– Acts 26:19; Deut. 29:29; Matt. 16:13-18
  1. The Overview that Reveals the Governing Vision


    1. Genesis 1 & 2 and Revelation 21 & 22
    2. Responding to the governing vision - "Here I am" - Gen 22:1, 11; 46:2; Exo. 3:4; Isa 6:1ff; Acts 9:3-5, 10; Rom. 12:1-2


  2. The Focus of the Governing Vision
    3.

    1. The Land – Gen. 13:12-18; Psa. 16:5-6; 105:6-12; Col. 1:12-13; Acts 26:18
    2. The Place – Deut. 12:5-8; 16:15-17; John 4:20-24; Eph. 2:21-22; Rev. 22:16-17
    3. The Ark – Exo. 25:8-10, 16-22; Psa. 132:1-10; Heb. 9:4-5; Rom. 3:23-26; 1 John 2:2; 4:10
    4. The Building – Exo. 25:8-9; 1 Chron. 28:6-12; Ezra 1:2-5; Ezek. 43:5-12; 47:1-5; 48:35; Matt. 16:13-19; 1 Cor. 3:10-15; 1 Pet. 2:2-5; Rev. 21:9-11
    5. Summary verses of the revelation – 1 Kings 8:16-21, 44-48; 2 Chron. 6:4-11


  3. What the Governing Vision Does
    4.

    1. It makes us friends of God - John 15:13-16; James 2:23; Isa 41:8-9; 2 Chron. 20:7-9
      1. Knowing the hidden things of God - Eph. 3:3-5, 9-11; Col. 1:26-27; Rom. 16:25-26
    2. It makes us co-workers with God - 1 Cor. 3:9
      1. The work of God - Rom. 14:20; Heb 3:3-6
      2. Entering into the apostle's vision - Eph. 3:1ff
    3. It links us with God's one building
      1. One building in the Old Testament - Heb. 11:10, 13-16, 39-40
      2. The same building in the New Testament - Eph. 2:19-22; Heb. 13:14
      3. We also are being builded - Eph. 2:21-22; 3:6
      4. It makes our local assembling part of the universal assembly - Heb. 10:25; 12:22-24
      5. The consummation of the one building - Rev. 21:12, 14, 18-21
    4. It is the way God becomes our source – 1 Cor. 2:6-16
    5. It ushers in a life of faith and obedience – Acts 26:19; Rom. 16:25-26; Hab. 2:2-4
    6. It gives us our calling – Eph. 4:1; 2 Tim. 1:9
    7. It is the unique purifying factor of our motives – 1 Chron. 28:9-12; 29:16-19
    8. It divides soul and spirit – Heb. 4:1-2, 12-13
    9. It brings in discernment – Phil. 1:9-10; 1 Tim. 1:3-6
    10. What happens without the governing vision
      1. There is nothing to restrain us – Prov. 29:18
      2. Every man does that which is right in his own eyes – Judges 17:6; 21:25
      3. Our work will suffer loss – 1 Cor. 3:10-15
      4. We are subject to historical sin – 1 Kings 12:28-33; 15:25-26; 2 Kings 17:1-2, 20-23; Mark 7:8-9, 13
      5. We are susceptible to being carried off and defrauded – Col. 2:8-9, 18-19


  4. The Burden of the Governing Vision
    5.

    1. The beginning and God’s building – Gen. 2:8-15 anticipates Rev. 21:10-21; 22:1-2
    2. Noah’s ark and God’s building – Heb. 11:7
    3. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Joseph & God’s building – Heb. 11:8-10, 13-22 anticipates Rev. 21 & 22
    4. Moses’ tabernacle and God’s building – Exo. 25:8-9 anticipates Rev. 21:2-3
    5. David’s vision of God’s building – 1 Chron. 28:2-12, 19-20; 2 Sam. 7:4-17
    6. Solomon’s Temple and God’s building – 2 Chron. 6:1-11 anticipates Rev. 21:22
    7. The recovered Temple and God’s building – Ezra 3:8-13 anticipates Rev. 21:22
    8. The vision of Ezekiel’s Temple and God’s building – Ezek. 40 –– 47 anticipates Rev. 21:2, 22
    9. The prophets’ vision and God’s building – Isa. 65:17-19 anticipates Rev. 21:1-2, 4
    10. Paul’s vision of God’s building – Gal. 4:26; Heb. 12:22; 13:14 anticipates Rev. 21 & 22 – 1 Cor. 3:9-13 anticipates Rev. 21 & 22 – Eph. 2:19-20 anticipates Rev. 21:14, 18-20
    11. Peter’s vision of God’s building – 2 Pet. 3:13-14 anticipates Rev. 21:14, 18-20
    12. James’ vision of God’s building – James 1:1 anticipates Rev. 21:12
    13. John’s vision of God’s building – Rev. 1—3 anticipates Rev. 21 & 22 – John 14:1-6 anticipates Rev. 21 & 22
    14. The overcomers’ vision of God’s building – Rev. 3:12 anticipates Rev. 21 & 22
    15. The consummation of God’s building – Rev. 21:6; 22:13-14, 18-19

    – Bill Freeman, 2008