Below is a commentary from chapter sixteen, Rapture Passages in Matthew, from my manuscript, Waiting for the Day and Hour.
Matthew 25:1-13
Jesus’ parable of the Ten Virgins is just one
of many reasons why church pastors must get the church ready for the moment the
Lord comes for the body of Christ. That teaching reveals how important it is
for the church to be prepared and ready for the hour when the rapture occurs. The
hour he comes is too late for the church to start making a hurried attempt to
get its spiritual life in order. Pastors will be responsible for having a hand
in either producing wise virgins or foolish virgins.
The apostle Paul felt it was his
responsibility to get the church ready to meet the Lord. His goal was to
present them to the Lord Jesus Christ as pure virgins (2 Cor. 11:2). In other
words, a church that walks in righteousness and holiness, not just in theory. A
church that is renewed in the spirit of their minds. A church that walks in the
Holy Spirit and not in the lusts of the flesh. In his day, Paul had to deal
with the possibility that believers would stray from Christ, and begin to
entertain another Jesus, or receive a different spirit, or start receiving a
different gospel; for already they were accepting these things quite easily. (2
Cor. 11:3-4).
Jesus used ancient Jewish wedding rituals to show
similarities between them and
the day he comes to receive his bride. At the time Jesus spoke this parable,
the church did not exist. He continued to follow a pattern of prophesying about
the church, which confused many who heard him teach. When this prophetic allegory
comes to pass, it will fulfil the words of Jesus: “In my Father’s house are
many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a
place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I come again, and will
receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also” (Jn. 14:2-3,
ASV).
25:1-2 – “At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took
their lamps and went out to meet the groom. Five of them were foolish and five
were wise.”
In this parable, the bride is not
specifically mentioned. She is there, just not cited. Instead, Jesus uses ten virgins, or
bridesmaids, to represent the church. They represent the church during the
endtimes. The days leading up to the rapture. Jesus shaped his message around
the bridesmaids instead of the bride because the body of Christ is not just one
person. And the church consists of many Jews and Gentiles who have faith in
Jesus. The virgins took their lamps with them at the hour the groom came to
receive them. The phrase, at that time, refers to the hour when the body of
Christ will be raptured into heaven. Jesus prophesies that during the final
generation of the church, there will be foolish and wise Christians.
25:3-4 – “When the foolish took their lamps, they did not take oil with them;
but the wise ones took oil in their flasks with their lamps.”
Having sufficient oil for their lamps was to
guide them on the path to the wedding hall. But most importantly, having their
lamps illumined would let the groom know that they were ready to be received.
Because they did not know when the groom would come, it was wise to bring extra
oil in flasks to replenish their lamps. The wise took extra oil with them, but
the foolish did not. Having extra oil symbolized that the virgins were
dedicated to the arrival of the groom. They were devoted to him because they
knew he would come for them. So, they kept their lamps burning. The oil
symbolizes commitment. This parable teaches that the church must be committed
to the day and hour of the rapture. They must keep their devotion to the Lord
Jesus Christ and his arrival alive.
I wrote in chapter thirteen that the oil in
this message does not represent the Holy Spirit as some think. Jesus was not
talking about sacred anointing oil but straight olive oil that burns in a lamp.
Again, the lamp oil in this parable is allusive to the devotion the virgins
have for the groom and his arrival to receive them. It was emblematic of being ready
for him, no matter what hour he shows up. During the waiting process, they kept
replenishing their lamps with oil to keep them burning. This illustrates that
preparations must be made for the day of the rapture. The church must commit itself
to that day and hour. They must devote themselves to watch, be alert, and stay
awake (Matt. 24:42, 44; 25:13)
for the sounding of the trumpet of God (1 Thess. 4:16c; 1 Cor. 15:52a).
The ten virgins did not know at what hour their groom would come to receive
them. Neither does the church know at what hour the rapture will occur.
25:5 – “When the groom was delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep.”
In this message, the 10 virgins fell asleep
because the groom was taking a long time to come for them. The wait caused them
to grow tired and fall asleep. This statement is prophetic. Jesus prophesied
that when he comes for the church, some will not be awake. Many decades ago,
the coming of the Lord was preached in many churches. The church watched for the
rapture to happen. They prayed for it. Their hope was in this glorious day.
However, over the last few decades, many churches have stopped preaching about
the rapture. The church got tired of waiting. Some have started mocking those
who believe the rapture is near. Just as it was prophesied (2 Pet. 3:3-4). Many
churches have stopped waiting for the rapture and have begun to focus on
different things. Rather than waiting for Jesus to rapture the church, they
have developed another scenario. Many church leaders teach that the church will
save the world. Create heaven on earth. Then Jesus can come back. They believe
the church will defeat evil and set up God’s kingdom on earth. They believe the
Bible mandates this victory. The church has fallen asleep. While asleep, many
have been overcome by spirits of deception.
25:6 – “In the middle of the night there was a shout: ‘Here’s the groom! Come
out to meet him.”
This statement represents the moment Jesus
descends to the gateway of heaven and gives a shout, calling the body of Christ
on earth to come up and meet him in the air (1 Thess. 4:16a; Rev. 4:1).
25:7-9 – “Then all the virgins got up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish ones
said to the wise ones, ‘Give us some of your oil, because our lamps are going
out.’ The wise ones answered, ‘No, there will not be enough for us and for you.
Go instead to those who sell oil, and buy some for yourselves.’”
When the virgins heard the shout, they got up
and trimmed their lamps. The trimming of the lamps is allusive to the body of
Christ witnessing the signs that the rapture is near. The virgins trimmed their
lamps to keep them burning. The church that sees the signs that the rapture is
near gets ready to be raptured; they trim their lamps or reaffirm their loyalty
to the Lord Jesus Christ. If they have not, they begin to sow to the Spirit of
God. If they have been, they stop sowing to please their sinful nature: “For he
who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption. But he who sows
to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life” (Gal. 6:8, Hebrew Names
Version).
The wise virgins made preparations. They
brought flasks of oil to keep their lamps replenished. Their commitment to the groom’s
arrival proved they were faithful to him. The foolish virgins were unfaithful.
They did not make adequate preparations. They lacked commitment. Jesus instructs
his church to watch and be ready. I wrote in my Matthew 24:40-44 commentary: “Could
the reason why Jesus commands his church to watch and be awake for the day the
rapture happens, and to be ready and prepared for the hour it will occur, be in
the apostle Paul’s teachings? Paul wrote much about the rapture, as you will
see in later chapters. What stands out to me is that he said it is important to
anticipate the coming of the Lord. He wrote to Timothy that there is a crown of
righteousness for every believer “who eagerly look forward to his appearing” (2
Tim. 4:8, NLT). He was referring to the Lord Jesus Christ’s appearing to his
people in the air, at the gate of heaven (1 Thess. 4:17). He also wrote to the
church in Thessalonica that the church is to ἀναμένω (anaméno) expect God’s Son
from heaven (1 Thess. 1:10). The word expect in this instance means to look
forward to the coming of God’s Son. Anaméno can also mean wait or await. Paul
wrote to Titus that the church is to wait for τὴν μακαρίαν ἐλπίδα (tín makarían
elpída) “the blessed hope.” Tín makarían elpída (the blessed hope) is “the glorious appearing of
the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ”
(Titus 2:13, KJV). The writer of Hebrews (most likely Barnabas) said Jesus is
coming again to “to save those who are eagerly waiting for him” (Heb. 9:28,
ESV). This statement does not refer to the believer's initial σωτηρία (sōtēria)
salvation. But it refers to the completion of the believer’s salvation at the
end of the church age, when the rapture occurs. Therefore, could Jesus’ command
to watch and be ready for the rapture be because he is coming for those who are
looking forward to it, who want to be raptured?”
The foolish virgins were not ready for the
arrival of the groom. So, they said to the wise, “Give us some of your oil,
because our lamps are going out.” This was a confession that they were not
loyal to the groom. They did not give his arrival a second thought. They were
not committed to it. Or they would have had plenty of oil to replenish their
lamps. When they learned the groom had arrived, they took his arrival seriously.
But their lamps were running dry of fuel. They were hoping to get some from the
wise ones. However, the wise could not keep their lamps burning if they gave
away their oil. This is a picture of the shout, the archangel speaking, and the
trumpet of God blasting (1 Thess. 4:16bc). When that happens, the rapture
begins with the dead bodies of those in heaven rising out of the ground (1
Thess. 4:16d).
The wise virgins said, “Go instead to those
who sell oil, and buy some for yourselves.” This instruction is allusive to a
directive to repent, and do it quickly. The only reason why a Christian cannot
perceive that this is the generation in which the rapture will occur, or does
not want the rapture to happen, is that they live in darkness. They love the
world and the things of this world; therefore, the love of God is not in them (1
Jn. 2:15).
25:10 – “When they had gone to buy some, the groom
arrived, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet, and
the door was shut.”
In Jesus’ parable, the foolish virgins went
to buy more oil for their lamp. While they were gone, the groom arrived. The
wise virgins were allowed into the wedding banquet with the groom, and then the
door was shut. This is a picture of the unfaithful church living in the
endtimes. They do not heed the warning that the rapture is near. Their
repentance is insincere. When the rapture happens, the faithful enter the door
to heaven. The unfaithful do not. God knows the heart of every man: “Don't be
deceived. God is not mocked, for whatever a man sows, that will he also reap”
(Gal. 6:7, Hebrew Names Version).
25:11-12 – “Later the rest of the virgins also came and
said, ‘Master, master, open up for us!’ He replied, ‘Truly I tell you; I do not
know you!’”
After the door to the banquet hall was shut,
the foolish virgins came to the hall and wanted in. But they were not allowed
entrance. When the rapture happens, the insincere believe they should be
raptured too. But because they are not committed to the Lord or take his coming
seriously, the door to heaven will be shut to them.
Some in the church live in darkness. They do
not live in God’s light. They do not follow the Lord but deceiving spirits, they
follow teachings inspired by the evil ones (1 Tim. 4:1). These false teachings
are preached through men whose consciences have been seared (1 Tim. 4:2). Some in the church pretend to follow the Lord,
but they reject his power (2 Tim. 3:1-8). Some in the church do not want to
hear the truth, only things they desire to hear (2 Tim. 4:3-4). When the
rapture happens, the door will be shut to them because they love the world and
live as the people of the world do.
25:13 – “Therefore, be alert, because you don’t know
either the day or the hour.”
This instruction reveals that this parable is
related to the rapture of the body of Christ. The church must be committed to
the day and hour of the coming of the Lord, right up to the hour the shout
rings out, and the trumpet sounds. Every believer must be devoted to God’s plan
and look forward to the day when the church’s salvation is completed. Jesus
said he would come for the body of Christ once he had finished preparing a
place for them in his Father’s house. This should be the hope of every
believer. It should motivate the church to be awake for the day and hour the
rapture happens.
Picture: Pixabay (Surprising_Media)
Free to use under the Pixabay
Content License
No comments:
Post a Comment