Crystallization-Study of Ezekiel (1)
Message Nine
The Rainbow—the Consummation of the Experience
of the Christian Life and the Church Life
Opening Word of the Prophesying Meeting
Reading the verses in each day.
Reading the main points in the outlines.
Pray-reading the verses:
I set My bow in the clouds, and it shall be for a sign of a covenant between Me and the earth—Gen. 9:13.
Like the appearance of the rainbow that is in the cloud on a day of rain, such was the appearance of the brightness all around. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of Jehovah…—Ezek. 1:28.
Word of Appetizer
Why does the experience of the Christian life and of the church life consummate in a rainbow?
According to God’s plan, the spiritual things revealed in Ezekiel 1 begin with the wind and consummate with the rainbow. We, God’s spared ones, will be this holy city.
By God’s righteousness, holiness, and glory, we will have the appearance of a rainbow declaring to the whole universe God’s saving faithfulness. At the end of the Bible is a city whose foundation has the appearance of a rainbow surrounding the eternal God as His strong testimony. The experience of the Christian life and of the church life will consummate in such a rainbow.
Spiritual Burden
The reality of this rainbow must be wrought into us so that, as God’s redeemed ones, we will have the appearance of a rainbow, bearing God’s testimony; this means that we will bear God’s righteousness, holiness, and glory . In the church life we need to allow God to work in us, and we need to receive grace to the extent that everything becomes righteous, holy, and glorious.
Concluding Word of the Prophesying Meeting
The Revelation of the Truth
The rainbow is a sign of God’s faithfulness in keeping the covenant:
the rainbow signifies God’s faithfulness; God is the covenanting God, the faithful God, who will keep His covenant while executing His judgment upon the earth.
The experience of the Christian life and of the church life consummates in a rainbow:
According to God’s plan, the spiritual things revealed in Ezekiel 1 begin with the wind and consummate with the Rainbow.
A rainbow can be considered as being produced from the combining of three basic colors—blue, red, and yellow, signifying God’s righteousness, holiness and glory.
The New Jerusalem has the appearance of a rainbow; the holy city looks like a rainbow.
The Experience of Life
We bear Christ as righteousness, holiness, and glory . We become holy, even as God is holy; by having God in us; we become more holy by being in God; and we become the holiest by being mingled, permeated, and saturated with God.
Christ dwells in us as the hope of glory, and we are being transformed into His image from glory to glory .
Practice and Application
In the church life we need to allow God to work in us, and we need to receive grace to the extent that everything becomes righteous, holy, and glorious.
we must allow God’s holy fire to burn away everything that does not match Him so that His holy nature is manifested as gold through our humanity, the church will be filled with God’s righteousness, holiness, and glory.
Using Key Verses to Have a Bird’s-Eye View over the Whole Outline
Key Verses (1)
I set My bow in the clouds, and it shall be for a sign of a covenant between Me and the earth—Gen. 9:13.
…and there was a rainbow around the throne like an emerald in appearance—Rev. 4:3.
And I saw another strong Angel coming down out of heaven, clothed with a cloud; and the rainbow was upon His head…—10:1.
I. The rainbow is a sign of God’s faithfulness in keeping the Covenant
. In order to assure mankind that there would never again be a flood to destroy them and the earth, God made a covenant with Noah, with his seed, and with every animal. The rainbow, a token of God’s covenant, signifies God’s faithfulness; God’s faithfulness is the rainbow.
. God is the God of life (jasper) and redemption (sardius). The rainbow around the throne is like an emerald in appearance. The rainbow around His throne signifies that He is the covenanting God, the faithful God, who will keep His covenant while executing His judgment upon the earth.
.The rainbow indicates also that Christ will execute judgment according to the Godwho sits on the throne with the rainbow around it, the faithful and covenant-keeping God.
Key Verses (2)
So He drove the man out, and at the east of the garden of Eden He placed the cherubim and a flaming sword which turned in every direction to guard the way to the tree of life—Gen. 3:24.
But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became wisdom to us from God: both righteousness and sanctificationand redemption—1 Cor. 1:30.
A rainbow can be considered as being produced from the combining of three basic colors—blue, red, and yellow
. Blue, the color of God’s sapphirethrone, signifies God’s righteousness; red, the color of the sanctifying fire, signifies God’s holiness; and yellow, the color of electrum, signifies God’s glory.
. Righteousness, holiness, and glory are the three divine attributes that keep sinners away from God. The sword for killing indicates God’s righteousness; the flame signifies God’s holiness; and the cherubim signify God’s glory.
. The Lord Jesus died on the cross to satisfy the requirements of God’s righteousness, holiness, and glory, and now, in resurrection, He is our righteousness, holiness, and glory.
. The reality of this rainbow must be wrought into us so that, as God’s redeemed ones, we will have the appearance of a rainbow, bearing God’s testimony.
Key Verses (3)
The foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with every precious stone: the first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, chalcedony; the fourth, emerald; The fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolite; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, topaz; the tenth, chrysoprase; the eleventh, jacinth; the twelfth, amethyst—Rev. 21:19-20.
The experience of the Christian life and of the church life consummates in a rainbow
. The central work of Godis to build Himself in Christ into us, making us one with Him for His corporate expression.
. According to God’s plan, the spiritual things revealed in Ezekiel 1 begin with the wind and consummate with the Rainbow.
. The New Jerusalem has the appearance of a rainbow; the holy city looks like a rainbow；The colors of the twelve layers of the foundations have the appearance ofa rainbow, surrounding the eternal God as His testimony. We, the aggregate of God’s saved ones, will be a rainbow testifying forever that our God is faithful.
Prophesying Topics—Twelve Topics per Week
D1
T1 The rainbow is a sign of God’s faithfulness in keeping the covenant (Gen. 9:8-17)
(What is the significance of the rainbow that God set in the cloud as a token of the covenant?)
T2 God is faithful to His word (1 Cor. 10:13)
(Please explain to what God is faithful.)
D2
T1 God is the judging God and He is also the covenant-keeping God. (Rev. 21:24, 26)
(Please explain how God keep His covenant while executing His judgment upon the earth.)
T2 The appearance of God on the throne is like a jasper stone and a sardius (Rev. 4:2-3)
(Please explain that God is the God of life (jasper) and redemption (sardius)
D3
T1 The entire Bible is a book unveiling the purpose of God (Eph. 3:11)
(What is God’s eternal purpose and intention?)
T2 In Christ, God has become man to make man God in His life and in His nature (Rev. 21:2)
(Please explain what the main content of the New Testament is.)
D4
T1 The three primary colors of the rainbow are red, yellow, and blue (Gen. 3:24)
(Please explain that we have God’s righteousness, holiness, and glory, signified by the colors blue, red, and yellow.)
T2 The Lord Jesus satisfied the requirements of God’s righteousness, holiness, and glory ((1 Cor. 1:30)
(Please explain that we need to experience Christ that when others contact us, they can sense righteousness, holiness, and glory.)
D5
T1 To be holy is to be separated unto God from everything other than God (1 Thes. 5:23)
(What is the way God makes us holy?)
T2 Christ is our righteousness, holiness, and glory (1 Cor. 1:30)
(Please explain how can we look like righteousness, holiness, and glory in the sight of God.)
D6
T1 The holy city, New Jerusalem, looks like a rainbow (Ezek. 1:28; Rev. 21:19-20)
(Please explain that the experience of the Christian life and of the church life consummates in a rainbow.)
T2 God’s spared ones should bear the appearance of a rainbow (1 Cor. 1:30)
(How should we experience that the spiritual reality of this bright rainbow is manifested in the church today?)
