Witness Lee: Christ--The Loving High Priest in the Local Churches

Christ in Revelation - the One Walking in the Midst of the Local Churches

Christ: the One Walking in the Midst of the Local Churches

VIII. As the Amen and the Worthy One

In Revelation 3:14, Christ declares to the local church in Laodicea that He is “the Amen.” Such a designation indicates that as Christ’s believers say “amen” to Him, in obedience to His inward leading, they are also calling upon Him as the Amen. Witness Lee explains below:

In Revelation 3:14, Christ is the Amen. “These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God.” When we say, “O Lord, Amen,” we are simply calling on His name. And “Jah,” the last syllable of “hallelujah,” is also the name of the Lord. “Jah” means “Jehovah,” and “hallelu” means “praise ye.” So hallelujah means “praise ye the Lord.” Therefore, “O Lord, Amen, Hallelujah” are all filled with the titles of the Lord. He is the Lord, the Amen, and the Jah. “O Lord, Amen, Hallelujah!” (62-63)

Witness Lee also points out that it is in the local churches that Christ is realized and revealed as the supremely worthy One (Rev. 4:11; 5:6).

Revelation also tells us that the Lord is the worthy One. “Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou has created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created….And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof? And no man in heaven nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon. And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open and to read the book, neither to look thereon. And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof. And I beheld, and lo, in the midst of the throne and of the four beasts, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth” (Rev. 4:11; 5:2-6).

There is none in heaven or in earth or under the earth as worthy as Christ. And His worthiness is realized in the local churches. We must not forget that this is a book to the local churches. His worthiness is not revealed in other books; it is only in this one to the local churches. This means His worthiness is to be realized in the local churches. One day, throughout the whole United States, so many local churches will be built up. That will be the time when the worthiness of Christ will be revealed….The more we are built up in the local churches, the more Christ will be manifested as the worthy One.

To the enemy He is the Lion, and to us He is the Lamb. “Behold the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, hath prevailed….” So He is worthy. John came to see the Lion, but he saw a Lamb. To the enemy, He is a prevailing Lion, but to us He is the redeeming Lamb. Praise the Lord! (63)

IX. As the Fighting Christ

The final aspect of Christ as the One walking in the midst of the local churches is as the fighting One leading His believers as His heavenly army to make war with His enemy (Rev. 19:11, 14). Witness Lee states:

Finally, in Revelation 19, we see that Christ is riding on a white horse for the battle. “And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.” (Rev. 19:11, 14).

This Christ in the local churches is eventually the fighting Christ, riding on a white horse. And we are His followers. We are the heavenly army to fight the battle with Him for the heavenly kingdom. (63)

Witness Lee here unveils the remaining aspects of Christ as portrayed in Revelation. Christ is the Amen to His believers, one of His many designations. Furthermore, in this book written to the local churches, as Witness Lee also points out, Christ is realized in the local churches as the worthy One.

Last of all, Christ is revealed as the One fighting in the local churches against His enemy. He rides to battle with His heavenly cavalry, His followers, in the local churches.

Witness Lee concludes prayerfully: “This is the Christ portrayed in Revelation. May the Lord give us the vision to see this Christ in the local churches.” (63)