THE TEN VIRGINS
Dear John and all Doves,
First of all I would like to thank Frank M. for his comment about the five foolish virgins not being Jewish, as I stated in my post about the 70th Week. Since I sincerely felt this to be true, I decided to do an in depth study of the ten virgins. Frank, you were right that the 5 foolish virgins are not Jewish, as it turns out, ALL the 10 virgins are. They may not be Jewish, as from the tribe of Judah, but they are all National Israel, as in the ten lost tribes of Israel. The parable of the ten virgins is not about the church at all, and with this study I will attempt to prove it.
Matthew 25 is a continuation of Matthew 24 as it begins with the word "then" meaning the time of the Second Coming of Jesus after the Great Tribulation. At that time Jesus will establish His kingdom on earth. So, Jesus tells us that the coming of the Kingdom of Heaven is similar to ten virgins waiting for the Bridegroom. This parable takes place after the rapture, and is not a picture of the wedding, but of the wedding supper. The wedding supper takes place 7 days after the marriage, in Jewish tradition, after the Bride and groom have consummated the marriage. The Bride, the born again Church, was taken in the rapture and has spent 7 days (years) with Christ. At this point, the Church, the Bride is already married to Christ and therefore can no longer be considered virgins.
In this parable they represent the Nation of Israel during the tribulation. They are those invited to the wedding feast of Jesus and His Church, after His Second Coming.
Let's first take a look at where in the Gospels it says that we are married to Christ as born again believers. In Romans 7:4 Paul speaks about this relationship:
Rom 7:4 Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, [even] to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.
Eph 5:23 For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.
Jhn 3:29 He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom's voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled.
Thus, the spiritual bride, the church, was purchased by the blood of Christ, and brought into existence in like manner as Eve, Adam’s bride.
Our first husband was the first Adam (the law)who dies when we become born again and are now married to the last Adam, Jesus Christ. So we can no longer be virgins, and besides the parable is speaking of the bridesmaids not the Bride.
Where in the Bible is Israel spoken of as a virgin? 'Virgins' describe the ingathering of the exiles in the end of days.
KJV Jeremiah 31:4 Again I will build thee, and thou shalt be built, O virgin of Israel: thou shalt again be.
KJV Jeremiah 31:13 Then shall the virgin rejoice in the dance, both young men and old together: for I will turn their mourning into joy, and will comfort them, and make them rejoice from their sorrow.
KJV Jeremiah 31:21 Set thee up waymarks, make thee high heaps: set thine heart toward the highway, even the way which thou wentest: turn again, O virgin of Israel, turn again to these thy cities.
Amo 5:2 The virgin of Israel is fallen; she shall no more rise: she is forsaken upon her land; [there is] none to raise her up.
E phraim (Jeremiah 31:9) (known as the TEN tribes) are being gathered as a 'shepherd does his flock' (Jeremiah 31:10). The exiles who are being gathered as called, 'virgins' (Jeremiah 31:4 and Jeremiah 31:13).
Therefore the TEN VIRGINS represent the ingathering of the Ten Tribes / Ephraim in the end of days.
With this concept now in mind, let's look at the parable itself and see what we find:
Mat 25:1 ¶ Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.
The lamps represent the Torah, the law, the Word of God. The light of the World. The Word of God is like a lamp to our feet.
Mat 25:2 And five of them were wise, and five [were] foolish.
The five wise virgins had the lamp (the Torah) and the oil (the Gospel) and had believed and were born again, thus having the jar of extra oil which is the Holy Spirit.
The five foolish virgins had the lamp( the Torah) and the oil (the Gospel had been preached to them) but did not have faith and believe it, therefore they did not have the jar of extra oil which is the Holy Spirit, which they would have had, had they been born again.
Mat 25:3 They that [were] foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them:
They had been preached the Gospel, but had no faith and did not receive the Holy Spirit.
Mat 25:4 But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.
The oil is the Gospel, preached to them by the 144,000 and the Two Witnesses. The extra oil, or the jars of extra oil ,is the Holy Spirit. After believing the Gospel and accepting Christ into their hearts they receive the Holy Spirit and are born again. Unless we are born again we cannot have a PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP with Christ.
Mat 25:5 While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.
Some accepted the antichrist as the Messiah and all slumbered during the 7 year tribulation.
Mat 25:7 Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.
The tribulation rages and they are awoken by the sound of the last trump.
Mat 25:6 And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.
Midnight is the end of the Tribulation and they all awake, but only those with extra oil in their lamps (the Holy Spirit) can go out to meet Christ.
Mat 25:8 And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.
The word of the Torah does not sustain them, and the belief in the Gospel has faded.
Mat 25:9 But the wise answered, saying, [Not so]; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.
The wise tell the foolish that they cannot give them their extra oil...they must go and buy it...find Christ and pay with your lives, having given up your lives to Him.
Mat 25:10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.
It was too late to be born again and to have a personal relationship with Christ through the Holy Spirit. The born again believers have gone into the Marriage Supper and the door is closed.
Mat 25:11 Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.
We know about the Gospel, and we believe.
Mat 25:12 But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.
Mat 25:13 Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.
The nation of Israel will not expect the return of Christ because they have accepted the Antichrist as their Messiah and are surprised by the Second Coming. Only those who are saved by the witnesses of the 144,000 and the Two Witnesses will be watching and have the Holy Spirit and go into the Wedding Supper. The wedding garment is having the Holy Spirit, and without believing the Gospel and giving your life to Christ, you cannot have the wedding garment and therefore are not allowed into the Wedding Supper.
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The ten virgins could very well equal the 10 lost tribes, as it certainly seems to point to just that being the case. To me this makes much more sense, expecially when we look at the time frame in which Jesus is speaking. It is about His Second Coming and not about rapture. At the time that Jesus is speaking there is no Church yet, so certainly no one listening to this parable would have equated it with meaning anything but having to do with the Nation of Israel. That being said the wise virgins that are slumbering are most like resting in the peace and safety of having Jesus as their Savior and knowing that they will be ready when he comes. The foolish who are also slumbering are resting on knowing the Law and having the lamp (the Torah) and may have already accepted the False Messiah as their savior. Just an interesting thought.
All the parables of Jesus are like an onion in that have many layers and many applications. It is certainly alright to look at this parable as a warning to the Church also, but that does not mean that Jesus is referring to the Church when he gave this parable. It seems we have taken this out of context, although the content is valid for all believers.
Some of you out there may already hold this view, but this has been a new revelation to me, and it has been so exciting to finally understand the true meaning of something that never really rang true for me before. I am sure there could be much more said about this, and a great more studying done, this post is meant to open the discussion and then see what we come up with together.
May we all have the lamp to light our path, the oil to fill it, and the jar with extra oil to sustain us until he shouts our names.
JESUS IS LORD!!
Agape!!
Patti C.