The Local Churches in the Book of Revelation

Additional Quotes about the Local Church by Witness Lee and Watchman Nee

The entire book of Revelation shows us invisible things. Do you believe there are seven physical lampstands? Surely these lampstands are not physical. The seven lampstands signify the seven local churches (Rev. 1:11-12, 20). A local church can be seen since it is physical, but if we are going to see the intrinsic reality of the local church, we need a figure of speech. Thus, the lampstands are not real lampstands. They are figures. They are signs. They signify the local churches, not in the physical sense but in the intrinsic, invisible sense.

(Witness Lee, Central Line, 325-326)

When John saw the seven stars upon the right hand of Christ and the seven golden lampstands in the midst of which was Christ, it was a mystery to him. He did not realize the significance of the seven heavenly stars and the seven golden lampstands. Hence, the Lord unveiled the mystery to him, saying that the seven stars are the messengers of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches. The significance of this not only was a mystery to John but also is a mystery to believers today. All believers need the unveiling of this mystery that they may see the churches and their messengers.

(Witness Lee, Footnotes, 1240)

In Exodus 25 the emphasis is on Christ being the lampstand as the divine light, shining as the seven lamps with the Spirit (the oil). In Zechariah 4 the emphasis is on the Spirit (v. 6) shining as the seven lamps which are the seven eyes of God (vv. 2, 10). The seven eyes of God are the seven Spirits of God (Rev. 5:6) for God’s intensified move. This indicates that the lampstand in Zechariah is the reality of the lampstand in Exodus, and the lampstands in Revelation are the reproduction of the lampstand in Zechariah. Christ is realized as the Spirit, and the Spirit is expressed as the churches. The shining Spirit is the reality of the shining Christ, and the shining churches are the reproduction and the expression of the shining Spirit to accomplish God’s eternal purpose that the New Jerusalem as the shining city may be consummated. Christ, the Spirit, and the churches are all of the same divine nature. In Exodus 25 the emphasis is on Christ being the lampstand as the divine light, shining as the seven lamps with the Spirit (the oil). In Zechariah 4 the emphasis is on the Spirit (v. 6) shining as the seven lamps which are the seven eyes of God (vv. 2, 10). The seven eyes of God are the seven Spirits of God (Rev. 5:6) for God’s intensified move. This indicates that the lampstand in Zechariah is the reality of the lampstand in Exodus, and the lampstands in Revelation are the reproduction of the lampstand in Zechariah. Christ is realized as the Spirit, and the Spirit is expressed as the churches. The shining Spirit is the reality of the shining Christ, and the shining churches are the reproduction and the expression of the shining Spirit to accomplish God’s eternal purpose that the New Jerusalem as the shining city may be consummated. Christ, the Spirit, and the churches are all of the same divine nature.

(Witness Lee, LS of Revelation, 93)

First, Christ is the lampstand as the testimony of God (Exo. 25:31-39). Second, the nation of Israel is the lampstand as the testimony of God. Third, the local churches are the lampstands as the testimony of Christ (Rev. 1:12, 20b).

(Witness Lee, LS of Zechariah, 27-28)

When I was young, I was very interested in studying the prophecies in the book of Revelation. Today I have less interest in the prophecies but more interest in being enlightened by considering the spiritual visions in this book, in particular the visions of the seven lampstands and of the New Jerusalem. At the beginning of Revelation, we have the local churches as the golden lampstands; at the end, we have the New Jerusalem as the unique, universal golden lampstand in eternity (21:10-11, 18b, 23).

(Witness Lee, LS of Job, 144-145)

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