The chapters in this book are taken from messages given by Witness Lee in Irving, Texas in the fall of 1983. They cover the basic and fundamental revelation contained in the Word of God. The Bible as the complete divine revelation is profound, and although it reveals many truths, its essential revelation is embodied in seven. They are God’s plan, Christ’s redemption, the Spirit’s application, the believers, the church, the kingdom, and the New Jerusalem.
God’s plan includes His good pleasure, His purpose, and His divine economy with His selection, predestination, and creation of man. All that God planned was accomplished through Christ’s redemption. For the accomplishment of redemption Christ took four major steps—incarnation, crucifixion, resurrection, and ascension. The all-inclusive, life-giving Spirit applies all that the Father planned and everything the Son accomplished to the believers who are the components of the church, which is God’s goal. The kingdom is the sphere or realm where God carries out His purpose, accomplishes His will, exercises His justice, displays His multifarious wisdom, and rules in His life. The New Jerusalem is the conclusion of God’s entire revelation in His economy. It is the ultimate consummation of God’s building work through all the generations.
Those of us who were in the meetings when these messages were given can never forget the depth of the revelation that was poured forth. Many of us felt that for the first time we had truly seen the essence of the divine revelation. The vision concerning all these precious truths was deeply wrought into us as the Word was being opened. This is a word that all the Lord’s children need to hear, and we pray that the contents of this book will be a timely word for many. We worship the Lord that He has spoken such an all-embracing word through our brother and that it could be made available to all at this time. We need to pray and fellowship over all the verses and matters contained in the following chapters, looking to the Lord to grant us a clear vision concerning the basic revelation in the holy Scriptures. May the Lord grant each of us a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the full knowledge of all these truths, and may we experientially enter into the reality of each one. We also pray that these messages will bear much fruit throughout the earth.
Benson Phillips
December, 1984
Irving, Texas
