GOD’S ECONOMY
SERIES THIRTEEN
GOD’S ECONOMY IN ALL THE BOOKS OF THE BIBLE
God’s Economy as Revealed in the Old Testament
Message Six
God’s Economy as Revealed in Deuteronomy
Scripture Reading: Deut. 1:1, 5, 7:9, 18:15-19, 8:7-10, 3, 30:11-14, John 1:1, 1 John 1:1, Col. 1:12, Phil. 3:7-15
I. Deuteronomy is a concluding word of the law and gives an all-inclusive conclusion to the Pentateuch, the first five books of the Bible, which were written by Moses; Deuteronomy means second law and thus signifies a respeaking, a repeated speaking of the divine law—Deut. 1:1, 5: (Holy Bible Recovery Version, Deut. 1:1, footnote 1)
A. The law was given through Moses the first time when he was eighty; forty years later, after the first generation, with the exception of Caleb and Joshua, had died out, the law was spoken again to the children of Israel, this time to the second generation, the generation that was ready to enter into the good land and possess it—Exo. 7:7, Deut. 1:5: (Holy Bible Recovery Version, Deut. 1:1, footnote 1)
1. Most of that generation had not been present to hear the giving of the Ten Commandments, the statues, and the ordinances at Mount Sinai; therefore, God burdened Moses to respeak, to rehearse, the law—Exo. 31:18. (Holy Bible Recovery Version, Deut. 1:1, footnote 1)
2. This respeaking was a renewed training given to the new generation of the children of Israel after their long wandering, to prepare them to enter into the good land promised by God and inherit it as their possession—Deut. 1:39. (Holy Bible Recovery Version, Deut. 1:1, footnote 1)
B. In this book, as in the entire Bible, God is manifested, man is exposed, and Christ is unveiled—2 Tim. 3:16, 4:2: (Holy Bible Recovery Version, Deut. 1:1, footnote 1)
1. This book speaks of God as a God of love, righteousness, faithfulness, and blessing that man may know God’s heart and God’s government and may love God, trust in God, fear God, subject himself to God’s ruling, mind the tender feelings of God, and live in the presence of God that he may be qualified to inherit the promised land—Deut. 7:9, 10:12. (Holy Bible Recovery Version, Deut. 1:1, footnote 1)
2. Furthermore, it exposes man, showing that in himself man is a failure, absolutely unable to fulfill the requirements of the holy, righteous, and faithful God, so that man may know his real condition and have no confidence in himself but put his trust in God, the One who is faithful—7:9. (Holy Bible Recovery Version, Deut. 1:1, footnote 1)
3. Finally, this book unveils Christ in three aspects: as the unique Prophet of God, as the divine oracle; as the all-inclusive good land, the goal, the aim, prepared for us by God; and as the word of God that we may receive Him as our life and our life supply and thus have the strength and ability to reach Him as the God-appointed goal—18:15-19, 8:7-10, 3, 30:11-14, John 1:1, 1 John 1:1, Col. 1:12, Phil. 3:7-15. (Holy Bible Recovery Version, Deut. 1:1, footnote 1)
II. Every word in the book of Deuteronomy is Christ; christ is the repeated speaking of God; He is God’s respeaking; the whole Bible is a Deuteronomy, and the entire Bible is in the book of Deuteronomy; let us now go on toe consider the nine crucial points in this book—Deut. 18:15, 18-19: (Life-study of Deuteronomy, msg. 2)
A. The first crucial point in Deuteronomy is that Moses as the spokesman of God was like an aged, loving father speaking to his children with much love and concern—1:1, 5. (Life-study of Deuteronomy, msg. 2)
B. The book of Deuteronomy speaks about the love of God and the governmental administration of God; Moses often spoke explicitly about love, but the matter of God’s governmental administration is implied; if we get into the depth of this book, we will realize that God’s dealing with His people here is a kind of governmental administration—7:9, 10:12. (Life-study of Deuteronomy, msg. 2)
C. The children of Israel as the audience were also experienced in God’s dealing with them—30:14, 18:19. (Life-study of Deuteronomy, msg. 2)
D. This book is a speaking supplementary to the book of Numbers, concerning what kind of man one should be to inherit the promised land as the good land—v. 15, 7:9. (Life-study of Deuteronomy, msg. 2)
E. This book speaks of God as a God of love and righteousness; this is provided by God’s past leading and His future dealing with the children of Israel in His love and government—v. 9, 5:10. (Life-study of Deuteronomy, msg. 2)
F. It is required that God’s people respond to God with their love in a way that fits in with God’s governmental administration—10:12, 6:5. (Life-study of Deuteronomy, msg. 2)
G. With a review of the past, on the one hand, this book points out God’s leading that man may know the heart and the hand of God, so that man may trust in God and fear God; on the other hand, this book points out man’s failure that man may know himself, so that man may condemn himself, humble himself, and have no more trust in himself—7:8, 5:21. (Life-study of Deuteronomy, msg. 2)
H. With a view of the future, this book expects that, on the one hand, man may know the love and government of God and that, on the other hand, man may know his real condition—11:11, 13. (Life-study of Deuteronomy, msg. 2)
I. Ultimately this book shows us that the love of God consummately works for His people that they may enjoy His full blessing according to His will and foreknowledge—33:1-25. (Life-study of Deuteronomy, msg. 2)
III. God’s goal in His economy is not merely to redeem His people and save them from the world, typified by Egypt, but to bring them into Christ, typified by the good land, that they may possess Him and enjoy His unsearchable riches—8:7-10: (Holy Bible Recovery Version, Deut. 8:7, footnote 1)
A. The good land, the land of Canaan, is a full, complete, and consummate type of the all-inclusive Christ, who is the embodiment of the Triune God realized as the all-inclusive life-giving Spirit, as the inheritance allotted to God’s people for their enjoyment—Col. 2:9, 1 Cor. 15:45, 2 Cor. 3:17. (Holy Bible Recovery Version, Deut. 8:7, footnote 1)
B. The riches of the good land in [Deuteronomy chapter 8] vv. 7-9 typify the unsearchable riches of Christ in different aspects as the bountiful supply to His believers in His Spirit—Eph. 3:8, Phil. 1:19: (Holy Bible Recovery Version, Deut. 8:7, footnote 1)
1. The waterbrooks, springs, and fountains signify Christ as the flowing Spirit—John 4:14, 7:37-39, Rev. 22:1. (Holy Bible Recovery Version, Deut. 8:7, footnote 1)
2. The valleys and mountains signify he different kinds of environments in which we may experience Christ as the flowing Spirit—cf. 2 Cor. 6:8-10. (Holy Bible Recovery Version, Deut. 8:7, footnote 1)
3. Wheat typifies the incarnated Christ, who was crucified and buried to multiply Himself—John 12:24. (Holy Bible Recovery Version, Deut. 8:7, footnote 1)
4. Barley, being the first-ripe grain, points to the resurrected Christ as the first-fruits—2 Sam. 21:9, 1 Cor. 15:20. (Holy Bible Recovery Version, Deut. 8:7, footnote 1)
5. Vines typify the Christ who sacrificed Himself to produce wine to cheer God and man—Judg. 9:13, Matt. 9:17. (Holy Bible Recovery Version, Deut. 8:7, footnote 1)
6. The fig tree speaks of the sweetness and satisfaction of Christ as the life supply—Judg. 9:11. (Holy Bible Recovery Version, Deut. 8:7, footnote 1)
7. The pomegranates signify the fullness, the abundance and beauty, and the expression of the riches of Christ as life—Exo. 28:33-34, 1 Kings 7:18-20, S. S. 4:3b, 13. (Holy Bible Recovery Version, Deut. 8:7, footnote 1)
8. The olive tree typifies Christ as the One who was filled with the Spirit and anointed with the Spirit—Rom. 11:17, Luke 4:1, 18, Heb. 1:9. (Holy Bible Recovery Version, Deut. 8:7, footnote 1)
9. Milk and honey speak forth the goodness and sweetness of Christ—Deut. 6:3. (Holy Bible Recovery Version, Deut. 8:7, footnote 1)
10. Stones signify Christ as material for building God’s dwelling place—Isa. 28:16, Zech. 4:7, 1 Pet. 2:4. (Holy Bible Recovery Version, Deut. 8:7, footnote 1)
11. The iron and copper are for making weapons and typify our spiritual warfare by which we fight the enemy—2 Cor. 10:4, Eph. 6:10-20. (Holy Bible Recovery Version, Deut. 8:7, footnote 1)
C. By enjoying the riches of the land, the children of Israel were able to build up the temple to be God’s habitation on earth and the city of Jerusalem to establish God’s kingdom on earth—Deut. 8:9-10, 1 Kings 6:9. (Holy Bible Recovery Version, Deut. 8:7, footnote 1)
IV. Jacob prophesied with blessing; the consummation concerning Judah (the gospel in the four Gospels), Zebulun (the preaching of the gospel in Acts), and Issachar (the church life fulfilled in the remaining books of the New Testament) is seen in Deuteronomy 33:19: (Truth Lessons, Level 4, vol. 2, ch. 23; 2014 ST, msg. 10)
A. The prophecy concerning Judah portrays Christ in the four Gospels (the contents of the gospel), the prophecy concerning Zebulun portrays the shipping out of the gospel in the Acts (borne by the wind of the Holy Spirit), and the prophecy concerning Issachar portrays the practice of the church life in the Epistles (for God’s building)—Gen. 49:8-15: (2014 ST, msg. 10)
1. The prophecy concerning Judah portrays the good news of Christ—the victory of Christ, the kingdom of Christ, and the enjoyment and rest in Christ; these three truths are a summary of the New Testament—vv. 8-12: (2014 ST, msg. 10)
a. Judah, likened poetically to a young lion is a type of Christ as the ultimate Overcomer—v. 9, Rev. 5:5. (2014 ST, msg. 10)
b. In His authority and kingship Christ comes as the Peace Bringer, the One to whom all the nations will submit and obey—Gen. 49:10, Eph. 2:14-15. (2014 ST, msg. 10)
c. Due to His victory and kingship, Christ can be enjoyed by us to be our rest—our perfect peace and full satisfaction—Gen. 49:11-12. (2014 ST, msg. 10)
2. The prophecy concerning Zebulun portrays the preaching of the gospel—Gen. 49:13: (2014 ST, msg. 10)
a. Zebulun, a seaport, was part of Galilee, the place where the Lord Jesus began His ministry of the preaching of the gospel of the kingdom—v. 13, Matt. 4:12-23, 28:7, 10, 16-20. (2014 ST, msg. 10)
b. Zebulun typifies Christ as the “shore” of the evangelists for the transportation and spreading in the preaching of God’s gospel; after Christ accomplished all the things that are to be proclaimed as the gospel, on the day of Pentecost at least one hundred twenty gospel “ships,” all of whom were Galileans (Acts 2:7, 13:31), set out from the “shore” to spread the gospel—Deut. 33:18a. (2014 ST, msg. 10)
c. We can be the Galilean preachers, the gospel “Ships,” who sail our from Christ as the “shore” through prayer by the power of the Holy Spirit as the heavenly wind and with the riches of Christ in the Word to reach the whole world—Acts 1:8, 2:2-41, 4:31, Psa. 68:1, 11-13, 18-19, 27. (2014 ST, msg. 10)
3. The prophecy concerning Issachar portrays the church life—Gen. 49:14: (2014 ST, msg. 10)
a. The strong donkey signifies the natural man; to couch is to rest in satisfaction; and the sheepfolds signify the denominations and various religions based on the law—v. 14, cf. John 10:1-9, 16. (2014 ST, msg. 10)
b. The poetry in Genesis 49:14 portrays the genuine church life as the issue of the preaching of the gospel, in which our natural man rests in satisfaction between (outside) the religious sheepfolds; the land typifies Christ as the green pasture enjoyed by the believers in the church life—vv. 14-15a, John 10:9. (2014 ST, msg. 10)
c. In Moses’ blessing in Deuteronomy 33:18b, Issachar was to rejoice for his tents; there the tents signify the local churches as the expressions of the unique Body of Christ, in which the believers rejoice in the enjoyment of Christ’s riches—Eph. 4:4a, Phil. 4:4, 1 Thes. 5:16. (2014 ST, msg. 10)
B. In Deuteronomy 33:19, which says that the peoples, the nations, will be called to the mountain, signifying the kingdom of God (Dan. 2:35), where they will offer sacrifices of righteousness and enjoy the abundance of the seas (the church composed mainly of Gentile believers—footnote on Matt. 13:1) and the hidden treasures of the sand (the kingdom hidden in the earth—v. 44); this shows that the gospel, the preaching of the gospel, and the church life as the issue of the gospel result in the enjoyment of the church life and the kingdom life (Rom. 14:17). (2014 ST, msg. 10)