When we looked at the Pleiades and Ursa Major and Minor, we
saw that God hid a secret in the heavens, the body of Christ. We saw that there is a congregation, the
seven stars being the seven churches, and two sheepfolds for those who
believe. We also saw that we are in a
time period where we are adding to the body of Christ. Some people call this time a dispensation or
an administration but regardless of what this time period we live in is called,
we see a definite time period since the Holy Spirit came on the day of
Pentecost through to today. From
Pentecost until now, nothing has changed, Jesus has not returned and the Gifts
of the Spirit are still operational. But
there may be something we miss when we throw out the word dispensation. It is an interesting idea that we are to be
stewards or attendants of this age. Just
like Shepherds for the sheepfold. And
that may be what Jesus was revealing to us in the second chapter of
Revelation. First let’s clarify
dispensation, oikonomia.
NT:3621 oikonomeo (oy-kon-om-eh'-o); from NT:3623; to manage
(a house, i.e. an estate): KJV - be steward.
NT:3622 oikonomia (oy-kon-om-ee'-ah); from NT:3623;
administration (of a household or estate); specifically, a (religious)
"economy": KJV - dispensation, stewardship.
NT:3623 oikonomos (oy-kon-om'-os); from NT:3624 and the base
of NT:3551; a house-distributor (i.e. manager), or overseer, i.e. an employee
in that capacity; by extension, a fiscal agent (treasurer); figuratively, a
preacher (of the Gospel): KJV - chamberlain, governor, steward.(Biblesoft's New
Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew
Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc. and International
Bible Translators, Inc.)
A dispensation is a time period where an individual or a
group are in charge of the operation of a house or organization. We call the executive branch of the
government under a President, the Obama or Bush administration. The administrators are those charged with
serving as stewards to a group. Another
example, is the administration of a household, there is one person who pays the
bills, one who cooks, one who cleans, one who mows the lawn, and one who
maintains the outside premises. In our modern homes, we may not have hired
servants; instead we each voluntarily wear different hats to accomplish the
necessary tasks to run a smooth household. Comparing that to the church, there
are many people who can wear many different hats to help the Body of Christ function
smoothly. In light of the Kingdom of God
here on earth, we are all administrating the Kingdom now. Paul tells us he has
to preach the gospel and if he does it willingly he gets a reward, but if he
does not preach willingly then woe unto him.
1 Cor 9:16-17 For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing
to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach
not the gospel! 17 For if I do this thing willingly, I have a reward: but if
against my will, a dispensation [3622] of the gospel is committed unto
me.KJV
A dispensation of the gospel is committed to Paul. I think Young’s translation is smoother.
1 Cor 9:16-17 for if I may proclaim good news, it is no
glorying for me, for necessity is laid upon me, and wo is to me if I may not
proclaim good news; 17 for if willing I do this, I have a reward; and if
unwillingly — with a stewardship [3622] I have been entrusted! YLT
Here we see that Paul is made a steward, or was entrusted
with the stewardship, or dispensation. Like the manager of a household, this is
what Paul was saying he was called to do, therefore if he does his job
willingly he gets rewarded but if he does his job unwillingly, then he receives
grief or misfortune. Therefore like Paul
if we serve as stewards over the body of Christ, and we do it willingly we
receive rewards.
Col 1:25 Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation
[3622] of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God; KJV
Paul tells us he is made a minister according to the “Body
of Christ Administration” so that we could fulfill the word of God. Let’s look
at the whole context.
Col 1:23-28 If ye continue in the faith grounded and
settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have
heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof
I Paul am made a minister;24 Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill
up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's
sake, which is the church:25 Whereof I am made a minister, according to the
dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God;26
Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is
made manifest to his saints:27 To whom God would make known what is the riches
of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the
hope of glory:28 Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in
all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus: KJV
Our goal is to be able to present every person we associate
with as perfect in Christ. That would
indicate that we all have a sphere of influence, at home with our children, at
work, in community clubs and at church.
We are administrators of the age to be able to present everyone perfect
in Christ Jesus. That is our task. Just
like the church, ekklesia, are people not a building, dispensations are also
people not a thing. If we take this understanding of stewards or servants
during this time period of the Body of Christ Administration, then we can
understand better what Jesus was saying to the seven churches in Revelation.
Paul revealed we are the stewards of this age and Jesus tells us, through John,
how to clean up the organization. Within
that we learn many different things that can help us to live better today. Let’s establish our foundation first.
Rev 1:1-2 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave
unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and
he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John:2 Who bare record
of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things
that he saw.KJV
Revelation
NT:602 apokalupsis (ap-ok-al'-oop-sis); from NT:601; disclosure:KJV -
appearing, coming, lighten, manifestation, be revealed, revelation.(Biblesoft's
New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew
Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc. and International
Bible Translators, Inc.)
NT:601 apokalupto (ap-ok-al-oop'-to); from NT:575 and
NT:2572; to take off the cover, i.e. disclose: KJV - reveal.
Servant
NT:1401 doulos (doo'-los); from NT:1210; a slave (literal or figurative,
involuntary or voluntary; frequently, therefore in a qualified sense of
subjection or subserviency): KJV - bond (-man), servant.(Biblesoft's New
Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew
Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc. and International
Bible Translators, Inc.)
Word
NT:3056 logos (log'-os); from NT:3004; something said (including the thought);
by implication a topic (subject of discourse), also reasoning (the mental
faculty) or motive; by extension, a computation; specifically (with the article
in John) the Divine Expression (i.e. Christ):KJV - account, cause,
communication, concerning, doctrine,
fame, have to do, intent, matter, mouth,
preaching, question, reason, reckon,
remove, say (-ing), shew, speaker,
speech, talk, thing, none of these
things move me, tidings, treatise, utterance, word, work.(Biblesoft's New
Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew
Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc. and International
Bible Translators, Inc.)
Testimony
NT:3141 marturia (mar-too-ree'-ah); from NT:3144; evidence given (judicially or
genitive case):KJV - record, report, testimony, witness.(Biblesoft's New
Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew
Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc. and International
Bible Translators, Inc.)
First of all this is the revealing of Jesus Christ. This is not a vision or dream from John; it
is the revelation that God the Father showed Jesus the Son. That has to be established before we move
into the understanding of the seven churches because we might not take this
book seriously if we think it is just a dream from John. So the Father Showed the Son the things John
is about to write. An angel then brought
John to the places he saw and recorded.
John is writing these things for the benefit of the servants of Jesus
because they need to know these things that are soon to come to pass. John then
shares the record of the logos of God and testimony of Jesus Christ and all the
things he, John, saw. This is so
incredible John didn’t just have a vision; he learned what the Father showed
Jesus, and Jesus showed John so that he would inform us.
Rev 1:3 Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the
words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for
the time is at hand.KJV
Prophecy
NT:4394 propheteia (prof-ay-ti'-ah); from NT:4396 ("prophecy");
prediction (scriptural or other):KJV - prophecy, prophesying.(Biblesoft's New
Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew
Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc. and International
Bible Translators, Inc.)
NT:4396 prophetes (prof-ay'-tace); from a compound of
NT:4253 and NT:5346; a foreteller ("prophet"); by analogy, an
inspired speaker; by extension, a poet:KJV - prophet.(Biblesoft's New
Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew
Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc. and International Bible
Translators, Inc.)
Now we find out that if we read or hear the words John
wrote, and keep them, we are blessed. There
is no limit to who can hear and read, this is not only to the seven churches,
but to whoever hears and reads. John then says this is from him, the seven
Spirits before the throne, and from Jesus.
Rev 1:4-6 John to the seven churches which are in Asia:
Grace be unto you, and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to
come; and from the seven Spirits which are before his throne;5 And from Jesus
Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and
the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us
from our sins in his own blood,6 And hath made us kings and priests unto God
and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.KJV
Jesus made us kings and priests just like Melchizedek was a
king and a priest. Throughout the time
of Moses no one was a king and priest, the kings and priests were not to intermarry. But Jesus made us to be both kings and priests,
which is something special.
Rev 1:7 Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall
see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall
wail because of him. Even so, Amen.KJV
John then tells us Jesus comes in the clouds, this is very
important. When Jesus left, he left in
the clouds and the angel said he would come back the same way. But this is not
when he comes back to or on the earth, this is when he comes in the air to meet
us. When he comes back to earth it will
be the Parousia [Strongs # 3952] when he comes to judge Jerusalem. When Jesus comes to judge Jersulam he comes
with his saints. This is different than
when he comes to gather his people before the tribulation.
Coming
NT:3952 parousia (par-oo-see'-ah); from the present participle of NT:3918; a
being near, i.e. advent (often, return; specifically, of Christ to punish
Jerusalem, or finally the wicked); (by implication) physically, aspect:KJV -
coming, presence.(Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance
with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006 Biblesoft,
Inc. and International Bible Translators, Inc.)
Acts 1:9-11 And when he had spoken these things, while they
beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.10 And
while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood
by them in white apparel;11 Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye
gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven,
shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.KJV
It is important to note that the first event after Pentecost
is the harpazo [Strongs #726] which is
what the angels told the disciples that saw Jesus leave.
Caught up NT:726
harpazo (har-pad'-zo); from a derivative of NT:138; to sieze (in various
applications):KJV - catch (away, up), pluck, pull, take (by force).(Biblesoft's
New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew
Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc. and International
Bible Translators, Inc.)
1 Thess 4:17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be
caught up [726] together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the
air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.KJV
John tells us that that Jesus comes in the clouds in Rev 1:7
and that everyone sees him and all the people that see Him in the clouds but
that do not meet him in the clouds shall wail, not just cry but beat their
breasts in grief. Then he says even so,
so be it. It is like saying they will be
upset they rejected me, that is just how it is.
Wail
NT:2875kopto (kop'-to); a primary verb; to "chop"; specially, to beat
the breast in grief: KJV - cut down, lament, mourn, (be-) wail. Compare the
base of NT:5114(Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance
with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006 Biblesoft,
Inc. and International Bible Translators, Inc.)
The Bible tells us that out of the mouth of two or three
witnesses every word will be established, Matthew 18:16 and 2 Corinthians 13:1.
Here we have John, the angels, and Paul all telling us the same thing, Jesus
comes in the clouds, like he did, when he left, and we will be caught up with
Him. If we establish this by the mouth
of these three witnesses we will now understand that this is the next event to
come to pass after Pentecost. While we
don’t know exactly when Jesus will appear in the clouds, we do know it is the
next event before he comes with his saints on the earth for the Parousia.
Rev 1:8 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending,
saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.KJV
Almighty
NT:3841 pantokrator (pan-tok-rat'-ore); from NT:3956 and NT:2904; the
all-ruling, i.e. God (as absolute and universal sovereign):KJV - Almighty,
Omnipotent.(Biblesoft's New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with
Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc.
and International Bible Translators, Inc.)
Jesus then says himself that he is A and the Z and that He
is the one who is, and was, and is to come. He then calls himself the Almighty.
Rev 1:9-10 I John, who also am your brother, and companion
in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the
isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus
Christ.10 I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great
voice, as of a trumpet, KJV
I was
NT:1096 ginomai (ghin'-om-ahee); a prolongation and middle voice form of a
primary verb; to cause to be ("gen"- erate), i.e. (reflexively) to
become (come into being), used with great latitude (literal, figurative,
intensive, etc.): KJV - arise, be assembled, be (-come, -fall, -haveself), be
brought (to pass), (be) come (to pass), continue, be divided, draw, be ended,
fall, be finished, follow, be found, be fulfilled, God forbid, grow, happen, have, be kept, be
made, be married, be ordained to be, partake, pass, be performed, be published,
require, seem, be showed, soon as it
was, sound, be taken, be turned, use, wax, will, would, be wrought. (Biblesoft's
New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew
Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc. and International
Bible Translators, Inc.)
John says he was on Patmos when he heard the logos of God and
the testimony of Jesus. He was brought or assembled in the Spirit on the Lord’s
Day. What day is the Lord’s Day? Could
it be a Sabbath or was John seeing the future regarding the day of the wrath of
the Lamb? Both could be applicable. It
could have been a Saturday and it could have been referring to the days of the
wrath of the Lamb and the wrath of God.
Jesus then reiterates who he is and who he wants John to address.
Rev 1:12-16 And I turned to see the voice that spake with
me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks;13 And in the midst of
the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment
down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle.14 His head and
his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame
of fire;15 And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace;
and his voice as the sound of many waters.16 And he had in his right hand seven
stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance
was as the sun shineth in his strength.KJV
This candlestick was a white flame, not a yellow flame and
this is evident all through this passage.
Everything was bright white; imagine that brightness of white, and loud
noise, like standing next to a large waterfall.
It must have been so loud that one’s ears could not process all the sound
and so bright that one could not see much more than white. This is probably what Paul saw when he was on
the road to Damascus, which may have damaged his eyes. The only way for John to describe this is to
describe Jesus as all white and bright and so loud that the ears cannot process
the sounds. And it seems that that is
what Paul’s companions may have heard and saw as well. John describes Jesus along with seven golden
candlesticks and seven stars. Then Jesus
explains to him the mystery of those candlesticks and stars.
Rev 1:17-20 And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead.
And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first
and the last:18 I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for
evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.19 Write the things
which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be
hereafter;20 The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand,
and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven
churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven
churches.KJV
Notice Jesus says he has the keys to hell and death. That means there must be a lock on hell and
death and in order to come and go Jesus has to open the door because he has the
keys. This changes our perspective as
the devil having rule or authority over death and hell. When did that change? When Jesus died, went
into hell, but hell could not hold him and he rose from the dead. I guess when Jesus went down to hell he took
the keys back with him. Death and hell
are now no longer under the authority of the devil. Jesus tells John the mystery of the seven
stars; they are the angels of the seven churches, and the candlesticks are the
churches. In Jesus’ description we are
to understand that the churches are like candlesticks and angels are like
stars. He holds the angels in his hand
and he stands among the churches. That
tells us that he is the head of the churches, which are his body, and the
angels are under his authority, assigned to the churches. If Jesus has an angel assigned to a church
the angel must have an active part in the church.
Let’s recap before we get to the churches. Firstly we are
administrators in this time period of the Body of Christ. We are to tend to and build up the Body of
Christ in this age of the Kingdom of God.
At the end of this period of time Jesus will come in the clouds to gather
his people. That would be the
sheepfold. In that time we meet the Lord
in the air before we come back with him for the parousia. The churches on earth now have an angel over
them and Jesus wants them to know a couple of things. The congregation or assembly is presently
meeting on earth but we will one day be meeting together, joined together as
the mystery of marriage, and will fill the Pleiades. Jesus also has the keys to hell and death, he
took them when he visited hell because the grave had no right to hold him. In this dispensation we are the keepers of
this mystery, the managers of the congregation, and the administrators of the
sheepfold. We have some very definite
functions, one of which is preaching the gospel so that others come into the
kingdom, changing their citizenship. But
Paul and Jesus both told us of wolves and what will happen to the sheep when
they were gone from earth. Jesus tells
us what to be prepared for, as the same tricks and schemes were already at work
in Asia Minor. We have to look at wolves
in sheep’s’ clothing along with the seven churches to understand what happens
in the sheepfold.
