In this message we shall cover six more symbols of the believers: a lamp, a city situated upon a mountain, the sun, virgins, plants, and living stones.
In Matthew 5:15 the believers are symbolized by a lamp: “Neither do men light a lamp and place it under the bushel, but on the lampstand, and it shines to all who are in the house.” In order to be the lamp shining upon others we need to be without any covering. As the lamp on the lampstand, the light should not be hidden.
In verse 15 the Lord Jesus speaks about placing the lamp under the bushel. A lighted lamp placed under the bushel cannot shine out its light. The kingdom people as the lighted lamp should not be covered by the bushel, an item pertaining to eating, a matter which causes anxiety (Matt. 6:25). Instead of being covered by the bushel, we must be on the lampstand.
The Lord Jesus wisely speaks about not being covered by a bushel. In ancient times a bushel, as a measure for grain, was something related to eating and therefore related to the matter of making a living. Thus, hiding the lamp under the bushel indicates anxiety concerning our living. If we Christians are anxious about our living and concerned about how much money we are making, this anxiety will become a bushel covering our light.
In order to shine upon others, we need to come out from under our covering. This indicates that, as kingdom people, we live without care and anxiety for our existence. We care only for Christ and the church. Day after day we are a happy people, a praising people. When others contact us, they will sense that we have no anxiety, that we are not worried about our living. From experience we know that such a lack of anxiety touches others. If every time someone contacts you, you are happy and enjoying the Lord, he will be deeply touched. Filled with anxiety and occupied with all kinds of worries, worldly people talk about the fear of losing their jobs or the difficulties they are having at work. But the kingdom people, those not covered by the bushel, care only to talk about Christ and the church. By being such a people we touch the hearts of others and shine upon them.
Matthew 5:15 speaks of the light shining to “all who are in the house.” We may think that the house here refers to the church. However, there is no need to interpret the house in this manner. According to the context, the main point is that the shining of the light has two aspects: the outward aspect and the inward aspect. The light as a city on a mountain (v. 14) shines over the outsiders, whereas the lighted lamp on the lampstand shines over those who are in the house. As the city, the light shines upon people, but as the lamp in the house, the light shines into people. This indicates that our influence over others should not be just outward but also inward.
The outward shining of the kingdom people, likened to that of a city situated on a mountain, is general, and all of society can see it. Society can see a group of people who are built up, situated upon the top of a mountain, and shining. The inward shining, on the contrary, is particular. When others see that we are not anxious about our living, the light of the lamp will penetrate into their being and shine within them. This is not the general shining from outside; it is the particular shining from within. If we are proper kingdom people, we shall be a lamp without any covering shining into others. This inward shining penetrates the inward being of others and convinces them.
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