RECEIVING LIGHT FROM THE SPEAKING GOD
Many times Christians have asked where we get the light that is conveyed in our writings. Regarding this matter of light, we have no reason to boast in ourselves. We receive our light from the speaking God. In order to receive light, we need God’s speaking on the proper ground of oneness. Today God is still speaking in the tent of meeting, that is, in the center of oneness and on the ground of oneness. The tent of meeting is the ground, the base, of oneness. It is in this place that God’s word is spoken to enlighten us. Apart from God’s speaking, we are in darkness. But when His word comes, we are in light. Where God’s speaking is, there is always light.
Many of us can testify that before we came into the Lord’s recovery, we were in darkness. But now we have the sense that everything is clear and transparent. This is light. As you listen to messages, you experience the Lord’s shining. Whether in the meetings or at home, you realize that you are under the Lord’s enlightenment. This enlightenment comes from God’s speaking on the ground of oneness. Therefore, to those who inquire about the source of the light we have received, we can only say that we have light because we are on the ground of oneness.
ABUNDANTLY SATISFIED
The children of Israel not only enjoyed the oracle of God; they were also abundantly satisfied with the fatness of God’s house (Psa. 36:8). God’s house refers to the temple, which was the continuation and enlargement of the tent of meeting. In Psalm 36:9 the psalmist goes on to say, "For with thee is the fountain of life: in thy light shall we see light." This verse is also related to the temple. Only in the temple could God’s people enjoy the fountain of life. Furthermore, it was in the temple that they could see light in God’s light. This is a further indication that the essence of the oneness of God’s children is life and light.
LIFE MAINTAINING THE ONENESS
This is confirmed by Psalm 133, which begins with the words, "Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in oneness!" The psalm concludes like this: "For there the Lord commanded the blessing, life for evermore." As this psalm makes clear, the blessing of life is related to the oneness of God’s people.
Psalm 133 also speaks of the ointment and the dew of Hermon. The precious ointment and the dew were not omnipresent. On the contrary, they were to be enjoyed only at a particular place. If an Israelite wanted to share in the Lord’s commanded blessing, he had to be in the place of oneness. This means that, at least three times a year, he had to make a journey to Mount Zion. Suppose some from the tribe of Dan were to say, "Why must we all go to one place for the worship of God? This is too narrow, too sectarian, and too exclusive. God is everywhere. We can stay here in Dan and enjoy singing praises to God." Those from Dan could enjoy singing, but unless they went to Mount Zion, they could not enjoy the commanded blessing.
The principle applies today also. If we would be under the Lord’s commanded blessing of life, we must be on the ground of oneness. Dissenting ones may claim to have the commanded blessing, but actually they do not have it. Those who think they do are superstitious. God is neither narrow nor exclusive, but He is definite. He is definite regarding His principle and His economy. God will never act contrary to His definiteness. Verse 3 of Psalm 133 is very definite. Here the psalmist says that there upon the oneness, the Lord commands the blessing, life forevermore. In the oneness of brethren dwelling together the oil flows, the dew descends, and God’s people enjoy life. If we lose the oneness, we lose the experience of the oil, the dew, and the blessing of life. If we would remain in the oneness, we must remain in life, because life maintains the oneness. This was true with the children of Israel, and it is true with us today.
(The Genuine Ground of Oneness, Chapter 2, by Witness Lee)
