The text is found in the 24th chapter of Matthew, verses 45-47 (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? Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing. Verily I say unto you, that he shall make him ruler over all his goods." (Companion texts are also found in Luke 12:42-44.)
It is not our understanding that these texts refer to a class of individuals. Rather they refer to a servant who is faithful in dispensing spiritual nourishment to the household of God in the time of the harvest; particularly during the time when our Lord “cometh” (Greek: “erchomai”–when he arrives, is present). This would not imply that “that servant” or steward would be the originator of that meat, nor inspired, nor infallible. Quite to the contrary. We may be sure that whomever the Lord would use to distribute His truth, would be very humble and unassuming. He would also be very zealous for the Master's glory. He would not think of claiming authorship, but would merely dispense it zealously as his Master's gift, to his Master's “servants” and “household.” As shown in the account of this parable (Matt. 24:45-51), there are “fellow-servants” whose duty and privilege it will be to cooperate with this steward in distributing the meat. Additionally, the Master would give only one of His servants a key to the precious things of His Word, providing bountifully “things new and old” (Matt 13:52).
The means of these blessings the Lord himself will oversee and direct. All the members of the body united to the Head (Col 1:18) are to have confidence and to look for the fulfillment of His promises, but nevertheless are to “try the spirits” (1 John 4:1), to test the doctrines from whomsoever they emanate. The proving does not imply a lack of confidence in those recognized as divinely directed as servants of the truth. But it does imply that they are not listening for the voice of man, but for the voice of the Shepherd (John 10:14, 27); that they feast upon His words and love them. Such body members grow stronger and more rapidly in the Lord than do others because they are more attentive to the Lord's leading and instruction. “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armor of God that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.”(Eph. 6:10-11)
Likewise we are told in the book of Revelation that there are seven angels (Greek: “angelos”–messengers) each having a trumpet that sounds during each of the seven stages of the Church. With the beginning of the “seventh trumpet” began the “harvest” and the reaping and separating which must continue until the “elect”, the “wheat” are all gathered unto the Lord. The “angels” (messengers) are those who carry the message of the Lord's Word which produces the separation and gathers His elect to himself. (Matt 24:31; Psa. 50:5) It is our understanding that the “faithful and wise servant” of this parable in Matthew 24 is also the “seventh angel” in the book of Revelation. “But in the days of the voice of the seventh angel, when he shall begin to sound, the mystery of God should be finished, as he hath declared to his servants the prophets.” (Rev. 10:7)
