In this message we come to the book of Revelation, the consummation of the Bible. In the preceding messages we have followed the line of the kernel of the Bible. Firstly we saw that in the book of Genesis God gained a transformed Israel. Then, in the book of Exodus, He gained a tabernacle, and, following that, in 1 Kings, a temple. After the captivity in Babylon, the Lord gained the rebuilt temple. In the New Testament we have seen how rich Christ is in His divinity and humanity. Christ is unsearchably rich. The enjoyment of this rich Christ issues in the proper church life. Thus, in the New Testament we have firstly Christ and then the church.
In the book of Revelation we see seven churches, the seven golden lampstands. At the end of this book we see the unique universal golden lampstand, the New Jerusalem. In this message and in the one following we need to consider these seven lampstands and the New Jerusalem.
The book of Revelation was not written to individuals. It is a book written to churches. The Apostle John did not send this book to individual Christians, but to seven churches. Only by standing in the churches do we have the right angle to see what is written in this book. As we all know, in order to see or hear anything, we need the right angle. When I face a certain direction, I cannot see what is behind me. If I want to see what is behind me, I must turn. Without making such a turn, I am not able to see anything. If I were not standing with the churches and in the churches, it would be difficult for me to see what is written in this book. The book of Revelation is closed to many Christians because they are not standing with the churches. Although this book is for all the saints, so many of the saints are not standing with the churches. Therefore, they are not able to see what this book contains. Throughout the centuries for the most part Revelation has been a closed book. Although the saints have read through this book again and again, they have not been able to see what is in it. Praise the Lord that by standing with the churches, we can clearly see the things in this book!
At the beginning of Revelation we see seven golden lampstands, and at the end we see the New Jerusalem. Both the seven lampstands and the New Jerusalem refer to God’s building, the church, the eternal habitation of God. In this book we not only see the church, the eternal habitation of God; we also see Christ. Among the churches and in the New Jerusalem there is Christ. Thus, if we would see Christ, we must be in the churches and among the churches, because Christ is walking in the midst of the churches. Today, He is in the churches, and in eternity, He will be in the New Jerusalem. To see Him, we must be in God’s habitation.
Revelation 1:10 indicates that John saw the vision in his spirit, not in his mind. This verse says, “I was in spirit on the Lord’s day.” This book is full of spiritual revelation. But spiritual revelation can be seen only by our spirit. Although our mind may understand many things, it cannot see spiritual revelation. For this, we need to be in spirit. Therefore, in Ephesians 1:17 Paul prayed, “That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the full knowledge of him” (Gk.). How much we need revelation! However, we can receive revelation only in our spirit. To see the churches and the New Jerusalem we must exercise our spirit.
I am sorry to say that some Christians are not clear that they have a spirit. Some think that the spirit is the same as the mind. Perhaps some of you have this concept. If you do, it is an indication that you are not clear that you have a spirit. You daily exercise your mind to think, consider, study, and research. But because you are not clear that you have a spirit, you cannot exercise your spirit.
Atheists are those who do not believe in God. The reason they do not believe in God is that the organ that substantiates God, the spirit, is deadened. Our nose is the organ that substantiates odors. If for some reason my nose does not function, I shall not be able to detect a particular odor that may be in the room. Thus, I would say that this odor does not exist. Actually, the odor exists. The problem is that I lack the organ to substantiate it. It is the same with the perception of colors. Although I may be surrounded with beautiful colors, if I have no sight, I have no means to substantiate them. In like manner, the spiritual things exist, but if we do not know to exercise our spirit, we cannot substantiate them. We lack the power to substantiate the existence of spiritual things.
Some saints are clear that they have a spirit, but they do not exercise it. As we grew up, we were all trained to exercise our mind. Thus, we are not accustomed to using our spirit. For this reason, many who know they have a spirit do not exercise their spirit. Suppose someone would shut his eyes and say, “You claim that there are many pretty colors in the room. What are you talking about? I cannot hear them. Have you really seen these colors, and are they truly beautiful? Why can’t I hear?” What nonsense! When it comes to seeing colors, you must forget your ears and open your eyes. Then you will behold the beautiful colors that are around you. In like manner, we need to exercise our spirit to see the churches. Although you may have read the book of Revelation many times, you may have never seen the churches in this book. Many spent time to study the book of Revelation. For the most part they saw the frogs, the locusts, the ten horns, and the great dragon, but they were not much impressed with the seven lampstands, nor the New Jerusalem. When you read the book of Revelation in the past, did you see the churches and the New Jerusalem? When I read the book of Revelation as a youth, I wanted to know about the ten horns, the locusts, and the frogs, but I had no desire to know about the seven lampstands. In this message we are not concerned with horns, locusts, and frogs. We are interested in seeing the seven golden lampstands, the seven churches.