The Local Churches in the Book of Revelation

The Spirit’s Speaking to the Churches Being in the Local Churches

1. In Revelation, the One Spirit of God Being Intensified as the Sevenfold Spirit

The seven Spirits of God in Revelation indicate that God’s Spirit has been intensified sevenfold. Witness Lee states:

Because the Spirit in 1:4 is the intensified Spirit of God, He is called the seven Spirits. The seven Spirits are undoubtedly the Spirit of God because they are ranked among the Triune God in verses 4 and 5. We cannot understand the Bible according to our natural, limited mentality. According to our concept, the words “seven Spirits” denote seven individual spirits. But this is not the meaning. The number seven here does not refer to seven different spirits but to one sevenfold Spirit.

(Witness Lee, LS of Revelation, 40)

The sevenfold intensification of the Spirit of God is related to the function of the Spirit, as Witness Lee explains:

In substance and existence, God’s Spirit is one; in the intensified function and work of God’s operation, God’s Spirit is sevenfold. It is like the lampstand in Zechariah 4:2. In existence it is one lampstand, but in function it is seven lamps…

(Witness Lee, LS of Revelation, 40-41)

2. The Sevenfold Spirit Meeting the Need of the Local Churches

The seven Spirits of God—the sevenfold intensified Spirit—meet the needs of the seven local churches—all the churches throughout the centuries. Witness Lee remarks:

In the book of Revelation, the Spirit functions as the seven Spirits, the sevenfold intensified Spirit of God, meeting the need of the seven churches, which signify all the churches in the seven stages through the centuries in degradation (Rev. 1:4; 3:1; 4:5; 5:6).

Because there are seven churches, the Spirit of God has to be sevenfold. This means He is adequate and He is altogether sufficient to meet the need of all the churches. Sevenfold means all-inclusive. The seven churches signify all the churches in the seven stages through the centuries in degradation. The sevenfold intensified Spirit of God meets the need of the degraded churches. The seven Spirits are before the throne of God for God’s administration, especially in the local churches (Rev. 1:4).

(Witness Lee, Spirit, 106)

One example of the sevenfold Spirit meeting the need of the local churches is seen in the case of the church in Sardis. Witness Lee comments:

The seven Spirits are the means for Christ, in taking care of the local churches as the High Priest trimming the seven lamps in the Holy Place, to speak to the church in Sardis, a dying church. Revelation 3:1 speaks of “He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars.” This is Christ as the One who takes care of the church. He spoke to the church in Sardis, a dying church. Such a dying church needed such a Christ to make it living through the seven Spirits. This verse also implies that the seven Spirits are for the seven stars. The seven stars are the leading ones. To be a star taking the lead in the church, you need the sevenfold Spirit.

(Witness Lee, Spirit, 107)

As Witness Lee expounds here, the seven local churches signify all the stages of the universal church throughout the centuries. In the book of Revelation, the one Spirit is intensified sevenfold to counter the deadness and heal the degradation in all the local churches.

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