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"But the men marveled, saying, What manner of man is this?" [Matthew 8:27].

            "The whole creation is on tiptoe to see the wonderful sight of the sons of God coming into their own." [Romans 8:19, Phillips].
            Down through the centuries there has sounded and reechoed the call, the challenge-- "I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before Me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none." [Ezekiel 22:30]. Also, the prophet Isaiah declared, " And He saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor: therefore His arm brought salvation unto him; and His righteousness, it sustained him." [Isaiah 59 :16].
             God sought for a man, one that would be able to stand in the gap, to make intercession for humanity, and found none, for as yet there were only those in the "preparation process," and far from the state of perfection at that, for the creative work of the Spirit is not yet complete. Indeed, they yet awaited the manifestation of the PATTERN SON into whose image they were to be conformed. And though each generation has produced those who were, and are responding to the call, walking by faith, yet "these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect." [Hebrews 11:39-40]. Therefore it was necessary for God to EXTEND HIS OWN ARM, to further project Himself  into His creation, and condescending to men of low estate, HE came forth as a man, to redeem us, and to reveal the image of that which we are to become.
            (Editor's Note: The PATTERN SON was the Word and God's purpose was established prior to the beginning of time. As we embrace the verse John 3:16, "GOD SO LOVED......" His purpose is partially seen in the fact that "God has all men penned together in the prison of disobedience, that He may have mercy upon them all." (Romans 11:32. J. B. Phillips Translation). He purposed confusion and chaos for His creation that they might learn; however, as undeniable as it may be, the prison of disobedience, His mercy, His Love, were much more evident as God took responsibility for His creation in, "It was in Him (Christ Jesus) that the full nature of God chose to live (One in Spirit-in Union), and through Him God planned to RECONCILE to His own person everything on earth and everything in Heaven, making peace by virtue of Christ's death on the cross." (Colossae 1:20). God purposed and His purpose was guided by and through His LOVE; there was nothing left out, no change, not one of His creation slipping through some crack, ALL is returned to God. End of Note.).
             God has called out a people, Israel, to be His peculiar treasure, and through whom He would bring salvation and blessing to all mankind. But Israel was not able to bear the load of such a calling, they were too weak and helpless, having become the servants of flesh and sin. Even the law, which was added because of their transgression, could not fully keep them in check. And in due time many of them forsook the law altogether, and became known as "the Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands." [Ephesians 2:11]. And so it was, that instead of having a united people through whom He could work, God had a very divided people, some zealously keeping the law, with all of its flesh works, and others who left off its practices completely. In either case there was very little that He could use. The self-righteous law-keepers were of no value to His Spiritual Kingdom, and certainly those who had cast off all restraint were no better. Therefore it was necessary for God to come forth HIMSELF, to bring salvation, and to lay the foundation for a whole new creation. "For to make in HIMSELF of twain ONE NEW MAN." [Ephesians 2:15].
             In Genesis 1:26 we read, "And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion..." It can be safely said that this is a prophetic account of God's purpose. Then the second chapter of Genesis begins to give the historical account of the process to MAKE A MAN IN HIS OWN IMAGE. It begins with the image of the earthy, but that is only part of the process for we must also "bear the image of the heavenly." [1 Corinthians 15:49]. (Editor's Note: We recommend reading The Spirit of The Word, Chapter 6, "The Two Accounts of The Creation." In his writing A.P. Adams states, "Finally, and perhaps more significant than all the rest, in the first account everything that is done is God's work. Man has nothing to do with it. God does the whole work from the beginning until he creates man in His own image and likeness, and rests because everything "He has made" is very good. In the second account, the prohibition laid upon him, man is made a party to the work; and he (man) spoils it all, as he always has, by his disobedience...." Here again is God's purpose being manifested as stated in Romans 11:32, "God has all men penned together in the prison of disobedience, that He may have mercy upon them ALL." End of Note).
  Thus, Jesus Christ came forth, not only to bear the image of the earthy, to be a partaker of flesh and blood, but also to reveal the image of the heavenly. The preview glimpse of the out-shining of His glory on the mount of Transfiguration, plus the glorious manifestation of the power of resurrection, give us a brief insight into that of which we are to be partakers. The first Adam was not the full expression of the "image and likeness" of God, but we read of our Lord as "being the brightness of His glory, and the express image of His person." [Hebrews 1:3], for HE IS "the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God." [Revelation 3:14]. Yes, the MAN CHRIST JESUS is the firstborn of this whole new creation species, HE is the first manifestation of the COMPLETED PROCESS, bearing both the image of the earthy, and then of the heavenly.
           God sought for a man, one to use in bringing forth salvation, and because we were "in bondage under the elements of the world:-- God sent forth HIS SON, made of a woman, made under the law, TO REDEEM them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons." [Galatians 4:3-5]. REDEMPTION IS THE BEGINNING OF THE SECOND PART OF THE CREATIVE ACTIVITY OF GOD, to bring us forth in the full image of the heavenly, and into the placing of us as HIS SONS. He cannot place us as His sons if we only bear the image of the earthy, if we are only partakers of the first part of His creative work. But we have come "to this settled and firm persuasion concerning this very thing, namely, that HE who began in you a work which is good will bring it to a successful conclusion right up to the day of Christ Jesus." [Philippians 1:6, Wuest]. And when HE has brought forth the "work of His hands," a people fully conformed to His image, then shall HE place them as His sons, and through them begin to draw all men unto Himself.
             And so we have the question before us, What manner of man is this? As we noted in the previous chapter, it is BY MAN ALSO that righteousness shall be established upon the earth, and what a MAN! This is a man that has yielded to the full processing of God, passing through every part of the discipline and training necessary, "so that the man of God may be complete and proficient, well-fitted and thoroughly equipped for every good work." [2 Timothy 3:17, Amplified].
           Who can comprehend what it will mean to be so fully equipped with the fullness of God, that we shall be equal to every situation? A man that need not turn aside from any need, but will be able to impart that life and peace which is so desperately needed. GOD SHALL HAVE JUST SUCH A MAN IN THE EARTH, for He is preparing a many-membered-company of sons, of whom Jesus is the firstborn.
             It is true, the scope of the vision staggers the very imagination, for while we can look unto Jesus, and see in Him THAT MAN whom God desires, yet when we look at ourselves, beholding the weakness of our flesh, and the vulnerableness of the natural man, the span between such height and depth is too much for us. But we must realize, it is not "this image of the earthy" that we are to look upon, nor expect to rise to the occasion fully able to meet the need. In fact, it becomes absolutely necessary that we become completely CHANGED, transformed, to partake of the heavenly, i.e. to be born from above. And "without controversy, great is the mystery of godliness." [1 Timothy 3:16], for this being changed from glory to glory is indeed a tremendous process, and a mystery which cannot be comprehended by the natural mind. But we shall have "our outward expression changed into the same image from one degree of glory to another according as this change of expression proceeds from the Lord, the Spirit, this outward expression coming from and being truly representative of our Lord." [2 Corinthians 3:18, Wuest].
         The very fact that we speak of two realms of man, the earthy, and the heavenly, makes it self-evident that we are yet in the transition process of leaving the former behind, that we might become the reality of the second. Indeed, it places us in this peculiar position of being caught between TWO SPHERES, while as yet we are neither "here, nor there." How well-fitting is the remark, then, what manner of man is this ? Presently he is a stranger even unto himself, for being stripped of the old, he can no longer be identified with its realm and nature, and possessing but a small portion of the new, there isn't hardly enough to identify him with its realm and victory. He is indeed, "a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief," and many "esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted," for it hath "pleased the Lord to bruise him." [Isaiah 53:2, 3,10]. BUT HE IS A MAN APPREHENDED BY GOD, and when the Lord hath completed His work within these vessels, it shall redound to HIS glory and praise.
             Paul described the duality of this state of being, under present transition, when he wrote, "For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish, yet the inward man is renewed day by day." [2 Corinthians 4:16]. Two men, an outward man, and an inward man.
             Someone once penned the following lines :

                                                                        "Within this earthly temple there's a crowd,
                                                                        There's one of us that's humble, one that's proud ;
                                                                        There's one that's broken-hearted for his sins,
                                                                        And one who unrepentant sits and grins ;
                                                                        There's one who loves his neighbour as himself,
                                                                        And one who cares for naught but fame and pelf.
                                                                        From much corroding care I shall be free,
                                                                        If once I could determine WHICH IS ME"

             What then is the operation of present purpose ? "That ye put off the former conversation (Greek, manner of behaviour) the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; and be renewed in the spirit of your mind; and that ye put on (be clothed with) the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness." [Ephesians 4:22-24].
             "For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven: if so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked. For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened; not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life. Now He that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God." [2 Corinthians 5:2-5]. When the world shall behold this change complete in a firstfruits company, shall they not truly inquire, "What manner of man is this?"
             Yes, God is bringing forth HIS MAN, and how patiently HE is moving within each apprehended individual, to complete the work He hath begun. The removal of the old, and the establishing of the new, has required much skill and tenderness, yet His love has so encompassed the whole that we rejoice to see His handiwork in the lives of His chosen. There shall be a PERFECT MAN, which Paul defines as, "unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ." [Ephesians 4:13].
             Jesus clearly taught, "those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts..." [Matthew 15:18-19]. And well hath the prophet spoken, "the heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?" [Jeremiah 17:9]. Hence the cleansing process, and the intense purification, until we can say with Christ, "the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me." [John 14:30]. Ah, what manner of man is this ? One in whom there is no guile, whose heart the Lord hath cleansed so completely that there is no part dark. Such is the degree of man that God is producing, and all creation is on tiptoe, waiting to see the unveiling of such an one. Now it is a very true word, that "A man can receive (take unto himself) nothing, except it be given him from heaven." [John 3 :27]. This company which shall be revealed will not have come into their position in God by the result of self effort and works of the flesh. This is the in working of sovereign grace. In fact it is essential in the nature of the case that every man who will receive of the fullness of God must first be stripped of all his own identity and human resource, until like Paul, we count "all things loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for Whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ." [Philippians 3:8].
             No amount of self-assertion will enable one to become this MAN whereof we speak. "The way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps." [Jeremiah 10:23]. It is not in our own self-proclamation, declaring that we are this, or that, for "not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth." [2 Corinthians 10:18].
             In his writings, Paul points out that "MAN...is the image and glory of God." [1 Corinthians 11 :7]. This alone makes it self-evident that to be THE GLORY OF GOD, we must needs be stripped of our own glory, for "the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh." [Galatians 5:17]. There is no fellowship between righteousness and unrighteousness, nor communion between light and darkness. But as we yield to the processing of the holy Spirit, He will separate us from the glory of the flesh, and unite us into one Spirit with God. "And now, O Father, glorify Thou me with Thine own self with the glory which I had with Thee before the world was.-- The glory which Thou gavest Me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one." [John 17 :5, 22].
             But let the process continue, let everything be shaken that can be shaken. God shall accomplish what He hath purposed, and it shall redound to His glory. "I WILL MAKE A MAN more precious than fine gold; even a man than the golden wedge of Ophir." [Isaiah 13:12]. It has taken much wilderness training and discipline, "to prove thee, to humble thee, to know what was in thine heart, whether thou wouldest keep His commandments, or no. And He humbled thee, and suffered thee to hunger, and fed thee with manna, which thou knewest not, neither did thy fathers know; that He might make thee know that man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord doth man live." [Deuteronomy 8:2-3].
             "Thy words were found, and I did eat them: and Thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by Thy name, O Lord of hosts. I sat not in the assembly of the mockers, nor rejoiced; I sat alone because of Thy hand ..." [Jeremiah 15:16-17].
             Yes, surely here we can ask again, what manner of man is this? One who shall live by every Word that proceedeth from the Lord. They esteem the words of His mouth more than their necessary food. Let others engage in the speech of this world, idle talk that has no depth, God's apprehended ones are more interested in "hearing what the Spirit saith unto the called out." [Revelation 3:6]. Thus, the more you live BY HIS WORD, the more you will sit alone, because of His hand upon you, for your life is not of this world, but of another realm.
             Strange enough, even the so-called "church world" has not understood who these are that dare to fully live by the Word of God. And when the natural man would ask of them, What manner of man is this? They are quick to answer, These are mystics, they are dreamers, they are deep ones which are simply to be tolerated until we can decide what to do with them, for they are misfits in our organizations. Ah, let them cast their accusations and shaming remarks, the time shall come when, we "will speak of Thy testimonies also before kings, and will not be ashamed." [Psalm 119:46], for again it shall be said, "never man spake like this man," [John 7:46], as the word of truth flows from the lips of God's anointed ones.
            WHAT A MAN! A christed company, anointed with the fullness of the same spirit which dwells in our Lord Jesus Christ. This is "the anointing which ye have received of Him abiding in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him. [1 John 2:27].
            "Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows." [Hebrews 1:9]. When the kings of this earth have failed, and cry for help, it shall be said again, "THERE IS A MAN in thy kingdom in whom is the spirit of the holy gods...light and understanding and wisdom, like the wisdom of the gods, is found in him..." [Daniel 5:11].
            We might well speak of total redemption, for the promise of God is sure. And we might well speak of The Christ who is our Redeemer, for HE is the Saviour of ALL MEN. But it is equally true that He is bringing forth a whole first fruits company of this NEW CREATION MAN, and they shall be His instruments of righteousness, to move throughout the earth to overthrow the kingdoms of this world, and to subdue all unto Christ. Of them it is written, "ONE MAN of you shall chase a thousand: for the Lord your God, He it is that fighteth for you, as He hath promised you." [Joshua 23:10].
             "How should one chase a thousand, and two put then thousand to flight, except their Rock had sold them, and the Lord had shut them up." [Deuteronomy 32:30-31]. How beautifully this is portrayed in the life of Christ, how that men could not stand before Him, when Jesus had declared Himself, saying "I AM HE." " As soon then as He had said unto them, I am He, they went backward, and fell to the ground." [John 18:6]. Now let the question be raised, What manner of man is this ? A man, by the very declaration of his presence, causes others to fall backward to the ground. When the fullness of the Spirit dwells in the NEW CREATION MAN, as it dwelt in The Christ, we shall begin to see the enemy fall before the truth. We have shuddered in fear when we felt the presence of the adversary, but this is not God's plan. Nay, rather, one man shall put a thousand to flight!
            The day yet lies before us, as the SONS OF GOD COME FORTH, when the enemy, coming into our land, shall be met by these men of God, and at their spoken word, the enemy shall fall backward, conquered. The path of the aggressor will be stopped, and his oaths and blasphemy will be silenced. An out-stretched hand, a piercing glance a spoken word by the sons of God, and who shall stand before them ? What manner of man is this ?
             "Behold, a king shall reign in righteousness, and princes shall rule in judgment. AND A MAN shall be as an hiding place from the wind..." [Isaiah 32:1-2]. And a man, God's man! When the mountains tremble, and the earth quakes, when the sea and waves roar, and chaos seems to be on every hand, when the inhabitants of the nation cry out for a place of security, then shall God unveil HIS SONS, and a man shall be as a hiding place. The vision shall not go unanswered, it shall not be doomed to frustration. Though at present we seem to be so weak and helpless to aid another, for it is the time of our stripping and nothingness, yet at the appointed time, HE that shall come will come, and when we see HIM, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.
             It was under the limitations of "the earnest of our inheritance" when "they brought forth the sick into the streets, and laid them on beds and couches, that at the least THE SHADOW of Peter passing by might overshadow some of them." [Acts 5:15]. Now, when the full arrangement of the New Testament, and the full reality of the new man, what will it be when AS A SHADOW OF GREAT ROCK IN A WEARY LAND, God's sons stand forth to impart of His life to the needy? Do you suppose someone will ask in that day, What manner of man is this? One thing is certain, those so endued with the fullness of God will not take the glory to themselves, but shall glorify God, and draw men unto HIM.
             Nor will this "man of God" minister condemnation to those in need, but rather they will bring forth life, and new faith in God. Consider the illustration found in 1 Kings 17. Elijah was with the widow and her son, at Zarephath, sustained by a barrel of meal, and a cruse of oil that would not fail. "It came to pass after these things, that the son of the woman, the mistress of the house, fell sick; and his sickness was so sore, that there was no breath left in him. And she said unto Elijah, What have I to do with thee, O thou man of God? Art thou come unto me to call my sin to remembrance, and to slay my son." [verses 17-18].
             Was it for condemnation unto death, that Elijah was there ? NO! "NOT IMPUTING THEIR TRESPASSES UNTO THEM..." [2 Corinthians 5:19]. So Elijah took her son, and went out alone to pray. God revived the child, and Elijah took him again to his mother, and said, "See, thy son liveth. And the woman said to Elijah, Now by this I know that thou art a man of God, and that the word of the Lord in thy mouth is truth."
            No condemnation, no calling sin to remembrance, but bringing forth life where death has reigned. What manner of man is this ? These are they whom God hath chosen and prepared to help in the process of the restoration of all things, that His purpose might be fulfilled, and the plan of the ages complete. No wonder all creation is on tiptoe, waiting to see the wonderful sight of the sons of God coming into their own. For in this NEW MAN company lies the hope of all creation. THE SAVIOUR revealed through these who are conformed to His image, to become saviours in Him, to bring life, light, and victory to the earth.

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