Revelation 1:2 speaks of “the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.” For many years I have considered this term the testimony of Jesus. When I was young, I was taught that if we have good behavior, we will present the testimony of Jesus to people. This means that we, the believers, must behave ourselves, love our neighbor, honor our parents, love our wife, and submit to our husband. At that time I accepted this definition, but gradually I began to feel that it is too low. Such a definition does not belong in the concluding book of the Bible. Whatever is in the conclusion of the Bible must be something higher. After this, I began to look to the Lord for the way to understand the testimony of Jesus. Gradually I saw the proper meaning, but for over twelve years I have realized that if I spoke about this matter in an honest and frank way, I would offend many people. Twelve years ago the time was not ripe to speak in this way, even in the Lord’s recovery, so the Lord caused me to be patient and wait until another day. Recently, however, the burden came to me that now is the time for the Lord to tell His people clearly and fully what the testimony of Jesus is. For this reason I am bold. I do not care if I am rejected. I must speak the truth concerning the testimony of Jesus.
We all know that a picture is better than a thousand words. For this reason, Revelation has not only plain words, but even more it paints a picture. If we do not know how to understand this “painting,” we will not be able to understand this book. The first picture is the vision of the seven shining, golden lampstands (1:12). Then in chapter 4 there are the four living creatures; one is like a lion, the second like a calf, the third having the face of a man, and the fourth like a flying eagle (vv. 6-9). In the midst of the four living creatures is One who was introduced as the Lion, but when John looked, the Lion became a Lamb (5:5-6). The third vision is of four horses running a race (6:1-8), a white horse, a red horse, a black horse, and a pale horse. In chapter 9 there are locusts with tails like scorpions (vv. 3, 10). In chapter 12 there is a wonderful woman clothed with the sun, with the moon underneath her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars (v. 1). The woman is about to deliver a child, and before her is a great dragon who tries to devour her child (v. 4). Then in chapter 13 are two beasts, one coming out of the sea and the other coming out the earth (vv. 1, 11), and in chapter 16 there are frogs (v. 13); frogs always come out when the weather is bad. In chapter 17 there is not a wonderful, universal woman but a great harlot (vv. 1-6), and in chapter 18 there is a great, evil city that is condemned by God (vv. 2-5). In chapter 19 there is a clean, neat, bright, white, and pure bride (vv. 7-8), clothed in fine linen, with whom there is no mixture, dirt, or spot. Then in chapter 20 there is the ancient serpent (v. 2), and in chapters 21 and 22 there is the holy city, the New Jerusalem (21:2, 9-27; 22:1-2). What marvelous pictures these are! We need to see all these pictures, vision after vision. However, the main, central figure in this whole “painting” is Christ as the Lion of the tribe of Judah. If we see all the other items but not this Lion, we will certainly miss the mark. We must turn our eyes away from the frogs, the beasts, the locusts, the dragon, and the serpent and turn our eyes upon this Lion. This book is the revelation, the unveiling, of this Lion.
Moreover, this Lion is expressed through some vessels, which are the testimony of Jesus. An expression is the full testimony of a certain person. The testimony of Jesus is the expression of Jesus, who is expressed first in the local churches today and eventually in the New Jerusalem in the millennium and in eternity. Therefore, the churches today are the testimony of Jesus.
God created man in His own image with the intention that man may express Him. We must all realize that our destiny is not to do certain things. We need to forget about all other things. Our destiny is to express God. In Genesis, after God created man, He did not tell man to do many things. This is because man was made in the image of God simply to express God. We may compare man as the expression of God to a photograph. A photograph of a person does not worship the person, work for him, or serve him. The destiny of a photograph is simply to express the person. Man is a “photograph” of God. When God created man, He “took a photo” of Himself. Just as the function of a photograph is to express a person, man was made to express God. However, many failed God in this very respect, but Psalm 8 tells us that a second man would come to resume the responsibility of man to express God (vv. 4-6). This is what Jesus accomplished. While Jesus was on this earth, He fully expressed God. He was the real “photograph” of God.
Now this one photograph has been reproduced. We are all the reproduced “photographs” of Jesus. Therefore, today God has a corporate expression—the church—which is the testimony of Jesus, who is the expression of God. The old man Adam was created in God’s image, but Adam failed God. Now the church is the new man, which is created in Christ according to the image of God, having Christ as God’s expression (Eph. 4:24; Col. 3:10). This expression is the testimony of Jesus, which in Revelation is first the local churches and eventually the New Jerusalem. The book of Revelation opens with the seven lampstands, and it concludes with the New Jerusalem. Both the lampstands and the New Jerusalem are figures of the church. The seven lampstands are signs of the seven local churches, and the one New Jerusalem is the sign of the ultimate consummation of the church for eternity. Revelation is an unveiling of Christ, and Christ is expressed through the church. Therefore, the church is the testimony of the very Jesus revealed in this book.