In Revelation 4 and 5 we see two pictures. The first picture is of a throne, and upon the throne there is One sitting. There are also seven lamps of fire before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God, the Holy Spirit (4:2, 5). The second picture shows us that in the midst of the throne and of the seven Spirits before the throne there is a Lamb standing as having just been slain (5:6). The phrase having just been slain refers to death, and standing refers to resurrection. The Lamb standing as having just been slain signifies that He not only died but that He lives again. Revelation 5 shows us that the Lamb who was slain and resurrected is the Christ who died and resurrected.
The seven Spirits before the throne are the seven lamps of fire. Why are they lamps of fire? It is because God is a consuming fire, and from the God of consuming fire comes fire. In order that we would not be afraid, God put this fire in a lamp. The fire is the Spirit because God is Spirit. The Spirit is God, and the fire also is God, so the Spirit is the fire. Thus, on the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit was poured out as fire. God is the Spirit and the fire, the fire and the Spirit, because what comes out of God are Spirit and fire. This is what we see in Revelation 4. Then in chapter five there is a Lamb in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and this Lamb has seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God. Originally, the seven Spirits of God were the seven lamps of God, but after Christ’s death and resurrection, the seven Spirits of God became Christ’s seven eyes.
In Revelation 4 the Spirit of God is the seven lamps of God that enlighten the universe. But in chapter five the Lamb who was slain is standing, indicating that He has died, resurrected, and ascended. Before Christ’s death and resurrection, the Spirit of God was the seven lamps of God. After Christ’s death and resurrection, the Spirit of God became Christ’s seven eyes, which observe the whole universe, the whole earth. The seven eyes are the seven Spirits of God, being sent forth into all the earth. The seven eyes of Christ observe the whole earth. Wherever Christ’s eyes look, His Spirit reaches, His light shines, and His fire burns.
Revelation 4—5 shows us the scene of Christ’s ascension. After Christ passed through death, resurrection, and then ascension, He stood in the midst of the throne and the four living creatures. He was the resurrected Lamb, and He was resurrection. There was a Lamb standing before the throne in heaven. This standing Lamb was resurrection. Resurrection hinged on Him, depended on Him, and was in Him. However, where did Christ, the resurrected Lamb, put Himself so that He could be contacted and received by man? The resurrected Christ put Himself into man and became the Holy Spirit so that man could contact and receive Him.
We have seen that everything of resurrection is in the Holy Spirit. Christ is the resurrection and the totality of resurrection. Resurrection is in Him, He is resurrection, and He is now the Holy Spirit for man to contact and receive. In other words, the reason why the Christ who is in the heavens can reach the earth and be contacted and received by man is that in resurrection He put Himself into the seven Spirits, and He is diffused through the seven eyes. The seven eyes are the seven Spirits of God, and the seven Spirits are the Holy Spirit. The number seven implies completion. In Revelation the number seven describes the function of the Holy Spirit, indicating that the function of the Holy Spirit is complete. He is well able to satisfy all our needs both great and small.
Therefore, the resurrected and ascended Christ has become the Holy Spirit, and through the Holy Spirit He looks at man’s inner being and comes into man. Through the Holy Spirit, He contacts man, has fellowship with man, and is received by man. Suppose a brother is standing at a distance from you. If he wanted to contact you, how would he reach you? First, he would look at you with his eyes. When your vision and his vision join together, even though there may be a distance between you and him, the distance is bridged through your eye contact. The Holy Spirit is the eyes that diffuse and shine forth Christ. Wherever the Holy Spirit looks, Christ shines, and wherever the Holy Spirit shines, Christ reaches. In addition, whomever the Holy Spirit looks into, Christ shines into, and whomever Christ shines into, that one has fellowship and contact with Christ inwardly.