Noah, Daniel, and Job—Patterns of Living an Overcoming Life On the Line of Life to Fulfill the Economy of God
Message Four
Job and the Two Trees
THE EXTRACT OF THE OUTLINES
Scripture reading:
Gen. 2:9 And out of the ground Jehovah God caused to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food, as well as the tree of life in the middle of the garden and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
I. In the divine revelation there are two trees, two sources, two ways, two principles, and two ultimate consummations—Gen. 2:9, 17; Rev. 22:1-2, 14: (Monday)
A. The tree of life signifies The Triune God as life to man in man’s relationship with God; the tree of the knowledge of good and evil signifies Satan, the Devil, the evil one, as death to man in his fall before God—Gen. 2:9, 17.
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B. The first way is the way of life, the narrow way, for man to seek God, gain God, and enjoy God as his supply in God’s eternal life; the second way is the way of death and of good and evil, the broad way, for man to follow Satan and be his children—Matt. 7:13-14. (Tuesday)
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II. God’s purpose was not to have a Job on the line of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil but to have a Job on the line of the tree of life—Job 1:1; 2:3; 42:1-6: (Wednesday)
A. The logic of Job and his friends followed the line of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil; Job and his friends were in the realm of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, and God wanted to save them out of that realm and put them into the realm of the tree of life—Job 2:11; 1:1; 2:3.
B. God’s purpose in dealing with Job was to turn him from the way of good and evil to the way of life so that he might gain God in the fullest way—Job 42:1-6.
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III. We need to have a vision of the tree of life, that is, a vision of God in Christ as our food—Gen. 2:9; Rev. 22:1-2, 14: (Thursday)
A. The tree of life signifies The Triune God in Christ dispensing Himself in the form of food as life into His chosen people; according to God’s purpose, the entire universe is centered on the tree of life, and nothing is more central and crucial to God or to man than the tree of life—Gen. 2:9; Rev. 22:14.
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B. The New Testament reveals that Christ is the fulfillment of the type of the tree of life; enjoying the tree of life will be the eternal portion of all those redeemed by God, and the fruit of the tree of life will be the food of God’s redeemed people for eternity; the fruit will always be fresh, being produced every month—John 1:4; 15:1, 5; Rev. 22:1-2, 14. (Friday)
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IV. When we were regenerated, Christ planted Himself as the tree of life into us—John 1:12-13; 3:3, 5-6; 15:1, 5: (Saturday)
A. In our practical life we may be on the line not of the tree of life but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil; in our daily life we should not be in the realm of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil but in the realm of the life-giving Spirit—Prov. 16:25; 1 Cor. 15:45b; Rom. 8:2.
B. God’s purpose is to tear us down and to rebuild us with Himself as our life and nature so that we may be a person who is fully one with Him—2 Cor. 1:9; 4:14.
OPENING WORD OF THE PROPHESYING MEETING
Reading the verses in each day.
Reading the main points in the outlines.
Pray-reading the verses:
And out of the ground Jehovah God caused to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight and good for food, as well as the tree of life in the middle of the garden and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil—Gen. 2:9.
And he showed me a river of water of life, bright as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb in the middle of its street. And on this side and on that side of the river was the tree of life…—Rev. 22:1-2.
Word of Appetizer
Why is the tree of life the center of the universe? What vision of the tree of life do we need to have?
According to God’s purpose, the earth is the center of the universe, the garden of Eden is the center of the earth, and the tree of life is the center of the garden of Eden; therefore, the entire universe is centered on the tree of life. To both God and man, nothing is more central and more important than the tree of life.
We need to have a vision of the tree of life, which is the vision of God in Christ as our food; the tree of life signifies the The Triune God in Christ dispensing Himself in the form of food into His chosen people as life.
Spiritual Burden
We need to have a vision of the tree of life, which is the vision of God in Christ as our food; the tree of life signifies the The Triune God in Christ dispensing Himself in the form of food into His chosen people as life.
God’s purpose was not to have a Job on the line of the tree of knowledge of good and evil but to have a Job on the line of the tree of life; God’s purpose in dealing with Job was to turn him from the way of good and evil to the way of life so that he could gain God in the fullest way.
Concluding Word of the Prophesying Meeting
The Revelation of the Truth
In the divine revelation there are two trees, two sources, two ways, two principles, and two ultimate consummations.
God’s purpose was not to have a Job on the line of the tree of knowledge of good and evil but to have a Job on the line of the tree of life.
We need to have a vision of the tree of life, which is the vision of God in Christ as our food.
The Experience of Life
When we were regenerated, Christ planted Himself as the tree of life into us; God’s intention is to tear us down and rebuild us with Himself as our life and nature so that we as a person may be thoroughly one with Him.
In our practical living, we may not be on the line of the tree of life but on the line of the tree of knowledge of good and evil; the tree of life signifies the The Triune God in Christ dispensing Himself in the form of food into His chosen people as life.
Practice and Application
We need to have a vision of the tree of life, which is the vision of God in Christ as our food; to both God and man, nothing is more central and more important than the tree of life. Enjoying the tree of life will be the eternal portion of all God’s redeemed ones.
In our daily life, we should not be in the realm of the tree of knowledge of good and evil but in the realm of the life-giving Spirit.
PROPHESYING TOPICS—TWELVE TOPICS PER WEEK
Day 1
T1 In the divine revelation there are two trees, two sources, two lines, two principles, and two consummations (Gen. 2:9, 17).
(Please illustrate how the two trees in Genesis 2 correspond to the two consummations in Revelation 22.)
T2 The Bible, the complete record of the divine revelation, is a book of signs (Rev. 1:1b).
(Please illustrate the significance of the two signs, the tree of life and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.)
Day 2
T1 We must be careful about what we eat (Gen. 3:3, 6).
(Please illustrate that these two trees were not for producing material but for man to eat their fruit.)
T2 The two trees, as signs of God and Satan, are the two sources of two categories of people (Gen. 4:4-5; Matt. 7:13-14).
(Please illustrate which two ways are brought in as a result of these two sources.)
Day 3
T1 The city of the water of life and the lake of fire and brimstone (Rev. 22:1-2).
(Please illustrate the respective destinations of God’s way of life and the way of death, of good and evil.)
T2 God’s purpose is to have a Job who is in the line of the tree of life (Gen. 2:9; Rev. 22:1-2).
(Please illustrate the purpose of God’s severe dealing with Job.)
Day 4
T1 The concept of the tree is crucial in the Bible (John 1:4; 15:1).
(Please illustrate that whether a person will receive life or death depends entirely on how he treats the tree.)
T2 The tree of life is the center of the universe (John 1:4; 15:1).
(Please illustrate that the tree of life indicates that God wants to be our life in the way of food.)
Day 5
T1 The tree of life fulfills God’s original intention unto eternity (John 6:35; Rev. 2:7; 22:14).
(Please illustrate that today, in the Millennium, and in the new heaven and new earth, Christ will be the tree of life for our enjoyment.)
T2 The divine nature as our holy way (Rev. 22:14; John 14:6).
(Using the example of a sister going to a department store to shop, Please illustrate how this picture of the street, the river, and the tree can be applied to our daily life.)
Day 6
T1 When we were regenerated, Christ as the tree of life was planted into us (John 11:25; Rom. 8:2).
(Please illustrate with experience whether we are in the line of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil or in the line of the tree of life in our daily living.)
T2 Job should not have tried to reach the peak of integrity; what he needed was to pursue God to the uttermost (John 11:25; Rom. 8:2).
(Please illustrate what God’s intention is in His economy.)
