The Glorious Church
This post begins a series from the English translation of The Glorious Church by Watchman Nee, messages given in Shanghai in 1939 to 1942.
These were times of spiritual revelations and heavenly visions concerning “the deep things of God.” The stress was primarily on the triumphant church, the glorious Body of Christ, the full expression of Him who fills all in all. In these messages tremendous light was poured upon the four significant women in the Scriptures: Eve in Genesis 2, the wife in Ephesians 5, the woman in Revelation 12, and the Bride in Revelation 21 and 22. Their record gives us a full scope of the glorious church in God’s eternal plan, the church that satisfies His desire.*
The chapter titles are
1. God’s Plan and God’s Rest
2. The Type of Eve
3. The Body of Christ and the Bride of Christ
4. The Woman Brought Forth a Man-Child
5. The Holy City, New Jerusalem
Appendix: The Overcomers and God’s Dispensational Moves
The four women in chapters 2 to 5 are all related to one another. Romans 5:14 tells us that Adam is a type of Christ, so Eve, his wife, is a type of the church. Because Eve was created with what God took out of Adam, the church is created solely by what comes out of Christ.
The Body of Christ in chapter 3 is a relationship in life between Christ and all the believers. The bride of Christ is a relationship in love.
Chapter 4 begins with several pages that help us identify the woman and the man-child. The man-child is caught up to heaven and Satan is cast down. Soon after this is the wonderful declaration at the seventh angel’s trumpeting in Revelation 11:15-18. Then comes the kingdom age after which New Jerusalem descends out of the new heaven to rest on the new earth.
*From the Forward of the English translation, published and © by Living Stream Ministry, available at www.ministrybooks.org/ and www.livingstream.com/en/the-church/8012401-glorious-church-the.html.
Posted by Don on April 13, 2022
