I have to say what I have to say and really am not too perturbed whether what is

said offends anyone, because much of the condition and state of the Church today is

as a result of Pastors not wanting to step on peoples toes, preaching an easy

believism and wishy washy gospel, without giving meat in due season.

 

Sadly, it would seem, many in positions of leadership today overlook scripture that

points to the last days, some stating it is for a time at the end of the tribulation or

explaining it away with the theology that they have been taught in seminary, or past

down to them without testing it and checking it out for themselves. For instance

where it is stated in Luke 12:47 the servant who knew his Lord’s will and does not

carry it out, will be beaten with many stripes, is explained away as being part of a

believers destiny.

 

So let’s get to the point! Who is the goodman of the house in Matt 24:43 and Luke

12:39. In any home or house the goodman is normally the head of the home, the

Dad. In a spiritual context who is it? If we are talking about the house being a

Church fellowship, who is the goodman? Would it be reasonable to say the goodman

is the pastor? In verses following, in Matt 24:48-51 we see that the person referred

to previously as the goodman, if not following certain requirements is called the evil

servant, and that certain punishment awaits him. If one parallels Luke 12:45-48 with

Matt 24:48-51, the servant who does not watch for his Lord’s coming in Luke is the

same as the evil servant presented in the gospel of Matthew.

 

The bible tells us that if we watch, a certain event that is future and now not too

distant, will not overtake those of us that are doing so. See 1 Thes 5:4-6. The only

event that I know of, where believers are told to be watchful for, is the coming of the

Lord Jesus, when He will catch away those that are ready! The Goodman of the

house ensures that his house does not get broken up. How so? He ensures that they

receive meat in due season, that they are fed properly on the true word of God and

that most importantly they are taught on the pre trib rapture, Jesus coming for His

saints, to love His appearing, ensuring that the word they receive would cause them

to draw near to Jesus, preparing his flock through sanctification, teaching it,

preaching it. Making ready!

 

Again, many pastors today, have fallen short of either telling their flocks and

reminding them that Jesus would return, come back as promised. Some don’t even

bother with the subject, some have grown weary and others have been caught up in

false doctrine, not entirely rejecting Jesus coming again, but nevertheless being

deceived that the rapture will only be at the end of the tribulation. All of the above

are fast asleep and can’t even read what is going on in the world, misleading their

sheep, and going with the flow.

 

What does “give them meat in due season” mean? I believe the Lord is telling us that

meat in due season means, giving them the correct word and doctrine in its due time

or at the right time. In the context of these passages of scripture we are talking

about the rapture or catching away of the bride of Christ. Today we are nearer to the

coming of the Lord Jesus and telling their flocks to get ready for His appearing or the

rapture, would certainly be meat in due season for the days that we are living in

now.

 

Pastors that are not giving meat in due season and spiritually beating their flocks,

eating and drinking with the drunken; represented by false teachers, new agers,

mixing with guests and leaders of other religions; which is prevalent in today’s

churches with many new age speakers being allowed to share in churches, are

walking on dangerous ground and will qualify as the evil servant.

This is also most grave for those who knew the will of the Lord, too those who were

given the task of feeding the flock of our Lord Jesus, but did not take His coming

again, in particular the rapture seriously, as they will be beaten with many stripes.

One must ask what the stripes mean. In Luke chapter 12 the word stripes comes

from the Greek word plēgē (play-gay’), a blow, stripe, wound in  Strongs G4127 πληγή

plēgē play-gay'   From G4141; a stroke; by implication a wound; figuratively a calamity: -

plague, stripe, wound (-ed).  This could no doubt mean that certain calamity (plagues and

hardship) awaits them when they will be cast out into the tribulation (outer darkness).

Notice that with the foolish virgins similar vocabulary is used in Matt 8:12 as with

Matt 25:30 with the children of the kingdom and the unprofitable servant, where they

are cast out into outer darkness. Like the foolish virgins who the Lord Jesus states that

He did not know, the evil servant who is one of them will have the door shut on him and it

will be like being cast out into outer darkness, where there will be gnashing of teeth (great

remorse), for having not done the will of the Father. The evil servant can be likened to those

workers of iniquity, whom Jesus said he never knew, those who did things that were good but

were not sanctioned by the Lord Jesus. See Matt 7:21-23.

 

 

Mat 24:42  Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.

Mat 24:43  But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the

thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be

broken up.

Mat 24:44  Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man

cometh.

Luk 12:37  Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching:

verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will

come forth and serve them.

Luk 12:38  And if he shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find

them so, blessed are those servants.

Luk 12:39  And this know, that if the goodman [GS1] <outbind://21/#_msocom_1>  of the house had known what hour the

thief would come, he would have watched, and not have suffered his house to be broken through.

Luk 12:40  Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not.

Mat 24:45  Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his

household, to give them meat in due season?

Luk 12:42  And the Lord said, Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his lord shall

make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of meat in due season?

Mat 24:46  Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.

Luk 12:43  Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.

Mat 24:47  Verily I say unto you, That he shall make him ruler over all his goods.

Luk 12:44  Of a truth I say unto you, that he will make him ruler over all that he hath.

Mat 24:48  But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming;

Mat 24:49  And shall begin to smite [rgs2] <outbind://21/#_msocom_2>  his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with the drunken;

Luk 12:45  But and if that servant say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; and shall begin

to beat the menservants and maidens, and to eat and drink, and to be drunken;

Mat 24:50  The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an

hour that he is not aware of,

Mat 24:51  And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there

shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Luk 12:46  The lord of that servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him, and at

an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in sunder, and will appoint him his portion with

the unbelievers.

Luk 12:47  And that servant, which knew his lord's will, and prepared not himself, neither did

according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes[rgs3] <outbind://21/#_msocom_3>  .

Luk 12:48  But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with

few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom

men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.

 

Therefore the call to watch, to those who serve the flocks of Jesus Christ and call

others to watchfulness is of absolute necessity and will determine whether they will

be selected to be part of the bride of Christ or cast into outer darkness to receive

many stripes. 

________________________________

 [GS1] <outbind://21/#_msoanchor_1> From G3624 and G1203; the head of a family: - goodman (of the house), householder, master of the house.

 

 [rgs2] <outbind://21/#_msoanchor_2> G5180

 

τύπτω

tuptō

toop'-to

A primary verb (in a strengthened form); to “thump”, that is, cudgel or pummel (properly with a stick or bastinado), but in any case by repeated blows; thus differing from G3817 and G3960, which denote a [usually single] blow with the hand or any instrument, or G4141 with the fist [or a hammer], or G4474 with the palm; as well as from G5177, an accidental collision); by implication to punish; figuratively to offend (the conscience): - beat, smite, strike, wound.

 

 

 [rgs3] <outbind://21/#_msoanchor_3> G4127

 

πληγή

plēgē

play-gay'

From G4141; a stroke; by implication a wound; figuratively a calamity: - plague, stripe, wound (-ed).

 

In Jesus we trust

Gordon Smith

South Africa