1 Corinthians (Program #40) – Growing in the Full Possession and the Enjoyment

In 1 Corinthians the apostle Paul was speaking to the believers in the church of Corinth much like a father would speak to his own children often chastising and even correcting them. Eventually he warns them using the children of Israel who failed in the wilderness prior to enter into the good land that God had set before them as their goal, as a type.

Paul said in  10:5 “But with most of them God was not well pleased, for they were strewn along in the wilderness. Now these things occurred as examples to us, that we should not be ones who lust after evil things, even as they also lusted.”

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1 Corinthians (Program #39) – The Type of Israel

The Bible contains two histories. The history of Israel in the Old Testament and the history of the church in the New Testament. Actually these two histories are really one story. The history of Israel a type, a shadow while the church is the fulfillment, the reality.

In many of his writings the apostle Paul used the Old Testament as a book of types and pictures to help illustrate the New Testament economy that he was entrusted to preach.

In 1 Corinthians 5 he mentioned the Old Testament passover as our type of New Testament experience of redemption. In chapter 9 and 10 he again picks up the Old Testament to show us a pattern .

First, of our running the race that is our Christians life. Then as a picture of both aspects of our baptism by water and by the Spirit. And finally as a negative pattern regarding the possibility of the genuine, redeemed children of God could ultimately failed to overcome in their Christian life and missed the prize of the reward that is typified by the good land. This is a strong word, a word of warning, which we, like the Corinth believers should heed.

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Exodus (Program #74) – The Angel of Jehovah for His People to take Possession of the Promised Land (2)

In the book of Philippians, the apostle Paul uses a striking expression, “that I may gain Christ.”  Of course when we get saved, in a sense we can say that Christ has gained us.  But what is it for us to gain Him?  A wonderful picture from the Old Testament that will help us to see this reality is given in the book of Exodus.   As the Lord unveil to His people, the way for them to possess the good land.  Stay with us today for a rich and enlightening life study of the Bible.

This message today is a continuation of yesterday’s program from Exodus 23.  Verses 20, 21 and 22 “I am now sending an Angel before you to keep you in the way and to bring you into the place which I have prepared. Be careful before Him, and listen to His voice; do not rebel against Him, for He will not pardon your transgression; for My name is in Him.  But if you will indeed listen to His voice and do all that I speak, then I will be an enemy to your enemies and an adversary to your adversaries.”

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Exodus (Program #73) – The Angel of Jehovah for His People to take Possession of the Promised Land (1)

After the escape from Egypt, God’s brought His people to the mountain of God, Sinai, where the sky was clear and He could unveil His own portrait and a plan for His eternal dwelling with His people.  We would be all quite happy and satisfied to have such an experience with God.  But this was not the goal or the end of His plan for His people.   For after this, He sent His angel to lead them to a place, a place that He had prepared for them, the good land, a type of our wonderful Lord Jesus.  Stay with us today for another remarkable life study of the Bible with Witness Lee.

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Exodus (Program #31) – Israel’s Experience at Elim

When God led the children of Israel out of Egypt in the book of Exodus, their destination was ultimately northward to Canaan, the good land and the place of fulfillment of God’s eternal purpose.  But He took them first far to the south, to the shores of the Red Sea, then after crossing the Red Sea, He led them south again to a place call Marah and then to Elim.  Surely this did not match their expectations.  God’s ways are not our ways.  Is He leading you south when you thought that you should be headed north?

The background of this message today is one that most of us can relate to, at least to some extend.  The children of Israel had just come through the miraculous events related to their exit out of Egypt; the Red Sea, the Passover, all the miracles in God’s dealing with Pharaoh.  By now they must have been expecting a swift and direct journey to the promised land, the Good Land.  more…

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Genesis (Program #57) – God’s Covenant with Abraham

We are at a transition point today in Abraham’s experience.  Up until this time, God has blessed Abraham very much in the matters related to his existence.  But from this point on, God has more in mind for His called ones than just the physical blessings for their good living.

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Genesis (Program #56) – The Seed and the Land (2)

Today we are going to pick up part two of the message entitled “The Seed and the Land” for the fulfillment of God’s purpose.  We saw previously that Abraham was called by God out of his land and out of his kindred,  his family and into a new land that God might fulfill His eternal purpose.  What are the main aspects of this purpose that God begin with His calling of Abraham?

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Genesis (Program #55) – The Seed and the Land (1)

Today we are going to come to chapter 15 of Genesis and a life study entitled “The Seed and the Land” for the fulfillment of God’s purpose. Related to God’s purpose, two promises were given concerning the seed and the land.

The promises that the Lord gave Abraham in His calling him, was not just really some things. In the Old Testament He mentioned the seed and the land, but as we see in this message we will see the intrinsic promise was that He will give Abraham and a seed, Himself. We have been called to enjoy Christ as a seed and Christ as the land. Both the seed and the land are just Christ.

It is quite something to see that these are just Christ Himself and not just something from Him or even about Him.

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Ezekiel (Program #25) – The Holy Land and the Holy City

Clearly the subject and central focus of the last section of the book of Ezekiel is the temple, the house of God. Show the house to the house, the Lord tells Ezekiel and that is exactly what he does in the final chapters. Yet, there’s a very profound postscript to Ezekiel’s vision that is found in the final chapters of the book and that is the land upon which the temple sits. In fact the land and the house are the central focus of the entire Old Testament. Recall Jehovah’s words to Joshua following the death of Moses as the children of Israel were encamped at the border of the good land in Canaan, “Moses My servant is dead; now then arise, and cross over this Jordan, you and all this people, into the land which I am giving to them, to the children of Israel. Every place on which the sole of your foot treads I have given to you, as I promised Moses…Be strong and take courage, for you will cause this people to inherit the land which I swore to their fathers to give to them.” (Joshua 1:2-3,6). Well if the temple typifies the church as the fulfillment of the house of God, what then does this land typify?

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Jeremiah (Program #17) – Jehovah as the Potter and Israel as the Pottery

The prophet Jeremiah found himself in a difficult almost impossible situation. On one hand, he himself was part of the nation of Israel. A nation that had rebelled against the Lord and as a result was suffering under the hand of Jehovah’s discipline and chastisement. Therefore, Jeremiah was suffering along with all his countrymen. Yet Jeremiah was unique in that he had faithfully spoken Jehovah’s word to Israel pointing out their unfaithfulness and warning them to turn back to the God who had so marvelously brought them into the Good Land. But this faithful speaking by Jeremiah was rejected by Israel and caused them to hate him and even further persecute him.  So it’s not surprising to hear this man of God crying out in anguish to the one person who would surely sympathize with him – his own mother. In chapter 15, the prophet said “Woe is me, my mother, because you bore me, A man of strife and a man of contention to the whole land. I have not lent with interest, Nor have they lent to me; Yet everyone curses me.” But before his mother could speak a comforting word, Jehovah intervenes. And in the discourse that follows, we see that Jeremiah had a different view from Jehovah regarding the way that the Lord was dealing with His people, Israel.

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