Gen. 2:22 "...Jehovah God built the rib, which He had taken from the man,
into a woman and brought her to the man."
Rev. 22:17 "And the Spirit and the bride say, Come! And let him who hears
say, Come! And let him who is thirsty come; let him who wills take the
water of life freely."
The revelation concerning the garden of Eden, as the beginning of the
divine revelation in the Holy Scriptures, and the revelation concerning
the New Jerusalem, as the ending of the divine revelation in the Holy Scriptures,
reflect each other. Both contain four things: (1) the tree of life as the
center of God's eternal economy (Gen. 2:9; Rev. 22:2), (2) the river flowing
to reach the four directions of the earth (Gen. 2:10; Rev. 22:1), (3) three
kinds of precious materials (Gen. 2:11-12; Rev. 21:11-14, 18-21), and (4)
a couple (Gen. 2:18-25; Rev. 21:9-10; 22:17). What is revealed in these two
parts of the Scriptures is the central line of the divine revelation of
the entire Holy Scriptures and should be a controlling principle of the
interpreting and understanding of the Holy Scriptures. (Gen. 2:25, fn 1)
Genesis 1 and 2 are like the blueprint in the beginning of a manual
of building instructions. Revelation 21 and 22 are like a photo of the finished
structure inserted at the end of the manual. First we look at the blueprint;
then we read the building instructions and go to work; finally, at the end,
we attain the finished structure, similar in every detail to the photo in
the manual. The Scriptures are such an instruction book regarding God's
building. At the beginning there is the blueprint, and at the end there is
the completion according to the initial concept.
We must spend much time in the detailed instructions of this “manual.”
But first we must be deeply impressed that we are a vessel made with a spirit,
an inner recipient to receive God. We must learn how to exercise our spirit
continually to contact and receive God. Next we must realize that God in
Christ by the Spirit is the tree of life, the real food for us to eat and
enjoy. As we enjoy Christ in such a way, we will have the flowing of the
living water within us, and by this flowing we will be transformed from clay
into precious materials. Then as transformed materials we must be built up
with others. We cannot be independent, precious Christians. We must learn
to be related with others and very dependent. Finally, such a building will
be the bride on this earth, the bride which will satisfy Christ.
The corporate man whom God is after is not only His expression and representative
but also the bride to satisfy the Bridegroom. However, it is only when we
are enjoying Christ as our food that we may be transformed, and it is only
as we are being transformed that we may be built up with others, and it
is only as we are built up with others that Christ will have full satisfaction
with us. We will be the expression and representative of God as well as
the bride of Christ.
We all know that in ourselves, by ourselves, and with ourselves─in
our natural life─we can never be one with others. Every natural man is
a peculiar man, a separate man. A husband in his natural state is not one
with his wife. Although we may be in the closest relationship on earth as
a husband and wife, we are individually peculiar and naturally divided.
It is impossible in such a state to be one. Our natural life must be swallowed
up by Christ. We must learn how to contact and feed on Christ in our spirit.
We must learn how to deny our self, rejecting our natural life, and live
by Christ. Then the Lord will flow within, transforming us from clay into
precious stone. As we are united, related, and built up with others, God's
goal will be attained.
We must see a recovery of such a testimony, a group of people who practice
these things, giving all the honor and glory to the ascended Head because
they are His Body on this earth. Then there will be a bride on this earth
to express God and to satisfy Christ. (The Vision of God's Building, pp.
31-33)
Further Reading: The Vision of God's Building, ch. 2; The Triune God's
Revelation and His Move, msg. 7; The God-men, ch. 4
