The progressive revelation of the lampstand in the Bible portrays the eternal economy of God to make Himself one with man for His enlargement and eternal expression. In the Bible, the lampstand is first seen in Exodus 25 as a picture of the mysterious Triune God—the Father, the Son, and the Spirit—while the final mention of the lampstand is in Revelation, where it signifies the local churches composed of God’s elect on earth. Ultimately these two, the Triune God and His redeemed people, become one glorious ever-shining eternal lampstand in Revelation 21.
Exodus 25:31-40 describes the lampstand as a work of pure gold, beaten into a specific form, and constructed to produce light through its seven lamps. Gold signifies the divine nature, and the form implies Christ as the embodiment of God (Col. 2:9). Thus, the lampstand here signifies Christ, fully constituted with the divine nature of the Father to express the Father as His embodiment (2 Cor. 4:4b, Col 1:15). Finally, the shining lamps signify the Spirit as expression of the Triune God, enlightening every dark situation (Rev. 4:5; Luke 15:8). This lampstand in Exodus signifies Christ as the embodiment of the Triune God expressed as the Spirit.
How then does the apostle John write in Revelation 1:20 that the lampstand is the local church? It appears that the one lampstand has become seven, and that these seven lampstands are seven local churches. In order to see the significance of this progression, we must see that the church is the reproduction of Christ. The fullness of the Godhead dwells in Christ (Col. 2:9), and we, the believers, have received His fullness (John 1:16). Thus, we are becoming the very fullness of God (Eph. 3:19). The believers in the churches, the lampstands today, are children of light (Eph. 5:8), the light of the world (Matt. 5:14), and luminaries (Phil 2:15).
Ultimately, the history of the Triune God entering into man, becoming one with man, and expressing Himself in and through man will consummate in a glorious city—the New Jerusalem. The apostle John describes this city in Revelation 21:18 as pure gold, having the glory of God as its illumination (v. 23), and giving light to the entire earth (v. 24). This description indicates that the New Jerusalem is an eternal lampstand: a sign detailing the eternal oneness of the Triune God with His redeemed, regenerated, and glorified people for eternity!
Further Reading:
Witness Lee, The Ultimate Significance of the Golden Lampstand, Chapter 1
(Nook, Kindle, iBooks, Print).
Witness Lee, The Crystallization-Study Outlines – New Jerusalem, Outline 7
(only available for reading online).
(Most references in the Further Reading can also be viewed on www.ministrybooks.org.)
2.The New Jerusalem is the God-men who have been transformed, glorified, and mingled with the processed and consummated Triune God—
(Crystallization-Study Outlines—New Jerusalem, The, by Witness Lee, outline)
b.We become the New Jerusalem by exercising our spirit to enjoy the Triune God 🙂 🙂 Exercising our spirit saints!!!
4.God has implanted eternity in man’s heart—Eccl. 3:11:
a.Man has a deep desire for permanent things, and the only things which are permanent are the eternal things, the life of eternity, the life of God—2 Cor. 4:16-18; Eph. 3:17.
b.The Lord’s recovery is to recover us, His church, from things seen to things unseen, from things which are temporary to things which are eternal
(Crystallization-Study Outlines—New Jerusalem, The, by Witness Lee, outline 2)
In Exodus 25, you will find the lampstand is formed with calyxes, buds, almond blossoms, and branches. The description given conveys the divine thought of the golden lampstand, which is actually a living and growing tree. Along side this picture are the 7 lamps of the lampstand, signifying the seven Spirits of God for shinning. I’m grateful my brother opens his experience with us about this. He says, “In contrast, in many of the board meetings and the meetings of the responsible ones in Christianity, there are frequent quarrels, sometimes openly and other times secretly. However, many of us can testify that it is not this way in the local churches. We thank the Lord for this! This is because in the churches the light is very strong. When we are about to quarrel, the light shines not only on our lips but also in the depths of our being. This sevenfold intensified light is stronger than any kind of x-ray. This is true not only in quarreling but also in many other matters. In the local churches the light is strong because there is the sevenfold intensified Spirit!”