The sixth aspect is in chapter 19, where we see the bride prepared for a wedding by being clothed with fine linen, bright and clean (vv. 7-8). The outer court of the tabernacle was also covered with fine linen (Exo. 26:1). Linen signifies the expression of Christ in the righteousnesses of the saints. Today as the testimony of Jesus the church must be clothed with fine linen, being righteous, bright, pure, clean, clear, and without mixture, spot, or any such thing (Eph. 5:26-27).
The bride will be the church in the millennium, the thousand-year kingdom. Not all Christians will be a part of this bride. Rather, only those who are truly in the church expressing Christ as the fine linen will be there. We should not say that as long as we are in the local churches we will be there. We must be the local churches, but we also must express Christ as our fine linen. Then we will be prepared and qualified to be the bride on the wedding day of Christ. The thousand years will be a wedding day, since with the Lord, one day is like a thousand years (2 Pet. 3:8). On her wedding day, a woman is a bride, but on the next day she becomes a wife. In the thousand years all the overcoming saints will be the bride and will enjoy the wedding feast. However, those who do not express Christ as the fine linen will not be ready, and they will have no share in the wedding feast. Do not ask, “Are they not saved?” Yes, they are saved, but because they have no share in expressing Christ, they will also have no share in that wedding day.
The seventh aspect of the testimony of Jesus is the overcoming army to fight against Antichrist. The stronger part of the church, the man-child who fights against Satan in the heavens, will also be a part of the army that fights with Christ against Satan on the earth (Rev. 19:14-19). Christ’s heavenly army will be composed of all the overcomers, those who are called, chosen, and faithful (17:14). After all the raptured saints are judged at the judgment seat of Christ (2 Cor. 5:10), the overcomers will return to the earth with Christ as His heavenly army to fight against Antichrist with his earthly armies. The false Christ will be so bold as to fight against the true Christ, but the true Christ will war against the false one. Eventually, at the end of this war, Christ will defeat Antichrist (Rev. 19:20).
The eighth aspect of the testimony of Jesus is the New Jerusalem. The wall of the New Jerusalem is built with jasper (21:11, 18-19). When we look at the bride, we see fine linen as the expression of Christ, and when we look at the holy city, we see jasper. The appearance of God on the throne is like jasper (4:3a). Therefore, jasper signifies the precious and divine appearance, likeness, expression, and image of God. That the New Jerusalem has the appearance of jasper signifies that it is the fulfillment of Genesis 1:26. Man was made in God’s image to express God, and in the New Jerusalem this purpose will be fulfilled. The entire redeemed human race will express God. The appearance of God is like jasper, and the New Jerusalem will appear the same. Because the New Jerusalem is the expression of God, it will be His consummate, corporate testimony.
In this message we have seen the church in the eight aspects of the testimony of Jesus. Besides this, Revelation also shows another woman, the great harlot, Babylon, that is full of abominations and fornication (17:1-5; 18:2a, 4). Babylon signifies religion plus the world, the present generation, with its politics, diplomacy, and worldly affairs. The church is seen in the lampstands, the great multitude of the redeemed, the shining woman, the growing farm, the overcomers on the glassy sea, the bride clothed with Christ, the overcoming army, and the New Jerusalem with the appearance of God. As such, the church protests against the present generation. Opposite to the church, there is religion—including Judaism, Catholicism, and Protestantism—and the world with its politics and worldly affairs. On one side is the church, and on the other side is the present generation. In order to be on the side of the church, we must be golden and heavenly, we need to grow, and we need to stand on the shore singing and rejoicing that we have been rescued from the other shore. We were on the other shore, but we have been baptized onto this shore; we were in Egypt, but we have been baptized through the Red Sea. Now we are singing the song of Moses and the song of the Lamb. On this side we are expressing Christ as our fine linen, and eventually we will be the New Jerusalem. Moreover, on this side we are protesting against religion, politics, and worldly affairs. On which side are we? Hallelujah, we are on the side of the church as the testimony of Jesus!
This is not something from our own mentality. It is from the book of Revelation. We need a vision to see what is in this book. Revelation has been here for hundreds of years, but people have not seen what is in it. They have not had the vision, but today in the church we have a “skylight,” a heavenly opening for the light (Gen. 6:16a). I myself never before saw some of the points covered in this message. Only while I was speaking did I become clear about them, and the more I speak, the more I have something further to speak. To be sure, our eyes and ears have been much blessed. Hallelujah, for the Lord’s present, up-to-date revelation concerning the church as the testimony of Jesus! Now we all need to follow this vision.