In sharing what the Lord has written in His Revelation with other believers regarding Biblical Prophecy, it has been a most interesting and often times humbling experience.  When it comes to Biblical Prophecy, even though few have ever spent any significant amount of time researching the actual Greek and Hebrew words or searched out the actual events that Bible Prophecy speaks of; most people seem to have an immovable conception of what the prophetic Biblical verses mean.  And though some will give you the time of day and listen, they do not hear you and will not even question their held to belief, even when shown word for word straight from the Bible the evidence of what you are trying to show them.  They will take the word of what a pastor or Sunday school teacher has said over what the Word of God says.  This is surprising, even though it should not be because the majority are not even using the Word of God, but are instead using one of the popular easy read modern translations that have changed the Word of God to the word of man.  These modern translations, (those written after 1880) have changed the Word of God to the point it is impossible to find almost any of the things you have read in this book.  One could write an entire book concerning the verses where the translators have used wrong words because they did not know what a verse meant or how it is connected to other portions of scripture.  Even though you reveal to them the timed prophecies of the book of Revelation which are revealed in this book, with each one of them being exactly what is spoken of with the dates matching the prophecy, they will not believe you.  This unwillingness to research or even consider a  new or different idea coming from the Word of God sounded much like what our Lord spoke to the Church of Laodicea, which in scripture represents the church of today.

Revelation 3:17 (KJV)

Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:

In the book of Revelation Christ spoke to seven churches.  He gave His assessment to each one of these churches.  Two of them, the church of Smyrna and the church of Philadelphia received no condemnation.  Five of them received condemnation and were told to repent and correct the fault He found with them or their candlestick would be removed from His presence.   What should be of interest to us are the assessments and warnings He gave to each of those 5 churches.  Like our Lord and the Feasts of the Lord, these letters to the churches are three in one.

First, they were meaningful to each of the early churches they were written to during the apostle Paul’s day.  Second, when you research and find the root meanings of each of the names of these seven churches, you will see they are a precise prophetic description of churches during seven different time periods or church ages which were yet to come.  Third, they serve as a warning to the churches of all ages.  If you doubt this, please take note of what was told to John immediately before the letters to the churches were given in Revelation chapters 2 and 3.

Revelation 1:19 (KJV)

Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter;

Jesus Christ warned the churches of their errant ways and what would happen if they did not repent.  Not one of the 5 churches He asked to repent listened to His warnings; meaning that not one of the five repented and took the advice that our Lord gave them.  This is proven by the fact that in Revelation 1:20 Christ tells us the seven candlesticks are the seven churches, and in chapter 11 there are only two of the seven candlesticks standing before the God of the earth.  He considers only the church of Smyrna and the church of Philadelphia to be His witnesses.  When you look at the names and histories of these two churches a clear cut definition of who God’s witnesses actually are becomes quite clear.

“Smyrna” means “cracked myrrh” which was used for embalming corpses.  The people of the church of Smyrna suffered great persecution and were being martyred for their unwavering love of Jesus Christ.  They loved the Lord with all their heart.

“Philadelphia” means “brotherly love;” and it was during this church period that more missionaries were sent out and more religious magazine and tracts were printed than at any other time in history.  They truly loved the Lord and had great compassion for their fellow man and a great desire to bring the Gospel message to the lost.  If you put these two churches together you get what Christ spoke in Mathew 22:37-40.  The two witnesses spoken of in Revelation 11 are those that “love the Lord with all their heart, and love their neighbors as themselves.

To all but the church of Smyrna Christ mentions His Return, and as we just said, they were being martyred for Christ so there was no need to mention it to them.  However, those that teach and preach from Revelation have made these warnings to mean something other than what they were meant to mean.  The total lack of knowledge of the Feasts of the Lord has a lot to do with this, plus the fact the modern translations have changed the words and the messages they were meant to give.  In the end you are misled and given a wrong understanding of the warnings to the churches.

To make a bad situation worse, many preachers and teachers today teach that these seven churches do not speak to future church ages.  Of course no one would want to teach these represent church ages because we as members of the church of Laodicea would have to take a look at ourselves and admit that we have fallen far short of what Christ expects of us.  Then we would have to own up to the idea that because of this Christ will not have us to be part of His Body.  This is what the letter to the church of Laodicea, the church of today is saying.  It is this church we want to take a look at.  Hopefully it will open the eyes of some and maybe even entice some to get out the Word of God and start studying, instead of relying on the words of other men.  It is good to trust, but blind trust can get you in a lot of trouble.  As Ronald Regan said, trust but verify.  The truth fears no questions.  With that being said, let’s take a look at this Church of Laodicea.

THE CHURCH OF LAODICEA

As we stated earlier, there is a special meaning in the name of each one of the seven churches which accurately describes the era of a future church. As we also just stated, don’t trust what you read or what someone tells you; verify it.  In reading articles written by others on the Church of Laodicea it was stated that Laodicea means the people rule.  This really is not a very good or accurate translation of the word Laodicea.  If one did the research they would find the original Greek word in Strong’s and Vine’s Greek Dictionaries to be something quite different and more accurate in describing the church of our current time.

As shown in the illustrations at right, Laodicea comes from two root words; laos which means people, especially of a people assembled; and dike, (pronounced dee-kay) means judicial hearing, judgment or the execution of a sentence.  Putting these definitions together makes the correct meaning of Laodicea to be more like the People of the Judgement or the People of the execution of a sentence; of which both are excellent descriptions of what happens during the two day Feast of Trumpets and the ensuing Fall Feast Season.  The first day being the Rapture of His saints, and the second day being the Day of the Lord; after which the execution of a sentence is going to be carried out.

This should leave no doubt that this letter is to the church of today.  Does it not make sense that the last church would be the existing church when Christ returns?  Laodicea is the existing church at the time of the Rapture.  Laodicea is the church of our time and Christ had nothing good to say about it.  Let’s take a look at what He says to the Church of Laodicea.

Revelation 3:14-22 (KJV)

14 And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew thee out of my mouth.17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou  mayest see.19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. 21 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.22 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

First the Lord identifies Himself as the faithful and true witness. Although He does not come out directly and say it, this hints at the idea the people of the church of Laodicea are not.  This sentiment is definitely demonstrated in the verses that follow.

Next He tells the church that He knows our works and that we are neither cold or hot.  He then states that He wishes we were either cold or hot.  If we were cold having never been warmed by the Gospel light there would be a better chance or our becoming hot and fervent Christians.  However being lukewarm means we have been warmed by the Gospel light without being brought to a fervent heat; meaning we have enough heat to lull us into a false sense of spiritual security, but not enough heat to save our souls from the reaping of the harvest in Revelation 14:14-16.  If we were a new church and our being lukewarm were a transitional stage between the cold and hot, that would be good and acceptable; but such is not the case.

The Church of Laodicea is the last of the church ages.  Being the last church we have had more time with the written Word of God than all those before us.  Almost all of the pre-Rapture prophecy has been fulfilled and the Church of Laodicea still does not have a clue as to what is going on or what God has revealed to us in Bible Prophecy.  The Church of Laodicea is basically in the same shape as Judaism was when Christ visited man during the time of the Roman Empire.  Because of this He says in verse 16; “So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew thee out of my mouth.”  What does spew mean?

As you can see by the included word box, spew means to vomit and not just to spit as it has been translated in almost all the newer translations.  There is a very big difference between spitting and vomiting.  One has the urge to spit when one has taken in something that possesses a very bad or bitter taste.  Something one does not care to swallow.  However, one vomits food that has already been swallowed; food that contains a contaminant that begins to make the body feel ill.  Vomiting occurs when the brain sends a signal to the stomach to expel the contaminant it has determined will be detrimental or hazardous to the rest of the body if it remains.

What is this contaminant?  This should have been made quite apparent by now.  It is all the apostasy, (defection from the truth) found in the church of Laodicea, the church of today.  All the false teaching that has been swallowed by the church which is supposed to be the body of Christ.  This false teaching has remained in the church long enough to upset the stomach and now Christ must vomit it out of His mouth so that it doesn’t make the rest of the body ill.

What our Lord is saying here is a very serious indictment of the church of today; but if you were to try to tell this to a member of the church of today the reaction you will probably encounter is:

  • This whole thing about churches through the ages isn’t right.
  • There’s nothing wrong with me or my beliefs, it must be those Lutheran’s, Methodists, or some other group because everything I believe is right on!

These reactions sound very much like prophecy being fulfilled because Verse 17 tells us that the reasons Christ vomits the church of Laodicea out of His mouth are:

1.”Because thou sayest, I am rich” This must refer to spiritual wealth because and increased with goods; meaning worldly wealth, immediately follows.  This describes the church of today perfectly.  Each religion believes their teaching and their ways are correct, yet most of them are following the words of men and not the Word of God.  Most are now using modern translations which completely destroy Bible prophesy and are written to fit the beliefs of the translator or a particular denomination.  Extremely few even know what the Feasts of the Lord are, let alone that they are prophetic.  Even the churches that do deem them important do not believe that God has in any way made it possible for us to know the dates of the last three Fall Feast of the Lord because they have swallowed the false teachings of man and have not paid close attention to what His Words say.  Many denominations use Sunday as the Sabbath day when the Bible clearly teaches that the day of assembly is Saturday. Genesis 2:3 states: “And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it.” One would think this verse alone would be enough to settle any debate.  Also, the Sabbath is actually the very first Feast of the Lord as given in Leviticus 23, and as you have read in the previous chapters, those Feasts will not be fulfilled until He returns.  There is no place in God’s Word that Remember the Sabbath and keep it holy was rescinded, and yet you are viewed as being ridiculous if you even try to discuss the topic.  The church of today does not take God at His Word and for that reason they will not be raptured as they believe and they will not enter into His rest (millennium reign of Christ) unless they repent and get back into the whole Word of God.

2.”And increased with goods” This speaks to worldly wealth.  Many today are more interested in their balance in the bank than their balance in heaven.  Many make their decisions based on money rather than trusting in the One who promised to provide all our needs.  Is this not the same condition that has plagued mankind all through the ages?  God blesses us with so much that we focus on our riches as though we are rich because of something we did and we forget the One that provides us with everything, the One who deserves all the glory, praise and honor?

3.” And have need of nothing” The church of today is in the exact same condition as the Jewish Synagogues were during the time of Christ.  If Christ were to return to Earth today and do the same teaching and miracles He did 2000 years ago, the church of today would probably not know who He was.  We are so far off course we need to go back to the starting line because we are running around in circles and have no idea where the finish line is.  The fact of the matter is that from Christ’s viewpoint as expressed in this portion of Scripture, we are way off course and not even aware of just how far.

4.”And knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked” The text box provided shows the exact definition of wretched as found in Webster’s 1913 English Dictionary.  What is found by analyzing this definition is eye opening and will most likely be rejected by the majority of Christendom today.

The first two definitions are not what He meant by wretched because He already stated that the Church of Laodicea is miserable and poor which are Webster’s first two definitions.  This leaves the third meaning to be what He means by the use of the word wretched.  That description is: Hatefully contemptible; despicable, and wicked.  Is it beginning to make sense why Christ does not want the Church of Laodicea to be part of His body?  If that does not make one sit up and take note, what will?  Do you really think Christ’s return is eminent because Christ is happy with the church of today?  Would not the world be a different place if the teachings of our churches were spot on and the churches were honoring and being blessed by God?

We are too blind to see that we have not heeded the warnings and advice Christ gave to the four previous churches that did not take his advice and repent.  We don’t even take into consideration the possibility that what our pastor or teacher told us may be wrong or that the words in the book we are reading have been changed to the point we can never know the REAL meanings of the letters to the seven churches.  In the end it will be found that we are guilty of the exact same things that the Israelites did and did not do.  They did not honor the seventh day Sabbaths, nor did they honor the Feasts of the Lord.  The Feasts of the Lord are the most important days in the Word of God, and yet there is hardly anyone in the Church of Laodicea that even knows what they are, let alone what they are about. They were also guilty of honoring the laws (words) of men and not the Word of God.  They did not do the things God asked them to do and they did not pay attention to prophecy.  He told them exactly what they would do and how He would respond, yet in the end it made no difference to them whatsoever.  God punished Israel severely for not hearing and believing Him, why should the church of Laodicea be any different?

Being blind means there are things that we and our churches are not seeing, and the importance of God’s Feasts is just one of them.  Our preachers and our church doctrine are telling us we cannot know the time of Christs return; yet as Christ’s letter to the church of Sardis teaches us, it is the dead church that He comes upon as a thief.

Christ mentions His return to six of the seven churches and mentions to four of the seven that if they do not repent He will catch them by surprise when He returns.  Since Christ knows His return will be during the church of Laodicea the counseling and warning He gives to them does not fit the same mold as the other churches.

“I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire”  Christ, the absolute best counselor there can be (Isaiah 9:6) now gives His counseling to the Church of Laodicea and tells them to buy from Him, Jesus Christ, gold which has been tried in the fire.  This gold tried in the fire refers to the knowledge of Jesus Christ.  The church of today is indeed rich in material things, but it is not rich in the knowledge of Jesus Christ, whose knowledge is better than all the material riches of the world combined.  It is spiritual wealth of the knowledge of Jesus Christ and not material wealth that the church needs.  It is the knowledge of Jesus Christ and faith tested by fiery trial that will lead to Christ imputing to the believer the white raiment of Christ’s righteousness.  It is this white raiment which will keep you from appearing naked and being ashamed at the judgement seat of Christ.  Paul says this best in Philippians;

Philippians 3:7-8 (KJV)

But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ. 8 Yea doubtless and I count all things but loss for the Excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ.

If Christ counseled us to buy knowledge from Him, which is purchased without money, it must be located somewhere in God’s Word.  If he gave us this counseling surely He must have told us what it was and where to find it.  He did!  If you do some research on the word Laodicea in Scripture you will find of the five times it is used in the New Testament, four of them are located in the book written to the Colossians.  This is because the book of Colossians was also directed to be read in the church at Laodicea.  These two cities were neighbors, located quite close to each other, so what pertained to one was pertinent to the other.

As it turns out, in the first verse of chapter two Paul states that this epistle is for those of Colossae and Laodicea.  In verse three Paul states that in Jesus Christ “are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.” (Sounds like we’re in the right place for Laodicean membership to find the gold tried in the fire, doesn’t it?)

As it just so happens, verses 4-12 warn us of false teachers who try to deceive us with enticing words.  He tells the church at Laodicea:

Colossians 2:6-10 (KJV)

6 As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him: 7 Rooted and built up in him, and established in the faith, as ye have been taught, abounding therein with thanksgiving. 8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ. 9 For in him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. 10 And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power: 

Take note of the warning given by Paul in verse eight that has not been heeded because the church of today, the church of Laodicea, has listened to vain deceit after the traditions of men and after the rudiments of the world.  We are so close to the end, yet the church of today has not yet figured out that ISIS and Abu Bakr al Baghdadi is the Man of Sin, Son of Perdition, and Lawless One that prophesy speaks of.  Almost the whole church of today is still looking for this great antichrist to come out of the European Union and sign some peace treaty with Israel.  They will never find these things because they are found nowhere in God’s Word.  As a matter of fact, the church does not even take the slightest interest in Biblical prophecy with some even saying, “If it can’t be used to bring souls to Christ, it’s not worth spending time on.”

Next in verses 16 and 17 Paul gives us two verses which are loaded with information that is totally misconstrued and completely misinterpreted by today’s church.  Because these two verses have been changed so much in the newer translations there is no way one would ever come to know and understand the interpretation you are about to read.  So let’s look at a couple of the newer translations to demonstrate what we have been saying.  The TLB actually gives you permission not celebrate the Feasts of the Lord while the HCSB leaves one with the impression it’s OK to skip the Feasts of the Lord because they are a thing of the past. 

Colossians 2:16-17 – The Living Bible (TLB)

“So don’t let anyone criticize you for what you eat or drink, or for not celebrating Jewish holidays and feasts or new moon ceremonies or Sabbaths. 17 For these were only temporary rules that ended when Christ came. They were only shadows of the real thing—of Christ himself.” 

Colossians 2:16-17 – Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

“Therefore, don’t let anyone judge you in regard to food and drink or in the matter of a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath day. 17These are a shadow of what was to come; the substance is the Messiah.”  The Holman Bible actually uses the word “festival” which shows they might know what follows are Feasts of the Lord, but they obviously do not understand them.  They also change the shadow of things to come to a shadow of what was to come, which seems to say the Feasts of the Lord no longer have any significance.

The modern day church of Laodicea has no idea what a Holy Day, new moon, or even Sabbath day is.  If they even had so much as a clue what these words mean they would not interpret these verses in the way they currently do.

Now let’s take a look at what the King James Bible says.  What you are about to read makes complete sense if you understand the ethnic backgrounds of the congregation of the original church of Laodicea, and if you know the real meanings behind the Sabbath days and Feasts of the Lord.  If you have taken in and understood the previous book chapters regarding these feasts, you may already know how these verses should have been interpreted.  The correct interpretation of these verses is spot on with the warning to the current church of Laodicea, the church of today.  These verses are used as the main argument by the current church of Laodicea as to why a Sunday gathering of the church is permissible instead of the Sabbath day.  This doctrine is 180 degrees out of phase with what these verses are actually saying.  Perhaps you will begin to see why our Lord told us we are wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind.

Colossians 2:16-17 (KJV)

Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of a holyday, or of the new moon, or of the Sabbath days: 17 Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ.

Paul was covering this topic with these churches because the churches of Colossae and Laodicea were made up of a Jewish, Israelite-Gentile mix that were honoring the Feasts of the Lord and observing these practices.  Remember the Jews were to have nothing to do with the Gentiles and the Gentiles shared their resentment.  Most likely the mixed Israelite-Gentile members of these churches were being questioned or ridiculed as to why they would take part in these so called Jewish Feasts and Jewish practices which include the eating and drinking of certain foods.

The fact of the matter is that every one of these days listed in verse 16 are Feasts of the Lord.  The Sabbath is the 7th day and it is the day God commanded His people to meet and to rest.  By definition, it is a day of rest, a day in which no work is to be done.  It is also one of the “Feasts of the Lord.”  The Holy Days are also considered to be both Sabbath Days and Feasts of the Lord in which no servile work is to be done.  There can be up to 3 Sabbath days in a week according to God’s instructions.  The New Moon as you should know by now is what the Israelites called the Feast of Trumpets. This is the two day feast that represents the Rapture of the church, (day 1) which is immediately followed by the Day of the Lord.  As you hopefully know at this point, this is the next appointed meeting time between God and man to be fulfilled on God’s calendar.  The absolute proof this interpretation is correct is given in verse 17.

It states these Holy Days are a shadow of things to come, which is not that difficult to understand.  It means they are a forecast or preview of the things which are going to take place in the future.  According to Vines Expository Dictionary a shadow is “the image or outline cast by an object.”  The last part of the verse further defines the image that is casting the shadow of the things to come.

“But the body is of Christ” refers to the shadow.  In other words these Feasts of the Lord are a forecast of what Christ is going to do in the future because His body is the object projecting the shadow.  This is only one of the verses in the New Testament that clearly states the Feasts of the Lord are appointed times.

At the risk of repeating ourselves, let’s go back to John 16 and see what Christ told us would happen when the comforter or Holy Spirit is come.

John 16:13 (KJV)
Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.

Do you think it is just coincidence that things to come should show up in Colossians?

Christ was warning the church of Laodicea when He said, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock.” This is a good indication of why He does not tell us to correct our errors or that He would come upon us as a thief.  He just told us exactly where He is.  He is standing at the door, ready to return at the appointed time, but the church of Laodicea is still looking for the return of the Roman Empire.  This is very conclusive proof that the Church of Laodicea is the church of today.  As we showed you previously, the door He is standing at is the same door He mentions in Matthew 24, it’s the gateway to Heaven and He’s about to come through.

This also tells us that He is not in the church if He has to stand at the door and knock.  He is not in the church because His Holy Word is not in the church.  We have so many new easy to read translations that people can’t read the Bible together or even follow along in Sunday school because the translations vary so much.  These new translations are not the Word of God; they should be called commentaries at best.  It is a fact that much of what is written here could never be revealed using most if not all of these newer translations, because seemingly unimportant words like also and crucified were either left completely out or changed to other words.  If the scribes were not allowed to change or leave out one single word, why do current day Bible scholars think they can?  If the Holy Spirit wrote the Bible, why do people not believe that the Holy Spirit can and will reveal its deeper meanings to us?

“If any man hear my voice” This statement says that God is still calling, but who is out there listening?  This almost seems to suggest He is asking a question rather than making a statement.  Is there anyone left that is studying My Word?  Again, the books that most people read are not a direct translation from the Hebrew and Greek into English.  They are the easy read versions that Satan has deceived almost the whole Christian world into using.  Furthermore these versions have stripped the meat (deeper understanding) right out of the Bible.  In fact they even replace the word meat with food. Almost two thirds of the Bible is prophecy, and yet you have people that have almost no understanding of Bible prophecy, deleting, changing and adding words.  Here is an example of another verse they have taken what was easy to understand and turned it into something that not only changes the meaning, but makes it very hard to even find the real meaning.

Matthew 24:45 (KJV)

Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season?

There is absolutely no question that this verse which is located in the same chapter that states “but of that day and hour knoweth no man,” is saying that the Lord will give His wise and faithful servants deeper understanding (more information about Christ’s return) at the appointed time.  The meat of the Word of God is the deeper understanding of the teachings in it.  Meat is harder to digest and thus symbolizes the things in scripture that are harder to grasp or understand.  Using the word food in place of meat in this verse just doesn’t cut it as the interpretation of this verse has nothing to do with the ruler of the house feeding food to the other people in the house!

As you learned earlier, the Hebrew word moed is only used when referring to the Lord’s Feasts or Festivals, the rehearsals for or the actual appointed meeting times between God and man.  A due season as we showed you earlier, is an appointed time as defined in the definition of moed in Strong’s Hebrew Dictionary.

However, when you read the popular, so called translations of the day, you will most likely never come up with this interpretation because they do not use the word meat and the due season has been either left out or changed to something that causes it to lose the correct meaning.  A quick survey was performed in questioning several younger Christians between the ages of 18 and 24 regarding the meaning of the word meat.  Not one of them even knew what the meat of the Bible is!  Here are some examples from a few of the newer translations.

Matthew 24:45 – New Living Translation, 2nd Edition (NLT2)

“A faithful, sensible servant is one to whom the master can give the responsibility of managing his other household servants and feeding them.”  Wasn’t there was supposed to be a question here, and how does this have any relationship at all to Christ giving more information to His faithful servants at the appointed time?

Matthew 24:45 – The Living Bible (TLB)

“Are you a wise and faithful servant of the Lord? Have I given you the task of managing my household, to feed my children day by day?”  Now we have 2 questions where there was 1, and neither one of the questions being asked has anything to do with what the actual interpretation of this verse should be.

Matthew 24:45 – New International Version (NIV)

“Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time?”  Food is not meat and a proper time is not an appointed time.  It’s no wonder the church of Laodicea does not understand what this portion of scripture is saying.

Matthew 24:45 – New American Standard Bible (NASB)

“Who then is the faithful and sensible slave whom his master put in charge of his household to give them their food at the proper time?”

Slave? Where did this idea of slavery come from?  This goes against all God’s creation.  If you are a slave, then Christ is your slave-master.  Is there anyone that prays in the name of their slave master?  Yet this is a common belief among many Christians today, and is a very common word used in the newer translations.  I was not aware that God gave his creation no choice.  Did not Satan and all the angels that followed him have a choice?  This is how Islam the antichrist sees their relationship to Satan.  The common Muslim name Abdullah means slave of Allah which is the same as saying slave to Satan.  Islam controls every facet of your life, as you would expect of something evil.  What a sad testimony for a Christian, to worship a God who sacrificed His son to pay the penalty of our sin because they are forced to.  When did God command Christians to kill other Christians if they decide to leave the faith as Islam does?  All one has to do is read the Old Testament and count the number of times God says My servant Jacob, or My servant Israel; not once does He consider anyone He loves a slave.  If God wanted us all to love Him, He could have made us slaves and forced us to love Him, but then, that wouldn’t be love would it?

John 15:15 (KJV)

Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.

 One would think this verse makes it very clear we are not considered slaves; not even servants, we are called friends, because a servant doesn’t know what his master is doing.  But our Lord has told us that all things He has heard of the Father He will make know to us.

Matthew 24:45 – English Standard Version (ESV)

“Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom his master has set over his household, to give them their food at the proper time?” Again, by saying food the whole concept of deeper understanding is lost.  Food is not the same as meat and the proper time is not the same as a due season which is an appointed time.

This is just one verse.  Reading the book of Revelation where there is little understanding as to what the metaphors stand for and who the participants are; makes reading these newer interpretations a total waste of time, especially if you’re searching for truth.  If the men that interpreted these books understood these things they would not have interpreted them the way that they did.  Is it any wonder that Christ is going to vomit the church of Laodicea out of His mouth?

Revelation 3:20 (KJV)

Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.

For those that do not believe that the letters to the seven churches are also referring to seven different church ages, this verse speaks to the Rapture of the church and the marriage supper.  According to Strong’s Greek Dictionary the word used here comes from the Greek word deipnon which means to dine.  It’s the Greek word meaning supper or to take the principle (evening) meal.  There can be no doubt that these events would only happen during the last church before the millennial reign of Jesus Christ.

“Behold, I stand at the door and knock” The door according to the original Greek can also be a gate.  In this verse Christ is standing at heaven’s gate.  Remember, Laodicea means people of the judgement and that is exactly what is about to happen here.  This is speaking of the Rapture of His saints on the Feast of Trumpets or what Hebrew’s call the New Moon.  We know this because of what is stated later in the verse.

Ezekiel 46:1 (KJV)

Thus saith the Lord GOD; the gate of the inner court that looketh toward the east shall be shut the six working days; but on the Sabbath it shall be opened, and in the day of the new moon it shall be opened.

“If any man hears my voice” He is standing at the gates of heaven and calling to those that are His to come up hither.(Rev. 11:12)  By saying If any man, He is implying that there are not going to be many that hear his voice.  Because of the false doctrine and teachings of the church of Laodicea, most will be sleeping in their beds when the cry goes out at midnight. (Matthew 25:6)  They may be awoken, but will have no clue as to what is going on or what it is they should do.  Mark 13:36 (KJV) lest coming suddenly he finds you sleeping.  

“And open the door” As we mentioned previously, when the Rapture occurs it will not be as you have been taught.  It will not be in the twinkling of an eye and you are gone.  That’s part of what happens if you are accounted worthy, but it is not just a simple call and you are gone.  That is not what the Bible teaches.  Matthew 25:6, the Parable of the 10 Virgins tells us that the cry will go out at midnight and then we are commanded to go ye out to meet him.  So when we hear Him call we must open the door and go out to meet him, which means we must go out and look to the eastern sky and watch for the Sign of the Son of Man to appear.  This may sound unbelievable or simplistic to some because they have been taught otherwise, but that is what we are told to do in Matthew 25.  (It’s no different than when Naaman was told by Elisha to dunk 7 times in the Jordan River to be cured of leprosy.)  How many miracles were done by Christ if the recipient showed no faith?  Then why would you believe He will not want a demonstration of your faith before He performs a number of miracles on you?  Miracles like changing your body into a spiritual body and zipping you up to an altitude of 30 to 40,000 feet where His angels will gather and carry you off to the uttermost parts of Heaven.

“I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me” This is The Wedding Supper.  It is the most glorious event that the disciple of Christ has been waiting and hoping for.  The time when our sinful flesh will die and Christ will provide us our new spiritual body.  He will then dwell with you and you with Him forever more.  This is the sup with him, and he with me.

It will be the greatest night and greatest event of your life should you be accounted worthy through the blood of Jesus Christ.  It is hard to believe that all of Christendom has yet to figure out that you cannot attend a wedding that you have not been given the date of!  Our God is a just God; He tells us what He is going to do and then He does it.  That is one of the many reasons why we can trust Him completely.  If you truly are His, and truly believe that you will be attending the Wedding of the Lamb; why would you believe He has not provided you with enough information to know where to be and what to do?  If you believe He will provide you with everything you need, why would you think He has not given you the day to attend the Wedding of the Lamb?  Why do you think He said watch so many times if He did not tell us exactly what to watch for?

The Church of Laodicea in their new modern translations has taken the word watch to mean make sure you’re ready by living a good Christian life.  In other words, watch what you are doing.  We have taken it and applied it to ourselves when the real meaning should be, watch what our Lord is doing!”  This is so much like the Church of Laodicea.

Revelation 3:17 (KJV)

Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked.

 Revelation 22:16-17 (KJV)

I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and bright and morning star. 17 And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.