Morning Nourishment - The Up-to-date, Instant, and Living Vision of the Heavenly Christ as the Living Star
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Day 1
Verses: Matt. 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. Num. 24:17 I see Him, but not now; I behold Him, but not near. There shall come forth a Star out of Jacob, and a Scepter shall rise out of Israel, and He shall crush the corners of Moab and break down all the sons of Sheth. This Star [in Numbers 24:17] refers to Christ. . 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…The magi did not say, “We have seen a star,” or “We have seen the star,” but, “We have seen His star.”…The star spoken of in this verse was shown to these learned men; it did not appear to any of the people of Israel. 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. The Jews had the knowledge in letters concerning Christ, but these learned men from the east received a living vision concerning Him. Eventually the star led them to the place where Christ was (Matt. 2:9-10). Although Christ is the real Sun (Mal. 4:2), He does not appear as the Sun during this age of night. Rather, He shines as a star. A star shines at night, but it indicates that day is coming. 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. (The Conclusion of the New Testament, pp. 465-466)
Matthew 2:2…seems to indicate that the Lord Jesus was only for the Jews; however, those who first came to seek for the Lord were Gentiles. It was declared from the mouths of Gentiles that the Lord was the King of the Jews.
From this verse we can see that the Lord’s work was for both the Gentiles and the Jews…The Bible does not give us proof of how the magi from the east learned of the Lord’s birth, but we have some hint. (“Light”—Isa. 60:3; “He”—Psa. 72:4). The Gentiles also had prophets, Balaam being one of them. He was one of four prophets who prophesied the most concerning the Lord Jesus (Num. 24:17).
Perhaps these prophecies had spread in the east. Perhaps the magi from the east read the prophecy in Daniel. In his captivity in Babylon, when Daniel prophesied concerning the seventy weeks, he spoke the things concerning the Lord Jesus (Dan. 9:24-25). “To worship Him” was not to worship as one would worship God but to worship the Lord with the highest honor given to a human being.
At the time of Jesus’ birth…there is a record that some pagan men, magi, came to find Him (Matt. 2:1-12). Of course, this was initiated by God, not by them. God gave the magi a shining star to guide them (v. 2). This star did not appear in the Holy Land. It appeared to men far away—far away from the Holy Land; far away from the holy city; far away from the holy temple and the holy religion; far away from the Holy Bible, the holy people, and the holy priests. Far away from all these holy things, the shining star appeared to some pagan men in a pagan land.
The shining of that star stirred up these pagan wise men regarding the King of the Jews. I do not know how these wise men were stirred up regarding the King of the Jews, and I do not want to guess…At any rate, they came from the east, the Orient, and realized that the star indicated the King of the Jews. The wise men had the living vision, the heavenly star, and the Jewish religionists had the Bible. Which do you prefer to have—the Bible or the star? It is best to have both. I like to have the Bible in my hand, and I like to see the star in the heavens. It is best to be both a “pagan” and a “Jew” as well. (Life-study of Matthew, pp. 74-75)
Further Reading: CWWN, vol. 15, ch. 2; Life-study of Matthew, msg. 7; Truth Lessons—Level Four, vol. 1, lsn. 3
Day 2
Verses: Matt. 2:4-6 And gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. And they said to him, In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written through the prophet: “And you, Bethlehem, land of Judah, by no means are you the least among the princes of Judah; for out of you shall come forth a Ruler, One who will shepherd My people Israel.” Jesus was born in Bethlehem…The strange thing, however, is this: far away from the so-called Holy Land, far away from the genuine religion, far away from the temple, far away from the Jewish religious center, far away from the priests, the scribes, the Pharisees, and all the religious people, was a star showing something of Christ in a heathen land. It did not appear to the Jews, but to the Gentiles, the heathen…The first case of finding Christ in the Scriptures was not by the Bible. The magi did not have any Bible knowledge—they did not even have a Bible. Those chief priests and scribes knew the Bible so well, but the Lord did not go to them. He went far away to a heathen land to reveal this matter to some pagans, not through the Scriptures but through something which human hands cannot touch—a heavenly star. We may have the Bible, yet we may miss the star. To hold the book in our hand is easy, but to wait and look unto the star is rather difficult. We simply do not know when and where the star will appear. We may study the Scriptures and obtain a degree in those studies, and we may learn all that the Bible has to say about Christ, but we simply cannot determine when the star will come. The book was with the Jewish people, the religious people, but the star appeared to the heathen. Have you seen this? We may think that the star should have appeared to those priests praying in the temple, but it appeared to some pagans far away from the temple. (CWWL, 1970, vol. 1, “New Testament Service,” pp. 276-277)
We all need to see this star!…What is the star? The star is the living revelation, the living vision, not the dead knowledge of the Scriptures in the letter…What we need today is not merely Bible knowledge but the heavenly vision, the instant vision, the living vision, the vision that human concepts cannot teach. To know Christ today is something living, not according to the knowledge of the Bible in dead letters but according to the living, heavenly star. We cannot circumscribe, confine, or restrict the Lord with our religion… When we insist that we are right and others are wrong, the Lord may leave us and go to the ones who are wrong. Numbers 24:17 says, “There shall come forth a Star out of Jacob,” but this star did not appear to any of the people of Jacob. The star out of Jacob appeared to the pagans.
Now consider what the magi did: They saw the heavenly star and they followed it, but they made a great mistake…They realized that this star signified the King of the Jews; therefore, they reasoned that they should go to Jerusalem and inquire of those who would have knowledge of such matters. Their going, as we know, caused much trouble. I do believe that if they had not turned to their natural concept, but continually looked away to the star in the sky, the star would have gone before them all the time, leading them directly to the place where Jesus was.
They need not have gone to Jerusalem. They were thoroughly wrong and caused many young and innocent lives to be taken. The Jewish religious leaders had the knowledge, and the magi had the vision. Nevertheless, those who received the vision made a great mistake and, apart from divine intervention, would have caused the loss of the little child Jesus. (CWWL, 1970, vol. 1, “New Testament Service,” pp. 277-278)
Further Reading: Finding Christ by the Living Star (booklet); CWWL, 1970, vol. 3, “Being Delivered from Religious Rituals and Walking according to the Spirit,” chs. 2, 10
Day 3
Verses: Micah 5:2 (But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, so little to be among the thousands of Judah, from you there will come forth to Me He who is to be Ruler in Israel; and His goings forth are from ancient times, from the days of eternity.) Matt. 2:10 And when they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. When the magi arrived in Jerusalem, Herod was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him (Matt. 2:3)…Why was all Jerusalem troubled at the birth of the One for whom they were waiting? This is religion. I am afraid that many who are seemingly for the Lord’s return will be troubled by His coming. Then Herod called the chief priests and scribes of the people together and inquired of them where the Christ was to be born (v. 4). The scribes were those among the people who had doctor’s degrees in theology. Immediately, they answered, “Bethlehem.” They gave him the right book, the right chapter, and the right verse. They quoted Micah 5:2, but did any one of them go to Bethlehem? Not one! They were troubled by the news, but no one cared to go and see what had happened. (CWWL, 1970, vol. 1, “New Testament Service,” pp. 278-279)
Then the magi left Jerusalem, and, “Behold, the star which they saw at its rising led them…When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy” (Matt. 2:9-10). When the magi came into religion, they missed the star; but when they left religion, the star appeared to them. They could not find living guidance in Jerusalem. They did not receive the heavenly vision in religion; they had to leave. When they departed from Jerusalem, behold, the star went before them. In principle, it is the same today.
Micah 5:2 was the holy writing, the Holy Scripture, prophesying that Jesus would be born in Bethlehem. However, by that verse alone you could not find Jesus. You would know in what city Jesus was to be born, but you would not know on what street or in what house…Even if you have the knowledge of the Scriptures, you still need the instant, up-to-date, living star to lead you to the very street and the very house where Jesus is.
You may have the Bible knowledge, but you still need the living guidance…It is easy to accumulate scriptural knowledge, but if you would have living guidance, you need to live in an intimate relationship with the Lord; you need to be one with Him. The Word says that the star “led them until it came and stood over the place where the child was” (Matt. 2:9). The heavenly star led the magi to the very spot. This is all we need…How can we find Christ and serve Him? Not merely by Bible knowledge but by the living star.
Not one found Christ merely according to Bible knowledge; those who followed the heavenly star found Him and worshipped Him. Do we need the knowledge of the Scriptures? Of course we do. It helps, but there is a condition: the living, instant guidance, the guidance of this very moment to lead us to the very spot where Jesus is, is indispensable. Without this living guidance we may know the Bible, but we may not be able to arrive where Jesus is. It is the living guidance that brings us to Jesus so that we may worship Him and offer our gifts to Him. The magi saw Christ, and they worshipped Him.
Then we read in the Bible some significant words—they were divinely instructed in a dream not to return to Herod; therefore, they departed “by another way” to their country (Matt. 2:12)…After we have seen the living Christ, we will take another way; we will not go the same way we came…We came the wrong way; now the Lord has adjusted us so that we will go on by the right way. We should not go back through Jerusalem…If we have seen Christ, we need to take another way. (CWWL, 1970, vol. 1, “New Testament Service,” pp. 279-280)
Further Reading: CWWL, 1990, vol. 1, “The Triune God to Be Life to the Tripartite Man,” ch. 9; CWWL, 1970, vol. 1, “New Testament Service,” chs. 5—6
Day 4
Verses: Rev. 1:20 The mystery of the seven stars…and the seven golden lampstands: The seven stars are the messengers of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches. Dan. 12:3 And those who have insight will shine like the shining of the heavenly expanse, and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars, forever and ever. The star in Matthew 2 is only the beginning of this matter in the New Testament. If we go to the last book, the book of Revelation, we see two things concerning this matter. The first is that the Lord Jesus is the star, not the evening star but the morning star; second, we see that all the messengers of the churches are stars. Here we should realize that the messengers are not the heavenly beings but the spiritual people who take the spiritual responsibility in the church—they are the stars. In this book we have Christ as the morning star and those faithful followers of Christ in the churches as the stars. Now where is the star? It is so clear that the star today is in the church. (CWWL, 1970, vol. 1, “New Testament Service,” pp. 285-286)
At the beginning of the New Testament the star was outside of religion, but at the end of the New Testament the star is within the church. Have you seen these two ends of the New Testament?…Today the star is in the church and among the churches. The Root and the Offspring of David, the Son of God as well as the Son of Man, Jesus Christ as the morning star, is walking today among the local churches. Not only is Christ Himself the star, but also His followers, the shining ones in the churches, are stars. In Acts and the Epistles the leading ones were called elders, but in the last book of the Bible they are the stars…All the leading ones of the local churches should be shining stars.
What does it mean to be a star? Daniel 12:3 gives the answer…The stars are those who shine in darkness and turn people from the wrong way to the right way. Now, during the church age, is the time of night. Therefore, we need the shining of the stars. None of the leading ones in the local churches should claim their position; they should not say, “I am one of the elders; you must recognize me.” If they say this, they are in darkness. We need brothers and sisters who shine; we need the shining stars. It is by the shining in today’s darkness that people receive the guidance and are turned from the wrong way to the right way. Anything that is wrong is unrighteousness; whatever is right is righteousness. Those who turn many to righteousness are the stars that shine forever and ever.
In the beginning of the New Testament there was mention of only one star in the heavens, but at the end of the New Testament there are seven stars in seven local churches. In every local church there is a star; in every local church there is something shining, leading people to the right way. About forty years ago, I was turned from the wrong way to the right way by this star in the local church. So many dear ones today can also testify to this fact; they can say, “Hallelujah, I have seen the star in the local church. It was the star in the church that turned me to the right way.”
How do we have the New Testament service? It is simply by following the star. And where is the star?…Today the star is in the local churches. The Bible ends with this word: “I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the bright morning star. And the Spirit and the bride say, Come!” (Rev. 22:16-17). Today the star is with the Spirit and with the bride. Where the Spirit is, there is the star; where the bride is, where the church is, there is the star. (CWWL, 1970, vol. 1, “New Testament Service,” pp. 286-287)
Further Reading: CWWL, 1991-1992, vol. 1, “Elders’ Training, Book 11: The Eldership and the God-ordained Way (3),” ch. 1; Life-study of Revelation, msgs. 9, 14
Day 5
Verses: 2 Pet. 1:19 And we have the prophetic word made more firm, to which you do well to give heed as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. Phil. 2:13 For it is God who operates in you both the willing and the working for His good pleasure. In the days of the magi, the seeing of the star was a miraculous occurrence, but today to see the morning star is only normal and should be our regular experience. Day by day we need to have the morning star rising in our heart. We should not merely read the Bible and not even merely pray-read the Bible; we need to give heed to the prophetic word until the day dawns and the morning star rises in our heart. Today, therefore, the star comes from the living word. I am so happy that in 2 Peter 1:19 we have the word and the morning star together. First, we have the word; second, by giving heed to the prophetic word, we have the morning star rising in our heart. If we will simply go along continually with this inner, rising star, we will consistently be in the Spirit. This is the New Testament service. (CWWL, 1970, vol. 1, “New Testament Service,” p. 289)
The transfiguration of the Lord Jesus was the realization of what He is [Matt. 17:1-2]. When He was confined in His flesh, people thought of Him as only a little man from Nazareth. The kingdom was in Him, but they could not see it…He went to the mountaintop, and there He was “switched on.” He was shining. His shining came from within, not from the heavens. Something within Him was shining. Although this reality was present within Him before His transfiguration, people could not observe it. However, at His transfiguration His disciples could observe something shining out from within Him.
We may say that this was the shining of the Lord Jesus or the transfiguration of the Lord Jesus, but He Himself said that it was the coming of the kingdom. The shining forth of the Lord Jesus on the mountaintop was the coming of the kingdom…The kingdom is simply the Lord Jesus shining over you. I hope this sentence will make a deep impression on you: the kingdom is the shining of the Lord Jesus, and the kingdom is the spreading of the Lord Jesus by shining over you. He told Peter, James, and John that they would see Him coming in His kingdom— that they would see the kingdom of God having come in power.
What did they see? They saw the shining of the Lord Jesus. When Peter, James, and John were all under His shining, they were in the kingdom. Also, the dead saints, represented by Moses, and the living saints, represented by Elijah, appeared and were under the shining of the spreading of the Lord Jesus. Suppose there are five brothers living together in a brothers’ house. If these brothers are really under the shining of the Lord Jesus, the kingdom will be there in that brothers’ house.
Whenever you visit them, you will sense the shining, the reigning, the ruling, and the good order. Although you would find no list of regulations, everything is kept in order by the shining. Suppose, however, they do not live under the shining, but rather they criticize and despise one another while pretending to love one another. If you visit them, you will have the spiritual sensation that you are in a cemetery. Although everything is quiet, there is the dreadful presence of death.
Although no one is fighting and everything is in order, death and the authority of darkness are still there. There is no shining. The kingdom is the shining of the reality of the Lord Jesus. Whenever He is shining over you and you are under that shining, you are in the kingdom…The kingdom is not merely a dispensation, a sphere, or a realm. It is the realization of the reality of the Lord Jesus. Whenever He is spreading by shining over you, you are in the kingdom, and the kingdom has come in power. (CWWL, 1972, vol. 2, “The Kingdom,” pp. 17-19)
Further Reading: CWWL, 1972, vol. 2, “The Kingdom,” ch. 2; Life-study of Genesis, msgs. 4—5
Day 6
Verses: Matt. 13:43 Then the righteous will shine forth like the sun in the kingdom of their Father… Jude 13 Wild waves of the sea, foaming out their own shames; wandering stars, for whom the gloom of darkness is kept for eternity. Today, during the time of the night, we need to function as the stars; but in the coming age of the kingdom, those who shine now as the stars will shine forth like the sun. There is also a negative aspect to the stars—the wandering stars. Jude 12 and 13 tell us, “These are the hidden reefs in your love feasts, feasting together with you without fear, shepherding themselves; waterless clouds being carried off by winds; autumn trees without fruit, having died twice, rooted up… wandering stars, for whom the gloom of darkness is kept for eternity.” We should be the stars but not the wandering stars. (CWWL, 1970, vol. 1, “New Testament Service,” pp. 291-292)
A proper star has a certain position and fixed orbit. It continues in its course steadfastly. However, there are some stars with no fixed position or orbit; they are wandering stars. It seems that some Christians are stars; it seems that they are shining, but their shining is a deception. They are stars, but they are not the steadfast stars. If you follow them, you will be misled; eventually, you will not know where to go. They themselves are wandering: They have no ground; they have no standing; they have no certain way to go on with the Lord. Today they say one thing, and tomorrow they will say something different; they are wandering. We need to be careful. We cannot find Jesus by following a wandering star.
How can we recognize the wandering stars? There are some signs. They are autumn trees without fruit; they are waterless clouds…The Lord Jesus said that we may know a tree by its fruit (Matt. 7:16-20). If we follow the wandering stars, eventually our portion will be the same as theirs—the gloom of darkness that has been kept for them for eternity. We need to follow the shining stars, those with a definite standing and a certain course. These are the stable stars, the steadfast ones.
If anyone comes to us without a definite standing and a certain course, we should avoid him. The proper standing is the local church, and the right course is to go on in the Spirit in the local church. We should not be a wandering star, and we should not follow a wandering star. We need to take the proper standing and keep ourselves in the right course. If we are wandering, we are wasting our time. If you intend to go to a certain place, you need to get out your map, get on the right road and in the right lane, and as you drive you will reach your destination.
We are aware of today’s confusion. Oh, the dead things! Oh, the frustrations, the distractions of the wandering ones! Anyone who keeps us from the genuine local church and from meeting on the ground of oneness with the Lord’s people is a wandering star. The true stars are those who turn many to righteousness, those who do not lead people astray, but turn them to the right way. Today the way for you and me and for everyone else to find Christ is to see the living star. Hallelujah! Today the star is not far from us—it is with the local churches.
Among all the local churches there are some living stars. You simply need to contact them; you need to keep company with them. They will lead you to the place where Jesus is. May the Lord be merciful to us so that we may always be kept in the right way to serve the Lord, to worship Him, and to offer our love to Him. May the Lord make us all like those magi, following the star to find Christ. Today the living star and the living stars are in the local churches. Let us follow them, and let us each be one of them. (CWWL, 1970, vol. 1, “New Testament Service,” pp. 292-293)
Further Reading: The Conclusion of the New Testament, msgs. 43, 113, 407; CWWL, 1953, vol. 3, “The Knowledge of Life,” ch. 14