From: Marilyn Agee
Re: Diane Gilbert (30 Apr 2007)
"The foolish virgins"Hi:> > In reply to Charles Holler's question regarding the foolish virgins, here is an excellent commentary I pulled off of www.GraceThruFaith.com. His teachings, I believe, are well researched, explained clearly, and make scriptural sense.> > Back Slidden Brides Maids?
> > Many commentaries are wrong about this parable on four counts. First, a careful reading shows it takes place after the 2nd Coming. The phrase "At that time" which opens chapter 25 refers back to Matt 24:36, the day of the Lord's return to earth. Not for the rapture, but the 2nd Coming.I don't believe that for a second. We must be careful not to accept what commentaries say without comparing them to what Scripture says. Looking up the original words in Strong's Concordance helps too.
To understand the Parable of the Ten Virgins correctly, we must compare it to what other sections of Scripture say. Also, keep in mind that there were no chapter divisions in the original. Mt. 25:1 continues the thought in Mt. 24:51.Mt. 25 starts off with the word "tote." Strong's says that "tote" means, "the when, that is, at the time." Dr. R.B. Thieme took Greek 6 years. He said that "tote" means "at the same time." That is important for us to know.Let's compare similar passages in Luke 12 and Matthew 24. They are speaking of the time of the Pre-Trib Rapture.Luke 12:45,46 says, "BUT AND IF THAT SERVANT SAY IN HIS HEART, MY LORD DELAYETH HIS COMING; AND SHALL BEGIN TO BEAT THE MENSERVANTS AND MAIDENS, AND TO EAT AND DRINK, AND TO BE DRUNKEN; AND SHALL BEGIN TO BEAT THE MENSERVANTS AND MAIDENS, AND TO EAT AND DRINK, AND TO BE DRUNKEN; THE LORD OF THAT SERVANT WILL COME IN A DAY WHEN HE LOOKETH NOT FOR HIM, AND AT AN HOUR WHEN HE IS NOT AWARE, AND WILL CUT HIM IN SUNDER, AND WILL APPOINT HIM HIS PORTION WITH THE UNBELIEVERS."In Luke, that portion with the unbelievers is the Shortened Tribulation. Quoted below, Matthew says essentially the same thing. The portion with the hypocrites, pretenders, is also the Shortened Tribulation. Then, Matthew adds "there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth." It is the foolish virgins that will weep and gnash their teeth when they are left behind at the Pre-Trib Rapture.Mt 24:48-51 says, "BUT AND IF THAT EVIL SERVANT SHALL SAY IN HIS HEART, MY LORD DELAYETH HIS COMING ; AND SHALL BEGIN TO SMITE HIS FELLOWSERVANTS, AND TO EAT AND DRINK WITH THE DRUNKEN; THE LORD OF THAT SERVANT SHALL COME IN A DAY WHEN HE LOOKETH NOT FOR HIM, AND IN AN HOUR THAT HE IS NOT AWARE OF, AND SHALL CUT HIM ASUNDER, AND APPOINT HIM HIS PORTION WITH THE HYPOCRITES: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth."Mt. 22:14 echoes the weeping and gnashing of teeth and adds one more thing. In Mt. 22:9-14, we are told of a man that was cast into outside-the-doors darkness, because he "had not on a wedding garment." It says, "Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage. So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests. And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment: And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless. Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping ! and gnashing of teeth. FOR MANY ARE CALLED, BUT FEW ARE CHOSEN."At the time of the Pre-Trib Rapture, we must be called, and chosen, and faithful. Rev. 17:14 says, "he is Lord of lords, and King of kings: and they that ARE with him (i.e., at the Pre-Trib Rapture) are CALLED, AND CHOSEN, AND FAITHFUL." The called, and chosen, and faithful are the wise virgins. Those that are not chosen at the Pre-Trib Rapture are the foolish virgins.Since there were no chapter or verse separations in the original, Mt 25:1,2 continues with the same thought in mind as in Mt. 24:51. Mt. 25 1.2 (KJV) says, "Then (tote, at the same time, i.e., at the Pre-Trib Rapture) shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. And five of them were wise, and five were foolish."Mt. 25:1 (ISV) says, "AT THAT TIME (i.e., at the Pre-Trib Rapture; Mt. 24:51), the kingdom of heaven will be compared to ten bridesmaids who took their oil lamps and went out to meet the groom" (Jesus).Of the time of the second Rapture, the Pre-Wrath Rapture, we can see the difference between the bride that comes out of her closet in Heaven and the Tribulation saints that are gathered from Earth at this time. Joel 2:16 says, "Gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children, and those that suck the breasts: let the bridegroom go forth of his chamber, and the BRIDE OUT OF HER CLOSET."
Mt. 24:31 speaks of the gathering of the saints that are in Heaven. They are the Bride saints that are in their closet. Mark 13:27 speaks of that gathering too, but adds something else, the gathering of the Tribulation saints from Earth. We have to read Scripture very carefully. One word can have such far-reaching implications, we can tell that it is certainly God-breathed.
Mt. 24:28-31 says, "For wheresoever the carcase (body, i.e., the Body of Christ, the Bride of Christ) is, there will the eagles (i.e., high flying Tribulation saints, Prov. 23:5: 'they fly away as an eagle toward heaven.') be gathered together. Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened (6th seal), and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet (i.e., the 'last trump' of I Cor. 15:51-54), and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of HEAVEN to the other." These elect were taken ! to Heaven in the Pre-Trib Rapture.
Mark 13:24-27 says, "But in those days, after that tribulation, the sun shall be darkened (6th seal), and the moon shall not give her light, And the stars of heaven shall fall, and the powers that are in heaven shall be shaken. And then shall they see the Son of man coming in the clouds with great power and glory. And then shall he send his angels, and shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from the uttermost part of the EARTH to the uttermost part of HEAVEN." These elect gathered from Earth are the Tribulation saints. They are gathered on the Day of God's Wrath, but just before the wrath hits Earth.
In the last chapter in the Bible, Rev 22:17,20 says, "And the Spirit and the BRIDE say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely....He which testifieth these things (Jesus) saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus."
Jesus comes quickly at the Pre-Trib Rapture. Rev. 2:5 says to the church at Ephesus, "Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent." If a candlestick was to be removed out of its place in Heaven at the first Rapture, it would be restored to its place in Heaven at the second and last Rapture.
> > Second, the church is never called a bridesmaid in scripture, yet the 10 virgins are often called bridesmaids.
According to e-Sword (http://www.e-sword.net/), a wonderful free Bible software program, the word bridesmaid, or bridesmaids, does not appear at all in the KJV New Testament.
> > Third, every member of the church, "back slidden" or not, has sufficient oil, which represents the Holy Spirit sealed within us at the first moment of belief (Ephes. 1:13-14) before there was any chance to "back slide."
The sealing is different from the extra oil the 10 virgins took with them in another vessel.
> > But the parable doesn't say that five of them had oil and somehow lost it. On the contrary it says that five of them never took any oil in the first place, implying they were never saved.
If you look up the original words, you will find out that he lamps of the foolish virgins were sputtering in the process of going out. They had not yet gone out.
> > Every logical fact about the parable points to the 10 virgins being Tribulation survivors alive at the Lord's return, some of whom have become believers during the Great Tribulation and are welcomed into the Kingdom, while others are not and are excluded.
I think all 10 virgins were already saved when the Tribulation began. The wise virgins had been taken up to Heaven in the Pre-Trib Rapture. The foolish virgins were left behind to go through the Tribulation, and hopefully to "buy" enough oil of the Holy Spirit, the thing they lacked at the time of the Pre-Trib Rapture.
Agape,Marilyn Agee