Greg Isaacson (20 Sep 2005)
"The Ten Virgins & The Second Watch of the Night"

This is the fourth in a series of articles on the Parable of the Ten Virgins. The first three articles shown below.

The Ten Virgins the Parable Does not Stop in Matthew

http://www.fivedoves.com/letters/aug2005/johnj819.htm

RE: John Johnson, The Ten Virgins Parable Does Not Stop in Matthew

http://www.fivedoves.com/letters/aug2005/gregi830.htm

The Ten Virgins & The First Watch of the Night

http://www.fivedoves.com/letters/sep2005/johnj98.htm

At times I am simply amazed how Jesus has wonderfully and intricately weaved the scriptures together to create his parables. Quite often the Old Testament scriptures are a vital key to unlocking and understanding the New Testament parables. And at other times it's the New Testament scriptures that reveal the hidden parables within the Old Testament. But the most important key for gaining wisdom and the understanding of parables is to follow Jesus with all our hearts and humbly like little children ask him to explain his parables to us.

Proverbs 2:1-6, 1 My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you, 2 turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding, 3 and if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding 4 and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, 5 then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God. 6 For the LORD gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.

Man may try to explain the mysteries hidden within the words of scripture, but it is Jesus the one and only teacher who reveals his truth to our hearts through the Holy Spirit.

Matthew 23:8 (New Living Translation), Don't ever let anyone call you `Rabbi,' for you have only one teacher, and all of you are on the same level as brothers and sisters.

John 14:26 (New Living Translation), But when the Father sends the Counselor as my representative--and by the Counselor I mean the Holy Spirit--he will teach you everything and will remind you of everything I myself have told you.

Parables are meant to conceal and reveal

Jesus taught in parables to conceal their meaning from those who are wise in their own eyes, while revealing them to those who are humble like little children.

Matthew 11:25-26, At that time Jesus said, "I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. 26Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure.

A parable is a story or a natural object that is used to reveal an unseen spiritual truth. God uses created things so that we may understand the spiritual nature and reality of his heavenly kingdom, in otherwords a parable.

1 Cor 15:45-48, 45So it is written: "The first man Adam became a living being"; the last Adam, a life-giving spirit. 46The spiritual did not come first, but the natural, and after that the spiritual. 47The first man was of the dust of the earth, the second man from heaven. 48As was the earthly man, so are those who are of the earth; and as is the man from heaven, so also are those who are of heaven.

The spiritual lesson in a parable does not deviate from the physical qualities of the natural. For example in the parable of the wheat and the tares, wheat gives life and represents born-again children of God who share the gospel of eternal life. Tares look similar to wheat but they are posionous and bring slow death. The tares represent the unsaved that may appear to be like christians (wheat), but in their hearts their beliefs are spiritual poison that bring eternal death because they have rejected Jesus a Savior and Lord, Matthew 13:34-43.

Sometimes parables are deeply hidden and unseen within the scriptures. The story of Jonah in the belly of the whale is a good example. This prophetic parable was totally hidden for hundreds of years until Jesus mentioned it as a sign of his death for 3 days and 3 nights in the heart of the earth.

Matthew 12 39-40, 39He answered, "A wicked and adulterous generation asks for a miraculous sign! But none will be given it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. 40For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

But even though Jesus mentioned the sign of Jonah before his death, the parable was not understood until after his resurrection.

Luke 24:6-7, 6 He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: 7'The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.' " 8 Then they remembered his words.

At times a parable may have deeper and deeper levels of revelation and understanding hidden throughout several different scriptures. And unless these hidden scriptures are revealed and properly understood, the parable may seem to contradict itself and cause much argument. A good example is "how can the 10 virgins be all christians because Jesus said he did not know the 5 foolish virgins?" The answer to this question is not found in the parable itself, but it is deeply hidden within various scriptures scattered throughout the Bible. A good point to remeber is that Jesus intentionally concealed the meaning of his parables to the crowds, but he revealed their hidden meaning to his disciples who were seeking to know him. 

Matthew 13:36, Then he left the crowd and went into the house. His disciples came to him and said, "Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field."

And I would have to say in our day Jesus is still concealing his parables to the majority of the church, but he is revealing them to his disciples who are seeking to know him with all their hearts.

Jeremiah 29:13, You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

Proverbs 25:2, It is the glory of God to conceal a matter; to search out a matter is the glory of kings.

Jesus did not hide the parable of the 10 virgins within the scriptures as the parable of Jonah was hidden for hundreds of years. But Jesus did hide the spiritual meaning of the 10 virgins parable within many different scriptures throughout the Bible. And to find these hidden sriptures and understand them it is necessary to ask Jesus our teacher to explain the meaning of his parable to us. What I would like to share is some of the hidden scriptures that I believe help to reveal the spiritual lesson of this parable.

But first a quick summary of the first few articles:

In the parable of the 10 virgins, the lamps represent the light of Jesus in his saints. The vessel full of oil is a christian who loves Jesus and is constantly being led and filled by the power of the Holy Spirit so the light of Jesus in him is burning brightly for all to see. The main point of the parable is the five foolish virgins lamps were going out because they did not bring extra oil (they were not walking in obedience to the Holy Spirit), and as a result the fooish virgins (disobedient saints) were not allowed to enter the wedding banquet because Jesus said he did not know them (intimately as his bride). It would appear that knowing the Bridegroom and being known by him is dependent on if our lamp (our love) is burning bright for Jesus.

1 John 4:7-8, 7 Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. 8 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.

1 Corinthians 8:1-3, 1 Now about food sacrificed to idols: We know that we all possess knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. 2The man who thinks he knows something does not yet know as he ought to know. 3 But the man who loves God is known by God.

The scriptures reveal there are different degrees of knowing God. When we are first born again we have a childlike knowing of God. But as we grow in faith and love we mature into young men and later Fathers, or brides of Christ that sincerely love Jesus and intimately know him as a bride knows her Bridegroom.

Jesus told the five foolsih virgins in Matthew 25:12-13, 12 "But he replied, 'I tell you the truth, I don't know you.' 13"Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour. Therefore keep watch for what, is the Bridegroom coming again?

As John Johnson pointed out, the parable of the 10 virgins continues in Luke 12:34-38:

34 "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
35 "Let your waist be girded and your lamps burning;
36 "and you yourselves be like men who wait for their master, when he will return from the wedding, that when he comes and knocks they may open to him immediately.
37 "Blessed are those servants whom the master, when he comes, will find watching. Assuredly, I say to you that he will gird himself and have them sit down to eat, and will come and serve them.
38 "And if he should come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants.

In the above scriptures the Lord is revealing another important clue to the parable of the 10 virgins. Jesus is returning from the wedding banquet for the foolish virgins who are ready and have their lamps burning in the "second or third watch of the night." The first watch is not mentioned because that is when the Lord came for his wise virgins.

The first, second and third watches of the night are the next clues to solving this prophetic puzzle. In the Old Testament there are several stories that use these phrases and they paint a picture of prophetic events that will happen for the church and Israel during the 7 years of tribulation. The first watch of the night is a time when the darkness of the tribulation begins for the world and the phrase "as the watches of the night begin" is found in Lamentations.  The second watch or "Middle watch" is used once in the Old Testament and it is used in the story of Gideon.

Consider how the lilies grow, they do not labor nor spin

But before we study the "second watch of the night," it is important to take a closer look at what Jesus is saying to his foolish virgins in Luke 12:22-34. In these scriptures there is a hidden parable that is being overlooked. The parable in Luke 12:27 is similar to the parble of Jonah in that its needs to be revealed and understood so we may have a greater revelation of what Jesus is telling his foolish virgins (unfaithful saints) who were not ready for the wedding banquet at his first coming.

Luke 12:22-26, Then Jesus said to his disciples: "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. 23Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. 24Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! 25Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? 26Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?

In Luke 12:22-26, Jesus is rebuking his foolish virgins not to worry about their physical needs and the cares of this world. God provides for the birds and he will provide for their needs also. Now read Luke 12:27-34.

27"Consider how the lilies grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 28If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, how much more will he clothe you, O you of little faith! 29And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. 30For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. 31But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.

32"Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom. 33Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. 34For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

In the above verses Jesus rebukes his foolish virgins (unfaithful saints), telling them not to worry about the cares of this world like the pagans do (verse 30), instead seek his Kingdom first and God will meet their needs. Jesus admonishes his foolish virgins that God will clothe you, O you of little faith (verse 29).  Go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, in otherwords show the love of God to the poor in deeds of compassion and kindess (verse 33). Let Jesus be the treasure of your hearts and not the cares of this life that choke out the word of God (verse 34). Jesus reproves the foolish virgins because they are like thorns to him, unfruitful saints who are more concened with the worries of this life rather then seeking the Kingdom of God.

Matthew 13:22, The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful.

To summarize Luke 12:22-34 I would have to say, "it is impossible to build God's Eternal Kingdom if you are too busy trying to build your own kingdom that will soon perish."

Now lets take a close look at a key verse, a hidden parable in Luke 12:27, "Consider how the lilies grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.

Luke 12:27 is a hidden parable that is revealed in the Old Testament and it is interesting that the word "lily" is used several times in the "Song of Solomon."

Song of Solomon 2:2, "Like a lily among thorns is my darling among the maidens."

In the Song of Solomon the beloved or Bridegroom is a type of Christ, and his loving bride is like a beautiful white lily, a wise virgin (faithful saints) dressed in white garments of righteous deeds (Rev 19:8, 3:4). The rest of the maidens of Solomon are like thorns (Matthew 13:22), foolish virgins (unfruitful saints) caught up in the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of riches. In the above verse Jesus is comparing his lily, the faithful and loving wise virgins, to the rest of his maidens, the foolish virgins which are like thorns.

Revelation 19:7-8, 7Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. 8 Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear." (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of the saints).

Revelation 3:4, 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.

Now with this new understading of the lily among thorns lets take another look at Luke 12:27-28.

Luke 12:27, (Foolish virgins, thorns) "Consider how the lilies grow (wise virgins, seeking God's Kingdom, growing in faith and love for Jesus). They do not labor or spin (toil and worry about their physical needs). Yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his splendor (earthly riches) was not dressed like one of these (a wise virgin clothed in the eternal glory and love of Jesus, pure white garments of righteous deeds). 28 If that is how God clothes the grass (provides food and shelter for the wicked, Psalms 92:7, Matthew 5:45) of the field (of the world), which is here today, and tomorrow is thrown into the fire (eternal hell), how much more will he clothe you (provide your needs), O you of little faith (foolish virgins, thorns)!

In Luke 12:27, Jesus instructs and forewarns his foolish virgins also known as his spiritual thorns, to consider and think about his white lilies, the wise virgins that seek first the Kingdom of God, growing in faith and love, not worried about the cares of this life, dressed in beautiful white garments of righteous deeds, that were ready for the Bridegrooms coming in the first watch of the night (Matthew 25:10).

Then in Luke 12:35-38, Jesus encourages his foolish virgins (unfaithful saints) to keep their lamps burning, grow and mature in faith and deeds of love so they will be ready when their master returns from the wedding banquet in the second or third watch of the night.

The story of the Lily among Thorns in Song of Solomon 2:2 is a prophetic parable that was meant to reveal the wise virgins (faithful saints) and foolish virgins (unfaithful saints) in Luke 12:22-34. Song of Solomon 2:2 and Luke 12:27 is an excellent example of how Jesus has intricately woven his srciptures together from the Old and New Testament to create and reveal his deeply hidden parables. Man may try to explain the mysteries hidden within the words of scripture, but it is Jesus the one and only teacher who reveals his truth to our hearts through the Holy Spirit. And to see and understand the hidden parables you must humbly pray and ask Jesus to explain his parables to you.

1 Corinthians 2:6-16, Wisdom From the Spirit

6We do, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature, but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. 7No, we speak of God's secret wisdom, a wisdom that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began. 8None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 9However, as it is written: "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him" 10but God has revealed it to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. 11For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the man's spirit within him? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. 12We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us. 13This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words. 14The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned. 15The spiritual man makes judgments about all things, but he himself is not subject to any man's judgment: 16"For who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him?" But we have the mind of Christ.

In the Song of Solomon 6:2-3, the Bridegroom is getting ready to gather lillies in his garden. This verse is a hidden parable that says Jesus the Bridegroom is coming to gather his lilies, his wise virgins, and take them to his wedding banquet. And in Song of Solomon 6:12 is the rapture of the bride which is similar to Elijah's rapture. Elijah and the lover in the Song of Solomon are a type for the wise virgins, the faithful saints who will be raptured at the Bridegrooms first coming, Matthew 25:1-13.

Song of Solom 6:1-13,

Friends (Foolish virgins)

1Where has your lover gone, most beautiful of women?  Which way did your lover turn, that we may look for him with you?

Lover (Bride)

2 My lover has gone down to his garden, to the beds of spices, to browse in the gardens and to gather lilies.

3 I am my lover's and my lover is mine; he browses among the lilies.

Beloved (Bridegroom)

4 You are beautiful, my darling, as Tirzah, lovely as Jerusalem, majestic as troops with banners.

5 Turn your eyes from me; they overwhelm me. Your hair is like a flock of goats descending from Gilead.

6 Your teeth are like a flock of sheep coming up from the washing. Each has its twin, not one of them is alone.

7 Your temples behind your veil are like the halves of a pomegranate.

8 Sixty queens there may be, and eighty concubines, and virgins beyond number;

9 but my dove, my perfect one, is unique, the only daughter of her mother, the favorite of the one who bore her. The maidens saw her and called her blessed; the queens and concubines praised her.

Friends (Foolish virgins)

10 Who is this that appears like the dawn, fair as the moon, bright as the sun, majestic as the stars in procession? (the five wise virgins lamps shine brighter and brighter, the path of the righteous, Proverbs 4:18)

Lover (Bride)

11 I went down to the grove of nut trees to look at the new growth in the valley, to see if the vines had budded or the pomegranates were in bloom. (The brides desire of her heart is to see new born again children of God and saints growing and bearing fruit for Jesus, the vines budding.)

12 Before I realized it, my desire set me among the royal chariots of my people. (the rapture of the five wise virgins, 2 Kings 2:11-12)

Friends (Foolish Virgins)

13 Come back, come back, O Shulammite; come back, come back, that we may gaze on you!

Beloved (Bridegroom)

    Why would you gaze on the Shulammite

       as on the dance of Mahanaim?

7    The common thread in "the watches of the night"

The next article in this series about the parable of the 10 virgins is called "The second watch of the night." The second watch is also called the "MIDDLE WATCH" in the Old Testament. The middle watch is mentioned once in the story of Gideon when Israel is handed over to their enemies for a period of 7 years.

I would like to mention a few interesting details about "the 3 watches of the night" in the Old Testament:

In Lamentations "as the watches of the night begin" Israel is being invaded by the Babylonians and taken captive for 70 years.

In the "middle watch" with Gideon, Israel is handed over to their enemies, the Midianites, for a period of 7 years because of their sinful worship of Baal.

In the "last watch of the night" Jabesh-Gilead, a city in Israel is surrounded by the enemy for a period of 7 days.

When Saul hears of this he brings an army and defeats the enemy on the 7th day of captivity for Jabesh-Gilead.

After the victorious battle Israel accepts Saul as their first king.

In these 3 Old Testament stories that mention "the watches of the night," Israel is taken captive, persecuted and surrounded by their enemies for a period of 70 years, 7 years, and 7 days.

Then in the New Testament, we see Israel being persecuted and surrounded by their enemies for a period of 7 years in the darkness of the tribulation, the spiritual watch of the night.

When Jesus hears of this he brings an army to defeat Israel's enemies in the 7th year of the tribulation.

After the victorious battle Israel accepts Jesus for the first time as King of kings.

It appears that these 3 Old Testament stories of "the watches of the night" are prophetic parables of the 7 years of  tribulation.

Hosea 12:9-10, 9 "I am the LORD your God who brought you out of Egypt; I will make you live in tents again, as in the days of your appointed feasts. 10 I spoke to the prophets, gave them many visions and told parables through them."

The Middle Watch of the Night

The foolish virgins were locked out of the wedding banquet and enter the judgment and discipline of the tribulation because their lamps (the light of Jesus in them) were going out. They are to and buy oil, repent and follow the Holy Spirit so their lamps will be shining when their master returns from the wedding banquet in the second or third watch of the night, the tribulation.

The details in the story Gideon are similar to the foolish virgins that need to be filled with the oil of the Holy Spirit so their lamps will burn bright for the Lord. Lets take a look at the prophetic parable of Gideon in the "middle watch of the night." I will highlight my comments in red in Judges chapters 6 and 7.

Judges Chapter 6,

1 Again the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the LORD, and for seven years (the tribulation) he gave them into the hands of the Midianites. 2 Because the power of Midian was so oppressive, the Israelites prepared shelters for themselves in mountain clefts, caves and strongholds. 3 Whenever the Israelites planted their crops, the Midianites, Amalekites and other eastern peoples invaded the country. 4 They camped on the land and ruined the crops all the way to Gaza and did not spare a living thing for Israel, neither sheep nor cattle nor donkeys. 5 They came up with their livestock and their tents like swarms of locusts (see Amos 7:1). It was impossible to count the men and their camels; they invaded the land to ravage it. 6 Midian so impoverished the Israelites that they cried out to the LORD for help.

Amos 7:1-2,1 This is what the Sovereign LORD showed me: He was preparing swarms of locusts (the enemy) after the king's share (the Lord's portion, firstfruits, wise virgins) had been harvested (raptured) and just as the second crop (foolish virgins) was coming up (repenting and growing in faith and love). 2 When they had stripped the land clean, I cried out, "Sovereign LORD, forgive! How can Jacob survive? He is so small!"

In Amos 7:1, the phrase swarms of locusts is used to describe the enemy covering the land of Israel as God's judgment begins. In Amos chapters 5,6 and 7 the Lord gives a prophetic picture for the feast of trumpets, or judgment for Israel and the church in the tribulation. Amos 5 is "a call to repentance." Chapter 6 is "a warning against complacency." Then in chapter 7, the beginning of judgment for Israel when "the enemy covers the land like swarms of locusts." The phrase swarms of locusts is the thread that ties this scripture in Amos 7:1 to the one in Judges 6:5. Both of these stories are prophetic parables of judgment and discipline for Israel and the lukewarm church during the tribulation. 

In Amos 7:1 there is a hidden parable, after the king's share had been harvested speaks of the wise virgins being raptured. The king's share of the harvest was the best and holiest part of the crop's that were for the Lord, "the Lord's portion" (Numbers 18:29, Deuteronomy 32:9). The firstfruits has a similar meaning, Jeremiah 2:3, 1 Cor 15:23, James 1:18, Rev 14:4. The firstfruits is the first growth in the spring to appear and mature in Israel after the dead of winter. Jesus was the first of the firstfruits, his resurrection was the first spiritual life from this spiritually dead and sinful world. Those who are like Jesus, the wise virgins, will be a kind of firstfruits. The firstfruits are waved in the air, a wave offering, Lev 23:10-12; a picture of Christ's resurrection and the rapture of the wise virgins.

1 Corinthians 15:22-23, 22For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. 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 means troops in a parade according to their rank. In otherwords spiritual Generals are first, then colonels, majors, captains, lieutenants, sargeants, and foot soldiers. This verse shows there is an order to the rapture, according to ones spiritual rank or faithfulness and love to the Lord, wise virgins first, foolish virgins second.

In Israel a few months after the firstfruits harvest, the second crop matures in the heat of summer (the tribulation). The second crop is the wheat crop (foolish virgins, unfaithful saints) which is the biggest harvest in Israel. The second crop or the wheat crop when mature would be cut off at the head with a sickle, a picture of christians who are beheaded for their testimony of Jesus in the tribulation, Joel 3:14, Rev 20:4. The swarms of locusts being prepared by the Lord just as the second crop was coming up is a picture of the enemy being used as God's judgment and discipline for his foolish virgins in the tribulation so they will repent and grow in faithfulness and love for Jesus. Gideon is the second crop that was coming up, maturing in faith and obedience just as the swarms of locusts, the enemy covers the land, Amos 7:1. Gideon and his army of 300 men is a prophetic picture of the foolish virgins who grow in faith, love and obedience and have their lamps burning for the Lord in the middle watch of the night, the tribulation. Although many saints in the second crop will die for their faith during the tribulation, I would have to say that there appears to be scriptural evidence for a second rapture. Lot who is mecrcifully taken out of Sodom by the hand just before its destruction by fire is one example. The New Testament scripture that is similar to the story of Lot is in Rev 16:15, the Lord comes like a thief for his saints just before the battle of Armageddon.

7 When the Israelites cried to the LORD because of Midian, 8 he sent them a prophet, who said, "This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: I brought you up out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. 9 I snatched you from the power of Egypt and from the hand of all your oppressors. I drove them from before you and gave you their land. 10 I said to you, 'I am the LORD your God; do not worship the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you live.' But you have not listened to me."

(The LORD is rebuking Israel for worshiping other gods and reminding them that they have brought judgment and discipline on themselves because of their rebellion).

    11 The angel of the LORD came and sat down under the oak in Ophrah that belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, where his son Gideon was threshing wheat in a winepress to keep it from the Midianites. 12 When the angel of the LORD appeared to Gideon, he said, "The LORD is with you, mighty warrior."

    13 "But sir," Gideon replied, "if the LORD is with us, why has all this happened to us? Where are all his wonders that our fathers told us about when they said, 'Did not the LORD bring us up out of Egypt?' But now the LORD has abandoned us and put us into the hand of Midian."

    14 The LORD turned to him and said, "Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian's hand. Am I not sending you?"

    15 "But Lord, " Gideon asked, "how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family."

(The Lord chooses humble Gideon to defeat the enemy, but Gideon's faith is weak).

    16 The LORD answered, "I will be with you, and you will strike down all the Midianites together."

    17 Gideon replied, "If now I have found favor in your eyes, give me a sign that it is really you talking to me. 18 Please do not go away until I come back and bring my offering and set it before you."

      And the LORD said, "I will wait until you return."

    19 Gideon went in, prepared a young goat, and from an ephah of flour he made bread without yeast. Putting the meat in a basket and its broth in a pot, he brought them out and offered them to him under the oak.

    20 The angel of God said to him, "Take the meat and the unleavened bread, place them on this rock, and pour out the broth." And Gideon did so. 21 With the tip of the staff that was in his hand, the angel of the LORD touched the meat and the unleavened bread. Fire flared from the rock, consuming the meat and the bread. And the angel of the LORD disappeared. 22 When Gideon realized that it was the angel of the LORD, he exclaimed, "Ah, Sovereign LORD! I have seen the angel of the LORD face to face!"

    23 But the LORD said to him, "Peace! Do not be afraid. You are not going to die."

    24 So Gideon built an altar to the LORD there and called it The LORD is Peace. To this day it stands in Ophrah of the Abiezrites.

    25 That same night the LORD said to him, "Take the second bull from your father's herd, the one seven years old. Tear down your father's altar to Baal and cut down the Asherah pole beside it. 26 Then build a proper kind of altar to the LORD your God on the top of this height. Using the wood of the Asherah pole that you cut down, offer the second bull as a burnt offering."

    27 So Gideon took ten of his servants and did as the LORD told him. But because he was afraid of his family and the men of the town, he did it at night rather than in the daytime. (Gideon's faith is growing as he is walking in obedience to the LORD'S will).

    28 In the morning when the men of the town got up, there was Baal's altar, demolished, with the Asherah pole beside it cut down and the second bull sacrificed on the newly built altar!

    29 They asked each other, "Who did this?"

      When they carefully investigated, they were told, "Gideon son of Joash did it."

    30 The men of the town demanded of Joash, "Bring out your son. He must die, because he has broken down Baal's altar and cut down the Asherah pole beside it."

    31 But Joash replied to the hostile crowd around him, "Are you going to plead Baal's cause? Are you trying to save him? Whoever fights for him shall be put to death by morning! If Baal really is a god, he can defend himself when someone breaks down his altar." 32 So that day they called Gideon "Jerub-Baal," saying, "Let Baal contend with him," because he broke down Baal's altar.

    33 Now all the Midianites, Amalekites and other eastern peoples joined forces and crossed over the Jordan and camped in the Valley of Jezreel. 34 Then the Spirit of the LORD came upon Gideon, and he blew a trumpet, summoning the Abiezrites to follow him. 35 He sent messengers throughout Manasseh, calling them to arms, and also into Asher, Zebulun and Naphtali, so that they too went up to meet them.

    36 Gideon said to God, "If you will save Israel by my hand as you have promised- 37 look, I will place a wool fleece on the threshing floor. If there is dew only on the fleece and all the ground is dry, then I will know that you will save Israel by my hand, as you said." 38 And that is what happened. Gideon rose early the next day; he squeezed the fleece and wrung out the dew—a bowlful of water.

    39 Then Gideon said to God, "Do not be angry with me. Let me make just one more request. Allow me one more test with the fleece. This time make the fleece dry and the ground covered with dew." 40 That night God did so. Only the fleece was dry; all the ground was covered with dew.

(Gideon's faith is growing and being strengthend by the Lord).

Judges Chapter 7  Gideon Defeats the Midianites

    1 Early in the morning, Jerub-Baal (that is, Gideon) and all his men camped at the spring of Harod. The camp of Midian was north of them in the valley near the hill of Moreh. 2 The LORD said to Gideon, "You have too many men for me to deliver Midian into their hands. In order that Israel may not boast against me that her own strength has saved her, 3 announce now to the people, 'Anyone who trembles with fear may turn back and leave Mount Gilead.' " So twenty-two thousand men left, while ten thousand remained.

(The one who fears is not made perfect in love, John 4:18. Out of 32,000 men the LORD eventually finds 300 faithful warriors).

    4 But the LORD said to Gideon, "There are still too many men. Take them down to the water, and I will sift them for you there. If I say, 'This one shall go with you,' he shall go; but if I say, 'This one shall not go with you,' he shall not go."

    5 So Gideon took the men down to the water. There the LORD told him, "Separate those who lap the water with their tongues like a dog from those who kneel down to drink. 6 Three hundred men lapped with their hands to their mouths. All the rest got down on their knees to drink.

    7 The LORD said to Gideon, "With the three hundred men that lapped I will save you and give the Midianites into your hands. Let all the other men go, each to his own place." 8 So Gideon sent the rest of the Israelites to their tents but kept the three hundred, who took over the provisions and trumpets of the others. Now the camp of Midian lay below him in the valley. 9 During that night the LORD said to Gideon, "Get up, go down against the camp, because I am going to give it into your hands. 10 If you are afraid to attack, go down to the camp with your servant Purah 11 and listen to what they are saying. Afterward, you will be encouraged to attack the camp." So he and Purah his servant went down to the outposts of the camp. 12 The Midianites, the Amalekites and all the other eastern peoples had settled in the valley, thick as locusts. Their camels could no more be counted than the sand on the seashore.

    13 Gideon arrived just as a man was telling a friend his dream. "I had a dream," he was saying. "A round loaf of barley bread came tumbling into the Midianite camp. It struck the tent with such force that the tent overturned and collapsed."

    14 His friend responded, "This can be nothing other than the sword of Gideon son of Joash, the Israelite. God has given the Midianites and the whole camp into his hands."

    15 When Gideon heard the dream and its interpretation, he worshiped God. He returned to the camp of Israel and called out, "Get up! The LORD has given the Midianite camp into your hands." 16 Dividing the three hundred men into three companies, he placed trumpets and empty jars in the hands of all of them, with torches inside.

(The foolish virgins whose lamps were going out are empty vessels, Lamentations 4:2, with the light of the LORD hidden inside them, or hidden under a bowl, Luke 11:33.)

Lamentations 4:2,  How the precious sons of Zion, once worth their weight in gold, are now considered as pots of clay, the work of a potter's hands!

Luke 11:33, "No one lights a lamp and puts it in a place where it will be hidden, or under a bowl. Instead he puts it on its stand, so that those who come in may see the light.

    17 "Watch me," he told them. "Follow my lead. When I get to the edge of the camp, do exactly as I do. 18 When I and all who are with me blow our trumpets, then from all around the camp blow yours and shout, 'For the LORD and for Gideon.' "

    19 Gideon and the hundred men with him reached the edge of the camp at the beginning of the middle watch (of the tribulation), just after they had changed the guard. They blew their trumpets and broke the jars that were in their hands (If we repent we become broken vessels for the Lord, Matthew 21:44). 20 The three companies blew the trumpets and smashed the jars. Grasping the torches in their left hands (letting our lamps shine, Jesus in us) and holding in their right hands the trumpets they were to blow, they shouted, "A sword for the LORD and for Gideon!"  21 While each man held his position around the camp, all the Midianites ran, crying out as they fled (If we are faithful and let Jesus shine in us we will be victorious over the enemy).

(Gideon and the three hundred men defeat the enemy by letting their lights shine and blowing their trumpets in the middle watch of the night. The light is lamp of the Lord and the trumpet is the voice of the Lord in Rev 1:9-11. The foolish virgins are told by their master to keep their lamps burning when he returns in the second or third watch, in otherwords let the light of Jesus in them shine and proclaim the word of the Lord, the gospel, to be victorious over the enemy in the night of the tribulation, Rev 12:17.)

Rev 12:17, Then the dragon was enraged at the woman and went off to make war against the rest of her offspring—those who obey God's commandments and hold to the testimony of Jesus.

    22 When the three hundred trumpets sounded, the LORD caused the men throughout the camp to turn on each other with their swords. The army fled to Beth Shittah toward Zererah as far as the border of Abel Meholah near Tabbath. 23 Israelites from Naphtali, Asher and all Manasseh were called out, and they pursued the Midianites. 24 Gideon sent messengers throughout the hill country of Ephraim, saying, "Come down against the Midianites and seize the waters of the Jordan ahead of them as far as Beth Barah."

      So all the men of Ephraim were called out and they took the waters of the Jordan as far as Beth Barah. 25 They also captured two of the Midianite leaders, Oreb and Zeeb. They killed Oreb at the rock of Oreb, and Zeeb at the winepress of Zeeb. They pursued the Midianites and brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon, who was by the Jordan.

The story of Gideon growing in his faith and obedience to the Lord, who takes his torch out of his empty vessel and lets it shine to defeat the enemy in the "middle watch of the night" is a hidden parable, and is almost identical to what Jesus asked the foolish virgins to do in Luke 12:35-38. The foolish virgins (unfaithful saints) whose lamps (the light of Jesus in them) were going out because they were out of oil (not following the Holy Spirit), were told to buy oil (repent and follow the Holy Spirit) so their lamps would be burning bright when their master returns from the wedding banquet in the second or third watch of the night. The "middle watch" is only mentioned once in the Old Testament scriptures in the story of Gideon.

The chart below shows the similar points of the two Parables.

The Parable of Gideon in the Middle Watch

The Parable of the Foolish Virgins in the Second Watch

Israel is handed over to the Midiantes for 7 years because of their sin                          

The foolish virgins miss the banquet and enter the 7 year tribulation                              because their lamps were going out

Gideon's faith grows as he obeys the Spirit of God           

The foolish virgins are told to buy oil, repent and follow the Holy Spirit

Gideon lets his torch shine and blows his trumpet defeating the enemy in the beginning of the middle watch                    

The foolish virgins are told to keep their lamps buring when their master returns in the second or third watch           

Rev 12:17, The Dragon makes war with those who obey God commandments

The next article is the "last watch of the night" when Jabesh-gilead, a city in Israel is surrounded by the enemy for 7 days. On the seventh day Saul comes with and army and defeats the enemy. After the victorious battle Israel accepts Saul as their first king. This is a descriptive prophetic parable of when Jesus will come with his saints and delivers Israel from their enemies in the seventh year of the tribulation. And after the victorious battle Jesus is accepted by Israel for the first time as King of kings.