Matt,It does appear in the scriptures that there could be more then one coming of the Lord for his saints. Below are four articles about the the 10 virgins which I believe is a picture of the church, the wise and the foolish virgins that will be taken by the Lord at different times.I believe the scriptures reveal that a remnant of the body of Christ will be like the wise virgins, the firstfruits of the barley harvest, a bride without spot or blemish ready for the Bridegrooms return like a thief in the night. While the majority of the church will be like the foolish virgins, the wheat harvest or the second crop that matures later in the heat of summer, the tribulation. The foolish virgins (the wheat harvest) must repent and follow the Holy Spirit (buy oil) so their lamps will shine in the darkness.Matt 24:42 "Therefore keep watch , because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. 43 But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. 44 So you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.When Jesus said therefore keep watch , because you do not know on what day your Lord will come, he was giving his saints a warning not to let their houses or their hearts be broken into by their sinful desires. We must constantly "keep watch over our hearts" so we may be a pure spotless bride that is ready at all times for the sudden return of the Bridegroom.
It is interesting that the firstfruits harvest, the barley is thrown into the air and the wind (the Holy Spirit) removes the chaff, a type for the repentant wise virgin. While the second crop or the wheat harvest is run over with a board called a tribulum to remove the chaff, the judgment of God for the foolish virgins during the tribulation. Here are some good articles on that subject.Zep2:3, Seek the LORD, all you humble of the land, you who do what he commands. Seek righteousness , seek humility; perhaps you will be sheltered on the day of the LORD's anger.
Rev 3:10 Because you have kept my word about patient endurance, I will keep you from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world, to try those who dwell on the earth.
Luk 21:34 "But watch yourselves lest your hearts be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and cares of this life, and that day come upon you suddenly like a trap. 35 For it will come upon all who dwell on the face of the whole earth. 36 But stay awake at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man." 34 "Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with dissipation, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you unexpectedly like a trap. 35 For it will come upon all those who live on the face of the whole earth. 36 Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man."
Rev 3:1 These are the words of him who holds the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead. 2 Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your deeds complete in the sight of my God. 3 Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; obey it, and repent. But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what time I will come to you. 4 Yet you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes. They will walk with me, dressed in white, for they are worthy. 5 He who overcomes will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out his name from the book of life, but will acknowledge his name before my Father and his angels. 6 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.Amos 7:1 This is what the Sovereign LORD showed me: He was preparing swarms of locusts after the king's share (the firstfruits, barley, wise virgins) had been harvested and just as the second crop (the wheat, the foolish virgins) was coming up. 2 When they had stripped the land clean, I cried out, "Sovereign LORD, forgive! How can Jacob survive? He is so small!"
In Amos the "kings share" is the first harvest of barley, a picture of the wise virgins who are mature and ready for the first harvest. The locusts are a picture of God's judgment just as the second crop, the wheat was coming up. Again the "second crop" is a type for the foolish virgins that were locked out of the wedding banquet and told to go and buy oil, follow the Holy Spirit and repent from their sinful desires. These scriptures are deeply hidden prophetic parables of the coming judgment for the house of God, wise and foolish virgins.
The wedding banquet is a reward for the bride that is ready, the wise virgins. The foolish virgins lose the reward of the wedding banquet and instead will go through the Lord's cleansing fire of judgment, the tribulation. The foolish virgins enter heaven, but only as one escaping through the flames.
1 Cor 3:10 By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as an expert builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should be careful how he builds. 11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, 13 his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man's work. 14 If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. 15 If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames.
1 Cor 15:22 For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. 23 But each in his own turn : Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him.
The phrase "each in his own turn" is a military term for troops according to their rank, Generals, Colonels, Majors, Captains and so on. Their is an order to the ressurection by ones spiritual rank in the Lord.
In Song 8:8 the youg sister (the foolish virgin) is not ready for the day she is spoken for (her wedding day) because she is not mature, her breasts are not yet grown. In 1 Thess 5:8 the spiritual breasts are of faith and love. Our breastplate must be spiritually mature in faith and love if we are to be a wise virgin ready for the wedding banquet, the day we are spoken for.In Song 8:10 the wall (wise virgin) brings contentment in the Lords eyes because her spiritual breasts are mature in faith and love.Song 8:8-10
8 We have a young sister ,
and her breasts are not yet grown.
What shall we do for our sister
for the day she is spoken for?
9 If she is a wall,
we will build towers of silver on her.
If she is a door,
we will enclose her with panels of cedar.10 I am a wall,
and my breasts are like towers.
Thus I have become in his eyes
like one bringing contentment.1 Thess 5:6-9
6 So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be alert and self-controlled. 7 For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night. 8 But since we belong to the day, let us be self-controlled, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet.There are numerous scriptures that reveal the wise and foolish virgins. These are just a few. So if anyone has other scriptural treasures to share on this subject please do. It is important to know and understand that judgment begins with the house of God. The church will not escape God's judgement, so be without spot or blemish in the Lord, be ready at all times, keep watch over your heart, because you will not know the day or hour when the Bridegroom will return like a thief in the night to take his precious jewels (the wise virgins) with him to the wedding banquet.