1Ⅴ In order to be today’s overcomers, we must maintain the ground of oneness, God’s unique choice, without elevating anything other than Christ; in the Lord’s recovery we elevate Christ and Christ alone—Col. 1:18b; Rev. 2:4; 2 Cor. 4:5; 10:5:
2A Before the children of Israel could have the full enjoyment of the riches of the good land, they had to utterly destroy the heathen places of worship, the idols, and the names of the idols “on the high mountains and on the hills and under every flourishing tree” (Deut. 12:2); the high mountains and hills signify the exaltation of something other than Christ, and the flourishing trees signify things that are beautiful and attractive—vv. 1-3, 5; 1 Kings 11:7-8; 12:26-31; Num. 33:52.
3B The intrinsic reason for the desolation and degradation of God’s people is that Christ is not exalted by them; they do not give Him the preeminence, the first place, in everything—Psa. 80:1, 3, 7, 15-19; 74:1.
4C The way to be restored from desolation is to exalt Christ; the enjoyment of Christ with God on the ground of oneness can be maintained and preserved only when Christ is properly appreciated and exalted by God’s people.