As a type of Christ, the lampstand portrays Christ as the resurrection life growing, branching, budding, and blossoming to shine the light. We have seen that the lampstand is a growing entity. Since the lampstand typifies Christ, it indicates that Christ is the One who is growing. Remember that the lampstand is not made up of only one branch and one lamp. On the contrary, as the central stalk grows, it produces three pairs of branches. Moreover, all the branches are growing and have knobs, buds, and blossoms. As the stalk of the lampstand begins to grow, it produces the first pair of branches. Then as it continues to grow, it produces the second pair and finally the third. Eventually, the stalk itself grows to its full measure. All this indicates that Christ is growing.
Christ grows first in Himself and then also in us as the branches. Apparently it is the branches that are growing. Actually, it is the stand that is growing through the branches and within them. This indicates Christ’s growth in us. We are not growing—Christ is growing in us. As the central stalk, Christ grows in Himself, by Himself, and with Himself. But in the six branches He grows in us, by us, and with us.
This matter of Christ growing both in Himself and in us is not merely a doctrine; it is a vision which applies to us in our experience with the Lord. We have pointed out that there are six branches on the lampstand. Man was made on the sixth day; hence, six is the number of man. This number is composed not of two plus four, but of three plus three. The number three in the Bible indicates the Triune God in resurrection. Although as those created on the sixth day we are the number six, we nonetheless have the Triune God in resurrection. This means that we are created men who are now in the Triune God in resurrection. This is the significance of the number six composed of three plus three.
As the stalk, Christ is growing in Himself and with Himself; but He is also growing in us as the six branches. This is why we say that the lampstand does not portray a simple Christ, but rather a complicated Christ, the all-inclusive Christ.
The lampstand also implies two other matters—the wick and the oil. If the lampstand did not have a wick and if it was not supplied with oil, it would be impossible for it to burn and give light. The wick was made of material from plants and thus signifies humanity. The oil, a symbol of the Spirit, signifies divinity. When humanity is burned in divinity, there is the shining of light. However, if our wick becomes too long, smoke will be produced instead of light. Whenever there is too much wick and too little oil, there is smoking instead of shining.
There is no mention in Exodus 25 of either the wick or the oil. But if we consider the picture of the lampstand given in this chapter, we shall realize that both the wick and the oil are implied. How could the lampstand shine if it did not have a wick and a supply of oil? Thus, the wick and the oil are implied. Furthermore, the wick must be of the right length, in proper proportion to the lampstand, and there must be an adequate quantity of oil. Then the wick and the oil will work together to produce the burning, the burning will cause the shining, and the shining will give forth light. However, this burning and shining result from the growing, branching, budding, and blossoming.
The lampstand shines in the Holy Place; that is, it shines in the church. Today Christians argue with us and ask, “Why do you say that you are the church? Are we not the church just as much as you are?” There is no need to quarrel about who is the church. If you are truly the church, then you are the church. But if you are not the church, then you simply are not the church. For example, I am a man. This is a fact no matter what others may say. Since I am a man, there is no need for me to advertise the fact. Likewise, if we are the church, there is no need for us to argue the fact. If we are the church, then the shining of the lampstand will surely be among us.
In the foregoing message we pointed out that with the outer court, the Holy Place, and the Holy of Holies there are three kinds of light. In the outer court we have the natural light, the light of the sun, the moon, and the stars. Since the outer court is in the open air, it has this kind of light. However, both the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies are completely covered. This covering makes it impossible for the light of the sun, moon, and stars to penetrate. If it were not for a particular kind of light in the Holy Place, it would be like a dungeon full of darkness. But the Holy Place is full of light because it is enlightened by the shining of the lampstand with its seven lamps.
Whenever a priest left the outer court and came into the Holy Place, he could see the shining of light from the lamps on the lampstand. The shining of the lampstand was proof that this place was indeed the Holy Place. Without the lampstand shining, that place would have been a dark dungeon. But the shining of the lampstand proves that it is the Holy Place. The principle is the same with the church today. How can we discern who is the church and who is not the church? We can determine this by discerning whether in the meetings there is darkness or the shining of light from the lampstand. Whether or not a particular group of believers is the church depends on whether or not there is the shining of the lampstand among them.
Before we came into the church life in the Lord’s recovery, many of us attended other Christian gatherings. But we did not see the shining of the lampstand until we came into the genuine church life. In the meetings of the church we behold something shining. I can testify that I was first in fundamental Christianity and then with the Brethren assemblies. With the denomination there was darkness, and with the Brethren assembly there was only a small amount of light. But when I came to the church in the Lord’s recovery, I was not only in the light, but was even immersed in the light. This light is not a natural light, the light of the sun, moon, or stars; it is the light of the lampstand.
Psalm 73:16 and 17 say, “When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me; until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end.” The psalmist was bothered, perplexed, and puzzled about a particular situation. When he thought about it, it was painful to him. Thinking about the matter was unbearable. But when he went into the sanctuary of God, the Holy Place, he received understanding. This means that he was enlightened by the light in God’s sanctuary. Many of us can testify that we have been troubled and perplexed about certain things. But when we came to a meeting of the church, we were enlightened, and the matter became clear to us.
How much light there will be in our meetings depends upon how much we have of the growth of Christ. If we have more growth of Christ, we shall have more light. Suppose the lampstand in the Holy Place was not fully grown or had grown in an unbalanced way. The lampstand would still shine, but it would not shine adequately or properly. If the lampstand did not have the opportunity to grow in full, the light in the Holy Place would likewise not be full. For this reason, we sometimes sense that the light in a particular church meeting is not very bright. Yes, there is light, but there is not the full, complete shining. How much light there can be in the church depends on the extent to which Christ has a way to grow in us and through us. If we all give the Lord a free course to grow within us day by day, there will be the adequate shining of the light whenever we come together. Only when there is the full growth of Christ within us can there be the full shining of the light.
It is crucial for all the branches to give the lampstand a free way to grow in them and through them. The more the lampstand grows in the branches, the more it will blossom and shine, and the more light there will be. Then when we come together in the church meetings, the light will gradually become brighter and brighter. Many of us can testify of having been enlightened in the church meetings. Certain things related to us that were covered or hidden were exposed by the light. This light comes from the Christ who grows not only in Himself as the central stalk, but who also grows in us as the branches of the lampstand.