle, signifying that the cross of Christ was accomplished on the earth and is very close and convenient to sinners.
The furnishings within the tabernacle are the contents of the tabernacle, ministering to people the riches of Christ in different aspects. The first item was the table of the bread of the Presence, signifying the riches of Christ’s life as the bread of life for the supply of God’s people that they may live and serve in God’s dwelling place. The second item was the golden lampstand, which signifies that Christ in His divinity is the light of life tht shines over God’s redeemed people. The third item was the golden incense altar, which signifies Christ as the means by which God’s redeemed are accepted by God. The fourth item was the ark in the Holy of Holies, signifying Christ in His redemption as the place where God meets with man and speaks to man. Within the ark there were also the golden pot that had the manna, Aaron’s rod that budded, and the two tablets of the covenant, all of which signify our deeper and more inward experiences of Christ. (Truth Lessons, Level 3, Vol. 1, lsn. 19)
THE HOLY ANOINTING OIL AND THE HOLY INCENSE
The holy anointing oil and the holy incense reveal a divine two-way traffic: through the holy anointing oil Christ coming to us from God and with God for us to enjoy, and with the incense Christ going to God with us for God’s satisfaction. The holy ointment was made by the compounding together of flowing myrrh, fragrant cinnamon, calamus, cassia, and olive oil. Flowing myrrh signifies the precious death of Christ, fragrant cinnamon signifies the sweetness and effectiveness of Christ’s death, calamus signifies the resurrection of Christ, cassia signifies the power and effectiveness of Christ’s resurrection, and olive oil signifies the Spirit of God. Furthermore, in this compound ointment there are the numbers four and one, signifying humanity and divinity. This indicates that in the holy ointment, which typifies the compound Spirit, consummated by the Triune God passing through the processes of incarnation, human living, death, and resurrection, there are the elements of divinity, humanity, Christ’s death and its effectiveness, and Christ’s resurrection and its power. This compound Spirit anoints, moves, and operates in the believers to transmit His divine elements into them that they may be joined with the Triune God as one and sanctified for the building of God’s habitation and the service of the priesthood.
The holy incense was made with three spices—stacte, onycha, and galbanum—and pure frankincense plus salt. The three spices signify that Christ’s death not only redeemed the fallen sinners but also produced the sons of God and expelled the evil Satan and the demons. Frankincense signifies Christ’s resurrection. Salt signifies that the cross of Christ has the killing power and the preserving power that incense may become pure incense. This indicates that the holy incense signifies the incarnated Christ, who passed through death and was resurrected to become the divine incense. His sweet death and His fragrant resurrection are blended and offered to God as a base for the intercession of Christ and His members, so that all who are anointed by the compound Spirit and separated unto God may be accepted by God. (Truth Lessons, Level 3, Vol. 1, lsn. 20)