THE TESTIMONY OF JESUS
Revelation 19 is one of the most significant chapters in the Bible. It ends a three-chapter portrait of two mystical, symbolical women who actually represent the picture of Christianity today: Babylon, the great harlot, symbolizing the systems of religion built in the name of Christ which commit fornication with the kings of the earth and try to control kings and governments and seasons; and the Bride of Christ, the true virtuous Church, made righteous by the precious blood of Jesus Christ.
The book of Revelation is a great mystery. Many people like to read the last chapter of a mystery first. When they see how the mystery is solved, they can go back and read the details in peace. Such a practice eliminates any anxiety over who the culprit really is and how the story is going to turn out.
So it is with us in this day. We may see many things that seem to be false and look as if they are ominous forshadowings on the horizon, yet God is with us and we know that it will come out right because He is King of kings and Lord of lords. He will rule and reign. He will win to Himself the reward of His sufferings—the Bride of Jesus Christ, who will rule and reign with Him throughout all the Kingdom to come. This is the picture that is concluded by John in the nineteenth, twentieth, and twenty-first chapters of the book of Revelation; the beautiful twenty-second chapter reaches on into eternity.
Revelation 19:6–9 presents the picture of the true Bride. And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunders, saying, Hallelujah: for the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigneth. Let us rejoice and be exceeding glad, and let us give the glory unto him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. And it was given unto her that she should array herself in fine linen, bright and pure: for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they that are bidden to the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are true words of God.
Verse 10 is our text: And I fell down before his feet to worship him. And he saith unto me, See thou do it not: I am a fellow-servant with thee and with thy brethren that hold the testimony of Jesus: worship God: for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.
Immediately John said, And I saw the heaven opened; and behold, a white horse, and he that sat thereon called Faithful and True; and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. And his eyes are a flame of fire, and upon his head are many diadems; and he hath a name written which no one knoweth but he himself. And he is arrayed in a garment sprinkled with blood: and his name is called The Word of God. And the armies which are in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and pure. And out of his mouth proceedeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness of the wrath of God, the Almighty. And he hath on his garment and on his thigh a name written, King of kings, and Lord of lords. Revelation 19:11–16.
The book of Revelation ends in the same way that the Gospel of John begins—with a portrayal of Jesus Christ, our Lord, as the Word of God. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. John 1:1. And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us (and we beheld his glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father), full of grace and truth. John 1:14. Jesus is called the Word of God because the Word that the Father gave had a complete place in Him. He was so identified with it, so one with it, that it was His very life. Whatever God had to say to the world, He said in Jesus Christ. Whenever men wanted to know what God was like, they could look in the face of Jesus Christ. They could listen to His Word, for He is the expression of God. He is the Word of God, just as those who truly believe in Him are the epistles of Christ, read and known of all men (II Corinthians 3:2–3). In this day a remnant of true believers become the expression of Christ in the earth. They speak as oracles of God to declare to the whole world what God has to say. What an amazing picture!
John, the apostle, was not ignorant when it came to knowing the voice of God. It was probably rather difficult to mystify or deceive him on anything. Yet something very unusual happened. When the man spoke to him, saying, These are true words of God, John, who had leaned on the bosom of Jesus and listened to Him and who even called himself “that disciple whom Jesus loved,” fell down to worship. The man said, See thou do it not: I am a fellow-servant with thee and with thy brethren. He was one of the saints, one of those who had gone on to be with the Lord. He was on the other side of the veil.
This should help you understand that what you see in a vision does not necessarily identify the situation. Even in the Old Testament there are instances where it is very evident that the angel of the Lord was the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. Before His incarnation, He appeared as the angel of the Lord. There are a number of amazing visions and revelations and what we call “theophanies” recorded in the Scriptures—ways in which God came and manifested Himself so that man might perceive, at least in a small measure, the revelation of the Lord. John knew the words of his Master; he had heard them before. He knew that this man was speaking the words of Christ; so he fell down and began to worship. The man said, “Don’t do it. I am just one of your fellow brethren, one of the brethren who holds the testimony of Jesus, for the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”
The word “testimony” can mean many things. Some Christian groups have testimony meetings, where individuals relate what Jesus has done for them. But when the Bible speaks about “the testimony,” it means the utterance. The testimony of Jesus was what He had to say, what He had to bear witness of. The man was saying, in effect, “I am speaking forth the utterances of Christ. I am His oracle, His mouthpiece; I have the testimony of Jesus. Jesus is still talking to people, but He is talking to them through my mouth. I will proclaim the utterances of the Lord.” Then he concluded with the statement, “For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.”
The spirit of prophecy came upon the man, and he began to speak forth what Christ had to say. No wonder John fell down at the man’s feet. He knew the voice of Jesus. Jesus was speaking through that man, and John was ready to worship him. He said, “No, don’t worship me; I just have the testimony of Jesus. The spirit of prophecy is upon me, and I am speaking forth in the name of the Lord.” Then John saw the heaven opened and the One coming called the Word of God.
Oh, how God’s people need to love the Lord Jesus Christ with all of their hearts. The judgments of God are coming, and those who walk with the Lord are not losers. They will be in the battle, but they will not be harassed and beaten down. They are destined to rule and reign with Jesus Christ. They are also destined to have the testimony of Jesus—the spirit of prophecy—upon them. The true Church of Jesus Christ is going to triumph, but what will happen to this great system of Babylon? this Christianity in its apostate form? the church that Satan wants to make his church? We are not speaking of Satan worship, that which is basically theatrical in nature and largely without any power. A self-respecting devil would never even attend such a service. You will be more apt to find the devil behind the pulpit of an orthodox church. He comes as an angel of light. Satan does not come the way he is usually depicted—with horns, a tail, and split hoofs. He comes as an angel of light; and his ministers are transformed as ministers of righteousness (II Corinthians 11:14–15). We do not need to be concerned too much with the Satanism that we see in these days; it is just a blind stall. The real devil power is behind organizations such as the World Council of Churches. The real devil-possessed men are parading as sanctimonious, spiritual saints and leaders of the world. Most of the theatrical Satan cults can simply be discounted. Although many saints get all stirred up about their activity, they do not amount to much. Any demon activity in such cults is of such a low order that it is hardly worthy of consideration.
The real power that has come down through the years is Mystery Babylon, the mother of harlots. Babylon has become a hold of every foul spirit. In Revelation 18:2, the angel cries: Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, and is become a habitation of demons, and a hold of every unclean spirit, and a hold of every unclean and hateful bird. That reveals the true picture of the devil’s presence and activity. That shows where he is centered and where his attention is focused. John tells us what will happen to Satan and to this degeneration of Christianity that has made itself a receptacle for satanic powers and demon possession. For God did put in their hearts to do his mind, and to come to one mind, and to give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God should be accomplished. Revelation 17:17. The words of God will be accomplished. Everything that God has to say about Babylon is going to happen.
Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye saints, and ye apostles, and ye prophets; for God hath judged your judgment on her. Revelation 18:20. God’s end-time remnant continues to prophesy against Babylon because this is what the Spirit is saying: “Arise and pronounce judgments on Babylon. Prophesy judgments, because it pleases God to judge your judgments upon her.” That is the way judgments will come. What a glorious task is ours! This is the day when Jesus will bring down Babylon and the power of the devil. Revelation presents the symbolic picture of our Lord upon a white horse, with all the armies of heaven on white horses following Him. Jesus will be doing it. It is His Word that brings judgment; but the testimony of Jesus, that Word which is spoken, will come through our lips. God has proclaimed that in these days the saints will speak the Word of the Lord that will bring the earth into the travail of judgments and bring down many forces that have exalted themselves against Christ. Babylon, you are coming down!
No matter how big the system, it will come down; and every true believer ought to start prophesying its downfall. Those who prophesy will be a small remnant, but their power and their number are of little consequence; they will be effective because of the Word of Christ in their mouths. The authority on this level will be much different. Up to now, God’s army has faced diatribes and awful innuendos, an assault of persecution from the enemy that consisted only of the utterances of man, voiced perhaps occasionally with the force of witchcraft and a psychic concentration as demon powers tried to assist in bringing it to pass; however, that is a rather low level. We could compare those efforts to the use of peashooters, and they will not do the job. The army of the Lord is moving with the authority that can totally disintegrate every device of Satan that he brings against them. They come to speak the Word of the Lord and the words of judgment.
This is no longer dependent on who you are, how many talents or abilities you possess, or how intellectual you are. It is based completely on the fact that Christ is pleased, in this generation, to come forth and place His testimony, His utterance, His Word, within the mouths of His saints. It pleases God to bruise Satan under your feet shortly (Romans 16:20). This is His pleasure—to do it under your feet. You are a channel; you are one who will throw the switch of judgment.
When a convicted murderer is sitting in the electric chair, it does not make any difference who pulls the switch. A weak and feeble man can make him just as dead as a man who is a champion weight lifter. It is not the size of the man who throws the switch that does the job; it is the power that is activated when that switch is thrown. The victory of Jesus can be manifested through even the weakest saint. It is the utterances of Christ that are important. We must contend to speak the words of the Lord.
Strive in your spirit to move into higher levels—levels where your prophesying is more and more yielded and surrendered to the Lord, more and more receptive to assimilate the Word that He speaks to you. The Word will begin to boil up and erupt as it comes forth from you—a fountain of living water going out to the thirsty world to meet the famine. The level of prophecy will come up higher and higher. There will be times when it will not come out fluently at all, but with faltering, stumbling utterances. But God will be speaking. God is proclaiming His Word. The testimony of Jesus will come forth! Give a great deal of attention to the power and revelation that come forth in the prophecies, and a little less attention to the flow. Let the flow be fluent, but do not try to create such a fast, furious flow that you are not concentrating on the Word that God is saying.
Jesus is moving today. Once He dwelt in the flesh of one Man called the Nazarene, but now He is coming forth in the flesh of a many-membered Body. Once He spoke and they said, “Never a man spake as this man speaks”; but He will speak again through many voices that will bring the testimony of Jesus which is the spirit of prophecy. Christ is still speaking, He is still moving, He is still working; but now in a many-membered Body.