CHAPTER FOUR

CHRIST IN REVELATION

Scripture Reading: Rev. 1:4-5; 4:5; 5:6; 1:20; 21:10-23; 22:1-2

OUTLINE

1. The pneumatic Christ in the Epistles is the redeeming Lamb in Revelation, who also has become the Executor of God’s New Testament economy—Rev. 5:7-10.
2. The all-inclusive, compound Spirit in the Epistles has become the seven Spirits before God’s throne in Revelation. The seven Spirits are the center of the divine Trinity in Revelation, proceeding out from the eternal One and of the redeeming One—Rev. 1:4-5.
3. The seven Spirits are the seven lamps of fire before God’s throne for the execution of God’s economy in the universe and also the seven eyes of the slain Lamb searching and transfusing the churches—Rev. 4:5; 5:6.
4. The redeeming Lamb as the High Priest in the holy place with the seven eyes which are the Spirits of the seven lamps of fire of God walks among the churches which are the seven golden lampstands to search and to transfuse all the churches that they would become His testimony, the testimony of Jesus—Rev. 1:12, 13, 20.
5. This One, who is the all-inclusive Head who walks in the midst of the churches to search and to transfuse them, is the Spirit who speaks to the churches, purifying the churches and calling forth the overcomers to enjoy Him that they would overcome the deformed churches to bring in His kingdom—Rev. 2:1, 7, 17, 18, 26-28; 3:7, 12-13, 14, 20-22.
6. As the Lamb who is God’s High Priest, He is also God’s particular Messenger to care for Israel, the chosen people of God, and the redeemed saints throughout the generations to execute the prayer of the saints concerning God’s economy, to take over the earth in the future, and to descend in glory to claim the whole earth for His kingdom—Rev. 7:2-17; 8:3-5; 10:1-5; 18:1; 11:15.
7. As the seven eyes of the Executor of God’s New Testament economy, He is the seven lamps supported by the seven golden lampstands which are the seven churches to shine forth as the testimony of Jesus. The seven Spirits which are the seven lamps in this age will become the lamp which is the Lamb in the new heaven and new earth from which will shine forth the glory of God—Rev. 21:23.
8. The seven Spirits are the lamps of fire in this age executing God’s New Testament economy. In the new heaven and new earth, they will become the river to water the holy city of God, the New Jerusalem—Rev. 22:1, 2.
9. The result of the searching and transfusing of the seven Spirits, which are the seven eyes of the Lamb, is the seven golden lampstands in this age and the holy city, the New Jerusalem, in the new heaven and the new earth. Between these two are the Lamb’s wife and the Lamb’s army, bringing in the Lamb’s kingdom—Rev. 19:7, 8, 14, 19; 17:14; 20:4, 6.
10. In eternity, the redeeming Lamb becomes the Lamb-God out from whom flows the river of water of life, which is the all-inclusive Spirit as the life irrigation. On either side of the river grows the tree of life, which is the all-inclusive Christ as the life supply. In eternity this divine Trinity becomes the life and essence of the redeemed ones that they would be mingled with Him to be His full, complete, and perfect (signified by twelve times twelve) corporate expression in eternity—Rev. 21:1, 2, 10-23.

THE CHRIST WHO DWELLS IN THE BELIEVERS
AND WHO ALSO SITS IN HEAVEN
BEING FOR THE PRODUCING OF THE CHURCH

The wonderful Christ in the Epistles, who is the last Adam, has passed through death and resurrection to become the all-inclusive, life-giving, compound Spirit to enter into our spirit to be our life. By drinking of this Spirit, we are baptized in this Spirit into His Body. Furthermore, through the anointing and sealing of this Spirit, the essence of God is added to us more and more. In this way, Christ is able to make home in our hearts, and we are being filled with the unsearchable riches of Christ to become all the fullness of God, which is the church. In addition to this, through the bountiful supply of this all-inclusive, indwelling Spirit, we are saved in all circumstances to be able to live in Christ every day and to abide in the fellowship of God enjoying the eternal life, and thus overcoming sin, the world, and Satan to live out the inward love and outward righteousness of God.

Furthermore, on the one hand, this Christ who has passed through death, resurrection, and ascension lives in us. On the other hand, He is the High Priest in the heavenly tabernacle making intercession for us that we would be saved to the uttermost. At the same time, as the Mediator of the new covenant, He is in heaven executing for us the bequests of the New Testament, supplying us with the heavenly life, that we may be able to live a heavenly life here on earth and may cooperate with Him to fulfill His heavenly commission here on earth.

This Christ has taken us on to such an extent that we have Him as the life essence within and the power and authority without to be the corporate man, the church. We are now cooperating with Him on earth to execute God’s divine economy. Unfortunately, the present age is dark, and the world is full of corruption. Even the church has degraded from the purpose of God and has fallen into confusion. On almost every street and lane of a big city, one can see many so-called churches, but it is difficult to find the expression of the Body of Christ. According to the pure revelation of the Bible, the Body of Christ is uniquely one in the universe, and when this Body is expressed in a locality it is a local church. For example, the church in Jerusalem was the Body of Christ expressed as the local church in the city of Jerusalem. Although there were over a million people living in Jerusalem, and although Acts 21 tells us that there were myriads of believing Jews in that city, there was, however, only one church, which was the church in Jerusalem. This is the purpose and ordination of God.

This pneumatic Christ who is in us is also in heaven as the Executor of the New Testament and the High Priest higher than the heavens, executing in heaven the heavenly ministry for the purpose of producing a church according to His heart’s desire, manifested on earth locality by locality, dealing with God’s enemy, and fulfilling God’s divine economy. However, the church has degraded and become deformed. In this dark and confused age, in order to purge the deformed church and to recover it back to its original position, the Christ in the Epistles has to become the Christ in Revelation.