第三十七週 神忠信的見證人，為著耶穌的見證
讀經：啟一1～2，5，9～12，七9～17，十九10
【週 一】
壹 基督是神忠信的見證人，是神的見證和彰顯；祂把神彰顯出來，那就是祂的見證—啟一5，三14：
一 基督是神的見證人，是神的見證和彰顯；召會是基督的見證和彰顯；如此，召會乃是神在基督裏之見證和彰顯的複製—一5。
二 啟示錄向我們陳明啟示出來的基督，和作見證的召會，就是耶穌的見證；基督是神的見證，而召會是耶穌的見證，就是擴大的基督作為三一神團體的彰顯—約一18，五31～37，八14，啟一2，5，9，十九10，參創一26。
貳 耶穌的見證乃是七個金燈臺—性質是金的（神聖的），照耀在黑暗裏，並且彼此相同—啟一1～2，9～12：
【週 二】
一 金燈臺象徵三一神；父是本質，化身於子，子是具體化身，藉靈彰顯，靈則完滿的實化並彰顯為眾召會，而眾召會乃是耶穌的見證—出二五31～40，亞四2～10，啟一10～12。
【週 三】
二 我們要經歷金燈臺作耶穌的見證，就是耶穌團體的彰顯，（徒九4～5，林前十二12，）就必須是不斷呼求主耶穌的名，（3，13，羅十12～13，哀三55～56，）而被耶穌的靈充滿，（徒十六7，）身上帶著耶穌的烙印，（加六17，）在耶穌的患難、國度、忍耐裏一同有分的弟兄們。（啟一9～10。）
三 錘打金子形成燈臺的座，表徵信徒有分於基督的受苦；我們環境中所發生的每一件事，都是為要產生錘打成的燈臺—出二五31，西一24：
1 我們若立志認識神—將自己服在那靈內裏的運行和外在的環境之下—任何境遇都能成為認識神的機會—何六1～3，腓三10上，弗六20，參創四一42。
2 人的一生中若缺少認識神，這一生乃是浪費的；願主使我們樂意接受祂在環境中的對付，使我們更多的認識祂—林後四16～18，十二7～9，參賽七14～15，林後五14～15。
3 在各種難處和試煉中，有沒有遇見主作為大光，乃是一切問題的所在；苦難能叫我們明白我們所不能明白的—一8～9，參弗一17，路一78～79。
四 金燈臺的照耀，是要叫人看見行走在燈臺中間之人子—即榮耀之基督—的異象；我們認識主是在眾召會中間活到永永遠遠的那一位，纔能在靈中不斷的感覺主確實的同在；祂是長遠活著，為我們代求，如今為我們顯在神面前，並且祂永不誤事，也絕不丟棄我們—啟一12～18，二1，提後四22，來七25，九24，民六22～27，申三一6。
五 七個金燈臺七盞燈的照耀，以及主耶穌行走在燈臺中間，七眼如同火焰，腳好像明亮的銅，面貌如烈日發光，都是指明，在我們日常生活和召會生活中，我們天天需要主更多的照耀，好得著祂更多的牧養—拯救、恢復、復興我們，並使我們成為神—啟一14下～15上，16下，四5，五6，路一78～79，林後四6～7，瑪四2，箴四18，詩二二標題，八十1～3，7，15～19。
【週 四】
六 光照在於神的憐憫；甚麼時候神來了，神施憐憫了，祂的面光就是我們的光，祂的顯現就是我們的看見，祂的同在就是我們的得著—羅九15，徒九3～4，賽五十10～11，民六25～26：
1 我們要蒙光照，就必須要主的光照，接受主的光照，立定心意單單愛慕、尋求主—詩一三九23～24，腓二12～16，代下十二14，十六12，三四1～3，詩二七8，七三25，路十一33～36。
2 我們要蒙光照，就要向主敞開自己，心歸向主，把自己一點不保守、不扣留的擺在主面前；那些向主關閉的人，專會定罪人，批評人—林後三16，箴二十27，太七1～5，路六36～37，41～42。
3 我們要蒙光照，就要把自己停下來；把自己停下來就是把我們的眼光、看法、感覺、感想、意見等等，都停下來；一個完全停下來的人，來到主的面前，纔能單單純純的接受主的話—十38～42，約十一21～28，賽四十31，太五3，路十八15～17，賽六六1～2。
4 我們要蒙光照，就不能反駁那在我們裏面說話之聖靈所帶來的光，也不該反駁那在我們外面說話之聖靈的眾執事—徒二二10，歌五4～6，林後十3～5，十一2～3，民十六1～7，31～39，十七1～8，參出三三11～14。
5 我們要蒙光照，就要不斷的活在光中—賽二5，約壹一7，來九14，十22，太五3，8，14，詩一一九105，啟一20，詩三六8～9。
【週 五】
參 耶穌的見證乃是在殿裏事奉神的大批群眾，就是全體蒙神救贖的人，他們被提到諸天之上，享受神的看顧和羔羊的牧養，得著諸天界裏並基督裏一切屬靈的福分，那是我們今天就能享受的—啟七9～17，弗一3，加三14，創十二2，參啟二一3～4，二二3～5，賽四九10：
一 大批的群眾包括那些用羔羊的血從各邦國、各支派、各民族、各方言所買來的人，作召會的構成分子—啟七9上，五9，羅十一25，徒十五14，19，林前六19～20。
二 『這些人是從大患難中出來的，曾用羔羊的血，洗淨了他們的袍子，並且洗白了』—啟七14：
1 十四節的大患難乃是指神的贖民歷代所經歷的災難、苦楚、逼迫和艱苦等—約十六33。
2 羔羊的血，在神面前答覆魔鬼對我們一切的控告，使我們勝過他；（啟十二11；）因著救贖之基督這開啟的血泉，洗除我們一切的罪與污穢，（亞十三1，約十九34，）我們只要一投此血泉，就立去全身罪愆，（詩歌六八六首，第一節，）並且『神前行走，光明無比，世俗、罪污遠離；內得新心，外有白衣，基督居衷登極』。（補充本詩歌八五四首，第三節。）
3 洗淨自己的袍子，就是藉著羔羊之血的洗滌，保守自己的行為潔淨；這使我們有權柄享受生命樹，並且得以進入生命的城，就是神永遠福分的範圍—約壹一7，啟二二14。
三 大批的群眾站在寶座前和羔羊面前，手拿棕樹枝—七9：
1 棕樹枝表徵我們勝過為主所受的患難；棕樹也是因水滋潤而滿足的標記—14節，參約十二13，出十五27。
2 在三一神作神的殿裏，我們要晝夜事奉祂，享受祂作永遠的住棚節，並且在生命裏發旺如棕樹—啟七15上，三12，利二三40，尼八15，詩九二12～13，約七2，37～39，羅一9，西二19。
3 我們今天在時間裏的事奉，是為著永世裏的事奉作準備的；神在時間裏惟一的目標，就是要把祂自己一天過一天的分賜到我們裏面；在我們身上，神進來了，神再出去，我們纔有事奉—太二五19～23，約七37～39。
【週 六】
四 我們必不再飢、不再渴—啟七16上：
1 有盼望卻未得著滿足就叫飢渴；基督應許每一個信入祂的人，都能得著滿足，能得著祂作滿足的生命—約六35。
2 在我們靈裏接觸是靈的神，就是喝活水，這樣纔是對神真實的敬拜—四13～14，23～24。
五 烈日和炎熱，必不傷害我們—啟七16下：
1 羔羊神坐在寶座上，要用帳幕覆庇我們，以祂自己遮護我們—15節下，林後十二9。
2 有一種生命是在神蔭下的生命，就是藏在神裏的生命—詩三六7～9，弗六17，詩九一1，十七8，五七1，得二12。
3 基督作為耶和華並作為人，乃是王，供應、照顧並遮蓋神的子民；基督是王來治理，也是人像避風所，和避暴雨的隱密處，像河流在乾旱之地，像大磐石的影子在疲乏之地—賽三二1～2。
六 寶座中的羔羊必牧養我們，領我們到生命水的泉—啟七17上：
1 牧養包括餧養；在基督的牧養下，『我必不至缺乏』—詩二三1。
2 我們自己永遠不會作好，我們永遠需要一位牧者餧養我們；祂以作神羔羊的經歷來餧養小羊；這位神的羔羊乃是坐在神的寶座上，在神的殿裏並為著神的殿—2～6節，啟二二1。
七 神必從我們眼中擦去一切的眼淚—七17下：
1 流淚是在今世不可免的；不過，我們的眼淚，神都裝在祂的皮袋裏，記在祂的冊子上—來五7，徒二十19，31，詩五六8，參瑪三16。
2 因著羔羊要用生命水供應我們，使我們滿足，淚水就被擦去了—耶九1，二13，參十五16，哀三21～25，55～56。
3 感謝神，傷心的時日和事實不會久；世界快要過去，我們蒙祝福來喝湧流的三一神，直到我們成為永遠生命的總和，就是新耶路撒冷—約四14下。
Week One
The Faithful Witness of God for the Testimony of Jesus
Hymns: 822
Scripture Reading: Rev. 1:1-2, 5, 9-12; 7:9-17; 19:10
§ Day 1
I. Christ is the faithful Witness of God, the testimony and expression of God; His expressing God is His witnessing— Rev. 1:5; 3:14:
A. Christ is the Witness of God, the testimony and expression of God; the church is the testimony and expression of Christ; as such, the church is the reproduction of the testimony and expression of God in Christ—1:5.
B. Revelation presents to us the revealed Christ and the testifying church, which is the testimony of Jesus; Christ is the testimony of God, and the church is the testimony of Jesus, the enlarged Christ as the corporate expression of the Triune God—John 1:18; 5:31-37; 8:14; Rev. 1:2, 5, 9; 19:10; cf. Gen. 1:26.
II. The testimony of Jesus is the seven golden lampstands— golden (divine) in nature, shining in darkness, and identical with one another—Rev. 1:1-2, 9-12:
§ Day 2
A. The golden lampstand symbolizes the Triune God; the Father as the substance is embodied in the Son, the Son as the embodiment is expressed through the Spirit, the Spirit is fully realized and expressed as the churches, and the churches are the testimony of Jesus—Exo. 25:31- 40; Zech. 4:2-10; Rev. 1:10-12.
§ Day 3
B. To experience the golden lampstands as the testimony of Jesus, the corporate expression of Jesus (Acts 9:4-5; 1 Cor. 12:12), we must be filled with the Spirit of Jesus (Acts 16:7) by calling on the name of the Lord Jesus continually (1 Cor. 12:3, 13; Rom. 10:12-13; Lam. 3:55- 56) to bear the brands of Jesus (Gal. 6:17) as brothers and fellow partakers in the tribulation, kingdom, and endurance in Jesus (Rev. 1:9-10).
C. The beating of the gold to form a stand signifies the believers participation in Christs sufferings; everything that goes on in our environment is for the producing of the beaten lampstand—Exo. 25:31; Col. 1:24:
1. If we set our mind on knowing God—submitting to the inward working of the Spirit and to the outward environment—every circumstance will become an opportunity for us to know Him—Hosea 6:1-3; Phil. 3:10a; Eph. 6:20; cf. Gen. 41:42.
2. If a man does not know God in his lifetime, he has wasted his whole life; may the Lord make us willing to accept His dealings in our circumstances so that we may know Him more—2 Cor. 4:16-18; 12:7-9; cf. Isa. 7:14-15; 2 Cor. 5:14-15.
3. The crux of the matter is whether or not one encounters the Lord as the great light in the midst of difficulties and trials; suffering can make us understand what we otherwise could not understand—1:8-9; cf. Eph. 1:17; Luke 1:78-79.
D. The shining of the golden lampstands is so that people may see the vision of the glorious Christ as the Son of Man walking in their midst; by knowing the Lord in the midst of the churches as the One who is living forever and ever, we can be assured of His presence in our spirit all the time; He lives always to intercede for us, He appears now before the face of God for us, and He will never fail us nor forsake us— Rev. 1:12-18; 2:1; 2 Tim. 4:22; Heb. 7:25; 9:24; Num. 6:22-27; Deut. 31:6.
E. The shining of the seven lamps of the golden lampstands, the Lord Jesus walking in their midst with His seven eyes like a flame of fire, His feet like shining bronze, and the shining of His face as the sun indicate that we need more and more of the Lords shining day by day in our daily life and church life for more and more of His shepherding— saving, restoring, reviving, and deifying—Rev. 1:14b-15a, 16b; 4:5; 5:6; Luke 1:78-79; 2 Cor. 4:6-7; Mal. 4:2; Prov. 4:18; Psa. 22, title; 80:1-3, 7, 15-19.
§ Day 4
F. Enlightening rests with the mercy of God; whenever God comes and bestows His mercy, the light of His countenance is our light, His appearing is our vision, and His presence is our gain—Rom. 9:15; Acts 9:3-4; Isa. 50:10-11; Num. 6:25-26:
1. In order to be enlightened, we must want and accept the Lords shining, setting our heart to be single in seeking the Lord alone with all our desire— Psa. 139:23-24; Phil. 2:12-16; 2 Chron. 12:14; 16:12; 34:1-3; Psa. 27:8; 73:25; Luke 11:33-36.
2. In order to be enlightened, we must open ourselves to the Lord, turn our heart to Him, and place ourselves before Him without any reservation or holding back; those who close themselves to the Lord are experts in judging and criticizing others—2 Cor. 3:16; Prov. 20:27; Matt. 7:1-5; Luke 6:36-37, 41-42.
3. In order to be enlightened, we must put a stop to ourselves; this means to put a stop to our views, our ways of looking at things, our feelings, our ideas, and our opinions; when a person who is completely stopped comes before the Lord, he can be exceedingly single and simple in receiving the word of the Lord—10:38-42; John 11:21-28; Isa. 40:31; Matt. 5:3; Luke 18:15-17; Isa. 66:1-2.
4. In order to be enlightened, we must not dispute with the light of the Spirit who speaks within us, and we should not dispute with the ministers of the Spirit who speak without—Acts 22:10; S. S. 5:4-6; 2 Cor. 10:3-5; 11:2-3; Num. 16:1-7, 31-39; 17:1-8; cf. Exo. 33:11-14.
5. In order to be enlightened, we must continuously live in the light—Isa. 2:5; 1 John 1:7; Heb. 9:14; 10:22; Matt. 5:3, 8, 14; Psa. 119:105; Rev. 1:20; Psa. 36:8-9.
§ Day 5
III. The testimony of Jesus is the great multitude serving God in the temple, the whole Body of Gods redeemed, who have been raptured to the heavens to enjoy Gods care and the Lambs shepherding with all the spiritual blessings in the heavenlies and in Christ that can be enjoyed today—Rev. 7:9-17; Eph. 1:3; Gal. 3:14; Gen. 12:2; cf. Rev. 21:3-4; 22:3-5; Isa. 49:10:
A. The great multitude consists of those who have been purchased with the blood of the Lamb from every nation, tribe, people, and tongue to be the constituents of the church—Rev. 7:9a; 5:9; Rom. 11:25; Acts 15:14, 19; 1 Cor. 6:19-20.
B. "These are those who come out of the great tribulation, and they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb"—Rev. 7:14:
1. The great tribulation in verse 14 refers to the tribulations, sufferings, persecutions, and afflictions experienced by Gods redeemed people throughout the ages—John 16:33.
2. The blood of the Lamb answers before God all the accusations of the devil against us and gives us the victory over him (Rev. 12:11); because of the redeeming Christ as the opened fountain of blood for all our sin and impurity (Zech. 13:1; John 19:34), we can plunge beneath that blood, lose all our guilty stains (Hymns, #1006, stanza 1), and "rise to walk in Gods own light / Above the world and sin, / With heart renewed and garments white / And Christ enthroned within" (Hymns, #1010, stanza 3).
3. To wash our robes is to keep our conduct clean through the washing of the blood of the Lamb; this gives us the right to enjoy the tree of life and to enter into the city of life as the realm of Gods eternal blessings—1 John 1:7; Rev. 22:14.
C. Those of the great multitude are standing before the throne and before the Lamb with palm branches in their hands—7:9b:
1. Palm branches signify our victory over tribulation, which we have undergone for the Lords sake; palm trees are also a sign of satisfaction gained through being watered—v. 14; cf. John 12:13; Exo. 15:27.
2. In the Triune God as the temple of God, we will serve Him day and night to enjoy Him as the eternal Feast of Tabernacles and to flourish in life like the palm tree—Rev. 7:15a; 3:12; Lev. 23:40; Neh. 8:15; Psa. 92:12-13; John 7:2, 37-39; Rom. 1:9; Col. 2:19.
3. Our service in time today is a preparation for our service in eternity; Gods only goal in time is to dispense Himself into us day by day; when God comes into us and comes out of us, that is service—Matt. 25:19-23; John 7:37-39.
§ Day 6
D. We will not hunger or thirst anymore—Rev. 7:16a:
1. To hunger and thirst is to have a hope that is not yet satisfied; Christ promises that everyone who believes into Him will be satisfied and receive Him as their satisfying life—John 6:35.
2. To contact God the Spirit in our spirit is to drink of the living water, and to drink of the living water is to render real worship to God—4:13-14, 23-24.
E. The beating sun and the scorching heat will not strike us—Rev. 7:16b:
1. The Lamb-God sitting upon the throne will tabernacle over us, overshadowing us with Himself—v. 15b; 2 Cor. 12:9.
2. There is one kind of life that is under Gods overshadowing—it is a life that is hidden in God—Psa. 36:7-9; Eph. 6:17; Psa. 91:1; 17:8; 57:1; Ruth 2:12.
3. Christ as Jehovah and also as man is the King who is supplying, caring for, and covering Gods people; He is the King for ruling and a man who is like a refuge from the wind and a covering from the tempest, like streams of water in a dry place, and like the shadow of a massive rock in a wasted land—Isa. 32:1-2.
F. The Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd us and guide us to springs of waters of life—Rev. 7:17a:
1. Shepherding includes feeding; under the shepherding of Christ, "I will lack nothing"—Psa. 23:1.
2. We can never improve ourselves, and we need a shepherd to feed us all the time; He feeds the lambs with His experience as the Lamb of God, who is on the throne of God in and for the house of God—vv. 2-6; Rev. 22:1.
G. He will wipe away every tear from our eyes—7:17b:
1. Tears are unavoidable in this age, but our tears are put into Gods bottle and recorded in His book—Heb. 5:7; Acts 20:19, 31; Psa. 56:8; cf. Mal. 3:16.
2. Because the Lamb supplies us with waters of life for our satisfaction, the water of tears is wiped away—Jer. 9:1; 2:13; cf. 15:16; Lam. 3:21-25, 55- 56.
3. Thank God that the days of sorrow and the things of sorrow will not last; the world is passing away, and we are blessed to drink of the flowing Triune God until we become the totality of eternal life, the New Jerusalem—John 4:14b.
