Crystallization-Study of 1 & 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther
Message Eight
Building the Wall of the City for the Protection
of the Church as the House of God
OPENING WORD OF THE PROPHESYING MEETING
Reading the verses in each day.
Reading the main points in the outlines.
Pray-reading the verses:
Neh. 2:17…Come and let us build up the wall of Jerusalem so that we will no longer be a reproach.
Matt. 16:18-19 And I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. I will give to you the keys of the kingdom of the heavens, and whatever you bind on the earth shall have been bound in the heavens, and whatever you loose on the earth shall have been loosed in the heavens.
Word of Appetizer
After recovering the building of the temple, why was there still the need to build up the city?
The rebuilding of the house of God typifies God’s recovery of the degraded church, and the rebuilding of the wall of the city of Jerusalem typifies God’s recovery of His kingdom; God’s building of His house and His building of the kingdom go together. Without the city there is no protection for the temple. The temple is complete; it is the place of the Lord’s presence, where we meet and serve the Lord; but it needs protection. The wall of the city is the defense to the temple. Without the wall of the city, there is no protection. We need to intrinsically follow Nehemiah’s pattern to “build up the wall,” to build up the church as the kingdom of God, for the protection of the church as the house of God, His dwelling place.
Spiritual Burden
We need to intrinsically follow Nehemiah’s pattern to “build up the wall,” to build up the church as the kingdom of God, for the protection of the church as the house of God, His dwelling place; we all must build up our part of the wall; everyone should build up his own part.
We need to build the wall to protect the church from differing teachings, which are contrary to the teaching of the apostles; we must avoid differing teachings and concentrate on God’s economy concerning Christ and the church. After the wall has been built, we will be able to resist the attack of death upon the church and to build up the Body of Christ in the resurrection life of Christ.
Concluding Word of the Prophesying Meeting
The Revelation of the Truth
The book of Ezra is a history of the return of Israel’s captivity and the rebuilding of the temple; the book of Nehemiah is a history of the rebuilding of the wall of the city of Jerusalem.
The first section of the book of Nehemiah, chapters 1 through 7, is on the rebuilding of the wall of the city of Jerusalem under Nehemiah.
The purpose of the building of the wall is to bring us all into the proper order in life under the headship of Christ. We need to build the wall to protect the church from differing teachings, which are contrary to the teaching of the apostles.
If the wall is built up in the church, we will be protected from those who are used by the enemy to destroy God’s building work.
The Experience of Life
If we honor the unique headship of Christ, then in the Lord’s recovery the church will be not only the house but also the city; when we experience and enjoy Christ as life, we have the church as the house; when we realize the unique headship of Christ, the church will be enlarged as the city, which signifies the kingdom of God.
When we do not live by the natural life but live by the divine life within us, we are in resurrection; the issue of such a living is the growth and building up of the church as the Body of Christ.
Practice and Application
We all must build up our part of the wall; everyone should build up his own part.
We need to build the wall to protect the church from differing teachings, which are contrary to the teaching of the apostles; we must avoid differing teachings and concentrate on God’s economy concerning Christ and the church.
We must reject those who deny the conception and deity of Christ, not receiving them into our house or greeting them.
We need to know Christ as the First and the Last—the ever-existing, unchanging One—and as the One who became dead and lived again—the One who is resurrection. We can build up the Body of Christ only in the resurrection life of Christ.
PROPHESYING TOPICS—TWELVE TOPICS PER WEEK
Day 1
T1 The building of the house and the city is the center of God’s eternal purpose (Neh. 2:17; Matt. 16:18)
(Please illustrate the relationship between the house and the city.)
T2 Without the city there is no protection for the temple (Neh. 2:17)
(Please illustrate the intrinsic significance of the wall of the city is the defense to the temple.)
Day 2
T1 Realizing the headship of the Lord (Neh. 4:6; Col. 2:19)
(Please illustrate how we can apply Christ as our Head in our married life and in our church life.)
T2 We must all be under the authority of Christ, then the wall will be built (Neh. 4:6, 19)
(Please illustrate that the book of Nehemiah tells us that each one must build up his part of the wall.)
Day 3
T1 The throne is the headship, the authority, the kingship, and the lordship of Christ (Col. 3:4; 1:18)
(Please illustrate that Christ is these two main items to us: our life and our Head.)
T2 The wall of a city is not only for protection but also for separation (Rev. 21:2)
(Please illustrate that the separation of the wall is not built up with regulations, but with transformed precious stones.)
Day 4
T1 We may say that God’s economy is the general term for God’s New Testament revelation (Acts 2:42; 1 Tim. 1:3)
(Please illustrate that God’s economy is the New Testament revelation, the teaching of the apostles.)
T2 Not to teach different things (1 Tim. 1:3-4)
(Please illustrate the seriousness of teaching things that are different from God’s economy.)
Day 5
T1 To turn away from those who make divisions is to conquer the destructive chaos (Rom. 16:17; Titus 3:10)
(Please illustrate what seven kinds of destroyers are according to the New Testament.)
T2 The subtle ambition versus a pure heart (3 John 9)
(Please illustrate that those who are humble without ambition can be used by the Lord.)
Day 6
T1 In God’s eyes death is the most ugly thing, while life is the most precious thing (Matt. 16:18; Rev. 1:18)
(Please illustrate today our meeting does not depend on numbers; the important thing is that we have to overcome death in our meetings. )
T2 The characteristics of Christ are , “I am the resurrection and the life” (John 11:25)
(Please illustrate since the church is the testimony of the riches of God, its characteristics must be the characteristics of Christ.)
