Hi Marilyn,
Thank you for correcting me, as I was in error thinking that only the Jews would be saved during great tribulation. Your reference of Rev. 7: 9 proves this point. I greatly appreciate it! I truly and humbly admit my wrong, as I have gone before Him asking for His forgiveness, and I pray protection on anyone who may have considered this erroneous thought. After reading your reply post I have come to agree that there will be two Raptures! There is one very important issue I would like to address. You say:
“The wise virgins are taken the first time, and the Lord wouldn’t leave the foolish virgins out entirely to suffer the Wrath of God.”
Why do you assume the Lord wouldn’t leave the foolish virgins out entirely to suffer His wrath? Isn’t this why they’re called “foolish” for not having enough oil, as the door was shut, and Him saying, “I know you not,” when they came back knocking? (Matt. 25: 12). God’s word says, “Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things comes the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience” (Eph. 5: 6). What are these things? It’s obvious they are the deeds of the flesh: 1 Cor. 6: 9-10; Col. 3: 5; Gal. 5: 19-21 and such like, as it states in Col. 3: 6, “because of these things…”
It makes sense to me that in order to be disobedient one would have to first know, or be cognizant of His word to obey, and not do it, so to be called a disobedient child.
I think it safe to say “virgins” refers to them who came to Christ to be purified. So when it says “foolish virgins,” doesn’t this refer to those who think they are in Christ, but aren’t? Scripture says, “If therefore the light that is in you be darkness, how great is that darkness! (Matt. 6: 23). Therefore, except the disobedient repent, who think they are saved and are not (Gal. 6: 3), would be cast out, making up the apostate church, having forsaken the true gospel/doctrine of Christ, which tells and teaches us to cease from doing the sins of the flesh, that for these living presumptuously would be the “foolish virgins.”
All throughout Jesus’ ministry He gives warning saying, “Take heed that no man deceive you…” (Matt. 24: 4-5) and, “Take heed therefore how you hear…” (Luke 8: 18) and such like sayings. But why is this so EXTREMELY important? From what I see, it’s extremely important because once a person has tasted of His love, grace, mercy, and forgiveness, having been completely cleansed of all their past sins, that if they should fall away (Heb. 11: 26-39), entangling themselves again with the sins that they came out of, and were forgiven of (Gal. 5: 1), that if they should believe the doctrines of men, teaching that He doesn’t really expect us to cease from doing the sins of the flesh (and without such expectation they wouldn’t), they would live presumptuously before Him, thinking themselves to be something when they are nothing (Gal. 6: 3), and thinking they are rich, clothed, and have need of nothing, not realizing they are poor, naked, and blind (Rev. 3: 17). Doesn’t this sound like today’s church? I would hope the “foolish virgins” would also be saved, but I believe scripture teaches us otherwise. I think now, as you have corrected me, that the saints coming out of great tribulation are them who refused to accept the doctrine taught during the time of the Gentile church because such doctrine produces hypocrisy, and they want no part of it, and then the Jews, both of these coming to Christ when the Holy Spirit is poured out, both saved through the ministry of the Two Witnesses and 144,000, and then martyred.
So what about the “foolish virgins”? I personally believe these represent the apostate church as said before. I had a thought come to me the other night, and if true, it would be of great irony of biblical proportions. It dawned on me a similar pattern could emerge that would resemble Jesus’ day. Who were the ones that were offended and broke their own laws to hold a trial against Jesus, and unjustly accuse Him, and have Him crucified? Was it not the religious leaders (Sanhedrin) and the Jews? Couldn’t the Sanhedrin typify today’s religious system, having to be ordained of men to be a qualified minister to preach the doctrines of men in the church, and the Jews, typifying current believers of this ordination of men and their doctrines? If so, then I would expect the apostate church to be involved with the Antichrist in persecuting, torches, and killing of the multitudes that come to Christ during great tribulation. For I would think, them to be angry and offended, thinking they gave enough of themselves, but not loving Him to cease from doing the deeds of the flesh to be holy, to be accounted worthy to escape (Luke 21: 36). Therefore God sends upon them strong delusion that they should believe a lie (2 Thess. 2: 11-12). Scripture says, “These things have I spoken to you, that you should not be offended. They will put you out of the synagogues: yes, the time comes, that whosoever kills you will think he does God service” (John 16: 1-2).
Now check this out! You referenced in your posting to me Rev. 13: 1-12. Here is what verse 7 says, with your thoughts in parenthesis, “And it was given unto him to make war with the saints (i.e., the foolish virgins that were left behind), and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindred’s, and tongues, and nations.”
Notice it says, “…with the saints,” and not against the saints, then it is followed by a comma separating who it is to be overcome from who it is that is with “him” to overcome them, and then the colon immediately succeeding “them” identifies who are overcome.
Could this be the understanding that Daniel had that caused him to faint and to pray and fast before the Lord three full weeks? And then in Daniel 9, as he is praying, seeking the Lord’s forgiveness, and "while....still speaking in prayer" the angel interrupted him (Dan. 9: 21)! And then the angel proceeds to give Daniel what is to come. I get the sense that because what is to come is certain, although still future, the angel Gabriel popped in to give Daniel this understanding, to only then return back to resume fighting the spiritual war.
Could it be the apostate church (foolish virgins) is working with the Antichrist and his system, killing those that have the Holy Spirit poured out upon them; the apostate church jealous and irate for missing the Rapture, being offended for not being found worthy, therefore they participate with the Antichrist in ultimately killing them, thinking they’re doing God service because the strong delusion that God sends upon them? This is the exact same reason the Jews and religious leaders put Jesus to death, which then He grafted in the Gentiles, making the Jews jealous. Could it be like before, yet in reverse?
“The thing that has been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun” (Eccl. 1: 9).
Blessings in Christ,
Greg