We have seen that the reality and substance of the church is the Spirit. In order to clarify this, we may use the three sections of the tabernacle in the Old Testament as an illustration. The outer court, which is outside of the tabernacle itself, denotes the earth, while the Holy Place typifies God’s dwelling place in the heavens. The lampstand mentioned in Zechariah 4 denotes the Spirit on the earth, while the lampstand mentioned in Exodus 25 is in the Holy Place and signifies Christ in the heavens. Actually, these lampstands are not two lampstands but two aspects or two ends of the one, unique lampstand in the universe. According to the lampstand’s position in the heavens, it is in the Holy Place, but according to its position on the earth, it is outside the Holy Place. The lampstand in the heavens is Christ, and the lampstand on the earth is the Spirit. The Spirit and Christ are not two separate persons. Rather, They are one entity with two aspects. As the One who is with God the Father, He is Christ, but as the One who comes into us, He is the Spirit. We should never separate Christ and the Spirit into two separate persons, because Christ is the Spirit (1 Cor. 15:45b; 2 Cor. 3:17).
As the lampstand He operates on the earth and enters into us, His believers, thus producing the churches, which are also lampstands (Rev. 1:20). In a sense, we may say that there are now seven golden lampstands in the “outer court.” The seven golden lampstands in Revelation 1 are the product, expression, and embodiment of the unique golden lampstand. Thus, the church is Christ and the product, embodiment, expression, and manifestation of the Spirit. We must be clear that the substance and reality of the church is the Spirit.
All the lampstands in the Bible are actually one lampstand with three aspects. In one aspect the lampstand is Christ, in another aspect it is the Spirit, and in still another aspect it is the church. Although its aspects are different, its reality or substance is one. The reality and substance of the lampstand is Christ and the Spirit. When we say that the reality of the lampstand is Christ, the emphasis is on the fact, and when we say that the reality of the lampstand is the Spirit, the emphasis is on our experience. According to the fact, the church is Christ, but according to our experience, the church is the embodiment of the Spirit.
We must see that we cannot set up or produce the church by our own effort. Regardless of how much we bear the cross, we cannot produce the church. Regardless of how much we allow ourselves to be crucified on the cross, we cannot produce the church. Regardless of how much we are dealt with, broken, and carved, we are still ourselves and not the church. We do not say this to disparage other Christians. Rather, in saying this we also include ourselves, for we are all God’s children. Throughout the centuries God has given His saints vision after vision. Some saw the need to bear the cross, to be broken, and to be dealt with. These matters, however, miss the central point. Strictly speaking, the church is neither a matter of being dealt with nor a matter of bearing the cross and being broken. Rather, it is a matter of the Spirit having a place in us. This is because the essence and reality of the church is the Spirit. For example, the essence or substance of this stand is wood. If the substance of this stand was not wood, then no matter what color you painted it or however you disguised it, it would not be wood. The essence of this stand is wood, and the essence of the church is the Spirit, that is, the Spirit of God. The Spirit of God is God Himself reaching us. However, it was not so simple for God to reach us. He had to go through the process of incarnation, thirty-three and a half years of human living, death, and resurrection to become the life-giving Spirit.
The golden lampstand in Zechariah 4 signifies the Spirit of Jehovah. This golden lampstand signifies Jehovah God who became the life-giving Spirit through incarnation, human living, death, and resurrection. This life-giving Spirit is God Himself. It includes the Father, the Son, and the Spirit and also includes humanity, human living, Christ’s mysterious death on the cross, resurrection, and ascension. This is the Triune God who passed through a process to become the all-inclusive Spirit. We may use the making of bread as an illustration. After the wheat in a field ripens and is harvested, it has to be ground into powder, mixed with water, and baked in fire in order to become bread. During the mixing, milk, raisins, and other ingredients may also be added. Consequently, this loaf of bread becomes an all-inclusive loaf of bread. When you eat this bread, you receive all the different kinds of ingredients.
The all-inclusive Spirit includes the Spirit of God in Zechariah 4. This is signified by the lampstand in Zechariah 4, which is for God’s building, the church. Hence, the Spirit, signified by the lampstand, is for the producing of the church, which is the reprint of the Spirit. Originally there was only one Spirit, one lampstand, but eventually, seven lampstands were produced. The seven golden lampstands in Revelation 1 and the one golden lampstand in Zechariah 4 are exactly the same. The golden lampstand in Zechariah is the original copy, and the golden lampstands in Revelation are the reprints. The original copy was reprinted, producing seven copies that are exactly like the original. Therefore, the church is the reprint of the Spirit.
May this light shine thoroughly and brightly so that we who are in this age would see more clearly than the Christians twenty years ago. Twenty years ago I spoke concerning the church, but my speaking was not so thorough because I myself did not see the church so clearly. It was only recently that I saw how indispensable the Spirit is. To say that the church is Christ is only to state a fact. If you do not have the dispensing of the Spirit, and if you do not allow the seven Spirits to shine in you thoroughly, transfusing God into you richly that you may become His reproduction, then you are not in the reality of the church. All you have is a Christian organization or society. There is no reprint of the Spirit and no golden lampstand. The church as the reprint of the Spirit is a lampstand of pure gold.
When this light clearly shines on us, then many of my previous messages and words may become unnecessary. Today we should board the 747 airplane instead of riding on the old oxcart. We must see that the church is the reprint, the expression, and the product of the Spirit. The Spirit is the seven Spirits as the consummation of Jehovah God-the Father, the Son, and the Spirit-who passed through incarnation, human living, death, and resurrection. This Spirit is for the producing of the church.
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