We must be deeply impressed that the golden lampstand, as well as the tabernacle itself, is the church. This means that the shining of the church is in the church. Outside of the church is the light of the “sun” and the “moon” but not the light of the golden lampstand. Outside of the church is the natural view, but not the light of revelation which shines out of God’s lampstand. For this reason, not only non-Christians but even many Christians do not know what God’s economy, God’s administration, is. This is because they are not in the Holy Place; they are not before the throne of God, and they are not under the shining of the seven lamps. The shining of the seven lamps is in the Holy Place. I repeat: The golden lampstand is the church, and the tabernacle is also the church. This means that the light of the lampstand is in the church.
Let me give a small testimony. I was saved in old Christianity. At that time all that I was taught was that I was a sinner and that I could go to heaven by believing in the Lord. Later I was brought to the Brethren to learn the Bible. I came to have much knowledge concerning the Bible, but I knew nothing about God’s economy, God’s administration. The Brethren did not have this light. Sometimes they taught that we have to obey God’s will in every matter. However, what they meant by this was that children must try their best to seek God’s will so that they may know how to obey their parents. When they are about to enter high school, they have to seek God’s will again. There may be many high schools in their city, so they must pray to attend the one of His will. Eventually, when they arrive at the marrying age, they must pray, “O Lord, I ask that You may make it clear to me which one is the partner You are giving me. Is she from the Lee, the Chang, the Wang, or the Liu family?” They also taught me that even when I go to buy a pair of shoes, I have to pray, “O Lord, do You want me to get a pair of shoes made of fabric or of leather? What sort of shoes do You want me to wear according to Your will?” At that time I thought that it was very good and meaningful to pray to ask God concerning His intention when choosing a school, selecting a mate, and even buying a pair of shoes. Thank the Lord, after this time He brought me to the church. The first day I came to the church, I saw light. It was not “sunlight” or “moonlight”; it was the light from the seven lamps on the golden lampstand. What I saw was not leather shoes versus fabric shoes or the Lee, Chang, Wang, or Liu family. Instead, I saw God’s eternal purpose. I saw God’s eternal administration and economy. This was a tremendous seeing! After I saw this, I realized that I can put on either fabric shoes or leather shoes as long as they are appropriate. It is not a matter of fabric shoes versus leather shoes; it is a matter of God’s administration, God’s economy.
Brothers and sisters, if you do not believe my word, leave the churches in the Lord’s recovery and meet in a denomination, and try to see if you are able to stay there for half a year. I can guarantee that in that situation, the more you go to their Sunday worship service, the thicker the veils will become and the more befuddled your mind will be. You will not have even a small amount of light. In contrast, many can testify that as soon as they stepped into the church meetings, the light was shining, they became clear, and they had the realization not of wearing fabric shoes versus leather ones, but of God’s administration, God’s economy. They realized that the throne is here and that there are seven lamps of fire burning before the throne. What kind of light is this? This is not the light of the sky, the natural light; rather, it is the light of the Holy Place.
I hope that we will practice using the phrase the light of the Holy Place. The light of the golden lampstand is the light of the Holy Place, not the light of the sky, nor that of the sun, the moon, or anything natural. The light of the Holy Place is from the burning of the olive oil in the golden lampstand. The Holy Place today is the church. The church is the lampstand, and it is also the Holy Place. That the lampstand is in the Holy Place means that the church is in the church. This may seem to be a peculiar statement, but we can confirm it from our experience. In Psalm 73, the psalmist saw a situation which puzzled him and was difficult to comprehend. The more he looked at it, the more it was unclear to him; the more he analyzed it, the more it did not make sense and the more he became befuddled. Eventually, he said, “When I considered this in order to understand it, / It was troublesome in my sight, / Until I went into the sanctuary of God; / Then I perceived their end” (vv. 16-17). This shows us that when he went into the sanctuary, the Holy Place, he understood. Likewise, many among us can give such a testimony: “Until I came into the church, then I understood.” Very often we face problems, and we remain perplexed after much pondering over them. Nevertheless, once we come to the meetings, immediately we understand. Do you have this experience? I can testify that a thousand times I am pressed, I am befuddled, I am at a loss, and I do not understand, but once I come into the meetings, I fully understand. Why is this? It is because in the Holy Place there is the shining of the seven lamps.
Today in certain places, especially in America, some people feel very unhappy when they hear us say that we are the church. In Anaheim we are the church, in Los Angeles we are the church, and in San Francisco we are the church. This saying pricks the ears of some in the denominations. They say, “Don’t we worship God? Don’t we believe in the Lord Jesus? Don’t we have the Bible? Don’t we pray? Don’t we depend on the precious blood? Why are you the church and we aren’t?” This is hard to argue, but whether or not we are something is not a matter of argument. I am Witness Lee, but another may say, “Only you are Witness Lee? Am I not Witness Lee also?” Even if he argues and becomes angry, I am still Witness Lee, and he is not. If one is, he is; if one is not, he is not. It is useless to argue. In the same way, denominations say that they are the church. However, once people go there, they are confused. Even if they hang a signboard outside which reads, “We are the church,” once people come in, it is pitch dark and there is no light. Neither the church in Anaheim nor the church in Los Angeles has a signboard which says, “We are the church,” but hundreds of people have said, “Now I understand!” once they came into these churches. Once people come to the church, they see light. As to whether or not a meeting is the church, the key factor is whether or not the lampstand is there and people see light when they meet. It is not that anyone who claims to be the church is the church; the question is whether or not people touch light when they come in.
A certain place may have a preacher who is born with sophisticated eloquence, a sonorous voice, and clear enunciation. He speaks clearly and logically and quotes copiously from the Scriptures. All these are attractive to people and are as pleasant as music to their ears. People may be very touched after listening to him, but there still may be no light, and their vision is pitch dark. However, when we come to the meetings of the church, a brother may stutter when he speaks, and he may not present matters clearly, yet even if people have a hard time listening, the light is there and it shines brightly. Eloquence is one thing, but light is another.
I trust that many of us have had this experience. When we come to the church meetings, even before the reading of the Bible, even as soon as we are seated, we are enlightened! We are clear! Not only are we clear about wearing leather shoes versus fabric shoes; we are also clear concerning the course of our whole life. Therefore, whether or not we are the church does not depend on eloquence, exalted speech, great wisdom, or learning but on whether or not the seven lamps are shining. This is not man-made light, and neither is it sunlight nor moonlight; rather, it is the light of the seven lamps on the golden lampstand in the Holy Place. Today, not only ordinary Christians, but even many pastors, preachers, and professors in Bible seminaries do not know what human life actually is, and they are even more unskilled concerning God’s administration, God’s economy. Nevertheless, I can guarantee that as long as we come into the realm of the church, all we have to do is sit in the meetings, and meeting after meeting we will become clear inwardly. We will receive a thorough understanding of human life, and we will become completely clear about God’s will. We will be crystal clear about God’s economy, and we will know the age which we are in today. This is due to the light in the Holy Place.
I love to use this expression, the light in the Holy Place! “When I considered this in order to understand it, / It was troublesome in my sight, / Until I went into the sanctuary of God; / Then I perceived their end.” Once we go into the Holy Place, we understand. This is because in the Holy Place is the throne, the One who sits on the throne, and the presence of God, and before the throne of God is the shining of the seven burning lamps of fire. Once we enter into this realm, immediately we are clear. We know God’s eternal purpose, His heart’s intention, and His economy, and we also know which path we should take for the journey before us. This is due to the light in the Holy Place.