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Scripture Reading: Ezek. 1:11-14; Rom. 12:4-5
Concerning the vision in chapter one of Ezekiel, we have paid close attention to the wind, the cloud, the fire, and the electrum, to the four faces of the living creatures — the faces of a man, a lion, an ox, and an eagle — and to the eagle’s wings, the man’s hands, and the calf’s hoofs. In the previous message we began to consider the coordination of the four living creatures, and in this message we will consider this matter further.
It is crucial for us to realize that Ezekiel 1 shows us the desire of God’s heart and unveils to us the purpose that God wants to accomplish. As we read this chapter, we may think that it speaks merely about four living creatures. However, if we read this chapter carefully, we will see that it speaks of God’s desire to be expressed in His Son. The four faces of the living creatures signify the complete and adequate expression of Christ. Furthermore, the four living creatures with their four faces signify a coordinated, corporate entity, the corporate Christ (1 Cor. 12:12). This corporate Christ is the corporate expression of God among human beings.
The four living creatures exist for at least three reasons. First, these living creatures are for God’s expression. God in the Son wants to express Himself among men. Second, the living creatures are for God’s move. As they coordinate together, they are full of burning, shining, and enlightening, and the great and high wheel, which is for God’s move, follows them. This one entity composed of four living creatures is both for God’s expression and His move. Their expression of God is for the move of God. Third, the living creatures are for God’s administration. Over their heads was the likeness of an expanse, or a firmament (Ezek. 1:22), and “above the firmament that was over their heads was the likeness of a throne” (v. 26). The throne is for God’s ruling, God’s administration. When God has His expression, move, and administration, He can manifest Himself in His glory and complete His eternal purpose and plan.
Today many Christians think that the reason for believing in the Lord Jesus is that they may have peace and well being in the present and that in the future they may go to heaven to enjoy eternal bliss. This thought falls far short of the divine revelation. In Ezekiel 1 God reveals that He needs a group of living creatures who can coordinate together as one entity for His expression, move, and administration. When God gains such a corporate expression, His purpose will be accomplished.
In the church life God’s plan is fulfilled on a small scale. We who have received grace and have experienced the wind, the cloud, the fire, and the electrum are a group of living creatures with four faces to express Christ. We have God’s grace and power as the wings for both moving and covering. We also have the calf’s hoofs and thereby have a walk that is full of discernment, enlightening, and freshness. Now we can be coordinated together for God’s expression, move, and administration. If this is our situation in the church life, then when others contact us, they will say, “God is among you.” There needs to be such an expression of Christ in the church life today.
Regarding the coordination of the living creatures, there are five points that we need to consider: the basis of coordination, the need of coordination, the prerequisites of coordination, the practical condition of coordination, and the result of coordination.
The basis of the coordination of the living creatures has a number of aspects.
The basis of our coordination as living creatures is, first, that we all are out of Christ. You are out of Christ and I am out of Christ; therefore, we can coordinate together.
By His blood the Lord has purchased us for God “out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation” (Rev. 5:9). No matter what our race or nationality may be, we all are out of Christ and we can coordinate together as one entity in Christ. If we were not of Christ and if we were not in Christ, we could not coordinate together. But although in Adam we have many differences, in Christ we can be blended together and we can coordinate together.
We are not only out of Christ — we also have the same life, the life of Christ. Outwardly we are quite different, but inwardly we all have Christ as our life (Col. 3:4). Therefore, we have the same life.
In 1933 I visited some Japanese brothers and sisters in the Lord. I could not understand Japanese, and they could not understand Chinese. Nevertheless, when we knelt down to pray together, we had a sense of freshness and sweetness in our spirits. This indicates that we, the living creatures, all are out of Christ and that we all have the same life, the life of Christ. If we reject everything that is not Christ, we will be one entity in Christ and we will be able to coordinate together.
Another aspect of the basis of coordination is having the same heart’s desire to express Christ. Deep within many believers, including those who have fallen away from Him, is the desire to express Christ and glorify Him. To glorify the Lord, to express Him, is to live Him out. As a genuine living creature, every Christian who has experienced the wind, the cloud, the fire, and the electrum has such a desire to express Christ.
The basis of our coordination is that we are out of Christ, that we have the life of Christ, and that we wish to glorify Christ and express Christ. Now, because of this, we can coordinate together.
A proverb says, “Birds of a feather flock together.” Since we all are out of Christ and have the same life and the same desire to express Christ, we are “birds of a feather” and we “flock together” to become one entity in Christ. This is the basis of our coordination.
I hope that every believer will understand the we cannot be Christians in isolation. Basically, as believers in Christ we are a collective entity, and we cannot do anything alone. The vision in Ezekiel 1 shows us that we need to be corporate and that we need to be in coordination.
Coordination is necessary for God’s expression. We have pointed out that the four living creatures are for God’s expression in Christ. In order for God to have a corporate expression of Himself in Christ, we need to be joined together and knit together with all the saints and thereby become one entity. If we are isolated, we cannot express Christ adequately.
Each of the living creatures has four faces. However, if we were to look at the living creatures one by one, we could not see all four faces at the same time. Only when the living creatures are coordinated together can we see all four faces simultaneously. This indicates that as individual believers we cannot express Christ completely and adequately. For the corporate expression of Christ, we need to be joined together, knit together, and coordinated together.
Coordination is also necessary for God’s move. The spreading of the gospel of God, the advancement of God’s move on earth, the execution of God’s will, the progress of the church of God — all this requires coordination. It is impossible for us to accomplish these things as individual Christians. Through our experience in serving the Lord, we have learned that coordination is necessary for every aspect of God’s move. The great wheel of God moves according to the coordination of the living creatures.
Furthermore, coordination is necessary for God’s administration. In Ezekiel 1 the throne of God’s administration is upheld not by any individual living creature but by the coordination of all four living creatures. Thus, coordination is necessary for God’s expression, God’s move, and God’s administration.
Now we need to see the prerequisites of coordination.
The prerequisites of coordination include the matters of the wind, the cloud, the fire, and the electrum. In order to coordinate with other Christians, we need to pass through the experience of the wind, the cloud, the fire, and the electrum to become living creatures bearing a human image and, in the grace of the Lord, manifesting Christ in four aspects as a man, a lion, an ox, and an eagle. Having the wings of an eagle, we must deny the self and rely on the grace and power of God. We also need the man’s hands and the calf’s hoofs. These are the prerequisites of coordination.
Suppose a certain person has not passed through the experience of the wind, the cloud, the fire, and the electrum, yet he is a nominal Christian. Such a person cannot participate in the coordination of the four living creatures.
Suppose another person, a genuine believer in Christ, has experienced the wind, the cloud, the fire, and the electrum and thus has become a living creature. However, he is not willing to allow the Lord to continue His work on him. As a result, he does not manifest the expression of a man, a lion, an ox, and an eagle, and therefore he cannot coordinate with others for God’s expression, move, and administration. Because he stays in himself and because he expresses himself in every word and action, it is impossible for him to coordinate with others.
We should not think that it is easy for us to express, to live out, the faces of a man, a lion, an ox, and an eagle. This requires much experience of the dealing of the cross. Today, although many brothers and sisters have passed through the experience of the wind, the cloud, the fire, and the electrum, they are not willing to allow the cross to work in them. Therefore, they do not have the expression of the four living creatures.
Instead of having the expression of an eagle in their daily living, some believers may have the expression of a creeping thing. Ephesians 4:26 says, “Be angry, yet do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your indignation.” To be angry is not a sin, but with it there is the possibility of committing sin. We should not continue in anger but should relinquish it before the sun sets. However, when certain brothers and sisters get angry, they do not let go of it. Because they do not overcome their anger and do not let it go, they have the expression of a creeping thing, not of an eagle.
The situation is the same with believers who are unwilling to forgive those who have offended them. Once certain brothers and sisters are offended by what is spoken to them or what is spoken concerning them, they will refuse to forgive that offense. They may go through their whole life without forgiving the ones who have offended them. Believers who lack the willingness to forgive offenses surely do not have the eagle’s wings, and they certainly cannot coordinate with other saints. Those who do not accept the dealing of the cross and enjoy grace are not able to share in the coordination of the four living creatures.
There are some brothers and sisters who are reluctant to part with and forget such things as their education, money, and career. Therefore, they also have the expression not of an eagle but of a creeping thing. However, one who enjoys grace will count his career or education as loss (Phil. 3:7). Even if he has a doctoral degree, he will count it as refuse (v. 8). Because he is willing to receive the dealing of the cross and because he enjoys grace, he has the eagle’s wings and he can coordinate with others.
Brothers and sisters who do not understand God’s grace and power but do everything in themselves and with their cleverness and natural ability cannot coordinate with others. Those who can coordinate are those who deny themselves, reject themselves, regard themselves as nothing, and trust in God’s grace, power, and work in everything and for everything. These ones can easily coordinate with others. Actually, there is no need for them to endeavor to coordinate; they coordinate spontaneously and effortlessly because they are in God, not in themselves. Those who are in themselves cannot coordinate, but those who are in God can coordinate with ease.
In order to participate in the coordination of the living creatures, we must have the hands of a man. This means that we need to be a proper man. If we are lacking in the proper humanity, there will be problems in our coordination.
This was the situation with a certain brother who insisted on visiting a particular family at a time that was inconvenient for them. The brother was determined to visit this family at meal time, even though the saints in that family felt that meal time was not a suitable time for him to visit. This brother might have had the wings of an eagle, but he did not have the hands of a man. A few days after his visit, we received a report from a family member about what happened. The brother visited the family at lunch time, expecting to be served a meal. However, the wife was sick and could not prepare anything for him to eat. Nevertheless, the brother sat in the house, waiting for lunch to be served, even though the husband was busy caring for his wife and could not provide anything for the visitor to eat. This brother did not have the hands of a man; he did not have the proper humanity. This kind of person cannot coordinate with other saints.
In the vision in Ezekiel 1 we see not only the wings of an eagle but also the hands of a man. The divine revelation shows us that we need to be balanced. No matter how spiritual we may be, we still need to be a proper human. For example, a young brother may be quite spiritual, but when he is with an older person, he must have the proper human respect. If we do not have the hands of a man and if we do not have a balance of spirituality and the proper humanity, we cannot coordinate with others.
Another prerequisite of coordination is having the calf’s hoofs. If a certain brother does not have the calf’s hoofs, his walk will be crooked, and this will make it impossible for him to coordinate with others.
We all need to be clear regarding the prerequisites of coordination. The wind, the cloud, the fire, the electrum, the faces of a man, a lion, an ox, and an eagle, the eagle’s wings, and the man’s hands — all these are the prerequisites of entering into the coordination of the four living creatures.
Let us now go on to consider the practical condition of coordination.
Ezekiel 1:11b says, “Their wings were stretched upward; two wings of every one were joined one to another, and two covered their bodies.” This indicates that the four living creatures were arranged not in a line but in a square. We have pointed out that in the Bible the wings of an eagle signify the grace and power of God. If the four living creatures were not joined together by the wings to form a square, they could not be coordinated. This indicates that the coordination of the living creatures is in the Lord and by the grace of God.
If as believers in Christ we are not in the Lord and in the grace of God, we cannot be joined to others. But if we abide in God, rely on God, and express God, we can coordinate together in God. Our coordination, therefore, is not based on our ability and talent but on our dwelling in God and depending on God. If we all abide in God, trust in God, and express God, God will become the power and the means of our coordination. We will then coordinate and move in oneness because we are in God.
Just as the boards of the tabernacle in the Old Testament were held together by the gold to be one entity, so the living creatures are joined by the wings to be one unit. If the overlaying gold were removed from the boards of the tabernacle, the tabernacle would collapse. If the living creatures did not have wings, they could not be joined together. The meaning in both cases is the same: We are held together because we are in God. The crucial point here is that the oneness and coordination of the four living creatures depend on the eagle’s wings, that is, upon the grace and power of God. God’s grace and power make the living creatures one entity and are the means by which they coordinate.
This picture of coordination corresponds to the teaching in the New Testament. Romans 12:5 says, “So we who are many are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.” First Corinthians 12:13 says, “For also in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and were all given to drink one Spirit.” These verses reveal that we are joined together as one Body and coordinate as one Body because of Christ and the Spirit. If Christ and the Spirit were taken away from us, we could not be one and coordination would be impossible. The coordination in the church requires that we all deny the self and live in the Lord. Without the eagle’s wings we are separated, but with the eagle’s wings we are coordinated.
The second aspect of the practical condition of coordination is walking according to the Spirit (Ezek. 1:20). The living creatures follow the Spirit. Wherever the Spirit goes, there the living creatures go also. This indicates that if we, as living creatures in Christ, would be coordinated, we must walk by the Spirit (Gal. 5:16, 25). We must not follow ourselves. If we deny ourselves and walk according to the spirit (Rom. 8:4), we will have genuine coordination. However, if we walk in an arbitrary way according to self-will and if we live in the flesh, we cannot coordinate together.
Another aspect of the practical condition of coordination is moving straight forward and accommodating others. When the living creatures move, they go straight forward; they do not make any turns. If one living creature takes the lead to move straight forward toward the east, the other living creatures also move in this direction. This indicates that everyone functions properly in coordination. In the church life today, every member has his own function (1 Cor. 12:14-30) and moves in a straight forward direction to fulfill his function, without turning to do something else.
As one of the four living creatures moves forward in a particular direction, the others accommodate him by moving in the same direction, walking backward, sideways to the right, or sideways to the left. Only one living creature at a time can move forward. However, in moving with him, the others do not turn; rather, they walk backward or sideways. Regardless of the direction in which the living creatures move, one moves forward, one moves backward, and the others move sideways. Thus, those who move backward and sideways accommodate the one who moves forward.
This should be the situation in the church life today. Often we need to move backward or sideways in order to accommodate the one who is moving forward. In the meetings or in the practical service, as someone is exercising his function, moving forward, we need to accommodate him by moving either backward or sideways. This is coordination.
However, if everyone goes his own way and does not accommodate others, we cannot be a corporate entity and we cannot coordinate together. The move of the living creatures is not individual — it is corporate. The living creatures move by coordinating together. If we would participate in such a coordination, we need to deny ourselves, experience God’s grace, and follow the Spirit in a corporate way.
I believe that in the Bible the clearest picture of coordination is found in chapter one of Ezekiel. A central feature of the vision of the four living creatures is their coordination. Here we see not the move of an individual living creature but the corporate move of four living creatures. This portrays the move not of believers in an individual way but of the church in a corporate way. We, the living ones who are in the grace and power of God, have become one entity. Everyone has his ministry and carries out his proper function. This means that everyone goes forward in his own direction without making any turns. Although the directions may differ, the move is the same. When someone goes toward the north, all the others follow him to move in this direction. If someone else moves south, all the others move with him toward the south. Whenever someone is moving forward, all the others accommodate him by moving either backward or sideways. If we study the clear picture of the coordination of the living creatures in Ezekiel 1, we will understand what coordination is.
Finally, we need to see the various aspects of the result of coordination.
First, coordination results in the corporate expression of Christ.
Second, coordination results in those who coordinate together becoming burning and full of light. Because they are burning and shining, they can enlighten others.
Another result of coordination is God’s move, signified by the great wheel (vv. 16-19). As the living creatures coordinate together, the great wheel appears. This indicates that God’s move follows the coordination of the four living creatures. If there is no coordination, there cannot be the move of the great wheel.
The coordination of the four living creatures also results in God’s administration. The throne of the divine administration rests upon the coordination of the living creatures. Without such a coordination, God would not have a means of ruling and He would not have the means to express His authority and His glory.
A further result of coordination is the carrying out of God’s will and His plan. Because of the coordination of the four living creatures, there is a way for God’s will and God’s plan to be carried out.
We need to be impressed with the crucial importance of coordination. Before we can be coordinated together, we need to experience the wind, the cloud, the fire, and the electrum and thereby become the living creatures. Then we need to have the image of a man and the faces of a man, a lion, an ox, and an eagle. Furthermore, we must have the eagle’s wings, the man’s hands, and the calf’s hoofs. If we have all these things, then we will be able to coordinate together. This coordination will result in the corporate expression of Christ, in our becoming burning, shining, and full of light, in God’s move, in God’s ruling, and in the accomplishment of God’s eternal plan.
We need to see that coordination is the key to understanding the vision in Ezekiel 1. On the one hand, many things are for coordination; on the other hand, many things are based on coordination. Coordination is the key. May we all see this and may the Lord bring us all into a coordination with many other living creatures for the sake of the corporate expression of Christ, God’s move, and God’s administration.
