Crystallization-Study of Ezekiel (1)
Message Two
The Spiritual History of a Normal Christian—
the Wind, the Cloud, the Fire, and the Electrum
Opening Word of the Prophesying Meeting
Reading the verses in each day.
Reading the main points in the outlines.
Pray-reading the verses:
And I looked, and there came a storm wind from the north, a great cloud and a fire flashing incessantly; and there was a brightness around it, and from the midst of it there was something like the sight of electrum, from the midst of the fire—Ezek. 1:4.
For our God is also a consuming fire—Heb. 12:29
Word of Appetizer
What is God’s purpose in blowing upon us as the wind, in covering us as the cloud, and in consuming us as the fire?
God’s intention is not simply to burn us and turn us into ashes. God is a good God with a good purpose. The answer to this question is that out of the fire appears the glowing electrum. The burning of the divine fire is for the manifestation of the electrum. As we experience the burning of the consuming fire, God Himself is manifested in us.
Spiritual Burden
Throughout our Christian life, our spiritual experiences should be a continual cycle involving the wind, the cloud, the fire, and the electrum; every time this cycle is repeated, more electrum is constituted into our being and brought forth, making us a people who are filled with the Triune God and who manifest His glory.
Concluding Word of the Prophesying Meeting
The Revelation of the Truth
In Ezekiel 1:4 the storm wind from the north is a figure, a picture, of the powerful Spirit of God.
The cloud in Ezekiel 1:4 is a figure of God covering His people.
According to Ezekiel 1:4, the wind brings in the cloud, and within the cloud is the fire.
The issue of the blowing of the wind, the covering of the cloud, and the burning of the fire is the glowing electrum—the radiant expression of the redeeming God.
The spiritual history of every Christian should be a story of the wind, the cloud, the fire, and the electrum.
As we experience the blowing wind, the overshadowing cloud, the burning fire, and the glowing electrum, we become the vision of the glory of God.
The Experience of Life
Our spiritual experiences always begin with a spiritual storm. This storm wind is God Himself blowing upon us to bring a storm into our life, into our church, and into our work, causing us to be dissatisfied and concerned about our spiritual condition and to have a turn in our spiritual life. The more we experience the blowing wind, the covering cloud, and the consuming fire, the more the electrum is constituted into our being.
Practice and Application
God’s visitation begins with the blowing of the wind of God upon our being. If you have never had such experiences, you need to look to the Lord and pray for His wind from the north to blow upon you.
As we are under His shining, we should confess our need for His burning and then pray for Him to burn away our self, our old nature, our disposition, our worldliness, and our attitudes, goals, aims, motives, and intentions.
Using Key Verses to Have a Bird’s-Eye View over the Whole Outline
Key Verses (1)
And I looked, and there came a storm wind from the north, a great cloud and a fire flashing incessantly; and there was a brightness around it, and from the midst of it there was something like the sight of electrum, from the midst of the fire—Ezek. 1:4.
And Jehovah went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them on the way…—Exo. 13:21.
A spiritual storm—the powerful Spirit of God—the beginning of spiritual experience
Cloud—the brooding God—caring for, overshadowing, showing favor
I. In Ezekiel 1:4 the storm wind from the north is a figure, a picture, of the powerful Spirit of God:
• A storm wind coming from the north indicates that the mighty Spirit comes from God.
• The wind is a sign of the blowing of the Holy Spirit upon us to take care of us, causing us to have God’s life. Our spiritual experiences always begin with a spiritual storm.
II. The cloud in Ezekiel 1:4 is a figure of God covering His people:
• The cloud here is a figure of God as the Spirit abiding with His people and covering them in order to care for them and show favor to them.
• The cloud is nothing other than the brooding God; God comes as the wind, but He stays as the cloud.
• By staying with us as the cloud, God covers us, overshadows us, and broods over us to give usthe enjoyment of His presence.
Key Verses (2)
And I looked, and there came a storm wind from the north, a great cloud and a fire flashing incessantly; and there was a brightness around it, and from the midst of it there was something like the sight of electrum, from the midst of the fire—Ezek. 1:4.
For our God is also a consuming fire—Heb. 12:29.
And the city has no need of the sun or of the moon that they should shine in it, for the glory of God illumined it, and its lamp is the Lamb—Rev. 21:23.
The fire—God’s burning and sanctifying power
The glowing electrum—the radiant expression of the redeeming God
III. According to Ezekiel 1:4, the wind brings in the cloud, and within the cloud is the fire:
•The fire seen by Ezekiel signifies God’s burning and sanctifying power. The fact that there is fire in the cloud means that when we are overshadowed by the Spirit, we are enlightened by Him.
• The more the fire of the Holy Spirit burns in us, the more we are purified and enlightened; only what matches the holiness of God can pass through His holy fire; everything that does not match God’s holiness must be burned away.
IV. The issue of the blowing of the wind, the covering of the cloud, and the burning of the fire is the glowing electrum—the radiant expression of the redeeming God.
•Electrum is an alloy of gold and silver; gold signifies the nature of God, and silver signifies redemption:
• The issue of the spiritual transactions involving the blowing wind, the covering cloud, and the purifying fire is the radiant expression of the redeeming God.
•The One signified by the glowing electrum, the Lamb-God, dwells within us as a priceless treasure.
Key Verses (3)
And I looked, and there came a storm wind from the north, a great cloud and a fire flashing incessantly; and there was a brightness around it, and from the midst of it there was something like the sight of electrum, from the midst of the fire—Ezek. 1:4.
And he carried me away in spirit onto a great and high mountain and showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, Having the glory of God…—Rev. 21:10-11.
The Spiritual History of a Christian—the Wind, the Cloud, the Fire, and the Electrum—
Become the vision of the glory of God
V. The spiritual history of every Christian should be a story of the wind, the cloud, the fire, and the electrum.
•Every time we are graced by the Lord, we have spiritual transactions with Him involving the wind, the cloud, the fire, and the electrum.
•Throughout our Christian life, our spiritual experiences should be a continual cycle involving the wind, the cloud, the fire, and the electrum;
VI. As we experience the blowing wind, the overshadowing cloud, the burning fire, and the glowing electrum, we become the vision of the glory of God.
•If in our personal spiritual experience we have the wind, the cloud, the fire, and the electrum, then whenever we gather together, we will be the vision of the electrum, having a precious treasure in us that is shining and glowing.
Prophesying Topics—Twelve Topics per Week
D1
T1 The fact that the storm wind came from the north means that it came from God (Ezek. 1:4)
(Why did the stormy wind come from the north and not from the south, the east, or the west?)
T2 The stormy wind is a figure of the mighty Spirit of God (Acts 2:2, 4a) (Refer to Outline I. C)
(Please explain that our spiritual experiences always begin with a spiritual storm.)
D2
T1 The cloud is a figure of God covering His people (Ezek. 1:4)
(Please explain the significance of the cloud according to the history of the people of Israel.)
T2 The cloud is nothing other than the brooding God (Gen. 1:2)
(Please use experience to explain that when the Holy Spirit stays with us and overshadows us, He is like the cloud.)
D3
T1 The fire signifies God’s burning and sanctifying power (Heb. 12:29) (Refer to Outline III. D)
(Please use experience to explain that the more the fire of the Holy Spirit burns in us, the more we are purified and enlightened.)
T2 Our God is also a consuming fire (Deut. 4:24)
(Please use experience to explain that the fire consumes not only our pride, wickedness, and hatred but also our natural humility, kindness, and love.)
D4
T1 The burning of the divine fire is for the manifestation of the electrum (Ezek. 1:4)
(What is His purpose in blowing upon us as the wind, in covering us as the cloud, and in consuming us as the fire?)
T2 Electrum is an alloy of gold and silver; gold signifies the nature of God, and silver signifies redemption (Rev. 4:3) (Refer to Outline IV. A)
(Please explain that our God is not merely the Divine Being, signified by the gold; He is also the redeeming God, signified by the silver.)
D5
T1 The spiritual history of a normal Christian (Eph. 3:17, 19)
(Please explain that throughout our Christian life, our spiritual experiences should be a continual cycle involving the wind, the cloud, the fire, and the electrum.)
T2 The issue of the blowing of the wind, the covering of the cloud, and the burning of the fire is the radiant manifestation of the electrum (Ezek. 1:4)
(The more we pass through God’s wind, cloud, and fire, the more the Lord is manifested in us in a dignified and glorious way.)
D6
T1 Becoming the vision of the glory of God (Ezek. 1:1, 28b) (Refer to Outline VI)
(Please explain that as we experience the blowing wind, the overshadowing cloud, the burning fire, and the glowing electrum, we become the vision of the glory of God.)
T2 The entire universe came into existence for the purpose of describing Christ (Col. 2:17)
(Please use an illustration to explain that all the positive things in the universe may be used to portray what Christ is to us.)
