Crystallization-Study of the Humanity of Christ, by Witness Lee

CONTENTS

1. In the Prophecy concerning the Eternal Economy of God (1)

2. In the Prophecy concerning the Eternal Economy of God (2)

3. In the Prophecy concerning the Eternal Economy of God (3)

4. In the Fulfillment of the Eternal Economy of God (1)

5. In the Fulfillment of the Eternal Economy of God (2)

6. In the Fulfillment of the Eternal Economy of God (3)

PREFACE

This book is composed of messages given by Brother Witness Lee in Anaheim,

California on December 24-26, 1996 during the first half of the Winter Training.

CRYSTALLIZATION-STUDY
OF THE HUMANITY OF CHRIST

MESSAGE ONE

IN THE PROPHECY
CONCERNING THE ETERNAL ECONOMY OF GOD

(1)

OUTLINE

I. The seed of woman (Gen. 3:15), signifying:

A. The Son born of a human virgin who is called ImmanuelGod with us

Isa. 7:14; Matt. 1:23; Gal. 4:4.

B. A child is born to us, a son is given to us, whose name is Mighty God and
Eternal FatherIsa. 9:6; Luke 2:11-12.

C. As the seed of woman, in His humanity, He would bruise the head of the
old serpentSatanRev. 12:9; Heb. 2:14:

1. Who tempted the man, whom God created for Himself, to sin
and rebel against God and imparted himself in his sinful nature
into man to be man's nature, constituting man a sinner, dead in
his spirit (Gen. 3:1-6), making himself one with manMatt.
16:23; John 6:70; 8:44; 1 John 3:8a.
 2. Who has the might of death, holding man in slavery through the
fear of deathHeb. 2:14-15.

D. As the seed of woman, in His humanity, He would become the sacrifice,

shedding His blood (Heb. 9:22) for the redemption of fallen man,
covering him as his righteousness (signified by the coats of skins of the
sacrificeGen. 3:21; 1 Cor. 1:30a; Phil. 3:9) and making him alive (Rom.
1:17; 5:18b).

E. As the seed of woman, in His humanity, He opened the closed way for
sinners to take God as the tree of lifethe source of the divine lifeGen.
3:22-24; Heb. 10:19-20.

II. The seed of AbrahamGen. 22:18; Matt. 1:1b:

A. Signified by IsaacMatt. 1:2.

B. As the seed of Abraham, in His humanity, He blesses all the nations with
the gospel of ChristGal. 3:8-12, 16.

C. As the seed of Abraham, in His humanity, He bore the curse of the law
that the redeemed sinners may be blessed with the consummated Spirit,
who is the consummation of the Triune GodGal. 3:13-14.

III. The seed of DavidMatt. 1:1a; Rom. 1:3:

A. Signified by Solomon2 Sam. 7:12b-14a; Matt. 1:6.

B. As the seed of David, in His humanity, He builds up the temple of God,

the church of God, to be God's dwelling place on the earth2 Sam.
7:13a; Matt. 16:18; Eph. 2:21-22.

C. As the seed of David, in His humanity, He is the King of the kingdom of

God for the consummation of God's eternal economy2 Sam. 7:13b;
Matt. 16:19; Rev. 11:15.

IV. The branch of Jesse, the father of DavidIsa. 11:1-9:

A. A twig from Jesse's stemthe last part of a cut trunk close to the roots
v. 1a.

B. The Spirit of Jehovahthe Spirit of wisdom, understanding, counsel,

might, knowledge, and the fear of Jehovahwould rest upon Himv. 2.

C. He would delight in the fear of Jehovah, and as the King of Israel, in His
humanity, He was given by God the authority to execute judgment (John
5:27) in righteousness over the earth and make all the creatures of God
live in peaceful harmony in the millenniumvv. 3-9.

V. Many fundamental Christians know that our Savior Jesus Christ is both
God and man, but they pay their attention mostly to what Christ has done
and is still doing as God. They do not care much for what Christ as a man
has done and still is doing. Especially they do not pay full attention to the
 prophecy concerning Christ as a man in His humanity in the Old
Testament. In these first three messages I hope that the Lord will go
along with us to unveil to us what Christ as a man in His humanity did in
the Old Testament.

VI. We want to see the humanity of Christ in the prophecy concerning the
eternal economy of God. God has an eternal economy, and Christ carries
it out. In what way does Christ carry out God's economy? He does it in
His humanity. There are prophecies concerning this in the Old
Testament. In these messages the culture and language are new, so we
have to pay our full attention to the wording of the outlines.

VII. In this message we want to see four persons, signifying Christ as a man in
His humanity: the seed of woman, the seed of Abraham, the seed of
David, and the branch of Jesse.

VIII. I. THE SEED OF WOMAN

IX. Christ as the seed of woman is prophesied in Genesis 3:15. After Satan
tempted Adam and Eve and caused them to fall, God came in to say to the
serpent that one day He would use this tempted woman to produce a
seed to bruise his head.

X. A. Immanuel
XI. The Son born of a human virgin is called ImmanuelGod with us (Isa.
7:14; Matt. 1:23; Gal. 4:4). El in the name Immanuel means "God." Christ
is a human seed of a woman, yet He is God.

XII. B. Mighty God and Eternal Father

XIII. Isaiah 9:6 says that a child is born to us and a son is given to us whose
name is Mighty God and Eternal Father (Luke 2:11-12). This human child
is the Mighty God. The wise men who came from the east to see that child
worshipped Him as God (Matt. 2:11). As the Son given to us, His name is
Eternal Father. Is He a son or a father? We have to declare that He is
both. We should spend time to get into verses like Isaiah 9:6. We should
not skate on the surface of the ice in our study of the holy Word. We must
break the ice and dive into the depths of the Word to see the divine
revelation. This is the way the Lord has been leading us to study His
Word over the past seventy-four years.

C. Bruising the Head of the Old Serpent

As the seed of woman, in His humanity, He would bruise the head of the old
serpentSatan (Rev. 12:9; Heb. 2:14). In order to destroy a serpent, one should
not touch its tail. Instead, the serpent's head must be bruised. Hebrews 2:14
reveals that Christ bruised the head of the old serpent on the cross. On the cross
He destroyed the devil.
 1. Satan Tempting the Man
to Sin and Rebel against God
Satan tempted the man, whom God created for Himself, to sin and rebel against
God. He also imparted himself in his sinful nature into man to be man's nature,
constituting man a sinner, dead in his spirit (Gen. 3:1-6), making himself one
with man (Matt. 16:23; John 6:70; 8:44; 1 John 3:8a). We are not sinners
because we sin; we sin because we are sinners. In Adam we have been
constituted sinners. From the day that man fell Satan became one with man.

2. Having the Might of Death

Satan has the might of death, holding man in slavery through the fear of death
(Heb. 2:14-15), but Christ came as a man, as the seed of woman, to destroy
Satan and to rescue fallen man.

D. Becoming the Sacrifice

for the Redemption of Fallen Man
As the seed of woman, in His humanity, He would become the sacrifice,
shedding His blood (Heb. 9:22) for the redemption of fallen man, covering him
as his righteousness, signified by the coats of skins of the sacrifice (Gen. 3:21; 1
Cor. 1:30a; Phil. 3:9), and making him alive (Rom. 1:17; 5:18b). Christ was made
our righteousness, and we have been made alive in Him.

E. Opening the Closed Way to the Tree of Life

As the seed of woman, in His humanity, Christ opened the closed way for
sinners to take God as the tree of lifethe source of the divine life (Gen. 3:22-
24; Heb. 10:19-20). After man's fall the way to the tree of life was closed due to
the requirements of God's glory, righteousness, and holiness. Later, Christ died
to fulfill all these requirements, and by this He opened the closed way for man
to partake of God as the source of the divine life.

II. THE SEED OF ABRAHAM

A. Signified by Isaac
Christ is the seed of Abraham (Gen. 22:18; Matt. 1:1b), signified by Isaac (Matt.
1:2). Isaac was a figure of the coming Christ.

B. Blessing All the Nations

with the Gospel of Christ
As the seed of Abraham, in His humanity, Christ blesses all the nations with the
gospel of Christ (Gal. 3:8-12, 16). There is a long bridge from Genesis to
Galatians, which reveals Christ as the seed of Abraham. Our labor in the Word
through many years has brought us to the end of this bridge.
 C. Bearing the Curse of the Law
and Blessing the Redeemed Sinners
with the Consummated Spirit
As the seed of Abraham, in His humanity, He bore the curse of the law. Satan
tempted man, and man committed sin to break the law of the righteousness of
God. Christ as the seed of Abraham needed to bear the curse of the law so that
the redeemed sinners could be blessed. Today we are no longer cursed; we are
blessed through Christ as the seed of Abraham in His humanity with the
consummated Spirit, who is the consummation of the Triune God (Gal. 3:13-14).
Christ's blessing brought the triune, processed, and consummated God to us for
our enjoyment. These are all deep and detailed points which require our study.

III. THE SEED OF DAVID

A. Signified by Solomon
Christ is the seed of David (Matt. 1:1a; Rom. 1:3), signified by Solomon, the son
of David (2 Sam. 7:12b-14a; Matt. 1:6).

B. Building Up the Temple of God

As the seed of David, in His humanity, Christ builds up the temple of God, the
church of God, to be God's dwelling place on the earth (2 Sam. 7:13a; Matt.
16:18; Eph. 2:21-22).

C. The King of the Kingdom of God

As the seed of David, in His humanity, He is the King of the kingdom of God for
the consummation of God's eternal economy (2 Sam. 7:13b; Matt. 16:19; Rev.
11:15).

IV. THE BRANCH OF JESSE, THE FATHER OF DAVID

Christ in His humanity is the seed of woman, the seed of Abraham, the seed of
David, and also the branch of Jesse, the father of David (Isa. 11:1-9).

A. A Twig from Jesse's Stem

Christ is a twig from Jesse's stemthe last part of a cut trunk close to the roots
(v. 1a). The royal family of David had been cut to the bottom. The whole trunk of
David's family had been cut close to the roots, leaving only a twig from the stem.
Christ was born out of the family of David as a twig which grew into a new
branch, the branch of Jesse.

B. The Spirit of Jehovah Resting upon Him

Isaiah prophesied that the Spirit of Jehovahthe Spirit of wisdom, the Spirit of
understanding, the Spirit of counsel, the Spirit of might, the Spirit of knowledge,
and the Spirit of the fear of Jehovahwould rest upon Christ (v. 2). In the
human living of Jesus, the branch of Jesse, people saw the Spirit of God with all
these attributes. He was full of the Spirit of wisdom, understanding, counsel,
might, knowledge, and the fear of Jehovah. No human being has ever feared
God as much as Jesus did.

C. Given by God the Authority to Execute Judgment in Righteousness

over the Earth
In His humanity Christ would delight in the fear of Jehovah, and as the King of
Israel, in His humanity, He was given by God the authority to execute judgment
(John 5:27) in righteousness over the earth and make all the creatures of God
live in peaceful harmony in the millennium (Isa. 11:3-9). Isaiah reveals that in
the kingdom of one thousand years, the wolf will dwell with the lamb, the
leopard will lie down with the kid, the nursing child will play by the cobra's hole,
and upon the viper's den the weaned child will stretch his hand. In the
millennium through Christ as the branch of Jesse, all the creatures of God will
live in peaceful harmony.

CRYSTALLIZATION-STUDY
OF THE HUMANITY OF CHRIST

MESSAGE TWO

IN THE PROPHECY
CONCERNING THE ETERNAL ECONOMY OF GOD

(2)

OUTLINE

V. A man:

A. Christ visited Abraham as a man in His humanityGen. 18:

1. He was Jehovah with two angelsvv. 1-3, 9-14, 16-18, 22, 33;
19:1.

2. Abraham provided Him with water for foot-washing and asked

his wife to prepare a meal for Himvv. 4-8.

3. He told Abraham that his wife Sarah would bring forth a son in
the next yearvv. 9-15.

4. Considering that Abraham would become a great nation to be the

kingdom of God on the earth for the carrying out of His
economy, He told Abraham as His friend (James 2:23; 2 Chron.
20:7; Isa. 41:8) that He would judge the sinful Sodom and
Gomorrahvv. 16-21.

5. Abraham prayed to Jehovah for Sodom; actually, his prayer was

for his nephew, Lot, who made his home in Sodom (vv. 22-33),
and Jehovah answered him by rescuing Lot from the destruction
of Sodom (Gen. 19:1-29).
 B. Christ, who was God, wrestled as a man in His humanity with Jacob
Gen. 32:

1. While Jacob was under the threatening that his elder brother
Esau would come to destroy him on his way back to his father's
land from Haran, where he could not suffer his uncle Laban's
stripping any longer, Christ came in His humanity to meet Jacob
at the time of his needvv. 1-24.

2. Jacob would not let Him go unless He would bless himv. 26.

3. Realizing that He could not prevail against Jacob, He touched the

hollow of his thigh so that the hollow of his thigh was out of joint
v. 25.

4. His touching of the hollow of Jacob's thigh transformed Jacob, a

heel-holder, into Israel, the prince of God, who was one of the
three prominent forefathers of the people of Israel for the
carrying out of God's economyv. 28.

C. Christ, as a man in His humanity, met Joshua as the Captain of

Jehovah's army to fight for Israel for the carrying out of God's economy
Josh. 5:13-15.

D. Christ, who was the Angel of Jehovah, Jehovah Himself, came as a man
in His humanity to tell Manoah's wife that she would bring forth a son,
Samson, to deliver Israel from the oppression of the Philistines for the
carrying out of God's economyJudg. 13.

V. A MAN
We want to continue our fellowship concerning the humanity of Christ in the
prophecy concerning the eternal economy of God. This message presents Christ
appearing as a man four times in the Old Testament. In the Old Testament
Christ was prophesied as a man, particularly in four cases. First, Christ as a man
in His humanity visited His friend, Abraham (Gen. 18). Second, Christ as a man
in His humanity wrestled with Jacob, a heel-holder (Gen. 32). Third, Christ as a
man in His humanity met Joshua, the general of God's army, to fight not only
for Israel but for the carrying out of God's eternal economy (Josh. 5:13-15).
Fourth, Christ as a man in His humanity came purposely to the wife of a
common man by the name of Manoah to tell her that she would bring forth a
son by the name of Samson to fight for Israel (Judg. 13). Samson would fight the
Philistines, signifying a people between the world and religion, who greatly
disrupted the carrying out of God's economy on this earth. It is hard to find out
the reason why Christ appeared as a man in these four cases. I want us to notice
the following phrase which is written four times in the outline of this message:
for the carrying out of God's economy. In order to carry out God's economy,
Christ needs to be a man.
 A. Christ Visiting Abraham
as a Man in His Humanity
God became Abraham's friend. If God would have visited Abraham as God, this
would have frightened Abraham. As God He could not become friends with
man. If God came as God to be friends with us, we would run away. In our
crystallization-study of Song of Songs, we saw that God came as a "country
man" in order to court a "country girl." One day God came to visit Abraham, not
as God, but as a man.

Christ was Jehovah, but He came to Abraham as a man with two angels (Gen.
18:1-3, 9-14, 16-18, 22, 33; 19:1). Abraham might have wondered who this One
was who came as a guest to his tent. He provided Him with water for foot-
washing and asked his wife to prepare a meal for Him (18:4-8). As God He
would not have needed to wash His feet or to eat. He told Abraham that his wife
Sarah would bring forth a son in the next year (vv. 9-15). At that time Abraham
was about one hundred years old (Rom. 4:19), and Sarah's age prevented her
from bearing children. However, there was One who told Abraham that He
would come back and that Sarah would have a son. Actually, the birth of the son
would be His coming back (Gen. 18:10).

Considering that Abraham would become a great nation to be the kingdom of

God on the earth for the carrying out of God's economy, Christ told Abraham as
His friend (James 2:23; 2 Chron. 20:7; Isa. 41:8) that He would judge the sinful
Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen. 18:16-21). Abraham prayed to Jehovah for Sodom;
actually, his prayer was for his nephew, Lot, who made his home in Sodom (vv.
22-33), and Jehovah answered him by rescuing Lot from the destruction of
Sodom (19:1-29).

B. Christ, Who Was God, Wrestling as a Man

in His Humanity with Jacob
Genesis 32 reveals that Christ, who was God, wrestled as a man in His humanity
with Jacob. This was during the time that Jacob was under the threatening that
his elder brother Esau would come to destroy him on his way back to his father's
land from Haran, where he could not suffer his uncle Laban's stripping any
longer. At that time Christ came in His humanity to meet Jacob at the time of
his need (vv. 1-24). Jacob probably realized that this man was God, so he would
not let Him go unless He blessed him (v. 26). If God had remained only in His
divinity, there would have been no possibility for a man to deal with God in this
way. Jacob was so strong that he would not let God go. Realizing that He could
not prevail against Jacob, Christ as God touched the hollow of his thigh so that
the hollow of his thigh was out of joint (v. 25). From that day Jacob became a
lame man.

His touching of the hollow of Jacob's thigh transformed Jacob, a heel-holder,

into Israel, the prince of God, for the carrying out of God's economy (v. 28).
Jacob wanted to be the first out of his mother's womb, so he grasped Esau's
heel. He did not want Esau to be ahead of him. But the Lord transformed him
into the prince of God, the meaning of the name Israel. Christ came to visit
Abraham as a man in His humanity for the purpose of carrying out God's
economy. Later Christ wrestled with Jacob as a man in His humanity in order
that Jacob would become Israel, who is one of the three prominent forefathers
of the people of Israel for the carrying out of God's economy.

C. Christ, as a Man in His Humanity,

Meeting Joshua
Christ, as a man in His humanity, met Joshua as the Captain of Jehovah's army
to fight for Israel for the carrying out of God's economy (Josh. 5:13-15). Joshua
was neither like Abraham, a common man, nor like Jacob, a cunning person.
Joshua was a general, the commander of God's army, fighting not only for Israel
but also for the carrying out of God's eternal economy.

D. Christ Coming as a Man in His Humanity

to Manoah's Wife
Christ, who was the Angel of Jehovah, Jehovah Himself, came as a man in His
humanity to tell Manoah's wife that she would bring forth a son, Samson, to
deliver Israel from the oppression of the Philistines for the carrying out of God's
eternal economy (Judg. 13).

Now we have to find out why Christ needed to be a man to visit Abraham,
wrestle with Jacob, meet Joshua, and come to Manoah's wife. The answer to this
question brings us to the unique and deepest truth in the divine revelation of the
holy Scriptures. We need to answer the questions: "Why is there a God, why is
there a Bible, why does this unique God have an economy which is revealed in
this Bible, and why did God create the old creation with man as its center?" The
answer to these questions as the one truth is the deepest truth, and it is very
hard to explain.

Acts 2:23 says that Christ was crucified, "delivered up by the determined
counsel and foreknowledge of God." The Triune God in eternity past held a
council to make a decision that the second among Them had to become a man
for the purpose of visiting His chosen ones and making friends with them (Luke
7:34). When Nathanael saw Christ, he proclaimed that Christ was the Son of
God, but Christ referred him to the Son of Man, saying, "You shall see heaven
opened and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man"
(John 1:51). Christ being a man in His humanity is for God to carry out His
economy, and the goal of God's economy is for the Triune God to be
incorporated with man to be an incorporation. The New Jerusalem is the
universal incorporation of God with man. For God to carry out His economy to
have this incorporation, a constitution of God and man, man needs to be
mingled with God. Without this, the whole universe means nothing. This truth
is the unique truth in the whole universe. God needs man to match Him, to be
united with Him, to be mingled with Him, to be incorporated into one
incorporation with Him. The New Jerusalem will be the consummate
incorporation of God and man. In eternity the New Jerusalem will stand to
declare to the whole universe that this is God's eternal goal for His expression
and for His enlargement.

The sixty-six books of the Bible are very consistent, but to see what the Bible
unveils requires light. Apparently all the books are different, but in the unique
truth the entire Bible is consistent. The Bible unveils to us that God's economy is
to have God and man incorporated into an incorporation. Without man, with
whom could God be incorporated? Therefore, there is the need of man. The one
Bible reveals to us only one thing. First, God wants to be united with man, to
have a union with man. Then God wants to be mingled with man.
Consummately, God wants to be incorporated with man to be an incorporation.
This enlarged, divine-human, universal incorporation is God's eternal goal,
which is the New Jerusalem. The New Jerusalem is the ultimate union,
mingling, and incorporation of God and man. I hope that we all can see this.

CRYSTALLIZATION-STUDY
OF THE HUMANITY OF CHRIST

MESSAGE THREE

IN THE PROPHECY
CONCERNING THE ETERNAL ECONOMY OF GOD

(3)

OUTLINE

V. A man:

E. Christ, as a man in His humanity, will be like a refuge from the wind and
a covering from the tempest, like streams of water in a dry place, like the
shadow of a massive rock in a wasted land, and at the same time He will
reign according to righteousness as the King, under whom there will be
righteousness, protection, and enjoyment, in the millenniumIsa. 32:1-
8.

F. Isaiah 53 unveils that Christ was a man of sorrows (v. 3) in His humanity
to be our Redeemer in detail.

G. Christ, as a man in His humanity, was sitting on the throne of God above
the firmamentEzek. 1:26-28.

H. In Ezekiel 4043 Christ, as a man in His humanity, measured the holy

building of God for His possession among Israel in the millennium
40:3-5; 43:6-7a.
 I. Christ, as a man in His humanity, was walking with the three friends of
Daniel in the midst of the fireDan. 3:25.

J. In Daniel 10:4-19 the excellent Christ, the centrality and universality of

God's move on the earth, as a man in His humanity, appeared to Daniel
for his appreciation, consolation, encouragement, expectation, and
stabilization.

K. Christ, as a man in His humanity, was with Israel in the suffering of their
dispersion for God's eternal economyZech. 1:8.

L. Christ, as a man in His humanity, measured Jerusalem for His

possession so that He would be her wall of fire round about and the
glory within herZech. 2:1-5.

M. Christ as the Shoot of David (Zech. 3:8; Jer. 23:5; 33:15; cf. Isa. 4:2), as a
man in His humanity, will build the temple of God, bear majesty, sit and
rule on His throne, and be a priest on His throne, being the counsel of
peace between the twoZech. 6:12-13; Rev. 20:4, 6.

VI. The Son of Man:

E. Psalm 80:15 and 17 say, "Even the stock which Your right hand has
planted/And the son which You have strengthened for Yourself....Let
Your hand be upon the man of Your right hand,/Upon the son of man
whom You have strengthened for Yourself":

1. These two verses refer to the oneness of Christ, as the Son of Man
in His humanity, with the children of Israel (Hosea 11:1; Matt.
2:15b).

2. Christ, as the Son of Man in His humanity, was the stock of Israel
planted by God's right hand and strengthened for God Himself;
God exalted Him in His ascension by seating Him at His right
hand (Psa. 110:1), the highest place in the universe, with the first
place, the highest position, the preeminence.

F. Daniel 7:13-14 says, "Behold, with the clouds of heaven,/One like a Son
of Man was coming;/And He came to the Ancient of Days....And to Him
was given dominion,/Glory, and a kingdom,/That all the peoples,
nations, and languages might serve Him./His dominion is an eternal
dominion, which will not pass away;/And His kingdom is one that will
not be destroyed":

1. Christ, as the Son of Man in His humanity, after He was cut off
(Dan. 9:26), after He finished His earthly ministry through His
crucifixion, went to God in His ascension to receive the kingdom
(Luke 19:12, 15; Rev. 11:15).

2. He, as the Son of Man in His humanity, will be a stone cut out,
not by human hands, to crush (Matt. 21:44) all the kingdoms of
the world and become a great mountain, filling the whole earth
in His kingdom for the carrying out of the eternal economy of
GodDan. 2:34-35, 44-45.
F. In this message we want to see more concerning the revelation of Christ
as a man in the Old Testament prophecy concerning the eternal economy
of God.

G. E. Being like a Refuge, a Covering,

Streams of Water, and the Shadow of a Massive Rock
H. Isaiah prophesied that Christ, as a man in His humanity, would be like a
refuge from the wind and a covering from the tempest, like streams of
water in a dry place, like the shadow of a massive rock in a wasted land,
and at the same time He would reign according to righteousness as the
King, under whom there would be righteousness, protection, and
enjoyment, in the millennium (Isa. 32:1-8). A tempest is a violent
windstorm frequently accompanied by rain, snow, or hail. Christ is not
only a refuge from the wind but also a covering from the tempest.
Although this prophecy will be fulfilled in the millennium, we need to
realize that today the church life is a minor millennium. In this minor
millennium, we can enjoy Christ as the reality of so many rich items.

I. F. A Man of Sorrows
J. Isaiah 53 unveils that Christ was a man of sorrows (v. 3) in His humanity
to be our Redeemer in detail.

K. G. Sitting on the Throne of God

L. Ezekiel saw Christ, as a man in His humanity, sitting on the throne of
God above the firmament (1:26-28). Satan's realm is in the air, the
firmament, but Christ as a man in His humanity is sitting on the throne
that is in the third heaven, above the territory of Satan. Stanza 1 of
Hymns, #132 says:

M. Lo! in heaven Jesus sitting,

Christ the Lord is there enthroned;
As the man by God exalted,
With God's glory He is crowned.

N. According to history Christ's sitting on the throne should be after His

death, resurrection, and ascension. But in the Old Testament Ezekiel saw
Him sitting on the throne. This is similar to the apostle John's
experience. He saw the New Jerusalem, but the New Jerusalem to him
and to us is not yet.

O. The entire Bible needs our study so that we may have the proper
interpretation of the Bible. The Bible was first written, later translated,
and then interpreted. The many different truths in the Bible can be
likened to pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. In our study of the Bible, we have
endeavored to put together all the pieces of the jigsaw puzzle. Today I
believe that I have finished the work of putting the pieces of the entire
 Bible together. When all the pieces are put together properly, we can see
a clear view.

H. Measuring the Holy Building of God

In Ezekiel 4043 Christ, as a man in His humanity, measured the holy building
of God for His possession among Israel in the millennium (40:3-5; 43:6-7a).
According to Ezekiel's measurement, that holy building will be wider than
today's holy land.

I. Walking with Daniel's Friends

in the Midst of the Fire
Christ, as a man in His humanity, was walking with the three friends of Daniel
in the midst of the fire. Because Daniel's friends would not worship the idol of
King Nebuchadnezzar, Nebuchadnezzar gave the commandment to throw them
into a blazing furnace. When he looked into the midst of the fire,
Nebuchadnezzar said, "I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire; and
they are not harmed. And the appearance of the fourth is like a son of the gods"
(Dan. 3:25). This story in Daniel occurred about six hundred years before Christ
was actually born as a man.

J. Appearing to Daniel
for His Appreciation, Consolation,
Encouragement, Expectation, and Stabilization
In Daniel 10:4-19 the excellent Christ, the centrality and universality of God's
move on the earth, as a man in His humanity, appeared to Daniel for his
appreciation, consolation, encouragement, expectation, and stabilization.

K. Being with Israel

in the Suffering of Their Dispersion
Christ, as a man in His humanity, was with Israel in the suffering of their
dispersion for God's eternal economy (Zech. 1:8). The children of Israel
offended God and were given up by Him to be exiles in foreign countries. While
they were suffering in their dispersion, Christ as a man in His humanity was
with them in order to maintain Israel for God's eternal economy. If Israel had
ceased to exist, how could Christ have been born to carry out God's eternal
economy? Israel had to remain in order for Christ to be born.

L. Measuring Jerusalem for His Possession

Christ, as a man in His humanity, measured Jerusalem for His possession so
that He would be her wall of fire round about and the glory within her (Zech.
2:1-5). Christ as a man would be a wall of fire around Jerusalem for her
protection and the glory within her for His expression.
 M. The Shoot of David
Christ as the Shoot of David (Zech. 3:8; Jer. 23:5; 33:15; cf. Isa. 4:2), as a man in
His humanity, will build the temple of God, bear majesty, sit and rule on His
throne, and be a priest on His throne, being the counsel of peace between the
two (Zech. 6:12-13; Rev. 20:4, 6). Between the two means between the
priesthood and kingship. In the Old Testament no king could be a priest. But in
the millennium both Christ and the overcomers will be kings to reign and
priests to serve God. These two responsibilities will be reconciled in both Christ
and the overcomers. The overcomers will be priests, drawing near to God and
Christ, and kings, reigning over the nations with Christ in the millennium (Rev.
2:26-27; 12:5). As priests they satisfy God and Christ with the enjoyment of their
service, and as kings they reign for God and represent God, shepherding man
for man's enjoyment and satisfaction. This is a reward to the overcomers. The
believers who are defeated in this age will forfeit this reward. However, after
being dealt with by the Lord in the millennium, these defeated ones will
participate in the blessing of this reward, which will be to serve God and
represent God in the priesthood and kingship in the new heaven and new earth
for eternity (22:3, 5).

VI. THE SON OF MAN

In the prophecy concerning the eternal economy of God, Christ is a man and He
is also the Son of Man. Of course, the Son of Man is a man, but there is a
difference between the Son of Man and man. Christ as a man is simple, without
any relationships or involvements. But as the Son of Man coming to seek and to
save sinners (Luke 19:10), He is full of relationships and involvements.

A. The Oneness of Christ,

as the Son of Man in His Humanity,
with the Children of Israel
Psalm 80:15 and 17 say, "Even the stock which Your right hand has planted/And
the son which You have strengthened for Yourself....Let Your hand be upon the
man of Your right hand,/Upon the son of man whom You have strengthened for
Yourself." These two verses refer to the oneness of Christ, as the Son of Man in
His humanity, with the children of Israel. Matthew 2:15 quotes Hosea 11:1,
saying, "Out of Egypt I called My Son." The Son here refers to both Christ and
Israel. Christ, as the Son of Man in His humanity, was the stock of Israel planted
by God's right hand and strengthened for God Himself; God exalted Him in His
ascension by seating Him at His right hand (Psa. 110:1), the highest place in the
universe, with the first place, the highest position, the preeminence.

B. The Coming Son of Man

Daniel 7:13-14 says, "Behold, with the clouds of heaven,/One like a Son of Man
was coming;/And He came to the Ancient of Days [the eternal God]....And to
Him was given dominion,/Glory, and a kingdom,/That all the peoples, nations,
and languages might serve Him./His dominion is an eternal dominion, which
will not pass away;/And His kingdom is one that will not be destroyed." Christ,
as the Son of Man in His humanity, after He was cut off (Dan. 9:26), after He
finished His earthly ministry through His crucifixion, went to God in His
ascension to receive the kingdom (Luke 19:12, 15; Rev. 11:15).

He, as the Son of Man in His humanity, will be a stone cut out, not by human
hands, to crush (Matt. 21:44) all the kingdoms of the world and become a great
mountain, filling the whole earth in His kingdom for the carrying out of the
eternal economy of God (Dan. 2:34-35, 44-45). The entire Bible reveals that
Christ is a stone in three aspects. First, He is the stone for His temple (Psa.
118:22; 1 Pet. 2:4-5). Second, He is the stone for us to trust and rely upon (Isa.
28:16). Third, He is the stone crushing the enemies. All these aspects of Christ
are for the carrying out of the eternal economy of God.

CRYSTALLIZATION-STUDY
OF THE HUMANITY OF CHRIST

MESSAGE FOUR

IN THE FULFILLMENT
OF THE ETERNAL ECONOMY OF GOD

(1)

OUTLINE

I. The flesh:

A. Christ as the very God became fleshJohn 1:1, 14:

1. To be a man partaking of human blood and flesh with the human

natureHeb. 2:14.

2. In the likeness of the flesh of sinRom. 8:3.

3. Tabernacling among men.

4. Full of the glory of the only begotten Son of God.

5. Full of grace (God gained by us) and reality (God realized by us).

6. As the Word who is God becoming the last Adamthe last man
1 Cor. 15:45.

7. In this flesh, Christ becoming the seed of David (the seed of

Abraham and the seed of womanMatt. 1:1b; Gal. 4:4)Rom.
1:3; Matt. 1:1a.

8. Suffering1 Pet. 4:1.

 9. Offering up both petitions and supplications with strong crying
and tears to God to save (resurrect) Him out of death and being
heard because of His pietyHeb. 5:7.

10. The Spirit of God confesses that Christ came in the flesh in the
teaching of the apostles, but at the end of the first century, when
the apostle John was still in his ministry, Docetism intermixed
with Gnosticism denied that Christ came in the flesh1 John
4:2-3; 2 John 7.

11. After His resurrection Christ showed His disciples that He still
had the resurrected flesh and bones (Luke 24:39; Acts 2:31) of
God's new creation (whereas in His incarnation He became flesh
of God's old creation), which will be His body of glory when He
comes back (Phil. 3:21).

B. Christ's ministry in the flesh:

1. As the Word becoming the flesh, He brought God into man,

making God one with manJohn 1:1, 14.

2. Manifesting God1 Tim. 3:16.

3. Condemning sinRom. 8:3b.

4. Being put to death for our sins, the Righteous on behalf of the
unrighteous1 Pet. 3:18.

5. Abolishing the law of the commandments in ordinances to create

in Himself as the element the Jewish believers and the Gentile
believers into one new manEph. 2:15.

6. Reconciling all things, whether the things on the earth or the

things in the heavens, to GodCol. 1:20-22.

7. In John 6:51-56 blood and flesh refer to Christ's humanity (Heb.

2:14); Christ's blood being separated from His flesh indicates
death; and eating and drinking denote receiving. Christ's death
through the shedding of His blood ministers to His believers
eternal life and makes Him one with them (John 3:14-15).

8. Initiating for us a new and living way to enter into the Holy of
Holies through the splitting of His crucifixionHeb. 10:19-20;
Matt. 27:51a.

II. In the previous message we saw that there is a difference between Christ
as the man and as the Son of Man. The man is simple with no
relationships or involvements. When Christ came to visit Abraham, He
was a man in humanity, without any involvements. When He came to
wrestle with Jacob, He was simply a man without any involvements. But
Christ as the Son of Man coming to seek and save sinners is full of
involvements. Psalm 80:17 uses both of these terms for Christ. On the
 one hand, Christ was the man; on the other hand, Christ was the Son of
Man. As the Son of Man in His humanity, He was one with the children
of Israel.

III. In the previous three messages we have seen the humanity of Christ in
the prophecy concerning the eternal economy of God in the Old
Testament. In the following set of three messages we want to see the
humanity of Christ in the fulfillment of God's eternal economy in the New
Testament.

IV. I. THE FLESH

V. A. Christ as the Very God Becoming Flesh

VI. John 1:1 and 14 reveal that Christ as the very God became flesh.

VII. 1. To Be a Man with the Human Nature

VIII. Christ became a man partaking of human blood and flesh with the
human nature (Heb. 2:14).

IX. 2. In the Likeness of the Flesh of Sin

X. Romans 8:3 says that God sent His own Son in the likeness of the flesh of
sin. Christ did not become sinful flesh but came in the likeness of the
flesh of sin. According to John 3:14 He was the reality of the bronze
serpent lifted up by Moses in the wilderness (Num. 21:4-9). The bronze
serpent had the form of the serpent but was without the serpent's poison.
In the same way, Christ was made in the likeness of the flesh of sin, but
He did not participate in any way in the sin of the flesh (2 Cor. 5:21; Heb.
4:15).

XI. 3. Tabernacling among Men

XII. As the very God who became flesh, Christ was the real tabernacle. The
tabernacle was God's dwelling place on this earth among men. The
incarnated Christ became God's dwelling place among men, the
tabernacle of God.

XIII. 4. Full of Glory

XIV. The incarnated Christ was full of the glory of the only begotten Son of
God.

5. Full of Grace and Reality

He was also full of grace (God gained by us) and reality (God realized by us).
Christ Himself is the grace to be gained and enjoyed by us and the reality to be
realized and experienced by us.
 6. Becoming the Last Adam
As the Word who is God, Christ became the last Adam, the last man (1 Cor.
15:45).

7. Becoming the Seed of David

In this flesh, Christ became the seed of David (Rom. 1:3; Matt. 1:1a), the seed of
Abraham and the seed of woman (Matt. 1:1b; Gal. 4:4). The seed of David
implies Christ's human nature. By incarnation, the first step of Christ's process,
God was brought into humanity. In the Bible flesh is not a positive word.
Nevertheless, the Bible declares that the Word became flesh. The gospel of God
concerns God who became flesh; according to the flesh He became the seed of
man. Galatians 4:4 says that Christ was born of a woman. The Son of God was
born of the virgin Mary (Luke 1:27-35) to be the seed of woman, as promised in
Genesis 3:15.

8. Suffering
Christ became flesh to suffer, to be crucified (1 Pet. 4:1).

9. In the Days of His Flesh

Christ Praying with Strong Crying and Tears
In the days of His flesh in Gethsemane, Christ offered up both petitions and
supplications with strong crying and tears to God to save (resurrect) Him out of
death, and He was heard because of His piety (Heb. 5:7). God answered His
prayer by raising Him from the dead.

10. The Spirit of God Confessing

That Christ Came in the Flesh
The Spirit of God confesses that Christ came in the flesh in the teaching of the
apostles, but at the end of the first century, when the apostle John was still in
his ministry, Docetism intermixed with Gnosticism denied that Christ came in
the flesh (see 1 John 4:2-3 with note 1 of verse 3, and 2 John 7).

11. Still Having the Resurrected Flesh and Bones after His Resurrection
After His resurrection Christ showed His disciples that He still had the
resurrected flesh and bones (Luke 24:39; Acts 2:31) of God's new creation
(whereas in His incarnation He became the flesh of God's old creation), which
will be His body of glory when He comes back (Phil. 3:21). In the night of His
resurrection, Christ came back to the disciples. The disciples thought He was a
spirit or a ghost. However, He told them to touch Him. This was not His original
flesh, but the resurrected flesh and bones of God's new creation. His physical
body was of God's old creation. His resurrected body is of God's new creation.
His resurrected body will be His body of glory when He returns. At that time we
also will be transfigured to be the same in body as He is, that is, we will be
conformed to the body of His glory.
 B. Christ's Ministry in the Flesh

1. Bringing God into Man

As the Word becoming the flesh, He brought God into man, making God one
with man (John 1:1, 14).

2. Manifesting God
First Timothy 3:16 says that Christ was God manifested in the flesh.

3. Condemning Sin
Christ came in the likeness of the flesh of sin to condemn sin (Rom. 8:3b). Sin is
in the flesh of sin. Christ died not only for the sins in our conduct but also to
condemn the sin in our nature.

4. Being Put to Death for Our Sins

Christ was put to death for our sins, the Righteous on behalf of the unrighteous
(1 Pet. 3:18).

5. Creating the One New Man

On the cross He abolished the law of the commandments in ordinances to create
in Himself the Jewish believers and the Gentile believers into one new man
(Eph. 2:15). He created the one new man in Himself as the element.

6. Reconciling All Things to God

Colossians 1:20-22 reveals that through His death Christ reconciled all things,
whether the things on the earth or the things in the heavens, to God. Hebrews
2:9 says that He tasted death on behalf of everything.

7. Christ's Death Ministering to His Believers Eternal Life and Making Him
One with Them
In John 6:51-56 blood and flesh refer to Christ's humanity (Heb. 2:14). Christ's
blood being separated from His flesh indicates death, and eating and drinking
denote receiving. Christ's death through the shedding of His blood ministers to
His believers eternal life and makes Him one with them (John 3:14-15).

8. Initiating for Us a New and Living Way

Through His death He initiated for us a new and living way to enter into the
Holy of Holies through the splitting of His crucifixion (Heb. 10:19-20; Matt.
27:51a). Christ's crucifixion split the veil, that is, the human flesh. That veil had
cut off the way for people to enter into the Holy of Holies to contact God
directly. But since Christ split the veil through His death, the new and the living
way is opened for us.

CRYSTALLIZATION-STUDY
OF THE HUMANITY OF CHRIST
 MESSAGE FIVE

IN THE FULFILLMENT
OF THE ETERNAL ECONOMY OF GOD

(2)

OUTLINE

II. The Son of Man:

A. Coming in His humanity to seek and save the lost sinnersMatt. 18:11;
9:13; Luke 19:10:

1. Eating and drinking with the tax collectors and sinnersMatt.

9:10-11; 11:19; Luke 7:34.

2. Making friends with them.

3. Visiting and lodging with a sinful manLuke 19:5-7.

4. As a Physician to the illMatt. 9:12.

5. Having authority to forgive sinsMatt. 9:6.

6. Not destroying men's lives but saving themLuke 9:56.

B. Having no place to lay His headMatt. 8:20; Luke 9:58:

1. Not even as the foxes having holes.

2. Nor as the birds of heaven having roosts.

C. Being, in His humanity, the Lord of the SabbathMatt. 12:8; Mark 2:28;
Luke 6:5.

D. Confessing in him, before His Father in the heavens and before His
angels, everyone who confesses in Him before men, and forgiving the
ones speaking words against HimLuke 12:8, 10; Matt. 10:32; 12:32.

E. Sowing Himself, in His humanity, as the good seed into man to grow
HimMatt. 13:3-9, 37.

F. Asking His disciples who they knew Him to be in His humanity and
guiding them to know Him as the Christ, the Son of the living God, who
will build the church to be the kingdom of the heavensMatt. 16:13-20.

G. Coming, in His humanity, not to be served, but to serve and to give His
life as a ransom for manyMatt. 20:28; Mark 10:45.

H. Giving, in His humanity, the food which abides unto eternal lifeJohn
6:27, 53.
 I. Dying in His humanity:

1. Going away from His disciples and being betrayed by one of

themMatt. 26:24; Mark 14:21; Luke 22:22, 48.

2. To be killed as John the Baptist was by the Jewish authorities

Matt. 17:12; Mark 9:12-13.

3. To be delivered into the hands of the chief priests and scribes and
crucified by themMatt. 17:22-23a; 20:18-19a; 26:2, 45; Mark
8:31a; 9:31a; 10:33-34a; 14:41; Luke 9:22a, 44; 18:31-33a; 24:7a.

4. Giving His life as a ransom for manyMatt. 20:28b; Mark

10:45b.

5. To be lifted up on the cross:

a. That people may know that He is the great I AmJohn

8:28.

b. To draw all men to HimselfJohn 12:32, 34.

c. As a serpent, typified by the serpent lifted up by Moses

(Num. 21:8-9), that everyone who believes into Him may
have eternal lifeJohn 3:14-15.

J. Being buried in His humanity in the heart of the earth three days and
three nights as Jonah was in the belly of the great fishMatt. 12:40;
Luke 11:30.

K. Resurrecting in His humanity:

1. On the third day after His burialMatt. 17:23b, 9; 20:19b; Mark

8:31b; 9:9, 31b; 10:34b; Luke 9:22b; 18:33b; 24:7b.

2. Being glorifiedJohn 12:23; 13:31-32; 7:39; Luke 24:26.

III. Our crystallization-study of the humanity of Christ is to show us how

much Christ is to us and how much we can enjoy Christ. Our
circumstances in our living can be like a blowing wind, and sometimes
they can be like a tempest with heavy rain. Christ is a refuge from the
wind and a covering from the tempest (Isa. 32:2). When China was
invaded by the Japanese army during the Second World War, the military
police of the Japanese army arrested me twice. That was a real tempest.
During the war, it meant nothing for the Japanese army to put a Chinese
person to death. They imprisoned me for thirty days, and that was a real
test to my family and the church. But I can testify that Christ was my
covering to protect me from that tempest. The New Testament alone does
not tell us how to enjoy Christ as a refuge and a covering.
 IV. The Brethren taught the prophecies in the book of Daniel, but we need to
see that the book of Daniel is also full of the enjoyment of Christ, the Son
of Man. The three friends of Daniel were thrown into the fire, and Christ
as a man was walking with them. Also, in Daniel 10:4-19, we see that
Christ is our stability, but we do not have such a thought pointed out in
this way in the New Testament.

V. If we had only the New Testament without the Old Testament, our
enjoyment of Christ would not be adequate. I have given many messages
on the types and prophecies in the Old Testament to show people Christ
and the enjoyment of Christ. In Luke 24:44 the Lord Jesus pointed out to
His disciples that the three sections of the Old Testament, the Law of
Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms, reveal Him. This shows that the
entire Old Testament is a revelation of Christ and that He is its center
and content.

VI. Some teach that the whole Bible unveils Christ, but they understand this
in a very shallow way, which can be compared to skating on a layer of ice.
All the deeper truths are in the depths "beneath the ice." By the Lord's
unveiling in His mercy, we have an interpreted Bible, revealing the
deeper truths.

VII. II. THE SON OF MAN

VIII. In the outlines for this message and the next one, we have extracted all
the New Testament verses which speak of the Son of Man. In Matthew
18:11 the Lord said, "For the Son of Man has come to save that which is
lost." He did not say, "I have come," but, "The Son of Man has come." I
refers simply to the man, not the Son of Man. Changing the Son of Man
to I or Me in any of the verses in these outlines makes them much less
meaningful. If we read these points again and again, we will enter into
them and enjoy Christ as the Son of Man. It is the Son of Man who has
the authority to forgive sinners, who can be the Lord of the Sabbath, who
gave His life as a ransom for many, who gives the food which abides unto
eternal life, and who was glorified with the Father's glory.

A. Coming in His Humanity

to Seek and Save the Lost Sinners
Christ as the Son of Man came in His humanity to seek and save the lost sinners
(Matt. 18:11; 9:13; Luke 19:10). He ate and drank with the tax collectors and
sinners (Matt. 9:10-11; 11:19; Luke 7:34), making friends with them. He visited
and lodged with a sinful man, a tax collector named Zaccheus (Luke 19:5-7). He
also came as a Physician to the ill (Matt. 9:12), having authority to forgive sins
(v. 6). As the Son of Man, Christ came not to destroy men's lives but to save
them (Luke 9:56). We need to enjoy Christ as the Son of Man.
 B. Having No Place to Lay His Head
As the Son of Man, Christ had no place to lay His head (Matt. 8:20; Luke 9:58),
not even as the foxes having holes nor as the birds of heaven having roosts.

C. The Lord of the Sabbath

Christ in His humanity is the Lord of the Sabbath (Matt. 12:8; Mark 2:28; Luke
6:5). As the Son of Man, Christ can forgive people and be the Lord of the
Sabbath.

D. Confessing before His Father

in Those Who Confess in Him before Men
Christ as the Son of Man will confess in him, before His Father in the heavens
and before His angels, everyone who confesses in Him before men, and He will
forgive the ones speaking words against Him (Luke 12:8, 10; Matt. 10:32;
12:32).

E. Sowing Himself into Man

The Lord as the Son of Man sowed Himself, in His humanity, as the good seed
into man to grow Him (Matt. 13:3-9, 37).

F. Asking His Disciples

Who They Knew Him to Be in His Humanity
The Lord Jesus asked His disciples who they knew Him to be in His humanity
and guided them to know Him as the Christ, the Son of the living God, who will
build the church to be the kingdom of the heavens (Matt. 16:13-20).

G. Coming in His Humanity to Serve

Christ came in His humanity, not to be served, but to serve and to give His life
as a ransom for many (Matt. 20:28; Mark 10:45).

H. Giving the Food

Which Abides unto Eternal Life
Christ gave, in His humanity, the food which abides unto eternal life (John 6:27,
53).

I. Dying in His Humanity

Christ died in His humanity. In His death He went away from His disciples and
was betrayed by one of them (Matt. 26:24; Mark 14:21; Luke 22:22, 48). As the
Son of Man He was killed as John the Baptist was by the Jewish authorities
(Matt. 17:12; Mark 9:12). He was delivered as the Son of Man into the hands of
the chief priests and scribes and crucified by them (Matt. 17:22-23a; 20:18-19a;
26:2, 45; Mark 8:31a; 9:31a; 10:33-34a; 14:41; Luke 9:22a, 44; 18:31-33a;
24:7a). He gave His life as a ransom for many (Matt. 20:28b; Mark 10:45) and
was lifted up on the cross. His being lifted up on the cross as the Son of Man was
so that people may know that He is the great I Am (John 8:28) and that He may
draw all men to Himself (12:32, 34). On the cross He was lifted up as a serpent,
typified by the serpent lifted up by Moses (Num. 21:8-9), that everyone who
believes into Him may have eternal life (John 3:14-15).

J. Being Buried in His Humanity

in the Heart of the Earth
The Son of Man was buried in His humanity in the heart of the earth three days
and three nights as Jonah was in the belly of the great fish (Matt. 12:40; Luke
11:30).

K. Resurrecting in His Humanity

Christ resurrected in His humanity on the third day after His burial (Matt.
17:23b, 9; 20:19b; Mark 8:31b; 9:9, 31b; 10:34b; Luke 9:22b; 18:33b; 24:7b),
being glorified (John 12:23; 13:31-32; 7:39; Luke 24:26).

CRYSTALLIZATION-STUDY
OF THE HUMANITY OF CHRIST

MESSAGE SIX

IN THE FULFILLMENT
OF THE ETERNAL ECONOMY OF GOD

(3)

OUTLINE

II. The Son of Man:

L. Ascending to the heavens in His humanityJohn 6:62:

1. Sitting at the right hand of GodMatt. 26:64a; Mark 14:62a;

Luke 22:69.

2. Seen standing at the right hand of God by StephenActs 7:56.

M. Taking care of the churches as the lampstands in His humanityRev.

1:11-13:

1. As the High Priest dressing the churches as the lampstands to

cherish them.

2. With His divinity as the energy motivated by His love signified by

the golden girdle on His breast.

N. Coming back in His humanityMatt. 10:23:

1. To destroy the whole earth as the flood did in Noah's days and as
the fire and brimstone did at Lot's timeMatt. 24:37-39; Luke
17:26-30.
 2. To take away His believers who are watching and ready for His
coming secretlyMatt. 24:40-44; Luke 12:40; 21:36.

3. Expecting to find His believers in faithLuke 18:8.

4. To reap His harvest openlyRev. 14:14-16.

5. Sending His angels to collect out of His kingdom all the tares and
cast them into the lake of fireMatt. 13:41-42.

6. In the glory of His Father with His angels in His kingdomMatt.

16:27-28; 25:31; Mark 8:38b; Luke 9:26b.

7. To be ashamed of the people who were ashamed of Him and His

words in this adulterous and sinful generationMark 8:38a;
Luke 9:26a.

8. As the lightning coming forth from the east and shining to the
westMatt. 24:27; Luke 17:24.

9. Appearing in heaven on the clouds with power and great glory to

be seen by all the mourning tribes of the earthMatt. 24:30;
26:64b; Mark 13:26; 14:62b; Luke 21:27.

O. Receiving authority from the Father to execute judgment in His

humanity according to the will of the Father who sent HimJohn 5:27-
30:

1. To judge all the dead people:

a. All His believers who are dead at His coming to be

resurrected unto life before the millenniumv. 29a.

b. And all the unbelievers who are dead to be resurrected

unto judgment after the millenniumv. 29b.

2. To judge all the people, signified by the sheep and the goats, who
are living after His coming backMatt. 25:31-46:

a. Sitting on the throne of gloryv. 31b.

b. The sheep who have well-treated the Jews and the

believers in the great tribulation will go into eternal life to
be the nations of the judged worldvv. 33-40, 46b.

c. The goats who have ill-treated the Jews and the believers
in the great tribulation will go into eternal punishment
(the lake of fire) to perishvv. 41-46a.

3. To judge all the dead people who will be resurrected unto

judgment after the millenniumRev. 20:11-15.

P. Reigning in His humanity in the millenniumMatt. 19:28-29:

 1. Sitting on the throne of His gloryv. 28a.

2. With His faithful followersvv. 28b-29.

Q. Bringing heaven to earth and joining earth to heaven as the ladder seen
by Jacob in Genesis 28:11-12, 16-19John 1:51:

1. As the uplifted standing stairway.

2. For the traffic of the angels ascending and descending on Him in

eternity future.

Note: While fundamental Christianity was fighting against the

heresy that denies the divinity of Christ, another heresy was
unconsciously made by some Christians, even Christian teachers,
that is, the heresy concerning the humanity of Christ of two
points:

3. Many Christian Bible teachers dare not recognize that Christ is

the Firstborn of all creation (Col. 1:15). This implies that they
dare not acknowledge the humanity of Christ.

4. Some Christians do not believe that after His resurrection Christ

is still a man through His ascension, coming back, reigning in the
millennium, and being the heavenly ladder in eternity. Probably
even a good number of Christian teachers make the same
mistake unconsciously.

III. Christ, the Son of Man, is the fulfillment of God's eternal economy. God's
eternal economy is to have a Body for Christ, and this Body consummates
the New Jerusalem. The Bible ends with Christ as the Son of Man, as the
consummation and completion of God's eternal economy. Nathanael
recognized Jesus as the Son of God (John 1:49), but Jesus told Nathanael
that he would see the angels ascending and descending upon the Son of
Man (v. 51). Christ as the Son of Man is the reality of the ladder which
Jacob saw in Genesis 28:12. John 1, the introduction to the Gospel of
John, ends with Christ as the Son of Man being a ladder that joins earth
to heaven and brings heaven to earth. The entire Bible also ends in this
way, that is, with Christ Himself as the Son of Man being a heavenly
ladder. This heavenly ladder is the New Jerusalem.

IV. We have seen that the New Jerusalem as the goal of God's economy is the
universal incorporation of the consummated God with His regenerated
believers. God in His Divine Trinity is an incorporation, mutually
coinhering and working together as one (John 14:10-11). Furthermore,
Christ is in the Father, we are in Christ, and Christ is in us (v. 20). The
conclusion and totality of these three ins is the Spirit of reality, who is
Christ Himself, to be the reality within us (v. 17). The Spirit of reality
 came not only to be with us but also to be in us. Our being in God the Son
and God the Son being in us and also in the Father reveal an
incorporation. This incorporation is first the Body of Christ and then the
New Jerusalem. Ephesians 4 speaks of one Body, one Spirit, one Lord,
and one God and Father (vv. 4-6). The three of the Triune Godthe
Spirit, the Lord, and the Fatherare constituted and incorporated with
the believers. We have spent much time to study the humanity of Christ
from the prophecy of the Old Testament and from the fulfillment in the
New Testament to see a view showing us that God's economy is to have a
Body for Christ which consummates the New Jerusalemthe enlarged,
universal incorporation of the consummated God with the regenerated
believers.

V. Now we want to conclude our fellowship concerning the revelation of the

humanity of Christ in the fulfillment of the eternal economy of God. In
the previous message we saw Christ as the Son of Man from His
incarnation through His resurrection. In this message we want to see
Him as the Son of Man from His ascension through eternity.

VI. L. Ascending to the Heavens in His Humanity

VII. John 6:62 reveals that Christ ascended to the heavens in His humanity.
As the Son of Man He is sitting at the right hand of God (Matt. 26:64a;
Mark 14:62a; Luke 22:69). Furthermore, Stephen saw Him as the Son of
Man standing at the right hand of God (Acts 7:56). Sitting is for resting,
whereas standing is for working. Because a member of His Body was
suffering on this earth, the Son of Man was seen standing at the right
hand of God. This indicates that the Lord was greatly concerned for His
persecuted one.

M. Taking Care of the Churches

as the Lampstands in His Humanity
Revelation 1:11-13 shows that Christ as the Son of Man is taking care of the
churches as the lampstands in His humanity. As the High Priest He is dressing
the churches as the lampstands to cherish them, to make them happy, bright,
and shining. He is also caring for the churches with His divinity as the energy
motivated by His love signified by the golden girdle on His breast.

N. Coming Back in His Humanity

Christ will come back as the Son of Man (Matt. 10:23). He will destroy the whole
earth as the flood did in Noah's days and as the fire and brimstone did at Lot's
time (Matt. 24:37-39; Luke 17:26-30) and take away His believers who are
watching and ready for His coming secretly (Matt. 24:40-44; Luke 12:40;
21:36). His coming back has two parts: one part is the secret part, and the other
is the open part. The watchful ones, the ready ones, will see Him as the morning
star and be taken by Him in the early part of His secret coming back (Rev. 2:28).
Later, He will openly come back to the earth as the sun of righteousness (Mal.
4:2). Today as the Son of Man He is expecting to find His believers in faith
(Luke 18:8). When the Son of Man comes back, He will reap His harvest openly
(Rev. 14:14-16). He also will send His angels to collect out of His kingdom all the
tares and cast them into the lake of fire (Matt. 13:41-42). All of the false
believers, the tares, damage God's economy. They will be cast into the lake of
fire when Christ comes back in His humanity.

Christ as the Son of Man will return in the glory of His Father with His angels in
His kingdom (Matt. 16:27-28; 25:31; Mark 8:38b; Luke 9:26b). He will be
ashamed of the people who were ashamed of Him and His words in this
adulterous and sinful generation (Mark 8:38a; Luke 9:26a). When He comes
back openly, He will be like the lightning coming forth from the east and shining
to the west (Matt. 24:27; Luke 17:24). Lightning may be considered as being
concealed in a cloud, waiting for an opportunity to flash forth. In a similar way,
Christ will be clothed with a cloud (Rev. 10:1) in the air for a time and then will
suddenly appear, like a flash of lightning striking the earth. This implies also
that the Lord is like electricity. He will appear in heaven on the clouds with
power and great glory to be seen by all the mourning tribes of the earth (Matt.
24:30; 26:64b; Mark 13:26; 14:62b; Luke 21:27). At that time they will see and
receive Christ, and the whole family of Israel will be saved.

O. Receiving Authority to Execute Judgment

Christ as the Son of Man will receive authority from the Father to execute
judgment in His humanity according to the will of the Father who sent Him
(John 5:27-30). God has given all judgment to Christ because He is the Son of
Man. The apostle Paul said that God has appointed this one man to judge the
living and the dead (Acts 10:42; 17:31; 2 Tim. 4:1). He will judge all the dead
people to decide who should be resurrected at His coming and who should be
resurrected one thousand years later. At His coming all His believers who are
dead will be resurrected unto life before the millennium (John 5:29a), and all
the unbelievers who are dead will be resurrected unto judgment after the
millennium (v. 29b).

He will judge all the people, signified by the sheep and the goats, who are living
after His coming back (Matt. 25:31-46). During the great tribulation, Antichrist
will persecute the believers. At that time, an eternal gospel will be preached to
the nations (Rev. 14:6-7 and notes). Those who obey that gospel and treat the
Jews and the suffering believers well will be blessed, will be reckoned as
righteous, and will inherit the kingdom (Matt. 25:34, 37). These are the sheep.
But those who do not will be cursed (v. 41) and will perish for eternity. These are
the goats. The Lord will sit on the throne of glory at His return to separate the
sheep from the goats. The sheep who have well-treated the Jews and the
believers in the great tribulation will go into eternal life to be the nations of the
judged world (vv. 33-40, 46b). They will be saved, not to receive eternal life but
to enter into eternal life. Eternal life will be the sphere and the realm into which
they will enter and in which they will live. They will be the nations around the
New Jerusalem but not the kings. We believers, who are the New Jerusalem,
will be the royal family to rule over all the nations. The goats who have ill-
treated the Jews and the believers in the great tribulation will go into eternal
punishment (the lake of fire) to perish (vv. 41-46a). Later, the Lord as the Son of
Man will judge all the dead people who will be resurrected unto judgment after
the millennium (Rev. 20:11-15).

P. Reigning in His Humanity in the Millennium

Christ will reign in His humanity in the millennium, sitting on the throne of His
glory with His faithful followers (Matt. 19:28-29).

Q. Bringing Heaven to Earth

and Joining Earth to Heaven
as the Ladder in Eternity Future
For eternity Christ as the Son of Man will bring heaven to earth and join earth to
heaven as the ladder seen by Jacob (John 1:51; Gen. 28:11-12, 16-19). Nathanael
recognized Jesus as the Son of God, but Jesus answered Nathanael by saying
that he would see the angels ascending from earth to heaven and descending
from heaven to earth upon the Son of Man. The Son of Man is the ladder as the
uplifted standing stairway for the traffic of the ascending and descending angels
in eternity future. This is a picture of the eternal age. In eternity future the New
Jerusalem will be standing in the whole universe as something uplifted toward
the heavens upon which the angelic family will ascend and descend to bring
heaven to earth and join earth to heaven. This is the universal vision of God's
economy.

God's economy will consummate in such a ladder, which is a city. This city is an
incorporation of the consummated God with the regenerated believers, an
incorporation of God in man and man in God. We will be God's incorporation
for God's glory to be manifested in humanity. We will be His dwelling place, the
tabernacle (Rev. 21:3), and He will be our dwelling place, the temple (v. 22).
That will be the mutual abiding of God in us and us in God to have God's glory
manifested in humanity radiantly. This is the conclusion of the humanity of
Christ in both the Old and New Testaments.

Note:While fundamental Christianity was fighting against the heresy that denies
the divinity of Christ, another heresy was unconsciously made by some
Christians, even Christian teachers, that is, the heresy concerning the humanity
of Christ of two points:

1. Many Christian Bible teachers dare not recognize that Christ is the Firstborn
of all creation (Col. 1:15). This implies that they dare not acknowledge the
humanity of Christ, who is the image of the invisible God, the Firstborn of all
creation. According to our human view, Christ was born about two thousand
years ago. But according to the divine view, He is the Firstborn of all creation. In
God's eyes, there is no time element. Although Christ was slain less than two
thousand years ago, Revelation 13:8 says that Christ was slain from the
foundation of the world. With God there is only the fact, not the element of
time. According to the fact, God reckons Christ as the Firstborn of God's old
creation so that Christ might be the first in everything. We reject that heresy
which says that Christ was only a creature and not God. Christ as God is the
Creator, but we also have to recognize that Christ is a part of the creation
because He is a man who partook of the created blood and flesh. As such a man,
He is the Firstborn of God's old creation.

2. Some Christians do not believe that after His resurrection Christ is still a man
through His ascension, coming back, reigning in the millennium, and being the
heavenly ladder in eternity. Probably even a good number of Christian teachers
make the same mistake unconsciously. Eventually, the centrality and
universality of the entire universe, signified by the New Jerusalem, is Christ as
the Son of Man.