本篇信息的主題是喝和涌流。我們不只要喝，還要涌流。不涌流的人，必定喝得不好。我們越喝，就越會有負擔和心願，要把生命的水涌流出去。與“喝”和“涌流”相呼應的，是“吩咐”和“挖”這兩個辭。在喝的事上，我們要吩咐磐石，好飲於那靈這生命的水；在涌流的事上，我們要挖。詩歌二〇一首說到我們要挖井，讓那靈這生命的水，在我們裏面自由地涌流。

　　本篇信息的綱要首先給我們看見磐石，然後是水，接着說到摩西在民數記二十章的失敗，他沒有按着神的經綸行動，錯誤地擊打磐石兩下（11）。我們還要交通到喝活水的路，以及讓活水涌流的祕訣。關於挖井，其中一個祕訣就是歌唱。二十一章告訴我們，百姓挖井的時候，他們也向井歌唱（17）。

　　出埃及十七章第一次說到以色列人因着沒有水而向神爭鬧（1~2）。耶和華吩咐摩西在何烈的磐石那裏擊打磐石，就必有水從磐石流出來，使百姓可以喝。摩西就在以色列的長老眼前這樣行了。摩西給那地方起名叫瑪撒，又叫米利巴；這是因在那裏有爭鬧和試探（6~7）。

　本篇信息是要說到“更換飲食，吃屬天的基督這屬天嗎哪的實際，使我們由基督重新構成，成爲神的居所”。四年半前，在出埃及記結晶讀經訓練時，有一篇類似的信息講到嗎哪。這次民數記結晶讀經訓練，我們要再次來看吃嗎哪這件事，因爲這對基督徒而言至爲關鍵。我們要接續先前所說，並根據從民數記所學得的，再有進一步的發展。
以色列人在與吃有關的事上三次發怨言
　　以色列人吃了逾越節的羊羔，過了紅海，開始曠野的旅程，到了一個時候他們餓了，就向摩西、亞倫發怨言；這事記載在出埃及十六章。那時，耶和華將嗎哪從天上降下來，滿足祂的百姓。從那時起，四十年之久，每一天早晨神都降下嗎哪，完全沒有遲誤；這真令人難以置信。四十年之久，神用嗎哪餵養祂的子民。不管以色列人喜歡與否，無論晴或陰，他們都必須拾取嗎哪。
　　神降嗎哪之後，以色列人繼續曠野的行程，至少一年之久。這段期間，神爲以色列人行了許多神蹟奇事。他們被帶到西乃山上領受了神的啓示，神的說話。最終，帳幕建造完成，祭司體系得着建立。神指示他們關於獻祭、事奉、生活和節期等條例；他們甚至被編組成軍，預備好要前行並爭戰。這是以色列人出埃及後的第二年，就是在他們對於嗎哪有了起初經歷的一年之後。
　　到了民數記十一章，以色列人再次發怨言，抱怨他們所吃的食物。這不是以色列人第一次因飢餓而發怨言。這事發生在他們出埃及一年之後，其間，他們經過了許多事，看見並領受了許多啓示。就外面的情況說，他們有了相當的進步和往前；然而，十一章卻記載：“他們中間的閒雜人大起貪慾；以色列人又哭號說，誰給我們肉吃呢？我們記得，在埃及的時候不花錢就有魚吃，還有黃瓜、西瓜、韭菜、蔥、蒜。現在我們的胃口都沒有了，我們眼前除了這嗎哪以外，什麼也沒有。”（4~6）到這時，以色列人吃嗎哪已有一年之久，神所賜給的食物只有嗎哪。他們不高興，就發怨言說，這不好吃，再也不要吃這個，他們的胃口都沒有了。當然，神發怒了，祂的迴應乃是給他們鵪鶉吃，藉此審判他們（18~20、31~34）。
　　十一章關於以色列人發怨言的記載，是在他們被數點、預備好往前行動時。到了二十一章，他們經過第一場爭戰，勝了亞拉得王之後，又再次發怨言。在五節，百姓毀謗神和摩西說，“你們爲什麼把我們從埃及領上來，使我們死在曠野？這裏沒有糧，沒有水，我們的心厭惡這淡薄的食物。”這裏“淡薄的食物”，也可譯爲“可鄙、無益的食物”。在那一年間，神將嗎哪賜給以色列人，但他們卻覺得嗎哪是可鄙、無益、淡薄無味的食物。對於嗎哪，他們完全感到厭煩並覺得厭倦。這就是本篇信息的背景。我們要看見，吃嗎哪這事不僅說出神餵養祂的子民，以滿足他們的飢餓，更說出神要暴露祂子民的性質，因爲他們仍是肉體，需要被重新構成。就外面而言，神子民看見、領受並經歷了許多，他們往前了，甚至打了第一場勝仗。然而到了這時候，他們的肉體似乎絲毫未改，他們仍是發怨言。
神要以色列人吃嗎哪的含意

本篇信息在主心裏有很深的感覺。一面，祂在天上是大祭司爲我們代求，把屬天的供應傳輸到我們裏面，並且牧養我們。另一面，祂也是那是靈的基督，祂的名字仍然是“以馬內利”，就是神與我們同在。我們雖看不見祂，但祂的確在這裏。在本次訓練裏，唯有祂不需要配戴訓練名牌，因爲祂是施訓者。在太二三8和十節，主說，“你們不要受拉比的稱呼，因爲只有一位是你們的夫子，……也不要受師尊的稱呼，因爲只有一位是你們的師尊，就是基督。”因着祂願意向我們流出，並將祂自己分授到我們裏面，所以我裏面有特別細緻、準確的感覺：本篇信息中，供職之靈的特性是非常的直接、柔細，滿了屬靈的領會，並且渴望臨到我們每一個人，供應我們。

　　主是醫生、新郎、得勝者、救主和元首，我們聚集在這裏乃是受訓者；祂知道我們每一個人當前屬靈進展的情形是達到什麼地步。祂願意我們所有的人都照着我們的本相，根據祂的寶血，進前來到祂這裏。無論我們有多少人參加訓練，當我們進入本篇信息的綱要時，祂願意臨及每一個人。本篇信息的綱要很廣闊、很包羅地給我們一幅完整的圖畫。我真誠地感覺並相信，主爲着我們每一個人都預備了一些話。祂要臨到我們的處境，洗我們的腳，餵養、供應並光照我們，揭開我們的帕子，幫助我們有正確的領會，知道我們在基督徒生活中達到什麼地步，讓祂供應我們，並讓祂來摸我們裏面每一個需要被摸的部分，以除去一切的攔阻和阻礙，使祂能在我們每個人裏面，成就祂心裏所要作的，顧到祂身體上的每一個肢體。

　　我們有許多人是第一次參加這樣大的現場訓練；當然，也有許多人已經參加幾十年了。我們衆人乃是一個大家庭，各自在不同的階段，但是父愛祂所有的兒女。祂立定並膏抹了祂的兒子基督，來作成一切並且就是一切。祂願意帶領我們，不僅僅是學習一些真理要點，預備考試；祂更是要來服事並供應我們，因爲神有一個極大的需要。神創造我們有祂的形像，以彰顯祂；祂也給我們託付，要我們制伏這地，代表祂施行管治權，並使撒但遭受嚴重的打擊。爲此，祂需要一支軍隊。祂要在美國、在全地，有前所未有的行動。然而，不管祂要往哪裏去，都有極兇猛的抗拒。所以，爲着祂的行動，祂必須得着軍隊。因爲主是藉着爭戰而行動。這是祂的需要。

　　在我們這面，整個主的恢復有一個急切、迫切的需要。只有主靈知道，在這個時刻，在這場聚會裏，有多少人有這種急切、迫切的感覺。我信主的心意是，經過這場聚會後，更多老練的聖徒能醒悟過來，願意擺上自己，讓主來拔高召會禱告的職事，使我們能有代求的供職，有金香壇的禱告，來應付這個急切、急迫的需要，就是生命長大以達到成熟。訓練標語的第二句說：今天在主的恢復裏，迫切地需要生命的長大與成熟，爲着編組神的軍隊以保護神的見證，並爲着祂在地上的行動爭戰。

　　本篇信息的篇題是“編組成軍以保護神的見證，並爲着祂在地上的行動爭戰，所需要的長大與成熟”。遠在這次訓練已先，這個負擔在這半年以來一直在我裏面醞釀。在上次訓練中，我們提到民數記一章數點百姓的時候，數點的對象是所有二十歲以上的男丁。這次我們要專特地來看民數記中二十歲的屬靈意義。二十歲是男丁夠資格被數點的年齡。按字面說，只有男丁被數點，小孩子和婦女沒有被數點，但男丁預表所有在生命里長大並且靈裏剛強的信徒。我們也需要清楚地領會二十歲的屬靈意義。主不是說三十五歲、五十七歲或七十二歲，乃是說二十歲。按人的領會，我們可以說二十歲是青春期的結束，開始要進入成熟的階段。一個年輕的成年人雖然沒有使徒保羅、約翰或李弟兄那樣成熟，但按着成熟的程度來說，已經夠資格被數點、編組成軍。這就是這裏的重點。

禱告：主耶穌，我們愛你，我們將全人向你敞開。主，使我們在這次的訓練中，靈裏是貧窮的。我們要倒空並卸去一切，領受你新鮮的分賜，被你新鮮的同在充滿，好得着你新鮮的啓示。主，作我們的起頭。我們將整個訓練，特別是第一篇信息交給你，求你將出埃及記、利未記和民數記中關於你美妙經綸的要略啓示給我們。我們仰望你對我們每個人說話，給我們有可聽的耳朵，使我們能聽見那靈向衆召會所說的話。

　　本篇信息要說到“出埃及記、利未記和民數記中，關於神對祂所揀選並救贖之人的經綸這神聖啓示的要略”，這是相當巨大的一顆結晶。關於這神聖啓示的要略，聖經恢複本民三六13的第一注，有簡要的陳明。

出埃及記、利未記和民數記中所揭示，關於“如何據有美地所預表之包羅萬有的基督，以建造召會作神的家和神的國”之十個主要的項目

　　首先，我們要來看“如何據有美地所預表之包羅萬有的基督，以建造召會作神的家和神的國”之十個主要的項目。這是我們在這次訓練中所要研讀的第一個要點。這十個項目主要是出自《包羅萬有的基督》一書（參該書第九至十二章所論述“如何得着那地”）。這十個項目向我們揭示，如何能據有包羅萬有的基督作爲美地，以建造召會作爲神的家和神的國。

　　在出三8，神呼召摩西時，說出祂對祂子民的渴望。神說，“我下來要救他們脫離埃及人的手，領他們從那地出來，上到美好、寬闊、流奶與蜜之地，就是到迦南人、赫人、亞摩利人、比利洗人、希未人、耶布斯人的地方。”從一開始，主就向摩西揭示祂的渴望。在出埃及記、利未記和民數記中，神帶領以色列人出埃及、過紅海，甚至將他們編組成爲一支祭司軍隊，進入美地，爲神在地上的權益爭戰，目的就是要使他們能得着基督作爲包羅萬有的美地。如果我們從這個觀點讀《包羅萬有的基督》一書，就會發現這本書對我們是全新的。該書至少有四章提到出埃及記、利未記、民數記這三卷書。最近我再讀其中的內容時，所得着全新的亮光令我印象深刻。這本書是李弟兄在美國開工時所釋放的信息；李弟兄並沒有因着當時聽信息之人的幼嫩而有所保留，反而藉着釋放這高超的啓示，爲主在美國的行動打下良好的基礎。神的經綸對任何人都絕不會是太高的；這就是我們在主恢復中的“貨色”。若有人以爲神的經綸對某些人過於深奧，那是出於仇敵的思想。

Scripture Reading: Num. 21:1-3, 21-35; 27:12-23; 31:13-54

Ⅰ　We need to realize the necessity of spiritual warfare—Num. 21:1-3, 21-35:
Ａ　Spiritual warfare has its source in the conflict between the satanic will and the divine will; this is a warfare between the kingdom of Satan and the kingdom of God—Matt. 6:10; 7:21; 12:26, 28; Isa. 14:12-14.
Ｂ　In the Lord’s recovery we are on a battlefield; in order to possess Christ as the good land for the fulfillment of God’s purpose, we must fight against and defeat the satanic forces—Josh. 5:2—6:16.
Ｃ　The army of God defeated the king of Arad, Sihon the king of the Amorites, and Og the king of Bashan—Num. 21:1-3, 21-35:
１　The kings of Arad (v. 1), of the Amorites (v. 21), and of Bashan (v. 33) were the “gate guards” on the east of the Jordan, guarding the land of Canaan, the kingdom of darkness, for Satan:
ａ　The kings defeated by God’s army signify the rulers, the authorities, and the world-rulers of darkness, against whom we must struggle—Eph. 6:12.
ｂ　In order for the children of Israel to enter into the good land, they had to pass through the territory controlled by these kings and had to fight against them, destroy them, and take over their territory.
２　In order to gain the unsearchable riches of Christ, we must crush the spiritual enemies signified by the king of Arad, Sihon the king of the Amorites, and Og the king of Bashan and take over their territory—3:8; 6:10-12.
Ｄ　The fighting of the children of Israel against the Canaanites that they might possess and enjoy the good land portrays the invisible spiritual warfare that is taking place behind the visible scene on earth, and it typifies the spiritual warfare of the church against “the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenlies”—Dan. 10:10-21; Eph. 6:10-12:
１　In the typology of the Old Testament, Canaan has two aspects:
ａ　On the positive side, Canaan, a land of riches (Deut. 8:7-10), typifies the all-inclusive Christ with His unsearchable riches (Col. 1:12; Eph. 3:8).
ｂ　On the negative side, Canaan signifies the aerial part, the heavenly part, of the dark kingdom of Satan:
⑴　As the ruler of this world (John 12:31) and as the ruler of the authority of the air (Eph. 2:2), Satan has his authority (Acts 26:18) and his angels (Matt. 25:41), who are his subordinates as principalities, powers, and rulers of the darkness of this world (Eph. 6:12); hence, Satan has his kingdom (Matt. 12:26), the authority of darkness (Col. 1:13).
⑵　The Canaanites typify the fallen angels, the rebellious angels who follow Satan (Rev. 12:4, 7), who have become the powers, rulers, and authorities in Satan’s kingdom (cf. Dan. 10:13, 20).
⑶　The fighting of the children of Israel against the Canaanites that they might possess and enjoy the good land typifies the spiritual warfare of the church against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenlies so that the saints may enjoy Christ as the all-inclusive land—Eph. 6:12.
２　God wants us to gain Christ as our good land, but between us and the good land, there is a layer of devilish, demonic forces; if we would take possession of the good land, we must defeat these satanic forces—Col. 1:12-13; 2:15; Eph. 3:18; 6:10-12.
３　There is an exceedingly real spiritual warfare in which we must engage; thus, the church must be a corporate warrior fighting the battle to gain the all-inclusive Christ and for the establishing and spreading of the kingdom of God so that Christ may come back to inherit the earth—vv. 10-19.
Ｅ　The Lord Jesus has already won the battle, and the work of the church on earth is to maintain Christ’s victory—Heb. 2:14; Col. 2:15; 1 John 3:8:
１　The Son of God was manifested to destroy the works of the devil—v. 8.
２　As a man, Christ defeated Satan during the temptation in the wilderness—Matt. 4:1-11.
３　Through death the Lord Jesus destroyed the devil, who has the might of death, abolishing Satan and bringing him to nought—Heb. 2:14; 1 Cor. 1:28.
４　God openly shamed the evil angels, triumphing over them in the cross of Christ—Col. 2:15.
５　The effect of Christ’s crucifixion was that the base of Satan’s rebellion was shaken, that the strongholds of Satan’s earthly kingdom were broken, and that the power of death and Hades was conquered and subdued—Matt. 27:51-52.
６　In the Spirit of His divinity, Christ proclaimed to the evil spirits in the abyss His victory over Satan on the cross—1 Pet. 3:18-19.
７　The overcomers, the mighty ones, realize that spiritual warfare is based on the victory of Christ—Joel 3:11b; John 12:31; Rev. 5:5:
ａ　The starting point of spiritual warfare is standing upon the victory of Christ—Eph. 6:11, 13.
ｂ　We need to see that Christ has already overcome—Rev. 3:21.
８　The church is on earth to perpetuate and manifest Christ’s victory over Satan—Eph. 6:13; Rev. 12:11.
Ｆ　In order to engage in spiritual warfare, we need to know the Body, know the ascension, and reign in life—Eph. 1:22-23; 2:6; 4:16; Col. 3:1-4; Rom. 5:17, 21.

Scripture Reading: Num. 23:7-12, 19-26; 24:3-9; Rev. 21:9-10; Acts 26:19

Ⅰ　We should never underestimate the value of having a proper view of a certain matter; the view changes us; it affects our entire being—Rev. 21:9-10; Acts 26:19.
Ⅱ　In the Bible vision denotes an extraordinary scene; it refers to a special kind of seeing—a glorious, inward seeing—and to the spiritual scenery we see from God—Ezek. 1:1, 4-28; Dan. 7:1, 9-10, 13-14:
Ａ　In order to have a vision, we need revelation, light, and sight—Eph. 1:17-18a.
Ｂ　The heavenly vision governs us, restricts us, controls us, directs us, preserves us, revolutionizes us, keeps us in the genuine oneness, and gives us the boldness to go on—Prov. 29:18a.
Ｃ　Under the heavenly vision we are directed toward God’s destination, and our life is controlled according to God’s economy—Phil. 3:13-14; 1 Tim. 1:4.

Scripture Reading: Num. 24:17; Gen. 1:14-19; Dan. 12:3; Matt. 2:1-12; Rev. 1:16, 20; 2:1, 28; 3:1; 22:16; 2 Pet. 1:19; Gen. 22:17; Jude 12-13

Ⅰ　Numbers 24:17 says, “There shall come forth a Star out of Jacob”; this Star refers to Christ:
Ａ　The fulfillment of this type of Christ is found in the word of the magi, learned men from the east, recorded in Matthew 2:2: “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star at its rising and have come to worship Him”:
１　The magi did not say, “We saw a star,” or “We saw the star,” but “We saw His star.”
２　This is certainly the fulfillment of Numbers 24:17; the star spoken of in this verse was shown to these learned men; it did not appear to any of the people of Israel.
３　Whereas the Jews had the Scriptures concerning Christ and knew where He would be born (Matt. 2:4-6), the magi saw the star of Christ.
４　The Jews had the knowledge in letters concerning where Christ was to be born (Micah 5:2), but these learned men from the east received a living vision of Him; eventually, the star led them to the place where Christ was (Matt. 2:9-10).
５　Christ is the real Sun (Mal. 4:2), but strictly speaking, He does not appear as the Sun during the age of night; rather, He shines as a star; a star shines at night, but it indicates that day is coming.
６　When Christ came the first time, He appeared openly as a star, but when He comes the second time, He will be the morning star (Rev. 2:28; 22:16) to His overcomers, who watch for His coming; to all others Christ will later appear as the sun.
Ｂ　Matthew 2:1-12 reveals that to find Christ is a living matter; it is not a matter of mere doctrinal knowledge of the Bible:
１　The star appeared far away from the genuine religion, far away from the temple in the Holy Land, far away from the Jewish religious center, far away from the priests, the scribes, the Pharisees, and all the religious people; instead, there was a star showing something of Christ in a heathen land.
２　Merely to hold the Bible in our hand and read Micah 5:2, saying that Christ will be born in Bethlehem, does not work; we may have the Bible, but we may miss the heavenly star.
３　The star is the living revelation, the living vision, not the old and dead doctrinal knowledge of the Scriptures, not the dead knowledge of Micah 5:2; what we need today is not merely Bible knowledge but the heavenly vision, the up-to-date, instant vision, the living vision, the vision that human concepts can never teach.
４　Even if we have the knowledge of the Scriptures, we still need the instant, up-to-date, living star to lead us to the very street and the very house where Jesus is.
５　After receiving the living vision, the magi were misled by their human concept and went to Jerusalem, the capital of the Jewish nation, where its king was presumed to be; their being misled caused many young boys to be killed (Matt. 2:16).
６　When they arrived in Jerusalem and inquired concerning where the King of the Jews was to be born, we read that “when Herod the king heard this, he was troubled and all Jerusalem with him”—v. 3:
ａ　When they heard this news, they should have rejoiced; instead, they were troubled.
ｂ　A Christian who expects the Lord to come or who expects to be raptured should take this as a warning—2 Tim. 4:8; cf. Acts 26:16.
７　After the magi were corrected by the Scriptures (Matt. 2:4-6), they went to Bethlehem (vv. 8-9), and the star appeared to them again and led them to the place where Christ was, “and when they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy” (v. 10).
８　When the magi were corrected by the Scriptures and restored to the right track, the star appeared to them again; living vision always accompanies the Scriptures.
９　The priests were those who taught people the law (Mal. 2:7), and the scribes were those who knew the Scriptures (Ezra 7:6); both the priests and the scribes had knowledge concerning the birth of Christ (Matt. 2:5-6), but, unlike the magi from the east, they did not see the vision, nor did they have the heart to seek after Christ.
10　Regardless of how “scriptural” we are, if we lose the presence of the Lord, we are absolutely wrong; the New Testament way to find and follow the Lord is to continually stay in His hidden presence—John 5:39-40; Isa. 45:15; Exo. 33:11, 14; cf. 2 Cor. 5:16.
11　It is easy to accumulate scriptural knowledge, but if we would have living guidance, we must live in an intimate relationship with the Lord; we must be one with Him—2:10-14.
12　The magi saw Christ, and they worshipped Him; then they were warned by God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, so they departed into their own country “by another way” (Matt. 2:12); once we have seen Christ, we never take the same way, the way of religion apart from Christ, but we will always take another way.

Scripture Reading: Num. 11:29; Deut. 18:15-19; Acts 3:21-22; 1 Cor. 14:1, 3, 5, 24, 31

Ⅰ　Our God is a speaking God—Heb. 1:1-2a:
Ａ　God is a mystery, but this mystery has been revealed by God’s speaking—vv. 1-2a:
１　Without the divine speaking, God would remain forever unknowable—Luke 1:70; Acts 3:21.
２　Our God is the revealed God because He has revealed Himself in His speaking—Heb. 1:1-2a.
Ｂ　Every created thing came out of the word of God—Gen. 1:3; John 1:3:
１　The old creation—the whole universe—came into being by God’s speaking—Gen. 1:3, 6-7; Psa. 33:9; Rom. 4:17; Heb. 11:3.
２　The new creation was brought into being by the entire God speaking as the Word—John 1:1, 3; 5:24.
３　The speaking God continues to do all things through His speaking—Rom. 4:17.
Ｃ　The living God imparts and infuses Himself into us by speaking—2 Tim. 3:16-17:
１　When God speaks, the light shines, bringing us understanding, vision, wisdom, and utterance—Psa. 119:105, 130.
２　When God speaks, life is imparted, and this life includes all the divine attributes and human virtues of Christ—John 6:63; 1:1, 4.
３　When God speaks, power is transmitted, and this is the growing and producing power of life—Mark 4:14, 26.
Ｄ　In the Old Testament, God spoke in many portions and in many ways to the fathers in the prophets, in men borne by the Spirit—Heb. 1:1; 2 Pet. 1:21.
Ｅ　In the New Testament, God speaks in the Son, in the person of the Son—Heb. 1:2a:
１　This person was first an individual and then became corporate—Matt. 17:5; Acts 9:4; 1 Cor. 12:12.
２　God today speaks in a person, and this person has increased to be a corporate person, including all the apostles and all the members of this person’s Body—14:4b, 31.
３　The believers are all a part of the corporate Son; God is still speaking in the Son—Heb. 1:2a.
Ｆ　The speaking God desires to have a speaking people—Acts 4:31; 6:7; 12:24; 19:20; Col. 4:3; 2 Tim. 4:2; Rev. 1:2, 9.

Scripture Reading: Num. 12:1-15; 16:1—17:13; 20:2-13, 24; 27:12-14; 2 Cor. 10:8; 13:10

Ⅰ　God is the supreme authority; He has all authority—Rom. 9:21-22:
Ａ　God’s authority represents God Himself; God’s power only represents God’s works—Acts 17:24.
Ｂ　God’s authority is actually God Himself; authority issues out from God’s own being—Rev. 22:1.
Ｃ　All authority—spiritual, positional, and governmental—derives from God—2 Cor. 10:8; 13:10; John 19:10-11; Gen. 9:6.
Ｄ　When we touch God’s authority, we touch God Himself—Isa. 6:1-5:
１　Meeting God’s authority is the same as meeting God—Amos 4:12.
２　Offending God’s authority is the same as offending God Himself.
Ｅ　In our relationship with God, nothing is more important than touching authority—Acts 9:5; Matt. 11:25.
Ｆ　Knowing authority is an inward revelation rather than an outward teaching—Acts 22:6-16.
Ｇ　Only God is the direct authority to man; all other authorities are indirect authorities—delegated authorities, deputy authorities, appointed by God—Dan. 4:32, 34-37:
１　Only when we meet God’s authority can we submit to the delegated authority whom God appoints—Matt. 28:18; Heb. 13:17; 1 Pet. 5:5.
２　God requires that we submit not only to Him but to all delegated authorities—Rom. 13:1-7; 2 Cor. 10:8; 13:10; Heb. 13:17.
３　Those who do not submit to God’s indirect authority cannot submit to God’s direct authority.
４　God wants us to submit to indirect authority—delegated authorities—so that we may receive spiritual supply.
Ｈ　We all must meet authority, be restricted by God, and be led by His delegated authority—Isa. 37:16; Phil. 2:12; Heb. 13:17.

Scripture Reading: Num. 32:1-6, 12, 16-22, 33; Deut. 8:9; Col. 1:12; 2:6-7; Phil. 3:7-11, 14

Ⅰ　The all-inclusive Christ is typified by the good land, a land in which we will not lack anything—Deut. 8:9:
Ａ　Christ as the allotted portion of the saints (Col. 1:12) refers to the lot of the inheritance, as illustrated by the allotment of the good land of Canaan given to the children of Israel for their inheritance (Josh. 14:1):
１　The New Testament believers’ inheritance is not a physical land; it is the all-inclusive Christ; He is the pledge of our inheritance—Eph. 1:14.
２　He is the allotted portion of the saints as our divine inheritance for our enjoyment—Acts 26:18b.
Ｂ　God’s intention is to bring all His people into the good land, which typifies Christ as the goal; in the Old Testament God’s people journeyed and then arrived at the goal, but in the New Testament we, the believers, having been baptized into Christ, are already in the goal—Rom. 6:3; Gal. 3:27; 1 Cor. 1:30; Col. 2:6 and footnotes.
Ｃ　The good land today is Christ as the all-inclusive Spirit (v. 6; Gal. 3:14), who dwells in our spirit (2 Tim. 4:22; Rom. 8:16) to be our enjoyment; to walk according to this Spirit (v. 4; Gal. 5:16) is the central and crucial point in the New Testament:
１　Colossians 2:6-7 reveals that Christ as the good land is the rich soil in which we have been rooted so that we may grow with the elements that we absorb from the soil—cf. 1 Cor. 3:6, 9; Col. 2:19.
２　If we have been rooted in Christ, we shall spontaneously walk in Christ—living, acting, moving, and having our being in Christ.
３　The only way to become deeply rooted in Christ is to contact the Lord and spend time with Him in the Word with much prayer; we first grow downward and then bear fruit upward—Eph. 5:26; 6:17-18; Isa. 37:31.
４　While we walk in Christ, we will be built up in Christ to live out Christ; this living out of Christ will produce the corporate expression of Christ, the church life—Col. 2:6-7.
５　Every morning we need to take adequate time to absorb the Lord; although even ten minutes is good, it is best to spend thirty minutes to enjoy Him at the start of each new day; as we spend time contacting the Lord in the morning and throughout the day in our spirit, we will spontaneously absorb into us the riches of Christ as the soil.
６　We must take time to enjoy the Lord as the all-inclusive land so that all the elements of Christ as the rich soil may be absorbed into us for us to be made full in Him in our experience—v. 10a; 4:2:
ａ　If we would absorb the riches of Christ as the soil, we need to have tender, new roots; we should not let ourselves get old but be fresh and renewed every day—2 Cor. 4:16; cf. Deut. 34:7; Luke 11:34-36; Acts 3:19-20; Psa. 16:11.
ｂ　We need to forget our situation, our condition, our failures, and our weaknesses and simply take time to absorb the Lord so that we may be built up in Him for the building up of His Body, His corporate expression—Luke 8:13; Matt. 14:22-23; 6:6.