Life-Study of Isaiah, by Witness Lee

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III. THE ONE UPON WHOSE SHOULDER
THE KEY OF THE HOUSE OF GOD IS SET

The all-inclusive Christ, as typified by Eliakim, is also the One upon whose shoulder the key of (the treasury of) the house of God (typified by the house of David for the building up of the kingdom of God) is set (Isa. 22:22; Rev. 3:7). The house of David was for the establishment of the kingdom of David, and the house of God is for the establishment of the kingdom of God. Second Samuel 7:16 indicates that David’s house was for his kingdom. Today God’s house is for God’s kingdom. The church is God’s house (1 Tim. 3:15), and the church is also the kingdom of God (Matt. 16:18-19; Rom. 14:17). The kingdom of God is not that evident today because the house of God has not been strongly and adequately built up. When the church as the house of God is adequately built up, the church is manifested as the kingdom of God.

Christ today holds the key of this house, this kingdom. Isaiah 22:22 says that Jehovah would set the key of the house of David upon Eliakim’s shoulder. It does not say that Eliakim holds the key but that the key is set upon his shoulder. This expression indicates that this key is a great key. A small key is merely held by someone; it is not put upon his shoulder. The key that God has put on the shoulder of Christ is a great one. Such a big key indicates that the door which it opens is big and thick. Such a door would be a stronghold to protect and keep the treasures of the house of God.

The key is for the keeping of the treasures of the house of God. The treasures today in the house of God are all the riches of Christ. In the beginning of my ministry in the United States in 1962, I spoke mostly on the enjoyment of the riches of Christ. Later, I felt that I should go on in the ministry to open up the New Testament to the saints. Therefore, we began to have a life-study of the New Testament beginning in 1974. The subject was seemingly changed from the enjoyment of the riches of Christ to a book-by-book exposition of the New Testament. But many of us can testify that this exposition is full of the riches of the all-inclusive Christ.

(Life-Study of Isaiah, Chapter 42, by Witness Lee)

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