The book of Revelation reveals eight aspects of the church as the testimony of Jesus. The first aspect, in chapters 1 through 3, is the seven golden lampstands. The lampstands themselves have three main significances. First, the lampstands shine in the dark night. Second, the lampstands are golden. In typology, gold signifies the divine nature. Everything in the church as the testimony of Jesus must be in the divine nature. Third, the shining of the golden lampstands is so that people may see Christ as the Son of Man walking in their midst. If anyone says, “You talk so much about Jesus, but where is He?”, we can boldly point them to the churches. We can answer, “Come and see Jesus in the churches.” Today Jesus is walking, acting, moving, living, working, and saving people in the local churches. The present age is the “nighttime,” and in every corner and avenue of human society there is nothing but darkness. However, every local church is a shining lampstand, illuminating people that they may see Christ. When people see Christ in the churches, they can realize that the churches are not low, mean, earthly, sinful, or mixed. Rather, everything in them is golden and divine. This is the first aspect that Revelation reveals to us concerning the churches as the testimony of Jesus.
All the golden lampstands are identical to one another. Many Christians, having taken in a mistaken concept, desire to be different from other Christians. When I came to this country fourteen years ago, I met some dear Christians who were troubled because the local churches were all the same. They told me that they preferred to be different. This is not right. We may compare the identical nature of the lampstands to the similarities of our physical bodies. Since everyone is created with the same organs, it would be foolish for anyone to say that he wants a different number of organs in order to not be the same as others. Those who claim that every local church should be unique base their concept upon the differences among the seven churches in Revelation 2 and 3. When I was young, I was influenced by this concept and I taught the same thing. However, one day the light dawned upon me, and I saw that all the differences in the local churches in Revelation 2 and 3 are negative, not positive. Ephesus lost her first love (2:4), Pergamos is worldly (v. 13), Thyatira is demonic (vv. 20, 24), and Laodicea is lukewarm (3:15); all these are negative matters. On the positive side, however, all the local churches are identical, because they all are golden. If we were to place the seven lampstands before us, we would not be able to tell them apart. All the seven lampstands are the same.
Nevertheless, some people in this country have boldly declared that they will never be like the other churches. However, many of these voices have now faded away, and the peculiar concepts they advocated have failed. It is not that we must all follow one certain church. Rather, it is that we all must have the same “number of organs,” that is, the same nature and appearance. On the positive side, all the local churches must be identical, but on the negative side, they are different. If one church begins to worship idols, we must refuse to follow that church. In matters such as this, we must be “different.” However, it is wrong to say that the local churches should not be the same in the positive matters. We should not try to make ourselves peculiar or different; this is to be proud. The four sides of the New Jerusalem are all built with the same material—jasper (21:12-14, 18). It is not that one side is built with jasper, and another side with a different material. Because we are all one church universally, the local churches throughout the earth should be identical, not in every practical matter but in nature and appearance. Locally, we are the churches; universally, we are the church. This is the testimony of Jesus.
In 7:9-17 we see the testimony of Jesus as a great multitude, those who have been redeemed “out of every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues” throughout all the generations. Verse 14 says, “These are those who come out of the great tribulation.” This refers to the tribulations, sufferings, persecutions, and afflictions experienced by God’s redeemed people throughout the ages. Because the world always afflicts the church (John 16:33), wherever the church is, there will always be a certain amount of persecution. This great multitude has come out of tribulation in a victorious way, for they all hold palm branches, which signify their victory over tribulation. Revelation 7:15 says, “He who sits upon the throne will tabernacle over them.” Eventually, in eternity, God will overshadow them with Himself as their tabernacle (21:3; cf. John 1:14). This is the destiny of God’s redeemed ones. How wonderful this is! Furthermore, the Lamb will also shepherd them and guide them to springs of waters of life for eternity (Rev. 7:17).
Verses 9 through 17 do not portray any particular group of believers. Rather, they present a general record of the whole of God’s redeemed ones and their state in eternity. In eternity, their state will be that of enjoying God’s overshadowing and Christ’s shepherding. This is our destiny. This portion of the Word reveals that while Christ is executing God’s judgment upon mankind, He will take care of God’s redeemed ones. All God’s redeemed ones eventually will be raptured to the throne of God and will stand there enjoying God’s overshadowing and the Lamb’s shepherding.