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Scripture Reading: Ezek. 1:11-14; Rom. 12:4-5
Ezekiel 1:11b-14 reveals a very clear picture of coordination. No other verses in the Bible present the matter of coordination in such a definite and practical way. In this message we will begin to consider the coordination of the four living creatures described in this portion of Ezekiel 1.
Ezekiel 1:11b says, “Two wings of every one were joined one to another, and two covered their bodies.” Here we see that two of their wings are for moving, and this moving is in coordination. By two of their wings they are joined to one another, and in this way they are coordinated. As we have seen, the living creatures use the other two wings to cover themselves.
We have also seen that in the Old Testament the eagle’s wings signify the divine power, the divine strength, and the divine supply. This indicates that the coordination of the living creatures is not in themselves. In themselves they do not have the ability to be coordinated. Their coordination is in the divine power, in the divine strength, and in the divine supply because the eagle’s wings are the means for them to be coordinated with one another. Thus, their coordination does not depend on themselves; it does not depend on what they are or on what they can do. Their coordination depends on the eagle’s wings. The eagle’s wings are the means by which they are coordinated and move as one. God Himself is the power and strength, and it is by this divine power and strength that they are coordinated.
The same principle can be seen in the tabernacle. The tabernacle was built of forty-eight boards coordinated into one entity. These boards were coordinated into one building not by themselves but by the overlaying gold (Exo. 26:29-30). All the boards were overlaid with gold. Upon the overlaying gold were the golden rings, and through the golden rings were golden bars. The gold, therefore, coordinated all forty-eight boards into one entity. The overlaying gold signifies the divine nature and indicates that God Himself is the coordinating factor that enables all the parts of the divine building to be one.
In themselves the living creatures are separate and are individuals, but with the eagle’s wings they are coordinated as one body. This indicates that the coordination among us Christians is not something of ourselves. What we have in ourselves does not coordinate — it divides. Whatever we are in ourselves, whatever we have in ourselves, and whatever we do in ourselves result not in coordination but in division and separation. However, we have the eagle’s wings, and with the eagle’s wings we can be one and we can be coordinated.
It is important for us to realize why we need to be coordinated. We must be coordinated as living creatures in order that Christ may be expressed and manifested. Also, the coordination of the living creatures is for the Lord’s move. The Lord moves in the center of the coordination of the living creatures. Furthermore, coordination is the divine administration, the divine government. The throne upon which the Lord is, the throne which is for God’s administration, is in the center of this coordination. Thus, the coordination of the living creatures is for the Lord’s expression and manifestation, for the Lord’s move, and for the divine government.
Now we need to see how the four living creatures are coordinated. Each of the living creatures faces one direction, respectively facing north, south, east, and west. As they face these four directions, two of their wings spread out and touch the adjacent creatures’ wings, forming a square. Each of the living creatures uses two of his wings to join with other living creatures.
Ezekiel 1:12 says, “And they went every one straight forward: whither the spirit was to go, they went; and they turned not when they went.” Here we see that every one of the living creatures goes straight forward. They do not turn, but some return, that is, move backward. For instance, while one of the living creatures is moving toward the north, the living creature facing the south must return, moving backward. Thus, one goes straight forward while the opposite creature moves backward. At the same time, the other two living creatures must move sideways. One moves sideways to the left, and the other moves sideways to the right. No matter in which direction the living creatures are moving, there is no need for any one of them to turn. One simply goes straight forward; one returns, moving backward; and the other sides move sideways. This is a beautiful picture of the coordination that we need in the church life.
Certain brothers and sisters cannot tolerate being coordinated together. Instead, they prefer to be separated and to do things on their own. As long as they are separated, there is no suffering. Once they are coordinated, there is a kind of suffering, because in coordination there is no freedom or convenience.
Coordination keeps us from making turns. If one is moving by himself, he may first move to the north and then turn and move to the east. Later he may turn again to move to the south and eventually turn once more and move to the west. He moves in many directions by making many turns. In the Lord’s ministry, on the contrary, there is no such turning. Instead, one moves straight forward, and those who coordinate with him move either backward or sideways.
If someone acts without coordination in the church service, doing things on his own, he will make a number of turns. If he functions in the way of doing many different things by himself, it will be necessary for him to make many turns. In the church service, however, there is no need for turns. Everyone has his function and position. He can simply go straight forward in his function and position. If there is the need to move in another direction, others can take care of that. There is no need for anyone to turn.
In the church life we all need to learn not only how to walk straight forward but also how to walk backward (that is, to return) and to walk sideways. Although this may seem quite awkward, we all need to learn this lesson. Otherwise, we cannot be coordinated.
One problem is that certain brothers and sisters either want to do everything or do nothing at all. Those who want to do everything want to be able to move in every direction. If they are asked to move in a particular direction, they will also want to move in other directions. This means that they want to make a lot of turns. No matter what direction is needed in the church service, they want to be able to walk in that direction.
In the proper coordination there are no turns. You walk straight forward or you either return by walking backward or you walk sideways. It is particularly difficult to walk sideways, and many brothers and sisters are unable to do this.
We need the proper coordination in the local churches. In some churches certain brothers and sisters are very capable and make many turns. Others are not very capable, so they do nothing. As a result, there is no coordination. If we would have coordination in the church life, we all need to learn to walk straight forward, to walk backward, and to walk sideways.
If in a local church one brother has a ministry to preach the gospel and another has a ministry to build up the saints, they must coordinate. Otherwise, they may cause a problem. If there were only one ministry — the ministry of preaching the gospel of building up the saints — there would be little or no problem. However, if brothers with different ministries do not know how to coordinate, they will compete and may even strive against each other. The brother who is burdened for the gospel may contend for the outreach and the increase, and he may try to convince others to join him. The brother who is burdened for the building up of the saints may criticize the one who is burdened for the gospel, claiming that he brings in new ones but does not care for them. Then he might encourage others to help him to take care of the new ones. The result of this lack of coordination between these two brothers may be division, with some concerned only for the gospel and others concerned only for shepherding.
Since brothers have different ministries, what should they do? They should learn to coordinate. This means that when the brother who is burdened for the gospel is functioning, moving straight forward, the brother who is burdened for shepherding should learn to walk backward. Likewise, when the brother who is burdened for shepherding is functioning and moving straight forward, the brother who is burdened to preach the gospel should walk backward. The other saints should follow these two, walking sideways, sometimes in the direction of the ministry of gospel preaching and at other times in the direction of the ministry of shepherding.
We should also practice this kind of coordination in the meetings. Some brothers like to shout, and others prefer to be quiet. Sometimes those who like to shout need to walk backward and learn to be quiet. At other times those who are quiet should walk backward and learn to praise the Lord with a loud voice. The problem is that neither those who like to shout nor those who prefer to be quiet may be willing to walk backward. In the meetings we need to learn to walk straight forward, backward, and sideways. Such a practice will keep us from having divisions in the meetings.
In the church life we need to be able to walk straight forward, backward, and sideways. This will cause us to be truly coordinated.
To walk backward is to say “Amen” to another’s ministry, function, and burden. While one brother is walking straight forward according to his burden, you should say “Amen” and walk backward in coordination with him. To walk sideways is also to say “Amen” to another’s function. The problem today is that in the churches there are too many turns and too little of the backward walk and the sideways walk. It is very difficult to help the brothers and sisters to walk sideways. Few are willing to walk in this way.
In a local church a certain brother may be very active in taking care of a particular service. He does a good job in this matter, but he is constantly searching for capable ones to join him in this service. He cares only for this service and neither for the preaching of the gospel nor for the building up of the saints. Because he cares only for his particular service, eventually he will cause a problem in that church. From this we can see that it is easy for us to cause a division, but it is difficult for us to have the proper and real coordination.
We all need to keep our position and go straight forward. We also need to learn to walk backward and sideways, saying “Amen” to another’s position, function, and ministry. This means that in the church life we all need to learn to have four kinds of walk: the straight forward walk, the backward walk, the sideways walk to the right, and the sideways walk to the left. If we do not learn to have these four kinds of walk, we will become a problem to our local church. The more we grow, learn, function, and minister, the more trouble we will cause because we know only how to walk forward and to have turns.
We need to realize that there are no turns in the proper coordination. There is no turning to the right or to the left. Instead, we have the four kinds of walk — straight forward, backward, sideways to the right, and sideways to the left.
If you are the one who is walking straight forward, you must be very careful to walk according to the leading of the Spirit. Ezekiel 1:12 says, “Wither the spirit was to go, they went.” To follow the Spirit is the responsibility of the one walking straight forward; it is not the responsibility of those walking backward or sideways. If the one who is walking straight forward is not careful to follow the leading of the Spirit, the coordination will be damaged.
For example, it is right that one brother should have a ministry of preaching the gospel and that another brother should have a ministry of shepherding. But there must be the leading of the Spirit concerning the time for preaching the gospel and the time for shepherding. When it is time for the church to carry out the ministry of preaching the gospel, the brother with this ministry should take the lead under the guidance of the Spirit, and the whole church should follow and be one with this brother. Those with a different ministry or function should coordinate by walking backward or sideways.
Sometimes a certain brother should take the lead to move in a certain direction. However, because he is naturally humble, he hesitates and does not take the lead in a bold way. This causes the church to be delayed and to have no direction for its going on. At other times one who should not be leading takes the lead. This damages the church life. When it is time for you to take the lead, do it boldly. When it is time for others to take the lead, learn to walk backward or sideways. This will enable the church to go on in a good way.
At this point we need to consider the issue, the result, of the coordination of the four living creatures — the burning coals and the burning torches. We all need to bear the likeness of living creatures, the likeness of a man, and the likeness of burning coals and burning torches.
Ezekiel 1:13 says, “As for the likeness of the living creatures, their appearance was like burning coals of fire, and like the appearance of lamps: it went up and down among the living creatures; and the fire was bright, and out of the fire went forth lightning.” Here we see that the result of the coordination of the living creatures is that they become burning coals. There is a fire among them and within them. Because they are coordinated ones, God comes in as fire, and each of them becomes a burning coal.
How can we know whether or not there is the proper coordination in a particular local church? We know this by the presence of the burning coals. If there are no burning coals in a certain church, there is no coordination there. Where there is coordination, there will surely be the burning coals.
In the coordination we burn one another. You burn me, and I burn you. However, if we are isolated from the saints and do not attend the meetings, we will not be burning coals. Instead, we will be cold, black coals. The spiritual principle is that we burn one another. From experience we can testify that the more we coordinate together, the more we burn one another. The issue, the result, of coordination is that we all become burning coals.
The burning of the coals does at least three things. First, it burns out everything that is negative. If something is put upon a heap of burning coals, that thing will be burned. If there is proper coordination in the church, there will be a burning to burn away such things as worldliness, the flesh, self-aims, self-goals, pride, opinions, and boasting. All kinds of negative things will be burned away by the coordination. Anything that does not correspond to God and to the nature of God will be burned out by the sanctifying and purifying fire of the burning coals, and only what is of God will remain. This is the proper condition of the church life.
Second, the burning of the coordination will make us fervent, intensely hot. Instead of coldness and lukewarmness, everyone will be burned and burning. When others come to the church, they will realize that they cannot stay unless they are willing to be burned. Coordination brings in a real burning, a genuine fervency. This burning will not allow you to be like the church in Laodicea, which was lukewarm, having no fervency, no burning.
Third, the burning in the coordination produces the power and impact of the church. The impact in a local church comes out of the burning. This power is internal and mysterious because it comes from the burning. If you want to have impact, you must be coordinated, and in this coordination you will become burning. Then out of this burning will be the impact and the power. The negative things will be consumed, you will be set on fire, and you will have power and impact.
The four living creatures look not only like burning coals but also like burning torches. Whereas the coals are for burning, the torches are for enlightening. From the proper coordination in a local church, there will not only be burning but also enlightening and shining. If a church is normal in its condition, it will be full of burning coals and enlightening torches.
Whenever the coals are burning, the torches will be shining. This means that the sanctifying fire becomes the sanctifying light. The more the fire burns, the more the light enlightens. If the fire burns us thoroughly, we will be enlightened thoroughly. However, if we do not allow the sanctifying fire to burn us in a certain matter, we will not be enlightened regarding this matter. The areas in which we have been burned by the sanctifying fire spontaneously become the areas in which we are enlightened and concerning which we can enlighten others. If a particular aspect of your character has been burned by the sanctifying fire, in this matter you will be enlightened, and thus you will be able to enlighten others in this matter.
The more intensely the fire burns in the church, the brighter will be the shining in that church. Everything negative will be exposed and burned. In the proper church life there should be nothing of darkness among the brothers and sisters. Every corner should be thoroughly enlightened.
However, it may be that when you visit a certain local church, you have the sense that that church is in darkness. Nothing is clear, and nothing is in the light; rather, everything is dark, and every part is under darkness. There is darkness because the church is divided and does not have the proper coordination. If the church has the proper coordination, everything will be under the light.
Among the coordinated living creatures, who are burning coals and burning torches, there is the fire going up and down. This indicates that the fire is not static but is always moving, because the fire is God Himself. Whenever the church is properly coordinated, burning as coals and enlightening as torches, there will be the divine fire going up and down.
The fire among the living creatures has its source in God’s burning fire. God’s fire is not next to the living creatures; it is above them. There is fire with the living creatures because in their fellowship they allow God to move freely among them. Thus, the fire in their fellowship is the likeness of God’s fire.
On the one hand, Ezekiel 1 shows us that God is a burning fire. On the other hand, this chapter shows us that there is a burning fire among the four living creatures. The likeness of God is burning fire, and the likeness of the four living creatures also is burning fire. This indicates that the living creatures have the likeness of God’s sanctification. They are like God in sanctification. From this we see that the more we are burned and enlightened, the more we have God’s likeness and express Him. If we are fervent and bright, we will be full of God and will express God.
Ezekiel 1:13b says, “The fire was bright, and out of the fire went forth lightning.” The fact that the fire was bright indicates that the living creatures manifested a glorious and majestic condition. This should be the condition in the church life today. If this is the situation in the church, there will be no discord. On the contrary, the younger ones will obey the older ones, and the older ones will serve the younger ones. Such a situation is beautiful and radiant.
If we want this to be the condition of the church, we must be thoroughly burned and enlightened. The more we are burned and enlightened, the more others will see the brightness of God’s glory, beauty, and majesty.
In the fire there is not only brightness but also the flashing of lightning. Whereas the brightness is usual, the flashing of lightning is special, as it is often related to storms and darkness. Ordinarily, the church should be full of God’s enlightening with its brightness. However, at special times — in an emergency or in a crisis — there may be the flashing of lightning. This means that at special times there may be a special light that flashes suddenly and causes others to be astonished.
Verse 14 says, “And the living creatures ran and returned as the appearance of a flash of lightning.” This indicates that the living creatures, having such a coordination, being the burning coals and the burning torches, and having the fire going up and down, will not walk but run. They run because they have the power and the impact.
In some churches, however, there is no running. Instead, there is fighting. In other churches the saints are either sitting or squatting. In still other churches they may be crawling. A proper church is a church that runs.
The church runs because in that church there is the proper coordination. The church runs like lightning, and as the church runs it gives light to others. This is the coordination, and this is the proper move of a local church. Every local church should be like this. Since the coordination is for the move and the move is in the coordination, with such a coordination there is the move of a local church.
These verses in Ezekiel 1 show us how to have the proper coordination. We have seen that if we would have this kind of coordination, we need to have four kinds of walk: the straight forward walk, the backward walk, the sideways walk to the right, and the sideways walk to the left. This will give us a good coordination. As a result of this coordination, we will become burning coals and shining and enlightening torches, and we will have God as the divine fire among us going up and coming down. This will become our power and our impact. Others will see the light in our running. Wherever we go and whatever we do, we will manifest the lightning. With us there will be the flashing of light, causing others to be enlightened. This moving is the proper church life. Such a coordination will bring in the Lord’s presence and blessing, and it will keep the church in a proper balance, preventing it from going to extremes.
We should apply this matter of coordination not only in a particular local church but also among the churches. This means that we should be followers of the churches (1 Thes. 2:14). We are one Body in one move of the Lord. When one church takes the lead in a definite direction under the leading of the Holy Spirit, we all should walk backward and sideways to follow.
