Col 1: 12 Giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you for a share of the allotted portion of the saints in the light; 13 Who delivered us out of the authority of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of the Son of His love,
God's promise to Abraham with respect to the good land is of great significance. When Paul was writing the Epistle to the Colossians and was speaking of the portion of the saints, he no doubt had in mind the picture of the allotting of the good land to the children of Israel in the Old Testament. The Greek word rendered portion in 1:12 can be also rendered lot. Paul used this term with the Old Testament record of the land as the background. God gave His chosen people, the children of Israel, the good land for their inheritance and enjoyment. The land meant everything to them. In fact, the question of the land is a serious issue in the Middle East even today. The problem in the Middle East regarding Israel and the surrounding nations is a problem of the land. Just as the good land was the portion of the children of Israel, so Christ today is the portion of the saints. In 1:13 he goes on to say, "Who delivered us out of the authority of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of the Son of His love." This verse reminds us of the way the children of Israel were delivered out of Egypt and transferred into the good land. Thus, Paul's concept in 1:13 is the same as that revealed in the exodus from Egypt and in the entering into the good land. In ancient times, God delivered His people out of Egypt and brought them into the good land. God the Father has done the same thing with us. He has delivered us out of the authority of darkness, typified by Pharaoh and Egypt, and has transferred us into the all-inclusive Christ, typified by the good land. Just as the children of Israel were transferred out of Egypt into a land flowing with milk and honey, a land where there was no tyranny, so we have been transferred into a marvelous realm, called the kingdom of the Son of the Father's love. Therefore, to be qualified for a share of the portion of the saints is actually to enter into the good land. Paul's composition of 1:12 and 13 is thus according to the picture in the Old Testament. (c) 2007 Living Stream Ministry.
Bible verses are taken from the Recovery Version of the Bible and Words of Ministry from Witness Lee, Life-study of Colossians, pp. 48,51. Both are published by Living Stream Ministry, Anaheim, CA. Please visit us at www.emanna.com. Send comments to: [email protected].
To unsubscribe from the mailing list, either: Send an email to: [email protected] (No subject or message needed; a blank email will work) or visit www.emanna.com and fill out the unsubscribe form there.
