Monday, June 18, 2012
“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” (Revelation 3:20 KJV).
Today’s Scripture is often greatly misunderstood: it has nothing to do with salvation. It has nothing to do with “Jesus knocking at the door of a lost person’s heart” or “asking Jesus into your heart.” Contrariwise, it actually entails judgment!
Dispensational Bible study helps us understand today’s Scripture. First, John is its author (Revelation 1:4). John is not writing to us in the Dispensation of Grace; he is an apostle of Israel, writing to Jews in their kingdom program (Galatians 2:9).
Today’s Scripture is written to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans, Jewish believers who will endure the future seven-year Tribulation (verse 14). These Laodiceans are “lukewarm,” “neither cold nor hot” (verse 15,16): they are materialistic and their works displease God (verses 17,18). They are “straddling the fence,” so to speak; therefore, the Lord through John admonishes these Jewish believers, “be zealous therefore, and repent [change your thinking!]” (verse 19).
“Behold, I stand at the door, and knock” is best understood when compared to James 5:8,9 (also written to Jews during the Tribulation): “Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh. Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned: behold, the judge standeth before the door.” In the context of today’s Scripture, Jesus Christ’s Second Coming is near, and God is warning these believing Jews to “get their act together” so they can be ready to accept their Messiah-King, and so their deeds and hearts (attitudes) are acceptable to Him.
Let us return to the context of today’s Scripture: “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” (Revelation 3:21). This refers to believing Jews entering their earthly kingdom (which Christ will establish at His Second Coming). How plain! Today’s Scripture belongs to Israel, not us.
333 Words of Grace 
I HAVE TROUBLE UNDERSTANDING YOUR INTERPRETATION.
if john is the author, why is it written to the church (in the church age?), and to an angel? I don’t understand. please, simplify.
Hi Myra. Whenever we see the word “church” in the Bible, it doesn’t always refer to us (the Church the Body of Christ). For example, in Acts 7:38, we read of “the church in the wilderness.” Now, is that the Body of Christ? Was the Church the Body of Christ ever in the wilderness? Who was in the wilderness? Wasn’t it the nation Israel, who wandered 40 years? Yes, it was, so Acts 7:38 goes on to explain that that church was involved with Moses and Mount Sinai. God calls Israel a “church” in Acts 7:38, but that was not a reference to us, of course.
So, when we come to the book of the Revelation and see the word “church,” we cannot assume that that’s us (the Body of Christ). “Church” simply means “an assembly” (the Greek word usually translated “church” in our KJB is ekklesia, which was translated “assembly” in Acts 19:32 to refer to a group of pagans–that was certainly not the Body of Christ!). When Revelation uses the word “church,” it NEVER refers to us (we, the Body of Christ, have nothing to do with the book of Revelation, which documents God’s dealings with Israel).
Notice how Revelation chapters 1-3 make references to seven churches. These are all groups of believing Jews living in various regions of Turkey. John never wrote to the Body of Christ: he had no ministry to Gentiles (Galatians 2:9). When we read of John writing to “churches” in Revelation, he is writing to groups of Jewish believers. Note how John makes reference to Jews in Rev. 2:9 and 3:9.
In response to your second question, “why write to an angel?” Remember angels had a ministry to the nation Israel. Angels will play an active role during the Tribulation (pouring out judgments, making war, announcing God’s warnings, etc.). During the Tribulation, there will be great deception (Jesus said of that time: “For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.” Matt 24:24). Evidently, an angel will be leading each of the seven churches of Revelation (note the word “angel” appears in Rev. 1:20, Rev. 2:1,8,12,18, Rev 3:1,7,14), and these angels will teach each of those churches the doctrine taught in Rev 1-3. This isn’t strange, since angels educated Jews during Bible times.
Hope that helps!