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Who are the Foolish Virgins


JoeCanada

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In this article we’ll examine the Parable of the Ten Virgins. The pressing question in this article is who are the foolish virgins? They have the door of heaven closed on them, a fate no one wants.

The foolish virgins are virgins, someone keeping themselves pure from the world. We are also told they are awaiting the return of the bridegroom. This is a way you might describe a Christian, yet, they fall away so we know they are not true Christians. Let’s examine that falling away a bit closer.

Apostasy

As we discussed in the video accompanying the second article, Jesus’s three parables that follow the Olivet Discourse in Matthew are applications of his end time teachings, applications that center on apostasy or the falling away. In that video we discussed how those who fall away are churchgoers attending our churches who are unsaved. They think they are Christians but are not. They may believe Jesus is the Son of God, they may believe in his sacrificial death on the cross, but they don’t have FAITH in those beliefs. They aren’t saved, they have a human-form of belief rather than what comes from above.

As Jesus taught in the Parable of the Sower:

The one on whom seed was sown on the rocky places, this is the man who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; yet he has no firm root in himself, but is only temporary, and when affliction or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he falls away. (Matt. 13:20-21)

Those that fall away have a temporary kind of belief (not faith). But as James tells us “The demons believe also, and shudder” (Jam. 2:19). Belief alone is not faith.

So IMO, the foolish virgins are churchgoers who think they are Christians, but are not.

When does the Parable Take Place?

There is a common theory associated with the Pretrib. Rapture, that the foolish and the wise virgins are those who come to faith during the Tribulation, after the Bride of Christ is already in heaven (according to their belief). Those who hold to this theory, ask why Bride isn’t present in the parable and only the virgins who they call “attendants” or “bridesmaids.”  Some English Bible translations even mistranslated virgin as “bridesmaid.” This theory claims the absence of the Bride in the parable demonstrates that this is a parable about the physical Second Coming, not the Rapture.

Jesus told a lot of parables. He didn’t include a Bride in any of them. There must be a reason. There is. The Bride is depicted in Rev. 21.

I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband. (Rev. 21:2)

The Bride of Christ is the New Jerusalem and all its inhabitants which descends after the Millennial Kingdom. It is not the Church as is commonly thought, but is comprised of the one New Man (Eph. 2:15) Jew and Greek. It is all of Jesus’s redeemed.

There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s descendants, heirs according to promise. (Gal. 3:27-28). 

So even at the Rapture, the entire Bride does not enter heaven, rather the Jewish remnant is part of that eventual Bride and they are still on earth at that point.

Also, in the Parable, Jesus is depicted as a groom not a husband. If he had been married to the Bride for 7 years, he would be a husband not a groom!

So why are there ten virgins waiting for one groom? Is Jesus marrying more than one? No, he is marrying the New Jerusalem! But that Bride is made up of a vast multitude of those that have placed their faith in Jesus and those who will.

So in conclusion, the Parable takes place at the coming of Jesus to Rapture those made Righteous by his blood.

Meaning of the Parable

Now that we have settled some of the more controversial issues, that this takes place at the Rapture and that all the virgins are churchgoers, the meaning JUMPS to life.

All the churchgoers are sleeping prior the darkest hour:

Now while the bridegroom was delaying, they all got drowsy and began to sleep.  But at midnight there was a shout [Gk: krauge, meaning clamor or screaming]. (Matt. 25:5-6)

This is a key verse. Every one is sleeping prior to the coming of Jesus. What does this mean? It means that right now, no one knows when Jesus is coming. We are all oblivious-we are asleep to the proper time. But a clamor is coming.

At the darkest hour (midnight) a clamor will come. Now because our English bibles say its a “shout,” many misinterpret it to be the “shout” that accompanies Jesus descent from heave seen in 1 Thess. 4:15-17. However, these verses use different Greek words. Because this is another misunderstood part of the parable, here is what HELPS word study says about krauge – the word for clamor.

HELPS Word-studies

Cognate: 2906 kraugḗ (from 2896 /krázō, “cry out”) – loud crying, done with pathos (great emotion); clamorous screaming (shrieking) that is extremely boisterous, like a wounded person emitting “unearthly” (non-human) types of sounds.

When will the people of the world emit sounds of unearthly screaming like a wounded person? There are two possibilities, either during the GREAT TRIBULATION or at the CELESTIAL EARTHLY DISTURBANCE when the tribes of the earth mourn.

I used to favor the Great Tribulation, but lately I think it is the CELESTIAL EARTHLY DISTURBANCE that heralds the coming of Jesus. No one can sleep thru that event. Here’s why I think it’s the Celestial Earthly Disturbance:

  • It will appear like “midnight” when the sun and moon darken
  • The statement that follows, “Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him” implies our ability to see him
  • Third, it is only at the Celestial Earthly Disturbance the whole world knows Jesus is coming; we are no longer asleep as to the day.

It is at that moment that all the virgins, wise and foolish, “trim” or prepare and light their lamps. Now the word translated “lamp” in the English is another unfortunate word choice. The Greek word is actually lampas or torches.  This is the same word used in Revelation 4:5 for the seven spirits before the throne of God.  lampas is a bright, shining SALVATION, not a dinky lamp to light your own way.

The Fate of the Foolish Virgins

But unfortunately, the foolish virgins do not have enough “oil” to keep their torches lit. THIS IS A KEY UNDERSTANDING. What is oil but the oil of anointing of the Holy Spirit? As we have claimed from the beginning of this article, the foolish virgins are those who think they are Christians, but really aren’t. They don’t have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and their salvation torch has no flame.

The Wise Virgins

But the wise virgins were ready because they had the oil of the Holy Spirit.

The bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding feast; and the door was shut. (Matt. 25:10)

So the wise virgins are raptured and taken into the wedding feast.  What follows are some of the saddest words in the Bible, “and the door was shut.”

Jesus’s Explanation

After the door was shut, the foolish virgins came pounding on it and crying out for Jesus to let them in, but it was too late.  They thought they were Christians right up until the moment the door was closed! Then Jesus then told them one other thing that they lacked:

But he answered, ‘Truly I say to you, I do not know you.’  (Matt. 25:12)

Jesus didn’t say the foolish virgins didn’t know him, he said that he didn’t know them. A big difference. So these foolish virgins may have believed he was the Son of God. They may have believed he died for the sins of the world, but they had no faith. And one other thing:

If anyone loves God, he is known by Him. (1 Cor. 8:3)

This then is the cryptic meaning behind the phrase, “I do not know you.” The foolish virgins without faith didn’t love God. They loved themselves. And when the moment of testing came, they fell away.

And if Jesus knows us, he will confess us before the Father (Matt. 10:32). All who love him with agape love  will enter the wedding feast.

Be Vigalent

Jesus concludes the parable with the same warning he gave his followers in the previous parable and throughout his applications of his teaching on the Tribulation:

 Be on the alert then, for you do not know the day nor the hour. (Matt 25:13)

Why does Jesus conclude the parable this way? If the foolish virgins had been alert would they have been saved? Jesus certainly implies this.

If so what does being alert mean? What are we to be alert for? How is this related to not knowing the day or hour?

Somehow the unsaved foolish virgins were more likely to fall away because they weren’t alert . The Greek word translated alert is gregoreo meaning alert, watch, vigilant, such as keeping sentry watch at night.

Paul presents this theme in 1 Thess. right after his famous rapture passage (1 Thess. 4:16-17).

The day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night.  While they are saying, “Peace and safety!” then destruction will come upon them suddenly like labor pains upon a woman with child, and they will not escape.  But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day would overtake you like a thief.(1 Thess. 5:2-4)

Paul is careful to show that the the Day of the Lord will come upon the unrepentant as a thief in the night and take them by complete surprise. He is just as careful to point out that it will not surprise the righteous.

Pretribulationalists say this is because the righteous are raptured first, before the Day of the Lord (so that they don’t face the Day of the Lord).  So does Paul say the righteous will not be taken by surprise by the Day of the Lord because they escape it, or because of something else?

But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day would overtake you like a thief;  for you are all sons of light and sons of day. We are not of night nor of darkness; so then let us not sleep as others do, but let us be alert and sober.  (1 Thess. 5:4-6)

This says nothing about escape. It says the righteous will not be surprised because:

  • They aren’t asleep
  • They are alert
  • They are sober (not drunk)

Being asleep, drunk, or not watchful impairs someone’s ability to OBSERVE what is going on around them. Being awake, alert, and sober allows one to be able to SEE.

Therefore when you SEE the abomination of desolation which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place. (Matt. 24:15)

True Christians will be able to SEE and identify the Antichrist when he arises. They will understand the sin of taking the Mark of the Beast.

Watchfulness and the Pretrib. Rapture

If you have been taught your entire life that you will be raptured to safety prior to the rise of the Antichrist, what if he does arise? Will you not recognize the sign Jesus gave us as the primary visual signal of the end times? Will you say:

  • I’m supposed to be raptured prior the the Antichrist so this can’t be him
  • Matt. 24 is for the Jews only, I don’t have to pay attention to the signs in it
  • Thus it is safe to take this Mark

Do you realize what a horrible brew of deception this is?

How being alert to the signs Jesus has given us leads to the salvation of the unsaved who are relying on weak, human belief as opposed to faith;  I don’t know. But Jesus clearly commands us to be alert for the signs of his coming .

From.....Gospelintheendtimes........ by Nelson Walters

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So one can go into town and purchase the Holy Spirit.

In Christ

Montana Marv

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Looks like another PreTrib bashing thread.

In Christ

Montana Marv

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So, it begs the question, who is a REAL Christian and who only "thinks" they are a Christian? 

I think Hebrews covers it pretty well. This also touches on the concept of "dead works". That is, "working your way to salvation". Works will not save you and works will not condemn you. The gospel is not about works at all. You can't be good enough to be saved and you can't be bad enough to not be saved. If one thinks they can be, they may not be saved.

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8 minutes ago, pinacled said:

I believe faith without works would fit the description of the foolish. 

 

 

I agree. Which begs the question, what works is it talking about?

I always say, "You can tell how much faith a person has in their brakes by how fast they drive."  And you know that a person has faith in a chair's ability to hold their weight when they sit in it.

I don't have health insurance because I have faith in the great healer. Is that the kind of work you are speaking of? 

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Never knew someone can talk about pretrib from this parable!

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4 hours ago, Montana Marv said:

Looks like another PreTrib bashing thread.

In Christ

Montana Marv

What's interesting about your perspective, and I happen to agree with it though I'm not pre-trib, is the principle that pre-trib embodies is keeping the garment on. As in the Song Of Solomon. The bride ready and adorned anticipating and looking for her beloved, her best dream and then the bride putting off the garment going out for some fun thinking the groom delays, her worse nightmare.

I've heard teachers say that in the synagogues at the time Jesus was speaking this parable the reading was the Song Of Solomon.       

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8 minutes ago, pinacled said:

“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, accompanied by all the angels, he will sit on his glorious throne. 32 All the nations will be assembled before him, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates sheep from goats. 33 The ‘sheep’ he will place at his right hand and the ‘goats’ at his left.

34 “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you whom my Father has blessed, take your inheritance, the Kingdom prepared for you from the founding of the world. 35 For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you made me your guest, 36 I needed clothes and you provided them, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.’ 37 Then the people who have done what God wants will reply,

‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38 When did we see you a stranger and make you our guest, or needing clothes and provide them? 39 When did we see you sick or in prison, and visit you?’ 40 

The King will say to them, ‘Yes! I tell you that whenever you did these things for one of the least important of these brothers of mine, you did them for me!’

 

Yaakov(james  plainly shared what the works are. And likewise our Lord plainly tells us all what the works are.

i.e. Faith without works is dead. :)

Question: What if someone did one of those things a few times in their life and lived for another 40 years without doing those things? According to that scripture, they are still good. 

But I think it is more the heart than anything else. The scripture is not what anyone ACTUALLY DID, specifically, but the condition of the heart, in general. i.e. when given the opportunity to do those things, from where in their heart to they formulate what becomes their actual response - "work"

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30 minutes ago, pinacled said:

True,

Personally I prefer to lean on the Lord in the spirit of knowledge(milk) and understanding(honey).

 

" seek first the kingdom...."

"render unto God what's His....."

I see a tithe of the fruit of spirit of joy in such works. "Every seed after its own kind....."

Perhaps it is that the 5 virgins sowed the oil of gladness in wisdom and are doubly blessed.

After all, a congregation is known to number 10. So if such a tithe were to be a command with a promise.

"Honor thy mother and father."

What then had the foolish virgins ignored?

Hi pinacled

I believe that what they were lacking was the Grace of the Holy Spirit of God. These foolish virgins may have practiced the virtues, but in their spiritual ignorance they supposed that the Christian life consisted merely in doing good works.

The oil is not good deeds, but the grace of the Holy Spirit. This changes ones soul from one state to another, from corruption to in-corruption, from spiritual death to spiritual life, from darkness to light, from the stable of our being (where the passions are tied up like dumb animals and wild beasts) into a shining bride-chamber of eternal joy in Jesus Christ, the Bridegroom of our souls.

Exodus 30: 31-32......"This is to be the Lord's holy oil, from generation to generation. It is not to be used for man's flesh, and no other oil is to be made like it: holy it is, and you are to keep it holy."

The foolish virgins are many of those that fill the church pews week in and week out. They neither read the Word of God, nor practice it. They only listen to the preacher and think they have done their deed for the week. They are empty vessels, white-washed tombs. They will fall away when persecution comes. 

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On 3/10/2019 at 6:11 PM, Montana Marv said:

So one can go into town and purchase the Holy Spirit.

In Christ

Montana Marv

Ha ha ha! 

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