The Removing of the Lampstand
When and How, The Apostasy
John writes in Revelation 1:12-13:
“Then I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. And having turned I saw
seven golden lampstands,and in the midst of the seven lampstands One like the Son
of Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a
golden band.” Here John sees Christ glorified in his holy priestly garb. He is
seen walking among the seven branch Menorah, like the Menorah in the Holy Place in
the tabernacle. The fuel for its light was pure olive oil, which it needed to burn
properly. This oil was to be fed into the lampstand and burn continuously on
behalf of the children of Israel.
The lampstand in the Old Testament symbolized Jesus as the “Light of the World” that was to burn continually, giving its light in the Holy Place where the priest would be (John 1:7-9, 8:12, 9:5, 12:46; 2 Corinthians 4:6; Luke 1:78-79, 2:32; Revelation 21:23-24). The responsibility of the priests was to keep the lamp burning. They had to feed it oil and trim its wicks so it would not smoke, but continue to burn without failing to give pure light.
It also symbolized the believer, in that the believer is also called the “light of the World” (Mt.5:14-17). After Jesus ascended into heaven (John 9:5; Philippians 2:15; Luke 12:35; Ephesians 5:8-9) the believer is also called the “light of the world” (Matthew 5:14-17). For that reason the believer is also to walk in the light, i.e., His Word (I John 1:7). Therefore the lampstand can also be seen as a symbol of the Church, bringing the light to a world of darkness as representatives of Christ.
We see this motif continuing in
Revelation 1:20: “The mystery of the seven stars which you saw in my right hand,
and the seven golden lampstands: The seven stars are the angels of the seven
churches, and the seven lampstands which you saw are the seven churches.”
Revelation 1:20 tells us the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches.
Whenever the word “stars” is used symbolically, it refers to angels. The
seven lampstands are seven churches of which Christ is the head. Just as the oil
lit up the whole Menorah (lampstand), so does the Holy Spirit illumine all the
Churches. The seven individual lampstands symbolize the seven local churches
which represent the whole of the Church, not just different ages of the Church.
Revelation 1:4 said they already existed in Asia at the time of the writing of
Revelation, they were not just future churches or representative of Church ages
only. We can concede that these churches are examples of churches throughout
all ages and that all seven can exist at the same time in type, as they have
throughout history. The last church mentioned is Laodicea, during the latter times
the Laodicean church would be dominant one. It is this Church that will be common
in the end time and will usher in the apostasy.
Revelation 2:1: “To the angel of the church of Ephesus write, “These things says He who holds the seven stars in His right hand, who walks in the midst of the seven golden lampstands… “The Lord walks among the churches in all ages to know them. Jesus commends and rebukes them and gives a specific warning to this church in Revelation 2:5: “Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place-- unless you repent.” The removing of the church’s lampstand meant Christ’s Spirit would depart and leave them on their own, which in turn would result in them being as Laodicea (Laodicea means “men’s opinions ruling in place of God”). Loyalty to Christ can and often is replaced by loyalty to an organization, a church, and its leaders, substituting new rules and interpretations for Biblical truths. We can see this example in the cults.
We find that all the churches mentioned in Revelation exist at the same time, and we can find the faithful Church existing alongside the unfaithful Church today. But there is only one Church that will take over that will become the center of apostasy. The church of Laodicea has prepared the way for the great apostasy. It has kept Christ out of the Church and from His people. It has stood for nothing for so long that it has little effect on society, while at the same time it has allowed anything contrary to Christ’s teachings to come in. Today the world looks at this Church and excuses its sin, because there is no salt left for conviction. This Church became lukewarm, seeking unity with everyone, showing tolerance for any doctrinal aberration and interpreting it as love. It is reflective of a Church that at end of the age has come under the influence of the world instead of being an influence in the world. The world wonders why should it be judged if there is no substantial difference between it and the Church. But judgment begins in the House of God. The Lord is infinitely more concerned about His people than about the unbeliever. And so Jesus commends, warns and rebukes each church. Because God removes His lampstand from apostate churches they have resorted to worldly methods and techniques in order to continue to attract people. After all, one must keep the organizational wheels rolling!
Laodicean church thought they were doing well and were spiritual. After all they
were rich, so of course God must be blessing them. The wealthy mostly dress well
and talk about their possessions to impress people. They focus on outward
appearances and worldliness. But these people did not know their inward condition;
they were blind and could not see. So the Lord asked if they would buy from Him
gold refined in the fire (by their suffering) white garments (robes of salvation)
and eye salve so they could see their condition. Today many see their success and
prosperity as God’s blessing. The Laodicean Church was lukewarm. The Lord wanted
them either cold or hot. Hot water
was used for healing; cold was used for refreshment. Instead, they could not make
up their mind, they were standing for nothing, and were good for nothing. They
lived in both worlds. Spiritually they could have been either all for God or not
at all, but they were in between. If they were hot, they would have been approved.
If they were cold, God could have changed them, but they were in the middle and He
was unable do anything. This is the worst place to be, to be part of a church,
doing church things, thinking you are a Christian when in fact you are not. The
Laodiceans had just enough religiosity to get by and think they were fine. They
were naked also. In the time of Christ all soldiers would sleep in their clothes,
they would not take them off so they would be ready for battle. We are to be
clothed in white garments, the righteousness of Christ. Jesus was saying they did
not have his righteousness they were naked. Yet even this church is not hopeless;
Christ can come in to the individual if He is allowed, “As many as I love, I
rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent “(v.19).
This is the only Church that He is outside
of and offers to come to the individual in the Church and not the collective Church.
Because the whole Church is removed from the
truth of functioning in the word of God.
This does not mean they abandon God’s word or name but only use portions of it that suit them,
or change its meaning.
This does not mean they abandon God’s word or name but only use portions of it that suit them, or change its meaning.
Many have identified the Apostasy as individuals departing from the
Church. Certainly over the centuries many individuals that had begun in the Church left and
started their own cult. However, this is only part of the picture as Jesus is
addressing the Church He personally walks among. In modern times this falling away had
started in liberal seminaries who sent teachers out to unsuspecting pulpits teaching their
liberal ideas-- those who promote homosexuality, who ordain people that deny the Trinity,
the deity of Christ, the virgin birth and the essentials of the faith. Then the new
age movement began to emerge and infiltrate the Church with kingdom dominion theology and
placing subjective experience over the authority of the objective Word of God. Then
the homosexual movement came through the Episcopal church along with feminists who disdain
God as father. Now this apostasy has become something so widespread it encompasses most
things that are considered sacred. Affecting almost all denominations to some degree. Doctrines are distorted and abandoned, controlling shepherds are in charge, teaching
coveting, wealth and perfect health as God’s will to all. They approve of divorce and
Among the parables of the kingdom in Matthew 13 is the
parable of the leaven (Matthew 13:33), which depicts the course of this present Church
age. It describes a progression of apostasy that radically escalates in the end. [“ Apostasy “ refers to
falling away from the true Faith which finds its instruction by God's word]. Jesus describes a woman putting leaven into three measures of meal,
“until the whole was leavened.” Leaven puffs up; it represents pride, it does
the opposite of what the gospel does, which humbles man and makes us God-reliant.
Paul said, “A little leaven leavens the whole lump.” Leaven in Scripture
stands for sin and false teaching (1 Corinthians 5:6; Galatians 5:9), and the
woman represents the Church. She did something God prohibits; she hid the leaven
in the meal, mingling a foreign element into the body. This is speaking of a
corrupting influence that would infiltrate all parts of the Church. As a little
yeast, is hidden in the flour. It works silently until all the mass is brought
under its influence. It shows evil existing till the end of the age, as things do
not get better but worse. The parable tells us that the error which
was first introduced by false teachers during the days of the Apostles (and was then
small), will gradually increase through the centuries until, at the end, it is
completed. And almost the entire Church will have been impacted in some way. By
this characterization of leaven in the meal, believers are warned that false
teaching will gradually increase through time until the entire church has been
affected in some way. The ultimate fulfillment of this falling
away is found in Revelation 17.
The Timing of the Apostasy
Paul writes to the Thessalonians about
those who have tried to deceive them with a false teaching on the Tribulation that
was upsetting the church. Apparently after Paul left Thessalonica some false
teachers came in and upset the church by teaching that believers were now
in the Tribulation (2
They were being told that the Day of the Lord had come and that the rapture and
resurrection had occurred, putting them in the Tribulation
(The Day of the Lord is the most common title for the Great Tribulation--1 Timothy
1:20; 2 Timothy 2:18).
The main point of Paul’s letter
was to comfort the believers of Thessalonica who were already experiencing
persecution (first letter) and also correct them, letting them know that they were
not in the Tribulation. Paul then wanted to clarify what would precede the
Tribulation. He pointed out that the mystery of lawlessness was still being
restrained, and because of this the Antichrist’s unveiling was still in the
future, prior to Christ’s return. The Antichrist would be revealed at that
Paul’s correction to the Church at
Thessalonica came with the warning “Let no one deceive you.” It should
seem obvious that Paul was not writing about our gathering together to Him -
Christ (v.3) before that that day. This gathering will not come first without two
things happening prior to that: 1) The falling away would come first (then
the day comes), 2) and the man of sin would be revealed. Here Paul is obviously
talking about two different matters: our gathering together to Him (v.1) and a
falling away (v.3). Paul states that the
Day of the Lord will not
come without the Apostasy coming first; that prior to Christ’s
coming a falling away from the Faith will occur. Therefore he warns us who are
living at the time, “Let no one deceive you”, giving the same warning Jesus
did in the beginning of his discourse in Matthew 24.
As Paul mentions the coming of our Lord Jesus and also our gathering together to Him, (v.1) he appears to be indicating two events, distinguishing between two comings of Jesus (1 Thessalonians 3:13, tells us that when Jesus comes it is with the saints who have died). One coming is for His Church and the other with His Church, when He will judge a rebellious world and set up His kingdom reign on earth for 1,000 years with the saints under Him co-reigning.
2 Thessalonians 2:1, “And our
gathering together to Him.” The Greek word for ‘gathering together’ is epi
means “above,” and sunagoges means“to collect together.” This
is not a reference to our being gathered to Jesus after He descends to earth to
set up His kingdom, but to our being gathered up to Him. We are called FROM
ABOVE by the Lord to meet Him and be united together in the air and brought to the
place He has already prepared (John14). Our gathering together up to Him is more
accurately translated “our being gathered up to Him’” (1
Thessalonians 4:14). He is the object we go to; He does not come down to meet us
on earth, we go up to Him first.
It hasn't been until modern times that the Rapture has been abandoned for earthly
“triumphalism” and Christianizing the World first, before Christ could come. (Kingdom
Now, Dominion Theology) This is all part of the falling away and not preparing or watching
for His coming.
2 Thessalonians 2:3 says, “Let no
one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling
away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition.” (In
Matthew 24:4 Christ first warned of the deception of those who come in His name
three times, but He also speaks of what will occur before the Abomination of
deception Paul is giving a warning, just like Christ did. Paul refers to
“tricks” of any kind, saying to be on guard. Christ’s return will not occur
before certain important things take place, so the timing is important. In 2
Thessalonians 2:3 in the phrase “the falling away” the word Apostasia
is used, which comes from the Greek verb aphistemi, which literally means,
“to depart” or “revolt.” Paul spoke of another departure (1 Timothy 4:1)
and used the same Greek word. However, in 1 Timothy Paul added the words “depart
from the faith” instead of “depart” by itself, qualifying the phrase.
Paul states the reason for their falling away:, because they
are listening to demons, who are deceiving spirits. So they are being deceived by teachings
that are contrary to the word of God and this is occurring inside the Church.
Greek scholar A.T Robertson writes of this word “Plutarch uses it of political revolt
and it occurs in 1 Maccabees 2:15 about Antiochus Epiphanes who was enforcing the apostasy
from Judaism to Hellenism. In Joshua 22:22 it occurs for rebellion against the Lord.
It seems clear that the word here means a religious revolt and the use of the definite
article (heô) seems to mean that Paul had spoken to the Thessalonians about it.
V.1 “Concerning the coming of Our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together unto Him,” will not happen until AFTER the Apostasy occurs. There is no other way to understand these words without changing the context for the words and the grammatical construction of this verse. Those who teach prophecy will rarely touch on this all-encompassing event, the falling away from the faith. Why not, when this falling away or apostasy is the main indication of the Church’s condition in the last hour? It will affect the Church more than anything else in history, but it is ignored and even questioned as a possible event. How can you teach on end time prophecy without it?
The apostasy of professing Christianity has increased with a momentum that is stunning
to those watching its growth. It has gone off the Richter scale. In the absence of
the lampstand ( the presence of Christ), devils have stepped in and taken over in many
churches. This falling away has certainly begun and is picking up momentum each year,
month, and week. Whole movements have arisen that draw huge crowds by catering to the
natural mans desires and prey on his propensity of being deceived by the supernatural. They
are being offered the very things Christ refused and warned against in his teachings.
The conflict that the Church once had with the World has been embraced and brought into
the church. It has created a sharp division between traditional biblical purists and
new revelation revivalists and liberal Christianity.
How did this all Happen?
I have already touched in general on the Church in the 20th Century and the
development of divergent tributaries all flowing away from the word of God. But for us as
individuals, apostasy specifically begins with indifference, holding no convictions,
and having no boldness for the truth; and so we become men pleasers and lovers of the
World, instead of lovers of God and His truth. In time it becomes nothing short than
a total abandonment of Christ and His teachings.
The Scripture tells us in the end times the love of many will grow cold. (In Mt.24
Jesus' explains this is because of lawlessness not heeding His word.)
Loving people enough to confront them with the truth is abandoned and the doctrines are
changed to fit the culture. The Laodicean church had slowly been losing its first love and
the result was not obeying the Lord's commands: “occupy until I come” and teach them
the truth (discipleship). Open mindedness and the acceptance of any doctrine for the sake
of unity is worldly tolerance, and not a display of real love. But Laodicea boasts in its
riches and how well off they are. “It’s the best of times for the Church!” Is the
cry. Sound familiar.
While history has shown the growth of various apostasies by cults springing up by those
who left the Church. (there is evidence of both in the End Times: 1 Timothy 4:1-3 and 2
Timothy 3:1-5; 4:3-4), the Scriptures point to an apostasy among those who once followed
God who are still in the church. It is a world-wide rebellion, not just a few but
many. The article in the verse makes it even more significant; this is not a falling away,
but the falling away, the great and final rebellion against God, his word and
rulership in individual lives, and churches. A departure from His word and replacement by
another's. This is different from error, which results from ignorance. Although it
includes false beliefs and error. The motivation is willful and it defies what the Word
states because of an adherence to its own deception.
How does a group of Christians or a whole church that loves the Lord fall away? By not
adhering to the commands found in the Word. The Scriptures are put aside for agendas and
other activities. Paul warns of false teachers rising up from among the church, and being
on our guard against worldliness. All to often today's Church measures success by
size and popularity, just as the Bible said it would in the end. It begins with just a
small compromise and from there it is just a matter of time before one doesn't even realize
they can't even find the place they have drifted from. Without an anchor the tide
takes us where it wants.
“Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith,
giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons”(1 Tim. 4:1). Notice that
“some will depart from the faith,” not all. Tolerance has been the main cause of
leaving any absolutes in the Word of God. We simply do not love the truth more than
other things and it eventually comes to be replaced with what can only be identified as
lies. Lies can be disguised and embraced because they are easier to comprehend than
the truth which takes good soil to be sowed in.
God has commanded that His people separate from error not to join in with it. People who
reject this command eventually find themselves on the side of apostasy. How can it be
possible then, that God is now calling for the walls of separation to be broken down?
This is not the great commission but the great confusion which will continually grow into
the great apostasy.
James says where there is confusion every evil thing is there. Today's ecumenical
tolerance in the name of love and unity has made much of the Church depart from the truth
which subsequently has left it with little power. It has not brought what so many
have promised. For example those who wanted to unite in mission with the Roman
Catholic Church for social change now find themselves in a predicament, as the Pope has
recently been photographed kissing the Koran (inside the Vatican). If we continue to wink
at falsehood we will eventually shut our eyes to the truth. (Rom. 16:17,18; 2 Cor. 6:14-18;
1 Tim. 1:3; 2 Tim. 2:16-21, 3:5,13; Titus 1:10-13; 3:9-11; 2 John 7-11; Rev. 18:4).
Eventually a last days apostate Church, along with the rest of the world will accept the Mark of the Beast as an allegiance to global unity, it may even become a deterrent to terrorism. This mark comes to be a required in the middle of the Tribulation, so there is no way to identify it with certainty now. However it is obvious that a system will need to be implemented to further economic unity and global monetary success. Revelation 13 tells us that no one will be able to buy or sell without the mark. Today it is very hard to do any business without computers throughout most of the world.
This is not the time to hide one’s head in the sand, hoping that it will all go away; it won’t. If we really believe the apostasy comes first and that the time we are living in is the Laodicean church age, then we are that much closer to the Lord’s coming. It can literally be the last moments of time before a tribulation period, the most disastrous time the earth has ever seen. We should be hard at work, before the night falls. As the saying goes, you don’t play in the last quarter of a football game like you do in the first quarter. And this is no game! It is for the eternal destiny of souls, your friends and loved ones. Time to awake to your calling in Christ.
2 Thess. 2:7 For the mystery of iniquity (lawlessness) is already work: only He
who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way. V.7 Once the
restraining power is removed the Scripture says another HE will be revealed. The
“he” is the Antichrist the Son of Perdition who will flood the World with his false
teaching and signs and wonders to conquer them. Paul used James and Jambres as an example
of miracle opposition for what will occur in the last days.
How is this possible? One of the ways is through TV. The Lord never said the gospel
would be preached in all the World through the medium of TV, but through people. Those who
were willing to give up their lives and go on the mission field of the World. It should be
obvious to anyone who watches Christian TV that most do not give up anything as in the
first century but actually gain the World's pleasures by going. The lines are being drawn
today with those who follow the crowd as sheep and those who follow the Master as His
sheep. However there is hope as there has always been a remnant.
This apostasy cannot be just the continuance of the same things that were always wrong.
Paul uses it as a signpost for the coming of the Lord for his Church and the nearness of
the tribulation! In order to be a “sign”, it has to be DIFFERENT from anything else
that has occurred. But it will not noticed by all because the majority will be part of it.
2 Thess.2:.9. “The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan,
with all power, signs, and lying wonders “i.e., the energy and power of Satan with full
and complete strength to have the ability to work signs and wonders. (Mt.24:24 )
power- energeia- working, efficiency; in the New Testament used only of superhuman
power, whether of God or of the Devil.
He comes with ALL, (means and types of) power (it will look the same as, the apostles
ability) with signs and wonders; but it is all the working of Satan, as described in
Revelation 13:13-17. Its not a coincidence that in these last years miracles have
increased. While god still does miracles, it is this very thing that we are warned from
Paul would deceive the people. Satan has often times disguised his false doctrines with
supernatural signs. In today's open spiritual climate both inside and outside the Church.
Our time is tailor-made for lying signs to deceive greater numbers of people than ever
before. Experience becomes the teacher instead of the objective word of truth. What they
think they see or hear of is always true to them.
2 Thess.2:10. “with all unrighteous deception among those who perish.” The reason
being, “they did not receive the love of the truth that they might be saved.”
2 Thess.2:11. “For this reason God shall send them a STRONG delusion, and so
they will believe the lie.” They will be completely DECEIVED. God does not tell
lies, only the truth. But in this instance he is going to allow their own lies to come to
fruition, they will literally have to reject Gods counsel and step over the truth. They are
brought to the point where they no longer even are able to consider the truth! Just as
Pharaoh was given the chance to repent until he was deceived and empowered to fulfill God's
will, likewise they will also. God sends them the lie through their own deception.
In the OT we find that God warned of false prophets through the true ones. But the
people rejected God's true prophets so the Lord would allow a lying spirit in a prophets
mouth. I King 22:20-23 “And the LORD said, 'Who will persuade Ahab to go up, that he may
fall at Ramoth Gilead?' So one spoke in this manner, and another spoke in that manner. V.21
“Then a spirit came forward and stood before the LORD, and said, 'I will persuade him.'
V.22 “The LORD said to him, 'In what way?' So he said, 'I will go out and be a lying
spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.' And the LORD said, 'You shall persuade him, and
also prevail. Go out and do so.” V.23 “Therefore look! The LORD has put a lying spirit
in the mouth of all these prophets of yours, and the LORD has declared disaster against
you.” (also found in 2 Chron.18:21-22).
God has often used the enemy to give people knowledge to see if they are for Him or
against Him. (Deut.13). In the case of God sending a strong delusion it is not a test but
for judgment because they have not believed the truth He will empower their
lies. It is the church of Thiatira who allowed the false prophets
warns that they will be brought into the Great tribulation unless they repent.
Jer. 23:20-22 “The anger of the LORD will not turn back against these false
prophets until he has performed and carried out the purposes of His heart. In the latter
days you will understand it perfectly. I have not sent these prophets, yet they ran. I
have not spoken to them, yet they prophesied. But if they had stood in My counsel,
and had caused My people to hear My words, then they would have turned them from their evil
way and from the evil of their doings.”
The ones who will be deceived by Satan and his counterfeit signs are those who have
already rejected the truth. God will allow the deceiving spirits to speak through them
without interfering. (2 Tim.4:1).
The example of the wickedness in Noah's day and the fact that life went on as
usual, blinded them to impending destruction and is used to show that these
lawless wicked men had a type of “Tribulation” judgment fall on them.
Just like in Revelation. If certain church's do not repent they will enter the Tribulation.
The Apostle Peters warns in 2 Pet. 2:1-3- “But there were also false prophets
among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring
in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves
swift destruction. And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the
way of truth will be blasphemed. By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive
words; for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not
slumber.” Notice the many and their way is destructive and their own destruction is
close. 2 Thess.2:12- “ They will all be condemned who did not believe (receive-hold to)
the truth, our instructions from the Scriptures
The call for this salvation comes through the Gospel, the gospel Paul preached (we
preach Christ crucified, 1 Cor. 1:23). It is this Gospel that we stand in and this
Gospel that will enable us to the obtain glory of Jesus.
Instead they had pleasure in unrighteousness by doing it their way. They did not live in
Christ's righteousness, or listen to His commands. They rejected them.
Most of the epistles were written to correct error; and Paul warned that error would
accelerate after his death. “After my departing shall grievous wolves enter in ... not
sparing the flock” (Acts 20:29).
What had already begun in Paul's day finally comes to maturity in the end. The seeds
that were planted by the enemy as tares.
Shortly after Paul's martyrdom Jude said that false teachers had “crept in
unawares” and therefore it was essential (as it still is today) to “earnestly contend
for the faith” (Jude 3-4). The only question left to ask is: “How much worse will the
apostasy get before the Rapture and will you or I not become part of it?
If you now understand that all this is being fulfilled you might be wondering what then
are we to do? Luke 21:36: “Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted
worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son
1 Jn.3:2-3: “When He is revealed we shall be like Him for we shall see Him as He
is.” (John had a glimpse in his vision he communicated in the revelation. “He who has
this hope” looks forward to the Lord's return and “purifies himself as Christ was
pure.” Come quickly Lord Jesus.