Blood for Redemption; Water for Regeneration
After Jesus died on the cross, “one of the soldiers pierced His side with a spear, and immediately there came out blood and water” (John 19:34).
The producing of the believers as the pearls by Christ in His redemptive work is allegorized in the blood and water that came out of His side (John 19:34). When He was dying on the cross, a soldier pierced His side, and immediately there came out blood and water. Blood and water are two allegories to describe the redemptive work of Christ. Blood is for redemption, and water is for regeneration. We need redemption because we are sinful, and we need regeneration, which is the initiation of the secretion of Christ’s resurrection life, because we are merely human and do not have the divine life.*
In New Jerusalem the river of water of life flows out from the throne of God and of the Lamb. This Lamb is Jesus Christ. In New Jerusalem there will be no further need for the blood because all sin and lawlessness will have been removed, but the Lamb will be there to remind us eternally that we were redeemed by Him.
The river of living water is for our eternal supply. This is the continuation of the present “secretion” of life which began with our regeneration, our being born again, born of the Spirit (John 3:6), making our deadened spirit (Eph. 2:1) alive. That was the beginning of our progress into the fullness of New Jerusalem.
* From chapter 33, Witness Lee, God’s New Testament Economy, published by Living Stream Ministry, © Witness Lee, 1986.
Photo courtesy of pixabay.com.
Posted by Don on February 8, 2023
