Liz Tracy (6 June 2005)
"Staying Awake"
> > Can any of
you help me with a verse in Matthew 25 that has always troubled me?
Verse 5 says they *all* (wise and foolish) slumbered and slept before
the bridegroom arrived. Here's the verse in it's context:
Matthew 25 :5 While the bridegroom tarried, they* all *slumbered and slept.
^6 And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom
cometh; go ye out to meet him.^7 Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.
^8 And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our
lamps are gone out.^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.^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.^11 Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open
to us.^12 But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.
^13 Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein
the Son of man cometh.My question is the *ALL* in verse 5! It looks like they were all
sleeping when the bridegroom arrived! Here at Doves we're a unique
group of watchers who are at it 24/7! Dates come and go and we remain
strong and committed to our watch. But does these verse imply that
eventually we will ALL fall into a slumber?!!! Oh my - I surely hope not
as I have tried so hard since 1998 to keep my lamp burning even when
we've experienced so many disappointments! But this verse troubles me.
Will we all fall into a state of slumber eventually? I hope my fellow
watchers can ease my fears on this!Thanks for all your hard work and faithful study in the Word!
Your drowsy, but still awake sister,
LizHi Liz:Remember that Mt. 25:1-13 is a parable, an example. It applies a wide brush to all believers at the time of the Rapture, not necessarily singling out one. According to Mt. 24:51 and Luke 12:46, this is the time when the unwise servants are to be cut off. That's why in the Preview of the Rapture in Rev. 1, verse 16 shows Jesus with a "sharp twoedged sword" coming out of his mouth.Also, in Rev. 2:5, Jesus warned the "churches", saying, "Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and REPENT, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly (he comes quickly at the Rapture), and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou REPENT." In Rev. 2:16, Jesus said, "REPENT; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them (the Nicolaitans, who separated believers into Priests and laity to lord it over the believer priests) with the SWORD of my mouth."Mt. 22:10-14 shows that some are to be cut off because they are not wearing white wedding garments, which are robes of righteousness. Verse 14 says, "For many are called, but few are chosen." According to Rev. 17:14, "they that are with him (the Lamb, Jesus) are called, and chosen, and faithful."Mt. 24, Luke 12 and Rev. 3 shows us why some are to be cut off. At the time of the Rapture, there are both wise and foolish believers, both Philadelphians, for whom Jesus had no words of condemnation, and Laodicians, who deserve rebuke and chastening (Rev. 3:19).In Mt. 25:5, the parable of the ten virgins, the word "pas" (all) can mean the whole, but doesn't have to be without exception. It can also mean any one, or as many as. The exact meaning has to be determined by the context.
Strong's 3956 says, "all, any, every, the whole: - all (manner of, means) alway (-s), any (one), X daily, + ever, every (one, way), as many as, + no (-thing), X throughly, whatsoever, whole, whosoever."
We can be sure that there are those that are watching. They "love his appearing." They have not left their first love like certain in the church of Ephesus. In II Tim. 4:7,8, Paul said, "I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day (day of the Pre-Trib Rapture): and not to me only, but unto all them also that LOVE HIS APPEARING."
Heb 9:28 says, "So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that LOOK FOR HIM shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation."
2Pe 3:13,14 says, "Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye LOOK FOR such things, be diligent that ye may be found of HIM in peace, WITHOUT SPOT, and blameless."
Over and over, Jesus told us to watch. We are to keep alert and look for signs. In Rev 3:3, Jesus said, "Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not WATCH, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee."
If we DO watch, he will not come on us as a thief, and we shall KNOW what hour he will come upon us. We have to keep watching. At some point, we will KNOW the hour.
Scripture agrees with Scripture. The Bridegroom tarries, but he will not be late. It is all according to plan. He tarries awhile to test us to see if we will wait patiently (Rev. 3:10). The time is long enough that we must go to sleep at night, but we should get ready and be confident that if we are asleep, he will wake us up at the proper time.
Psa 127:2 says, that "
he giveth his beloved sleep."In Mt. 25:5, the word "tarried" is the Greek "chronizo¯," to take time, that is, linger: - delay, tarry. He takes a certain amount of time to test us to see if we will watch with patient endurance. If we pass this test, we will be caught up in the first Rapture (Rev. 3:11).Luke 21:34-36 says, "take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man."Today, I got an email with the subject, "give it up." It said, "Ok - another date come and gone. Every year since 2000 you have tried to pick a date then move it again then pick again next year pentecost over and over."Don't you think with all the egg on your face its about time to quit bringing mocking to the rest of us who realize its impossible to go against God's word that says NO man knows the day or the hour - You cannot say that any plainer than Jesus did. It's about time to shut this site down and instead of picking another date simply acknowledge - NO MAN KNOWS THE DAY OR THE HOUR!."
I think of Mark 8:31-33. It says that Jesus "began to teach them, that the Son of man must suffer many things, and be rejected of the elders, and of
the chief priests, and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. And he spake that saying openly. And Peter took him, and began to rebuke him. But when he had turned about and looked on his disciples, he rebuked Peter, saying get thee behind me, Satan: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but the things that be of men."Mt. 24:36 says, "But of that day and hour knoweth (present tense) no man." On that day, two days before the Crucifixion, no man knew the day and hour. However, after that, we were told to watch. Moreover, in Rev. 3:3, we were warned what would happen if we don't watch. I am watching, and will continue to watch.In Mark 13:23, Jesus said, "But take ye heed: behold, I HAVE FORETOLD YOU ALL THINGS." I believe Jesus. Isa. 46:10 says, "I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me, Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done, saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure." I not only will continue to watch, I will continue to look for clues. At some point, we that are watching will know the hour.Agape, Marilyn Agee