Trying to understand Dispensationalism

[Obadiah]

Is there any justification for recognizing the time in which a Christian now lives as different from the time in which Adam and Eve lived prior to the fall? Well, of course it is, how is it different? The same questions might be asked in regard to other times as well. What about the time prior to Noah’s flood?… They were like totally running amok. The time Israel was in Egypt?… Israel’s conquest of Canaan?… Israel under the Judges and Kings?… Daniel’s day?… When Israel was under Babylonian captivity?

In Dispensationalism I see that there are at least five different periods with their own distinctiveness:

1. Man in a period prior to the fall
2. Man as fallen
3. Man under the old covenant, before the Cross
4. Man since the historic fact of Christ’s Cross and resurrection
5. Redeemed man as ruling with Christ over a changed earth.

I think it would be hard to find any sincere Bible-believer who is willing to raise issue against such clear and basic divisions in the Word of God, whether they are called dispensations or not. In this sense, every true believer of Bible-truth is a dispensationalist even when the kindred camp most sharply contrasted with dispensationalism—namely, Covenant Theology Is introduced to the conversation.

 

[Diserner]

Just there being "dispensations" is not what people usually mean by the doctrine of "Dispensationalism."

And that's the problem, it has come to mean more than just it's basic English word definition.

Much like the "Reformed" faith, which now means Calvinism, when the basic meaning of "Reformed" is something every Christian fits.

So if I say, "every sincere Bible-believer is Reformed!" that is going to be confusing to a lot of people.

 

[Obadiah]

Just there being "dispensations" is not what people usually mean by the doctrine of "Dispensationalism."

And that's the problem, it has come to mean more than just it's basic English word definition.

Much like the "Reformed" faith, which now means Calvinism, when the basic meaning of "Reformed" is something every Christian fits.

So if I say, "every sincere Bible-believer is Reformed!" that is going to be confusing to a lot of people.

Thanks for the reply. I was hoping someone would show up with a little more clarification.

 

[Arial]

Is there any justification for recognizing the time in which a Christian now lives as different from the time in which Adam and Eve lived prior to the fall? Well, of course it is, how is it different? The same questions might be asked in regard to other times as well. What about the time prior to Noah’s flood?… They were like totally running amok. The time Israel was in Egypt?… Israel’s conquest of Canaan?… Israel under the Judges and Kings?… Daniel’s day?… When Israel was under Babylonian captivity?

In Dispensationalism I see that there are at least five different periods with their own distinctiveness:

1. Man in a period prior to the fall
2. Man as fallen
3. Man under the old covenant, before the Cross
4. Man since the historic fact of Christ’s Cross and resurrection
5. Redeemed man as ruling with Christ over a changed earth.

I think it would be hard to find any sincere Bible-believer who is willing to raise issue against such clear and basic divisions in the Word of God, whether they are called dispensations or not. In this sense, every true believer of Bible-truth is a dispensationalist even when the kindred camp most sharply contrasted with dispensationalism—namely, Covenant Theology Is introduced to the conversation.

Dispensationalism is a framework through which the Bible is interpreted. There are many branches of it, but it is divided into seven time periods called dispensations in which God dealt differently with humanity. In using this as an interpretive tool they omo make a distinction between national Israel. God deals with salvation of the Gentiles, takes them out, then deals with national Israel and bringing the Jews as a nation to Christ (during the so called seven year tribulation I think), then restoring national Israel with them ruling the nations for a thousand years, then Jesus comes back (for the second or third second time) and the two become one.

Covenant theology has the framework of interpretation as covenant, as we see God always having a relationship with mankind through covenant, not dispensations.

 

[Diserner]

Thanks for the reply. I was hoping someone would show up with a little more clarification.

For the record I more less agree more with your take on it, as it is the more common sense approach.

There is not one "dispensational" approach and one "coventantal" approach in reality, but rather both of these factor in, covenants and dispensations, throughout the Bible.

Since the fall, God has always dealt with mankind through grace and Christ's atonement, and this is a good starting point—through all subsequent dispensations and covenants, Christ has been central.

Some people make the OT covenant works and the NT grace which is just silly. Paul used OT examples to illustrate NT grace.

Some people say Adam had a covenant of "works," which is also silly. Adam did not live by the sweat of his brow, he was gifted righteousness.

So by stripping away all the unnecessary bulk, I think we can formulate a simpler idea of the dispensations and covenants of the Bible. The four biggest changes are the ones you noted:

1. Before the fall of mankind, which necessitated Christ.
2. The giving of the Law as a tutor, where Christ is imputed through faith in the Torah.
3. The death and resurrection of Christ, where the promised grace comes to greater fruition, imputed through faith in the Gospel.
4. The final state, where all is glorified, all based on the fullness of Christ's work.

 

[Obadiah]

For the record I more less agree more with your take on it, as it is the more common sense approach.

There is not one "dispensational" approach and one "coventantal" approach in reality, but rather both of these factor in, covenants and dispensations, throughout the Bible.

Since the fall, God has always dealt with mankind through grace and Christ's atonement, and this is a good starting point—through all subsequent dispensations and covenants, Christ has been central.

Some people make the OT covenant works and the NT grace which is just silly. Paul used OT examples to illustrate NT grace.

Some people say Adam had a covenant of "works," which is also silly. Adam did not live by the sweat of his brow, he was gifted righteousness.

So by stripping away all the unnecessary bulk, I think we can formulate a simpler idea of the dispensations and covenants of the Bible. The four biggest changes are the ones you noted:

1. Before the fall of mankind, which necessitated Christ.
2. The giving of the Law as a tutor, where Christ is imputed through faith in the Torah.
3. The death and resurrection of Christ, where the promised grace comes to greater fruition, imputed through faith in the Gospel.
4. The final state, where all is glorified, all based on the fullness of Christ's work.

This really caught my eye in your post. Since Christ is central In dispensations and covenants, then I want to learn more about them.

 

[PapaLandShark]

Adam did not live by the sweat of his brow, he was gifted righteousness.

Er...sure he did. In fact he was the first. "Living by the sweat of his brow" was a primary consequence of the Fall. This was not about "righteousness" as also evidenced by the curse placed on the snake and the woman. This was simply about life after the Fall. Man would now have to work for his sustenance. Snakes forevermore would live in the "dust" at enmity with woman. Women would experience great pain in child birth.

All very real and physical things that did not exist prior to the Fall. Not sure how the Snake got about prior...but there it is.

 

[Diserner]

I meant pre-fall of course...

 

[civic]

This really caught my eye in your post. Since Christ is central In dispensations and covenants, then I want to learn more about them.

We will have to get this discussion going

 

[Frank Russell]

My take on dispensationalism:

There are a number of concurrent frameworks that "fit" with church and world history.

Two I'm currently noticing.

The first one is the seven days of creation imagery throughout the ages of the bible leading to the creation of a new heaven and a new earth. Underlying thought: God saw the perfect world was infected with sin, so after resting began creating a new one. Meanwhile, we live in this one.

The second one notices striking patterns happening in church history lining up with a fulfillment looking pattern of the histories of Israel and Judah. Underlying thought: Jesus-Moses, the 12 patriarchs-the 12 apostles, Judges-Orthodox, Kings-Popes, Divided Kingdom-Reformation, coming up-Captivity.

 

[Complete]

'Study to shew thyself approved unto God,
a workman that needeth not to be ashamed,
rightly dividing the word of truth.'
(2 Tim. 2:15)

Hello there,

This verse (above) is the basic principle upon which dispensational truth is founded.

* 'We are informed in Hebrews 1:1-2, that:-
'God, Who at sundry times and in divers manners
spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,
Hath in these last days spoken unto us by His Son,
Whom He hath appointed heir of all things,
by Whom also He made the worlds;'

* In the belief that all of God's words as well as His works are perfect, it is for us to carefully search them out.

* We know that:-
(1) God spoke directly until the call of Moses. (Genesis)
(2) by the prophets until the close of John the Baptist ministry. (Exodus - Matthew 3:12)
(3) by His Son, until the end of His earthly ministry . (The 4 gospels)
(4) by 'them that heard Him'. (The Acts 1-28:28, through the general epistles, and Paul's epistles written during these times)
(5) by The Spirit of Truth, via. Paul the prisoner of Jesus Christ (to these 'times' belong the prison epistles of Paul (Eph, Phil. Col,1&2 Timothy

Titus & Philemon)​

(6) by 'His Servant John' - (in The book of Revelation)
(7) There will be a 'time' also, when God will once again speak 'directly' from Heaven (Psalm 50)

* This is a 'general' outline, from which basis we can discuss the 'particular'.

Thank you
In Christ Jesus
Our risen and glorified,
Saviour, Lord and Head.
Chris

 

[Complete]

'God, who at sundry times and in divers manners
spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,
Hath in these last days spoken unto us by His Son,
Whom He hath appointed heir of all things,
by Whom also He made the worlds; ... ... '
(Heb 1:1-2)

Hello again,

The fact that God has spoken to mankind at all is a wonderful thing, isn't it?

* The letter to the Hebrews, chapters 1 & 2, provides us with a key for the whole of Scripture. Taken as a whole, they are divided into four parts.

(1) ‘God who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by His Son. ... ... (2) Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard.’(v.v., 1:2-2:1)

(3) ‘To which of the angels saith He at any time, “Sit on My right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool?” Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation? ... ... (4) For unto the angels He hath not put in subjection the world to come whereof we speak’ (v.v., 1:14-2:5).

* These points are emphasised, calling us to look at them more closely:-

• God hath spoken.
• In time past,
• To the fathers, not to Gentiles
• By the prophets (not by the priests), in whose writings alone God’s words are to be found.

* Not by the priests, because called of God, not by men. The prophet was God’s spokesman, called, chosen and equipped by The Sender, and instructed by Him as to what he was to say.

* The duties of a priest did not include being God’s spokesmen. They were to teach the people what God had spoken by the prophets (Deut. 17:9-11 & Lev. 10:11), and see to the sacrificial offerings, and incense burning in God’s house. Yet, both Jeremiah and Ezekiel were priests who were chosen by God to be prophets, and speak for Him, but so was Abraham, a patriarch, David, a king; Daniel, a prince; Elisha, a ploughman and Amos, a herdsman. There were also prophetesses chosen, one such was Miriam. God put His words into their mouths. (Deut. 18:18; Ezek. 3:17).

* The words of God were spoken, ‘to the fathers,’ of the Hebrew nation. The words spoken were confined to them (Israel), during that dispensation. It is not for us to read them as though they applied to us, or for us to take them out of their context or spiritualise them: This only leads to confusion, and error.

Thank you
In Christ Jesus
Chris

 

[Soyeong]

Is there any justification for recognizing the time in which a Christian now lives as different from the time in which Adam and Eve lived prior to the fall? Well, of course it is, how is it different? The same questions might be asked in regard to other times as well. What about the time prior to Noah’s flood?… They were like totally running amok. The time Israel was in Egypt?… Israel’s conquest of Canaan?… Israel under the Judges and Kings?… Daniel’s day?… When Israel was under Babylonian captivity?

In Dispensationalism I see that there are at least five different periods with their own distinctiveness:

1. Man in a period prior to the fall
2. Man as fallen
3. Man under the old covenant, before the Cross
4. Man since the historic fact of Christ’s Cross and resurrection
5. Redeemed man as ruling with Christ over a changed earth.

I think it would be hard to find any sincere Bible-believer who is willing to raise issue against such clear and basic divisions in the Word of God, whether they are called dispensations or not. In this sense, every true believer of Bible-truth is a dispensationalist even when the kindred camp most sharply contrasted with dispensationalism—namely, Covenant Theology Is introduced to the conversation.

It is one thing for the Bible to use as word that can be translated as "dispensation" and it is quite another thing to wrongly divide the word of truth by concocting whole theological framework based on that word. The fatal flaw to saying that God changes the way that he deals with humanity is the fact that God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Dispensationalism leads people to say that God deals with man differently instead of leading people to repent from the fact that they are the ones who have changed.

 

[Complete]

It is one thing for the Bible to use as word that can be translated as "dispensation" and it is quite another thing to wrongly divide the word of truth by concocting whole theological framework based on that word. The fatal flaw to saying that God changes the way that he deals with humanity is the fact that God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Dispensationalism leads people to say that God deals with man differently instead of leading people to repent from the fact that they are the ones who have changed.

Hello @Soyeong,

God IS the same yesterday, today and forever, but there are distinct changes discernible within Scripture regarding God's dealings with man. He spoke in times past at 'sundry times' and in 'divers manners': and the name by which He made Himself known to Israel, in itself, shows that He is not bound, as His Word is not bound. (2 Tim. 2:9)

'And Moses said unto God, ​

.. Behold, when I come unto the children of Israel, ​

.... and shall say unto them, ​

...... The God of your fathers hath sent me unto you; ​

........ and they shall say to me, What is His name? ​

.......... what shall I say unto them?​

And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: ​

and He said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel,​

I AM hath sent me unto you.​

.. And God said moreover unto Moses, ​

.... Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, ​

...... The LORD God of your fathers, ​

........ the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, ​

.......... hath sent me unto you: ​

............ this is My name for ever, ​

.............. and this is My memorial unto all generations.'​

(Exo 3:13-15)​

* What He will be is left open, to be filled in according to the needs of those with whom He is in covenant relationship. He is Israel's God now, as He was then, He has not changed. Yet He will be, unto them, all that is needed: e.g., ' Jehovah - Roi' (the Lord (Jehovah) My Shepherd). Jehovah - Jireh (The Lord [Jehovah] will provide). 'I AM THAT I AM', i.e., I will be what I will be (or become).

Praise God!

Thank you
In Christ Jesus
Chris

 

[civic]

God deals with believers differently than unbelievers, Israel different than other nations, Jews different than gentiles, etc..........

God made promises to Abraham about the land and those promises are still in tact today until God creates the New heavens and the earth. Paul even makes that point in Romans 9-11. Until all the gentiles that God intends to save have been saved the Jews/Israel have been placed on temporary hold on Gods end times calendar. The great tribulation period which is still future is when God deals with the nation of Israel and all the nations that are at war with her. Then they ( the nation of Israel) - the Jews as prophesied in Zechariah will recognize Him whom they have pierced as their Messiah.

hope this helps !!!

 

[JD731]

Is there any justification for recognizing the time in which a Christian now lives as different from the time in which Adam and Eve lived prior to the fall? Well, of course it is, how is it different? The same questions might be asked in regard to other times as well. What about the time prior to Noah’s flood?… They were like totally running amok. The time Israel was in Egypt?… Israel’s conquest of Canaan?… Israel under the Judges and Kings?… Daniel’s day?… When Israel was under Babylonian captivity?

In Dispensationalism I see that there are at least five different periods with their own distinctiveness:

1. Man in a period prior to the fall
2. Man as fallen
3. Man under the old covenant, before the Cross
4. Man since the historic fact of Christ’s Cross and resurrection
5. Redeemed man as ruling with Christ over a changed earth.

I think it would be hard to find any sincere Bible-believer who is willing to raise issue against such clear and basic divisions in the Word of God, whether they are called dispensations or not. In this sense, every true believer of Bible-truth is a dispensationalist even when the kindred camp most sharply contrasted with dispensationalism—namely, Covenant Theology Is introduced to the conversation.

If one will accept the following three point definition for dispensation it will allow for a productive discussion on the subject.

1) Exemption from a rule or usual requirement.
2) A system of order, or government, or organization of a nation, community, etc., especially as existing at a particular
time. For us Christians who are Bible students, a divinely ordained and demonstrable order prevailing at a particular time in history.
3) The action of distributing or supplying something.

For instance, the nation of Israel had been under the divinely ordained "Law of Moses" since Sinai when God gave it to this people as a "conditional" covenant, and as an addendum to the first covenant and attached 430 years later, an unconditional covenant he made with the father of this people, Abraham, around 1948 BC. This covenant was called the Abraham Covenant and it is still on the table today. Remember, an unconditional covenant is one sided. It's coming to pass requires the faithfulness and abilities of only one side of the participants. In this case the one partner is Jehovah. He will keep his promise to Abraham. The beginning of this covenant is in Ge 12.

For the reasoning of God for attaching an addendum to the covenant, see Ga 3 where it is explained and for it's duration. Please read it believing the words.

Consider this first point of defining dispensation.

Heb 10:7 Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me) to do thy will, O God.
8 Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law;
9 Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second.
10 By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

The establishment of the New Testament for the guidance of Israel first, and later the gentiles, is a profound dispensational exemption from a rule or usual requirement.

I am tempted to copy and paste the entire 2 Cor 3 here for the edification others but I trust one who is curious will read it in this context.

 

[Grace ambassador]

I am tempted to copy and paste the entire 2 Cor 3 here for the edification others but I trust one who is curious will read it in this context.

Precious friend, A Very Warm Welcome to the forum.

 

[DavP]

Is there any justification for recognizing the time in which a Christian now lives as different from the time in which Adam and Eve lived prior to the fall? Well, of course it is, how is it different? The same questions might be asked in regard to other times as well. What about the time prior to Noah’s flood?… They were like totally running amok. The time Israel was in Egypt?… Israel’s conquest of Canaan?… Israel under the Judges and Kings?… Daniel’s day?… When Israel was under Babylonian captivity?

In Dispensationalism I see that there are at least five different periods with their own distinctiveness:

1. Man in a period prior to the fall
2. Man as fallen
3. Man under the old covenant, before the Cross
4. Man since the historic fact of Christ’s Cross and resurrection
5. Redeemed man as ruling with Christ over a changed earth.

I think it would be hard to find any sincere Bible-believer who is willing to raise issue against such clear and basic divisions in the Word of God, whether they are called dispensations or not. In this sense, every true believer of Bible-truth is a dispensationalist even when the kindred camp most sharply contrasted with dispensationalism—namely, Covenant Theology Is introduced to the conversation.

Which Dispensationalism, man's Dispensationalism that came from John Nelson Darby who preached a false pre-trib rapture theory, what he himself called at one time, a "secret rapture"?

Did you know that Darby and his dispensationalist followers taught the separation of the seed of Israel from Christ and His Church during Christ's future reign? His idea of Dispensationalism included the false idea that the seed of Israel is restored as a nation on earth while the Church having been already raptured to Heaven to live in the 'clouds' with Jesus, stays in Heaven during Christ's future Rev.20 reign over the nations.

That idea of course is NOT written in God's Word. Christ and His Church will be gathered to here, on earth, at Jerusalem, to reign over all nations. That is where the "camp of the saints" will be per Rev.20. And that will be the true Israel of God in that future time, the "commonwealth of Israel" like Apostle Paul called it in Ephesians 2, which is to include the believing Gentiles. The Church is not raptured to Heaven at Christ's coming.

Another created idea by men's doctrines, is the idea of "Church Ages", which is not an idea found written in God's Word. Man's Dispensationalism likes to take the 7 Messages Lord Jesus gave to the 7 Churches in Asia, and divide them up in periods of 'Church ages', the last one they claim about the Church of the Laodiceans being for today's Churches.

That Church Ages doctrine is NOT Biblical, because Jesus gave those 7 Messages as a blueprint for ALL Churches, from John's time all the way to the end of this world with Jesus' future coming. We are to look at the particular Church we attend, and use those 7 Messages as a measure, to know what 'kind' of Church we are in.

So I admonish the Bible student to be very, very careful with men's doctrines that try to slice and dice Bible history into their little categorization schedules so they think it gives them better understanding, when it does not, but often does just the opposite.

 

[JD731]

Another created idea by men's doctrines, is the idea of "Church Ages", which is not an idea found written in God's Word. Man's Dispensationalism likes to take the 7 Messages Lord Jesus gave to the 7 Churches in Asia, and divide them up in periods of 'Church ages', the last one they claim about the Church of the Laodiceans being for today's Churches.

That Church Ages doctrine is NOT Biblical, because Jesus gave those 7 Messages as a blueprint for ALL Churches, from John's time all the way to the end of this world with Jesus' future coming. We are to look at the particular Church we attend, and use those 7 Messages as a measure, to know what 'kind' of Church we are in.

Revelation 2:2
I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars:

Revelation 2:9
I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty, (but thou art rich) and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan.

Revelation 3:9
Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee.

Good luck finding apostles and Jews and synogogues in any church you attend presently.

These churches are in the province of Asia, where the "strangers" reside. The strangers are those whom Peter, James John, and Jude adresses. They are gentiles only in the sense that they are cut off since BC 722 from the covenants God he made with them and for his purpose of discipline and purification. They are of the circumcision to whom the 12 apostles were sent (Ga 2). These wicked men and their ministry is a direct and frontal assault on the church of Jesus Christ as these children of Satan are used by him to withstand the conversion of Israel and God working out his promises to them as the people of God whom he loves.

The woman teacher mixing in the leaven in three measures of meal in Matthew 13, in the fourth parable of seven in that chapter, is another view of the woman in the fourth church mentioned in Re 3. The three measure of meal represents the three families of God that sprange from the sons of Noah on this side of the flood. Leaven is corruption and false doctrine and a metaphor for sin in the scriptures. The church in Thyarira suffered that wicked woman to teach.

God writes the way he thinks, in words that are important to him. One must have spiritual thoughts in those words or he will never have sound doctrine. I see your problem as having doctrines that are not based on the words given in chapters 2 & 3 of the Revelation of Jesus Christ. There is danger of changing or ignoring his words.

Re 2:20 Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols.
21 And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not.
22 Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds.
23 And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which searcheth the reins and hearts: and I will give unto every one of you according to your works.

And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters:

Re 17:2 With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication.
3 So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.
4 And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication:
5 And upon her forehead was a name written, Mystery, Babylon The Great, The Mother Of Harlots And Abominations Of The Earth.
6 And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration.

Matt 13:33 Another parable spake he unto them; The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened.

This is mystery Babylon working the mystery of iniquity in this age of the church of Jesus Christ.

Believe the words of the KJV and you can be taught the truth in sound doctrine. It cannot happen in words that God does not think in.

 

[DavP]

Good luck finding apostles and Jews and synogogues in any church you attend presently.

These churches are in the province of Asia, where the "strangers" reside. The strangers are those whom Peter, James John, and Jude adresses. They are gentiles only in the sense that they are cut off since BC 722 from the covenants God he made with them and for his purpose of discipline and purification. They are of the circumcision to whom the 12 apostles were sent (Ga 2). These wicked men and their ministry is a direct and frontal assault on the church of Jesus Christ as these children of Satan are used by him to withstand the conversion of Israel and God working out his promises to them as the people of God whom he loves.

Christ's 7 Messages include references to His FUTURE COMING. That is all the true Bible student needs to confirm that those Messages are meant for ALL Christian Churches all the way up to the day of Christ's future return. And understanding this is very, very easy. This is NOT about Jewish synagogues, and it's silly to even think it is. It is about the Christian Church in Christ Jesus.

Now, for brethren in Christ that have eyes to see, and ears to hear:

At the end of Revelation 1, Lord Jesus said the 7 candlesticks which John saw in Heaven represent the seven Churches.

In Revelation 11, within the 6th Trumpet - 2nd Woe timing, which points to the time of the "great tribulation", God's two witnesses in Jerusalem will be given to prophesy against the beast for 1260 days, and 2 candlesticks are mentioned along with them. That is pointing to TWO CHURCHES that will prophesy against the beast at the end of this world with them, during the time of 'great tribulation'. It does not mean two Churches per a specific geographic location; it's about Christ elect Churches that will not be deceived, everywhere in the world.

Per Christ's 7 Messages to the 7 Churches, there were only TWO Churches that He had no rebuke for. The other 5 Churches had problems which He rebuked them for, and even told one of them that if they did not repent He would remove their candlestick in Heaven. So there's the blueprint for the end concerning Christ's 7 Messages for the 7 Churches. The original going out of those 7 Messages was for historical purpose, but their greater purpose is for ALL of Christ's Churches, all the way to the end, including about those 2 Churches that will make a stand with God's two witnesses in Jerusalem at the end.