Crystallization-Study of Joshua, Judges, and Ruth
Message Twelve
Taking the Way of Life
in the Lord’s Recovery
OPENING WORD OF THE PROPHESYING MEETING
Reading the verses in each day.
Reading the main points in the outlines.
Pray-reading the verses:
Matt. 7:13-14 Enter in through the narrow gate, for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many are those who enter through it. Because narrow is the gate and constricted is the way that leads to life, and few are those who find it.
1 John 3:14 We know that we have passed out of death into life because we love the brothers. He who does not love abides in death.
Word of Appetizer
Whta’s the clear picture of the two aspects of God’s move do the three books of Joshua, Judges, and Ruth present?
This clear picture is His move in His economical Spirit, the Spirit of power, and His move in His essential Spirit, the Spirit of life; with Joshua, Caleb, and all the judges we see the move of God in power, illustrated by Samson as one who moved in the Spirit of power but not in the Spirit of life; in contrast, the book of Ruth is a book of life; the purpose of this book is not to tell us anything about power but to reveal the things of life to the uttermost, using Naomi, Ruth, and Boaz as examples.
Spiritual Burden
In the Lord’s recovery we should not take the way of the judges to be powerful and to do a great work; if we take the way of power instead of the way of life, whatever we accomplish will mean nothing; only life can bring God into humanity, produce Christ, minister Christ, and supply the entire human race with Christ.
First, we need to enter in through the narrow gate and then walk on the constricted way, a way that is lifelong and leads to life; the way of the Lord’s recovery is the way of life that leads to a living reward in life in the manifestation of the kingdom of the heavens in the coming age.
Concluding Word of the Prophesying Meeting
The Revelation of the Truth
The three books of Joshua, Judges, and Ruth present a clear picture of the two aspects of God’s move: His move in His economical Spirit, the Spirit of power, and His move in His essential Spirit, the Spirit of life.
According to the divine and eternal nature of the life of God, God’s life is the unique life; only the life of God can be counted as life.
We need to know the significance of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and turn absolutely from this tree to the tree of life.
Christ is our life; the life of God is the life of Christ, and the life of Christ has become our life.
There are two possible ways of our life and work before God—the way that leads to life and the way that leads to destruction.
The Experience of Life
The sense of life guides us, governs us, controls us, and directs us, causing us to know whether we are living in the divine life or in the natural life and whether we are living in the flesh or in the spirit.
“We know that we have passed out of death into life because we love the brothers”; we know—have the inner consciousness—that we have passed out of death into life because we love the brothers; love (the love of God) toward the brothers is strong evidence of this.
Practice and Application
We need to know the significance of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and turn absolutely from this tree to the tree of life; we should care not for good and evil but for life; the best way to discern a matter is to discern according to life or death, not according to right and wrong, good and evil.
We should be exercised in spirit to build up the Body of Christ in the resurrection life of Christ; we need to be victorious over the attack of death upon the church and build up the Body of Christ in the resurrection life of Christ.
PROPHESYING TOPICS—TWELVE TOPICS PER WEEK
Day 1
T1: In Joshua and Judges it is difficult to see God’s move in life (Judg. 13:25; Rom. 8:2).
(Please explain that the three books of Joshua, Judges, and Ruth present a clear picture of the two aspects of God’s move.)
T2: The book of Ruth is a book of life (Ruth 1:16-17; 20-21).
(Please explain that Ruth deals with life, not power.)
Day 2
T1: The purpose of Ruth is to reveal the things of life to the uttermost (Ruth 1:16-17, 20-21).
(Please explain with examples that Naomi, Ruth and Boaz were persons fully in life.)
T2: Only life can bring God into humanity, produce Christ, and supply the entire human race with Christ (Matt. 1:18, 20-21).
(Please explain that if we take the way of power instead of the way of life, whatever we accomplish will mean nothing.)
Day 3
T1: The tree of life is simple; the tree of good and evil is complicated and complicating (Rom. 8:6).
(Please explain that life is the enjoyment of God; death is separation from the enjoyment of God.)
T2: Satan distracts the believers from the tree of life (2 Cor. 11:3; Rom. 8:6).
(Please explain that the best way to discern a matter is to discern according to life or death.)
Day 4
T1: In order to take the way that leads to life, we need to enter in through the narrow gate and then walk on the constricted way (Matt. 7:13-14).
(Please explain that the narrow gate deals not only with outward conduct but also with inward motive.)
T2: Living in spirit and walking in spirit restrict us (Luke 18:30; 1Cor. 3:13-15).
(Please explain that we are truly free; nevertheless, we still have the limitations, restrictions, and constrictions.)
Day 5
T1: Everything that issues from God is life, and everything that issues from Satan is death.
(Please explain with examples that many refined and moral things are filled with death.)
T2: We need to be victorious over the attack of death upon the church in the resurrection life (Matt. 16:18; John 11:25).
(Please explain that a Christian should not ask whether a thing is good or evil but should ask from where a thing originates.)
Day 6
T1: Death is of the devil, God’s enemy Satan; life is of God, the source of life (1 John 3:14).
(Please explain that love toward the brothers is the evidence that we have passed out of death into life.)
T2: As children of God, we have received the divine life from God (John 5:24).
(Please explain that through regeneration we have entered into the source, essence, element, and sphere of life.)
