THE THIRD PART: 24 CRUCIAL LINES IN THE BIBLE
The Church
Message Three—The Church Prophesied in the Entire Bible
Scripture Reading: Eph. 1:23; 3:4; 5:26-27; Col. 1:27; Matt. 16:18-19; Matt. 13; Rev. 1:3-4; 19:7
I. Prophecies concerning the church—the church being the hidden mystery in God’s eternal economy—Eph. 3:4; Col. 1:27; Eph. 1:23:
A. The New Testament reveals the church being the mystery of God’s eternal economy—Eph. 3:4.
B. The church as a mystery being hidden, not made known to God’s people before the New Testament age—Eph. 3:9:
1. Being hidden throughout the ages in God, who created all things—Eph. 3:9.
2. Not being made known to the sons of men in other generations—Eph. 3:5a.
3. Being revealed to the apostles and prophets in spirit in the New Testament age—Eph. 3:5; Col. 1:26.
C. The prophecies in the Old Testament concerning God’s selection of the Gentiles:
1. The New Testament believers being Abraham’s spiritual descendants like the stars of the heavens—Gen. 22:17.
2. The Gentiles becoming God’s people, the beloved sons of the living God—Rom. 9:23-26.
3. The Gentiles rejoicing with the Jews—Rom. 15:8-11.
4. The Gentiles being gathered together to serve Jehovah—Isa. 56:6-8.
II. Prophecies concerning the church—the kingdom of the heavens—Matt. 16:18-19; Matt. 13:
A. The beginning of the kingdom of the heavens—Matt. 3:2; Matt. 4:17:
1. Also being called the kingdom of God—Matt. 13:11; Mark 4:11.
2. Being a specific section within the kingdom of God—Matt. 3:2.
3. Comprising the church age.
4. Beginning at the church’s beginning—Matt. 13.
B. The formation of the outward appearance of the kingdom of the heavens—vv. 24-30; 36-43.
C. The development of the outward appearance of the kingdom of the heavens—vv. 31-32.
D. The corruption of the outward appearance of the kingdom of the heavens—v. 33.
E. The outward appearance of the kingdom of the heavens existing along with the church in the church age.
F. The manifestation of the kingdom of the heavens—Matt. 24:44—25:30:
1. The manifestation of the kingdom of the heavens will be the manifestation of the reality of the kingdom of the heavens—Matt. 13:40-42.
2. The manifestation of the kingdom of the heavens will be called the kingdom of the Father, the heavenly part of the millennium—Matt. 13:43.
3. Being a reward to the overcoming saints—2 Tim. 4:18.
III. Prophecies concerning the church—the building up and the stages of the church—Matt. 16:18; Rev. 1:3-4:
A. The building up of the church—Matt. 16:18:
1. Beginning at Pentecost—Acts 2:1-4; 41-42.
2. The prophecy concerning the building up of the church in Ephesians 4—Eph. 4:13, 16.
B. The stages of the church—Rev. 1:3-4:
1. The church in Ephesus—the church at the end of the initial stage—Rev. 2:1-7:
a. Having works, labor, and endurance and having tried the false apostles—Rev. 2:2.
b. In the epistle to the church in Ephesus in the book of Revelation through John, the Lord rebuked them for having left their first love—Rev. 2:4.
c. The church in Ephesus hated the works of the Nicolaitans, which the Lord also hated—2:6.
2. The Church in Smyrna—the suffering under the persecution of the Roman Empire—Rev. 2:8-11:
a. During the period prefigured by the church in Smyrna, there were Jews outside the church who were persecuting the church.
b. Suffering the Persecution of the Roman Empire—Rev. 2:10.
3. The Church in Pergamos—the worldly Church—Rev. 2:12-17:
a. Being in union with the world and becoming a fortified tower—Matt. 13:31-33.
b. Holding fast the Lord’s name and not denying the Lord’s faith—Rev. 2:13b.
c. Dwelling where Satan’s throne is—v. 13a.
d. Holding the Teaching of Balaam and the Teaching of the Nicolaitans—Rev. 2:14-15.
4. The church in Thyatira—the apostate church—Rev. 2:18-29:
a. Doing many works—Rev. 2:19.
b. Tolerating the prophetess Jezebel—allowing her to teach and lead the Lord’s slaves astray to commit fornication and to eat idol sacrifices—Rev. 2:20.
c. Not willing to repent and being sick in bed—vv. 21-22a.
d. Those committing adultery with her suffering tribulation, and her children being killed with death—vv. 22b-23a.
5. The church in Sardis—the reformed church—Rev. 3:1-6:
a. Living in name but being dead—Rev. 3:1b.
b. The things which remain being about to die—v. 2a.
c. Having no work completed—v. 2b.
6. The church in Philadelphia—the church of brotherly love—Rev. 3:7-13:
a. Keeping the Lord’s word—3:8.
b. Not denying the Lord’s name—v. 8b.
c. Being given an opened door—v. 8a.
d. Having the promise of being kept out of the hour of trial, which is about to come on the whole inhabited earth—v. 10.
7. The church in Laodicea—the degraded recovered church—Rev. 3:14-22:
a. Being full of human opinion—Rev. 3:14.
b. Being neither cold nor hot—Rev. 3:15-16.
c. Thinking that she is rich but not knowing that she is wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked—v. 17a.
d. Keeping the Lord outside her door—v. 20a.
IV. Prophecies concerning the church—the consummation of the church—John 3:29; Hosea 2:19; Eph. 5:26-27; Rev. 19:7:
A. God’s eternal plan being to obtain a counterpart for Christ—John 3:29; Isa. 54:5; Jer. 3:14; 31:32; Hosea 2:19:
1. Being for Christ’s satisfaction and rest in love—Gen. 2:7, 20-22.
2. Being the great mystery—Eph. 5:32.
3. Being the increase of Christ the Bridegroom, the Husband—John 3:29-30.
B. The church being the bride of Christ—Eph. 5:26-27:
1. The preparation of the bride—Eph. 5:26-27; Rev. 19:7.
2. The readiness of the bride depending on the maturity of the overcomers—Rev. 19:7-9.
3. After the marriage of the Lamb, the church being the bride of Christ in the millennium—19:7-9.
C. The church as the bride consummating in the New Jerusalem—Rev. 21:2.
D. The church being wife of Christ in eternity—21:9-10; 22:17a.
Ministry Excerpts:
THE CHURCH BEING THE MYSTERY IN GOD’S ETERNAL ECONOMY
There are many prophecies in the Bible, but strictly speaking, the building up of the church is the greatest prophecy. The church is the mystery in God’s eternal economy, the mystery of Christ. The church as a mystery was hidden throughout the ages in God, who created all things. It was not made known to the sons of men in other generations. None of the saints in the Old Testament knew anything regarding this mystery. The church as a mystery was revealed to the apostles and prophets in spirit only in the New Testament age. Moreover, all the saints today have the position and privilege to receive that which was not revealed to God’s people in the Old Testament age.
Since the church was a mystery not made known to the sons of men in the Old Testament age, the Old Testament prophets did not, strictly speaking, clearly mention any direct prophecy concerning the church. The church as a mystery is altogether a revelation in the New Testament.
Although the church as a mystery was not made known to the sons of men in the Old Testament age, God prophesied through the Old Testament prophets that He would gain the New Testament believers as Abraham’s spiritual descendants like the stars in the heavens, that the Gentiles would become God’s people—the beloved sons of the living God, that the Gentiles would rejoice with the Jews, and that the Gentiles would be gathered together to serve God.
In the New Testament age the church as the mystery of Christ has been revealed. We, the New Testament believers, are truly blessed to be able to receive this revelation—the church as the mystery of Christ. (Truth Lessons, Lev. 4, vol. 1, lsn. 13)
THE KINGDOM OF THE HEAVENS
The New Testament reveals that the kingdom of the heavens is wrapped up with the church. In Matthew 13 the Lord spoke concerning the revelation of the church with respect to the kingdom of the heavens. He also prophesied concerning the main points of Christian history between His first coming and His second coming.
The kingdom of the heavens is also called the kingdom of God. It is in the section of God’s kingdom where God reigns in a particular way, in the sense of life. At the beginning of the New Testament the kingdom of God was present, but it needed a new start in the way of life. According to the Gospel of Matthew there are three aspects of the kingdom of the heavens: the reality, the outward appearance, and the manifestation. The reality of the kingdom of the heavens is the inward content of the kingdom of the heavens in its heavenly and spiritual nature. The outward appearance of the kingdom of the heavens is the outward condition of the kingdom of the heavens in name. The manifestation of the kingdom of the heavens is the practical coming of the kingdom of the heavens in power. The reality of the kingdom of the heavens is the proper church life. The outward appearance of the kingdom of the heavens includes false believers who are not regenerated. Both the reality and the outward appearance of the kingdom of the heavens are with the church today.
The kingdom of the heavens began on the day of Pentecost, beginning at the same time and going on in parallel with the church. The reality of the kingdom of the heavens was established with the sons of the kingdom, the wheat. They are the genuine believers regenerated by the divine life. The enemy, however, sowed tares, false believers, among the wheat, the genuine believers, to form an outward appearance of the kingdom of the heavens. The development of the outward appearance is like a mustard seed, the smallest among seeds, growing into a tree. When thousands of false believers entered into the church, the world was mixed with the church. With its nature changed, the church became deeply rooted and settled as a tree on the earth, flourishing with its enterprises as the branches in which many evil persons and things are lodged. The Lord used the parable of the leaven to prophesy concerning the corruption of the outward appearance of the kingdom of the heavens. The church must be a loaf of unleavened bread. However, the Roman Catholic Church, which was fully and officially formed in the sixth century, took in many pagan practices, heretical doctrines, and evil matters and mixed them with the teachings concerning Christ, leavening the whole content of Christianity. The outward appearance of the kingdom of the heavens exists along with the church in the church age and will continue until the manifestation of the kingdom of the heavens, that is, the manifestation of the reality of the kingdom of the heavens. The outward appearance of the kingdom of the heavens will be burned away. The reality of the kingdom of the heavens will be transferred into the next age to become the manifestation of the kingdom. The manifestation of the kingdom is the kingdom of the Father, the heavenly part of the millennium; it will be a reward to the overcoming saints. (Truth Lessons, Lev. 4, vol. 1, lsn. 14)
The building up of the church remains a great prophecy yet to be fulfilled. The building up of the church began at Pentecost, and this prophecy is being fulfilled in the church age. Believers should yearn to see the fulfillment of the Lord’s prophecy concerning the building of the church.
THE CHURCH IN EPHESUS—
THE CHURCH AT THE END OF THE INITIAL STAGE
The seven epistles written to the seven churches in Revelation 2 and 3 are a prophecy of the stages of the church. The first epistle to the church in Ephesus provides a picture of the church at the end of the initial stage during the last part of the first century. At the end of the initial stage the church was able to try false apostles. The works, labor, and endurance of the initial church were approved by the Lord. The church in Ephesus also hated the works of the Nicolaitans, which the Lord also hated. But they left their first love toward the Lord.
THE CHURCH IN SMYRNA—
THE SUFFERING UNDER THE PERSECUTION OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE
The church in Smyrna prefigures the suffering church under the persecution of the Roman Empire from the latter part of the first century to the early part of the fourth century. The persecuted church was the continuation of Christ’s suffering. They were slandered by the Jews and persecuted by the Roman Empire, but the church of the living Christ, who became dead and lived again, withstood the persecution victoriously and multiplied flourishingly by the indestructible resurrection life.
THE CHURCH IN PERGAMOS—THE WORLDLY CHURCH
The church in Pergamos prefigures the worldly church, which lasted from the time that Constantine the Great accepted Christianity to the latter part of the sixth century when the papal system was established. The worldly church entered into union with the world and became a fortified tower. Although they held fast the Lord’s name and did not deny the Lord’s faith, the Lord rebuked them for dwelling where Satan’s throne is and for holding the teaching of Balaam and the teaching of the Nicolaitans. Hence, the Lord warned the church in Pergamos that she needed to repent. If she did not repent, He promised to come to her quickly and make war with her with the sword of His mouth. (Truth Lessons, Lev. 4, vol. 1, lsn. 15)
THE CHURCH IN THYATIRA—THE APOSTATE CHURCH
The Lord’s word to the church in Thyatira is a prophecy concerning the apostate Roman Catholic Church, which began with the establishment of the papal system in the latter part of the sixth century and will continue to Christ’s coming at the end of this age. The apostate church has works, love, faith, service, and endurance, and her last works are more than the first. But she mixes heathen, pagan things with the worship of God by His people. She is also a self-appointed prophetess, one who presumes to be authorized by God to speak for God. Those who commit adultery with her will suffer tribulation, and her children will be killed with death. Since the apostate church is not willing to repent of her adultery, the Lord causes her to be sick in bed until the judgment at the Lord’s coming.
THE CHURCH IN SARDIS—THE REFORMED CHURCH
The Lord’s word to the church in Sardis is a prophecy concerning the reformed church, which is the Protestant church from the time of the Reformation to the second coming of Christ. She has a name that she is living, and yet she is dead. Many things were recovered in the Reformation, such as justification by faith, the gospel of grace, and the open Bible. However, these restored things were about to die and needed to be revived. Furthermore, in the eyes of God there are no completed works in the so-called reformed church. Therefore, the Lord charged her, “Remember therefore how you have received and heard, and keep it and repent”.
THE CHURCH IN PHILADELPHIA—
THE CHURCH OF BROTHERLY LOVE
The Lord’s word to the church in Philadelphia prophetically depicts the church of brotherly love, that is, the recovery of the proper church life, which began in the early part of the nineteenth century when brothers were raised up in England to practice the church life outside the system of sects and divisions and continues until the Lord comes back. She has kept the Lord’s word and has not denied His name. The Lord gives her an opened door and promises to keep her out of the hour of trial, which is about to come on the whole inhabited earth; that is, she will be raptured before the great tribulation.
THE CHURCH IN LAODICEA—THE DEGRADED RECOVERED CHURCH
The church in Laodicea prophetically signifies the degraded recovered church life from the nineteenth century until the Lord’s coming. The degraded recovered church is full of human opinion. She has works, but she is neither cold nor hot; hence, she is in danger of being spewed out of the Lord’s mouth. She also thinks that she is rich, but the Lord said that she is wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked. This church has some knowledge and has the Lord’s name, but there are too many objective doctrines and too little subjective truths. She keeps the Lord outside her door and thus does not have the subjective presence of Christ. The Lord desires that she open the door so that He can dine with her. (Truth Lessons, Lev. 4, vol. 1, lsn. 16)
GOD’S ETERNAL PLAN
God’s eternal plan is to obtain for Christ a counterpart—His church—through redemption and the divine life. Which has the same life and nature of Christ, can become Christ’s counterpart for His satisfaction and rest in love. Christ and the church which come out of Christ as one spirit, typified by a husband and wife as one flesh, are the great mystery. As Eve was the increase of Adam, so the church as the bride, the wife, is the increase of Christ the Bridegroom, the Husband.
THE PREPARATION OF THE BRIDE
Ephesians 5 reveals that today Christ is sanctifying the church that He might present the church to Himself as His counterpart. This is the preparation of the bride. When Christ comes back, He will marry the overcomers, who represent all the saints in the church. Therefore, the readiness of the bride depends on the overcomers’ maturity in life. Christ and His counterpart, the bride, will be married at His coming; this is the marriage of the Lamb. After the Lamb’s marriage, the church will be Christ’s bride in the millennium.
The church as the bride will consummate in the New Jerusalem and will be the wife of Christ in eternity. This ultimate marriage is the marriage between the processed, consummated, and dispensing Triune God as the Husband and the church as His bride. This universal couple is the full manifestation of the Triune God expressed in all His glory for eternity. (Truth Lessons, Lev. 4, vol. 1, lsn. 17)