Barbara Bivins (15
May 2009)
"To Eric:"10 Virgins revisited: How 1st Century Jews would have heard the parable""
Of course, it is the wedding feast they are going to: "Matthew 25 -and those who were ready
went in with him to the wedding feast;"
The Bride was taken
away with her bridesmaids, the 5 wise virgins, for those 7 days of intimate time
with her groom.
During the seven days of the
wedding festivities, which were sometimes called "the seven days of the huppah,"
the bride remained hidden in the bridal chamber.17 At the conclusion of these
seven days the groom would bring his bride out of the bridal chamber, now with
her veil removed, so that all could see who his bride was.
Meanwhile the wedding party waited outside (there are many Jewish
Wedding posts on this site so I will not elaborate on it specifically). But it
is the 5 wise virgins that are waiting outside the Chamber, those foolish ones
who missed the midnight shout did not enter at that time. The Bride is in the
Chamber with the Groom where they remain for 7 days.
So indeed the Bride
(Church) is not one of the 10 virgins (bridesmaids).
So we are ready, we
better get our bridesmaids together and let them know to be ready
too!
Does it make sense?
God Bless you all while we are eagerly
waiting for Him. Got Oil??