You’ve probably read the words “many are called but few are chosen.”
You, in fact, have a tremendous “calling,” better put, a very special
“INVITATION” directly from God to you---The value of which, is beyond
estimate. You would be foolish to trade one hundred billion dollars for
it! This calling from God to you is more than just receiving “eternal
life,” because God will eventually offer that to all mankind. The
parable of the ten virgins gives us a key to understanding this unique
offer from God, which is only available to some! (Half of the virgins
did not qualify to receive it.) And the return of Christ is the cut-off
point for the offer!
You’ll learn in this booklet exactly who the virgins are and what the
wedding in the parable represents. You will learn why it is vitally
important to be “chosen” to go to this wedding. This article explains
the two biggest mistakes that Christians can make that will disqualify
them from receiving this fantastic offer from God. The foolish virgins
make two common mistakes that cause them to lose out big time. After you
have read this article you will be armed with all the knowledge you need
to avoid losing out and becoming a foolish virgin!
Thankfully, the Bible
gives us the ultimate guide on how to qualify for
the HIGH calling that we are being trained for. Once we understand God’s
full purpose for us, we will never again become discouraged when we see
many disheartening things happening right in the Church of
God----because we’ll understand that God is sorting out the wise from
the foolish! We must let God sort. This process must occur! God’s word
thankfully gives us all the information we need to become a wise virgin!
The starting place is the parable of the ten virgins….
THE PARABLE
In Matthew 25:1-12, the Bible
says the virgins all took their lamps and
went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were wise and five of them
were foolish. Those that were foolish took their lamps alone but they
took no extra oil with them. The wise ones carried extra oil in
containers as well as in their lamps. The bridegroom was unexpectedly
delayed, so they all went to sleep. And at midnight a cry was heard,
“the bridegroom is coming! Go to meet him.”
So they all jumped up and trimmed their lamps, but the foolish said;
give us some of your oil because our lamps are going out! The wise
virgins said, there is not enough for us both; you’ll have to go to
those who sell and buy some for yourself.
While they were gone to buy it, the bridegroom came and those that were
ready went in with him to the wedding and the door was shut. Later, the
other virgins got back and they shouted, “Lord, Lord, open the door for
us!” But they were told, “Assuredly, I do not know you.”
THE “MARRIAGE” COVENANT...
The key to understanding “the wedding”
Obviously, the virgins were not invited to just any old wedding…this was
a spiritual wedding. This wedding had such great importance that when
the five foolish virgins missed their opportunity to go in, they were
absolutely begging, “Lord, Lord, open the door for us!” They had missed
an event of spectacular consequence.
When the Bible
repeats the same word several times, you know that God
wants you to pay attention to that word. He is pointing out something of
importance. The parable of the ten virgins mentions the bridegroom four
times. Who is the bridegroom? That answer is easy. The virgins were all
looking for “His coming,” so the bridegroom obviously is Jesus Christ.
The wise virgins were allowed to go in with Christ to the wedding.
Does your Bible
speak of a spiritual wedding that involves Jesus Christ?
YES! There is just such a wedding called the marriage of the Lamb in
Revelation 19:7. Since Jesus Christ is the “lamb of God,” He is
certainly the bridegroom that the virgins are watching for. Does the
Bible say whom Christ will be marrying? Yes it does. CHRIST IS GOING TO MARRY THE CHURCH…
Ephesians 5:31-32 says, “For this reason a man will leave his father and
mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.
This is a profound mystery-but I am talking about Christ and the
Church.” The ten virgins are the Church of God! They have been “invited”
to become “one flesh” with the God family at the first
resurrection...that is, if they don’t disqualify themselves! The church
of God is engaged to Christ--- unless something happens that breaks that
engagement. When a man gets engaged...he in effect, invites the girl to
come to a wedding, doesn’t he?
Not surprisingly, the word “Church” comes from the Greek word Ekklesia,
meaning, “the called out ones,” or “invited ones.” THE ENGAGED ONES, if
you will!
These virgins of the Church of God have been invited to come to the
wedding of the Lamb. They will not just sit in the audience; they are
without doubt “engaged” to marry Jesus Christ!
CHRIST HAS BEEN MARRIED BEFORE…
THE OLD MARRIAGE COVENANT
It might seem shocking to some that Christ, a member of the God family,
is going to “marry” the Church in the future, but Christ has been
“married” before. As God of the Old Testament, He was long ago married
to unfaithful ancient Israel.
‘Return, O backsliding children,’ says the Lord;
‘for I am married to you’ Jeremiah 3:14
The Covenant that God made with the nation of Israel was actually a
marriage contract. Israel’s part of the marriage covenant was to keep
the Ten Commandments and God’s part was to provide them with national
blessings. They were never promised eternal life for keeping the Ten
Commandments. The blood of animals, which ratified this covenant, was
not powerful enough to do that.
The first commandment in the covenant was a “marital” vow. “You shall
have no other Gods before me.” This vow of fidelity is in fact, the
basis of all marriage contracts. You agree not to have a relationship
with anyone else until death parts you. Israel’s benefit for keeping the
Ten Commandments (the covenant) would have been that God would always
provide for them. He would protect them...take them into the Promised
Land and physically bless them in a multitude of other ways even to a
thousand generations, if only they would be faithful to the marriage
covenant called the Ten Commandments. But they refused. They broke the covenant by adopting false
religion, which was adultery, so God had no choice but to divorce them.
“My covenant ... they broke, though I was a husband to them” (Jeremiah
31:32)
WE MUST BECOME SINLESS…
The Secret of Eternal life and the New Covenant!
Christ has made a NEW MARRIAGE COVENANT with the Church of God. He
spilled His own blood---not the blood of weak animals, to ratify this
new covenant. His sinlessness applied to us at baptism and re-ratified
at every Passover, is what allows us to receive eternal life! Only the
sinless will be resurrected at the first resurrection. Does the fact
that Christ spilled His blood to pay for our sins mean that the law is
done away??? BY NO MEANS…
THIS IS AN IMPORTANT POINT…Christ’s blood only washes away the sin of
those under the covenant with Him!
This is why the foolish virgins are not let through the door into
eternal life. They have been unfaithful to the marriage covenant, better
known as the Ten Commandments! Christ will not “KNOW” anyone who is not
under the covenant with Him.
Christ says to the unconverted in Matthew 7:23, “I never knew you:
depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” (From the Greek word anomia
meaning “transgression of the law”) He is basically saying, if you don’t
keep the commandments, then I DON’T KNOW YOU. We have no covenant
together!
He doesn’t tell the foolish virgins “I never knew you,” He says to them
“I do not know you.” He has known them at one time, but now He informs
the foolish virgins that there is no covenant between He and them ---And
therefore, He is under no obligation to let them through the door into
the wedding of the Lamb. When a girl breaks her engagement, she can’t
still expect to go to the wedding, can she??? Yet, the foolish
virgins expect just that!
The 10 virgins are supposed to be faithful to Christ and to the law.
They should not “know” any other gods. Already, the covenant (Ten
Commandments) should be written in their hearts... Are we not under a
“marriage” covenant with God, when we agree not to have any other gods
beside Him?
This is why all converted people should keep the Ten Commandments. We
make this covenant with Christ at Baptism. (Which we reconfirm every
year at Passover.) OUR PART OF THE MARRIAGE COVENANT IS TO KEEP GOD’S
LAWS…which are not only about being faithful to the true God, but
include being kind to our fellow man.
We renew our sinlessness every year when we partake of the Passover
bread and wine. CHRIST’S PART OF THE NEW COVENANT IS HIS SPILLED
BLOOD AND BROKEN BODY…His body and blood in us makes us sinless, and
His broken body also heals our infirmities. "Who Himself bore our sins
in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live
for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed."
The Bible
says that Christ promised to never leave us or forsake us...so
we know the breaking of the covenant is not with Christ but is solely
with the five foolish virgins. What could the foolish virgins have done
that would have broken their marriage contract with Christ??? The 2nd
and 3rd chapters of Revelation answer this most important question.
A called virgin in the Church of God can break her engagement with
Christ in one of two specific ways. These two mistakes are what divide
the wise from the foolish. If we become trapped in one or both of these
two deadly approaches, we will NOT receive what God has promised us!
HOW A FOOLISH VIRGIN BREAKS UP WITH CHRIST!
1. She loses interest and either quits the faith...or is thinking about
quitting it. She decides that her job, her family or her life in this
world is far more important than this future wedding. She leaves the
faith, so the engagement is off.
2. She remembers her old religion and longs for it. Thus she starts up a
clandestine relationship with a new god. She adopts false religion;
thereby breaking the covenant with Christ--- so the engagement is off.
As we look at the following admonitions to the 7 Churches in Revelation,
we will see that these same two issues seem to be the deal breakers that
God has with these Churches. Some in the 7 Churches are guilty of losing
interest and some are guilty of blatantly adopting false religion! Now
we know why God hates those two things. THEY BREAK THE MARRIAGE
COVENANT! Let’s examine the 7 Churches in Revelation.
THE 7 CHURCHES OF REVELATION
REPRESENT THE 10 VIRGINS
AT THE END TIME
Many have falsely assumed that these “seven Churches” in Revelation, are
historical, but the book of Revelation is not a book of history---BUT A
BOOK OF PROPHECY! The admonitions to the 7 Churches contain great
promises of reward to those who overcome. To overcome is not some
mystical act. Overcoming is keeping the covenant faithfully until your
death, or until the return of Christ, which ever comes first. We
overcome in the same way that Jacob did when he wrestled all night
long... HE WON BY NOT QUITTING-- NO MATTER WHAT.
Revelation, chapters 2 and 3 tells us who has been faithful to this
marriage
covenant and who has not. It appraises the Churches of God right before
the return of Christ...to see who will go in to the wedding and who will
not.
These 7 Churches of Revelation represent the whole Church of God...in
other words, all ten virgins, good and bad at the end time. Some are
going to OVERCOME and go through the door into the kingdom of God to
receive immense reward and to rule the earth with Christ, and sadly,
some are not.
Can we be sure that the words written two thousand years ago to the 7
Churches in Revelation are relevant to the Church of God today? YES! To
Sardis, Christ says, “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.” Christ comes as a thief? Is this not what happens to the ten
virgins???
Christ said to the 7 Churches, “He that hath an ear, let him hear what
the Spirit saith unto the Churches.” He gives them a last chance to
repent before the return of Christ. It is most important for us to pay
attention to the praises and problems of these seven Churches and see
where our own weaknesses are and change if need be, before the door is
shut and it is too
late!
Five of the seven Churches are directly admonished to repent, and most
of them are fighting hard-core satanic infiltration! We can understand
how a Christian might be tempted to break the covenant by becoming tired
of doing well, but let’s look hard at how we can break the covenant by
compromising with false religion. This is dangerous territory and some
of the foolish virgins fall down here.
SATANIC INFILTRATION IN THE CHURCHES
Who are the Gnostics?
A full-blown infiltration of SATANIC RELIGION has been thrown at the
Church for the last 2000 years! It is important to understand this
attack. It is called “Gnosticism.” We know that the early Church fought
against Gnosticism “eye, tooth and toenail.” The Gnostics hated God and
His law.... Gnostics are in fact card-carrying members of the synagogue
of Satan. As we shall see, these 7 Churches in Revelation are struggling
against THE TWO DEADLY COVENANT BUSTERS…losing interest in God and
truth---OR adopting false religion. Satanic religions are all related.
The same satanic false religion of today was prevalent in the Old
Testament. These are some of the names of Satan’s “efforts.”
1. The synagogue of Satan
2. The Nicolaitans
3. The doctrine of Balaam
4. Babylon, Mystery Religion
5. Jezebel, prophetess of Baal
6. The Great Whore of Revelation (Jezebel was a type)
7. The Gnostics (The mystery of Iniquity)
All Satanic religion is based on the covenant busting approach that the
law is oppressive and that it’s done away with. This was the concept of
old Baal worship brought forward. They completely reject the Law, THUS,
THEY HAVE NO COVENANT WITH GOD. Gnosticism instead, falsely teaches that
“grace” gives you a “get out of jail free card,” in other words, you
receive unlimited license to transgress the law. (Licentiousness)
Paul tried to restrain this attack of the “mystery of iniquity,” which
was based on FALSE GRACE, but he failed. Gnosticism had a powerful hold
on the church 2000 years ago, just as it does now. Foolish virgins
easily fall into this trap of Satan because the serpent is
charming---that’s how he fooled Adam and Eve. If you don’t love the
truth, you can be pulled toward false religion. We know why God called
this Gnostic movement “the synagogue of Satan.” They worshipped the
serpent. No joke… The Gnostics believed that the serpent was “the good
one” in the Garden of Eden! They call the serpent in the Garden of Eden
“the positive Genesis serpent.”
They claimed that the serpent was their redeemer and provider of
knowledge. They actually called him “the good lord.” They taught that
the God of the Old Testament was mean and evil and restrictive, but that
Jesus came to do away with the God of the Old Testament and His old law.
Sounds familiar doesn’t it???? The Church at Ephesus had problems but
they certainly hated Gnosticism, as we will see.
Notes on Ephesus …
Losing interest in the covenant...Guilty
Committing spiritual adultery...Not Guilty
(They despise Gnosticism)
1. The Church at Ephesus had worked really hard for God, but when Christ
did not come back when they thought He would, Ephesus was disappointed.
They fully believed that Christ would return in their lifetime and
establish the kingdom of God. When things didn’t work out like they
thought they should have, they began to lose their exuberance and
excitement for the truth. They left their first love.
Those with the attitude of Ephesus could even be called “end time”
Christians. They are excited because the return of Christ is nigh, yet
when things don’t follow their manmade timeline, they are deeply
“disappointed.”
If you have the attitude of Ephesus, rethink your stance. Don’t let
self-imposed disillusionment drag you down. Christ says to them,
“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.” They need to quit
pouting and get busy. God in effect says to them, “Get back in the game,
or I’m taking you all the way out.” God doesn’t like quitters. We can’t
leave our first love for God and the truth, or we will be in trouble.
Ephesus does have one attribute God really praises. They hate the deeds
of the Nicolaitans. Do you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans? Do you
know who the Nicolaitans are? If you don’t know, you risk being guilty
of favoring something that God truly hates! Here’s what 3 reliable Bible
sources say about the Gnostic Nicolaitans.
The International Standard Bible
Encyclopedia
The Nicolaitan controversy “concerned the whole relation of
Christianity to paganism and its usages.”
Adam Clarke’s Commentary
“Nicolaitans mixed
pagan rites with Christian ceremonies.”
Barnes’ Notes on the Nicolaitans
“They seduced Christians to participate in the sacrificial
Feasts of the pagans.”
Just as the ancient Israelites tried to carry their false religion with
them into the Promised Land, some in the Church of God perpetrate this
same shameful act by attempting to carry their old religion with them
into the spiritual Promised Land!
According to Bible scholars, the trick
of the Nicolaitans was to mix paganism into Christianity. The
Nicolaitans at Ephesus were of the Gnostic faith. The early Church had
fought hard against this evil approach, based on compromise with
paganism and their failure to stem the tide is alive and well in all
Catholic and Protestant Churches of today. When these Gnostic Churches
teach that the holiday of Easter, which is named after the pagan goddess
Ishtar,
represents the resurrection of Christ, they have just propagated the
Gnostic approach of amalgamating paganism with Christianity!
The early Church had fought with all their might to withstand this
infiltration of Satan. God said to Ephesus, “I know thy works, and thy
labor, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are
evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not,
and hast found them liars:”
There is no doubt that Ephesus fought false religion with all their
might...but what do we see today? You are probably aware of a modern
large Church of God organization once faithful to God that has fallen
for this scheme of Satan and has returned to the Gnostic approach. They
keep Christmas and Easter and Sunday! They have become card-carrying
members of the “First Gnostic Church of the Nicolaitans! You might even
hear “supposedly” Church of God ministers using phrases, which refer to
“converted Sunday keepers,” or "non-Sabbath keeping converted people"
saying, “I recommend that you visit your local Sunday Church for
fellowship.”
These ministers and churches are Nicolaitan in their approach. According
to these misled folks, God smiles on you for keeping pagan holidays
because you will be “closer to your family,” as if that were a high
priority with Christ! (A man’s foes will be those of his own household.
Matthew 10:36-38)
They may truly feel that a “proper” Christian attitude involves kindness
and tolerance toward false religion and paganism, even incorporating
certain aspects of it, such as giving out Christmas baskets to the
needy, etc…God surely wants us to do “Christian” acts, they might say to
themselves, but they leave one most important factor out. GOD SAYS THAT
HE HATES THE
PRACTICES OF THE NICOLAITANS.
NOTES ON SMYRNA
Losing interest in the covenant...Not Guilty
Committing spiritual adultery...Not Guilty
(But, the Gnostic synagogue of Satan has a home in this Church.)
Smyrna doesn’t fall for paganism, nor do they lose their interest in
following God, but they have a big problem. They have the synagogue of
Satan busily working within the organization so to speak. What is the
synagogue of Satan? They are people who claim to be converted or
“spiritual Jews.”
Have you ever heard the term “mole?” That’s what they are. For all
practical purposes, they look like a converted person, they act like a
converted person and they may know more truth than most, and they may
even give eloquent and moving sermons, but behind the scenes, they have
a different spiritual boss than you do and they take their marching
orders from him. Their goal is to subtly lead you away from God and away
from the truth, even if it takes them years to do it.
They always work from within the organization. Remember this for your
own protection…just because someone goes to Church, or preaches a “good
sermon” doesn’t mean they are converted. You probably know who the
synagogue of Satan folks are; they are easy to spot, because they are
the ones who would like to lead you away from the faith once delivered
to the saints, and even though they are “card carrying” members of the
Church of God, their real boss is Satan.
NOTES ON PERGAMOS
Losing interest in the covenant...Not Guilty
Committing spiritual adultery...Possibly Guilty?
(In this Church, they tolerate the Gnostic approach of mixing paganism
with truth...)
In Pergamos, they have a serious problem. They allow people to be there
who hold the doctrine of Balaam, which God said was the same thing
as
the doctrine of the Nicolaitans. “But I have a few things against you,
because you have there those who hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught
Balak to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat
things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality. Thus you
also have those who hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I
hate. (Revelation 2:13-15)
In a work called Revelation, by George Eldon Ladd, we learn more about
Balaam. We have to ask ourselves, what did Balaam do that caused God to
use him for an example to the Church at Pergamos?
Ladd writes: “Balak, king of Moab, threatened by the Israelites, had
invited the prophet Balaam to curse them. Balaam had been restrained by
God and to Balak's disgust had blessed rather than cursed. Subsequent to
this, however, Israel had let herself become involved in harlotry and in
the idolatrous worship of Baal of Peor and this sin was attributed to
the advice of Balaam.”
Ladd’s final statement on the subject is enlightening when he says,
“…Balaam is a prototype of those who promote compromise with paganism in
idolatry and immorality."
Balaam taught Israel to curse itself by
breaking the law...by breaking the marriage covenant to God. Worshipping
Baal of Peor was a deal breaker. God did not know them as His people
anymore and they were not allowed to go into the Promised Land. This
Gnostic approach of mixing paganism with truth is very dangerous, it
could block a person from being allowed to enter the SPIRITUAL PROMISED LAND called the
Kingdom of God. The worst sin in Pergamos is that they tolerate those
who hold the doctrine of Balaam. They mistakenly believe that it is the
“Christian” thing to do. They turned a blind eye to false religion right
in the Church.
If you make this mistake, you have the attitude of Pergamos. Just
remember that Christ will not tolerate anyone who aides, abets or favors
the satanic Babylonic Mystery religion in any way. Being part of the
Babylon mystery religion is spiritual adultery. Revelation admonishes
God’s people strongly to come out of Babylon, that they receive not her
plagues...
NOTES ON THYATIRA
Losing interest in the covenant...Not Guilty (Not mentioned by God)
Committing spiritual adultery...Guilty
(Allows Gnosticism to run rampant in the Church.)
In Thyatira, there is not just a spirit of “tolerance” for the false
Babylonic mystery religion, but this false religion now runs rampant in
the Church. “Nevertheless I have a few things against you, because you
allow that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, to teach and
seduce my servants to commit sexual immorality and eat things sacrificed
to idols.”
In Thyatira, the whole Church is absolutely seduced by false religion.
Why does God use the example of Jezebel to Thyatira? If you remember,
Jezebel in the Old Testament was the powerful patroness of the prophets
of Baal. She was a prophetess of Baal herself. (Revelation 2:20) When
Elijah had the confrontation with the prophets of Baal and killed them,
Jezebel, who was a forerunner of the great whore of Revelation put a
price on Elijah the priest’s head, and made him flee for his life! But
she didn’t touch him. God made a way of escape for him.
If we look at the modern Churches of God today, we see a powerful
influence for true Christians to jump in bed with Jezebel. Like the
Church at Thyatira, are you committing spiritual fornication by messing
around with false religion? God will not tolerate those who knowingly
break the marriage covenant and go back to the religions of this world.
There is a constant influence, which tries to infiltrate the Church with
pagan doctrines and holidays even today. Wise virgins will not fall for
it.
NOTES ON SARDIS
Losing interest in the covenant...Guilty
Committing spiritual adultery...Not Guilty
(No mention of Gnosticism in the Church.)
The Church at Sardis is just plain dead, spiritually dead. They just
don’t care anymore. God said to Sardis, "I know your works, that you
have a name that you are alive, but you are dead. Be watchful, and
strengthen the things which remain that are ready to die.” Christians
with the attitude of Sardis have let everything slip that they ever
knew. They are hanging on spiritually by a thread. Those of this
approach have a name that they are spiritually alive but are really
spiritually dead. If you are like Sardis and you don’t give a flip, and
you don’t do anything that God has commanded you, repent by remembering
how you were when you first came in the Church and be like that again.
It’s your only hope. You don’t want Christ to “come on you as a thief”
and lose your reward!
NOTES ON PHILADELPHIA
Losing interest in the covenant...Not Guilty
Committing spiritual adultery...Not Guilty themselves
(The Gnostic synagogue of Satan is here in this Church...but possibly
they don’t recognize them as such....)
Even in Philadelphia, we see the synagogue of Satan rearing its ugly
head. But God tells them something good, “Because thou hast kept the
word of my patience I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation,
which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the
earth.”
He gives them a hard warning about following men in verse eleven,
“Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man
take thy crown.” They are vulnerable to following a man. If they pass
the test, they have a crown coming…and a King wears a crown! Again, we
see a reference to rulership. Are you like Philadelphia, do you have to
deal with the synagogue of Satan, which from the midst of the Church,
tries hard to lead you away from the truth you’ve been taught? Could a
man take your crown?
Christ promises those that overcome in the Church in Philadelphia that
they will have the name of God written on them. They will be Gods, if
they overcome. “Revelation 3:12 says, “Him that overcometh will I make a
pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will
write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God,
which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and
I will write upon him my new name.”
NOTES ON LAODICEA
Losing interest in the covenant...Guilty
Committing spiritual adultery...Guilty, they worship themselves
(No mention of Gnosticism in the Church.)
The Laodicean has riches of truth and blessings of physical wealth, but
it promotes an attitude of spiritual arrogance and lukewarm complacency.
Those that used to drive 150 miles to go to Church to hear the truth,
can’t be bothered to drive around the block now. This is the lukewarm
Laodicean. This much we know, all the virgins are asleep right before
the end. There are two things that make us spiritually sleepy. The
virgins like Ephesus go to sleep, because they labor hard for God, and
they are tired. But the virgins in Laodicea sleep, not because they have
worked so hard for God, but because they are so comfortable, so warm, so
self-satiated and so full of themselves!
The Laodicean is terribly self-righteous, yet, they are neither hot nor
cold spiritually…they are lukewarm. Christ told them, “So then because
thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my
mouth.” If we are not careful, and get too proud and lukewarm, we might
just make God throw up! We don’t want Him to spue us out of His mouth!
Like Laodicea, are you sickeningly proud? Are you self-righteous and
lukewarm to boot? Laodiceans are so self-righteous that they don’t even
see that they need to let God back into their Church. God is standing on
the outside because He says to them in Revelation 3:20, “I stand at the
door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will
come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.” Christ makes a
strong admonition to proud Laodicea to buy white raiment so that they
may be clothed and the shame of their nakedness does not appear.
(Revelation 3:18) Why is this significant?
Laodiceans who do not repent may miss their opportunity for the first
resurrection and come up naked with the “rest of the dead” in the
massive resurrection at the end of the millennium called the “Great
White Throne judgment.” THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS TO THE FOOLISH VIRGINS.
THEY ARE REFUSED ACCESS TO THE DOOR INTO THE FIRST RESURRECTION!
THE FIRST RESURRECTION
MUCH MORE THAN ETERNAL LIFE…
There is a fantastic reward to all the wise virgins who remain faithful
to Jesus Christ and “endure to the end!” There is a reward to all the
wise virgins who like Abraham believe God and do what He says. Those who
are faithful until the wedding will co-rule the earth with Christ. 1
Corinthians 6:2 says, “Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the
world?” The Old Testament confirms this promised rulership in Daniel
7:27. “And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom
under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of
the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all
dominions shall serve and obey Him.”
The saints are commandment keepers! “Here is the patience of the saints:
here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of
Jesus.” Revelation 14:12
Just as the Bible
uses many names to describe Satan’s efforts and co-horts,
it uses many terms to describe a “saint.”
1. The very elect
2. The Church of the firstborn
3. Those that overcome
4. The first fruits
5. The chosen
6. The wise virgins
7. The Bride of the Lamb
8. Zion
9. Those under the new covenant (law is written in their hearts.)
Jude 14 explains why the parable of the ten virgins says “the bridegroom
cometh! “Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints…”
Obviously the phrase, “the bridegroom cometh” is speaking of the return
of Christ. ONLY THE FAITHFUL AND CONVERTED SAINTS ARE RESURRECTED AT THE
RETURN OF CHRIST. Only they go through the door into the spirit realm to
the marriage of the Lamb.
The lesson of the ten virgins is all about who is a saint and who is
not! It’s all about who keeps the commandments, and who does not. It’s
about who is under the marriage covenant and who is not. The foolish
virgins realize they have missed something of inestimable value and they
wish they could go through the door.
THE ANALOGY OF THE DOOR
The analogy of the door in the parable is interesting. A door is simply
a “portal” and in this case it is a portal into the permanent spirit
realm. This is what the foolish virgins miss going through. There is
another dimension that our physical eyes cannot see and our physical
ears cannot hear----BUT IT IS THE REAL WORLD.
It is the spirit realm where God and Jesus Christ live with thousands of
angels. Our temporary world will be folded up and put away some day. Our
physical bodies are a temporary dwelling which the Bible
calls a
TABERNACLE... a tent.
How do we get into this real world where God lives??? There is a “DOOR”
into the spirit realm listed in Revelation 20:4.
This portal or door in
the parable is the first resurrection. Speaking of the saints, the Bible says, “They came to life and reigned with Christ a thousand years.” We,
like Abraham, are only sojourners in this temporary world, tabernacling
here for a little while, but our future is to rule with Christ. Hebrews
11:9-10 says of Abraham, “By faith he sojourned in the land of promise,
as in a strange (foreign) country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac
and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: Verse 10 says, “For
he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is
God.” There is a permanent city and home ahead of us called the New
Jerusalem. The promise of rulership is ONLY made to the bride of the
Lamb. You are heir of the promises that Abraham looked forward to.
Jesus Christ is going to “marry” all the commandment keeping saints,
which includes Abel, Abraham, King David, Jeremiah, all the prophets,
the apostles, etc. AND the faithful members of the Church of God... He
will gather us all together at His return and a thousand years later; we
will live with Him in that amazing city of New Jerusalem. We will live
right in the capitol city of the government of God, with an office far
higher than any President has now, if we overcome. High offices in God’s
kingdom will be that of priest or king.
“Blessed and holy are those who have part in the first resurrection. The
second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and
of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years.” Revelation 20:6
WHAT HAPPENS TO THE FOOLISH VIRGINS?
The next resurrection will come during the Great White Throne judgment,
and it is different from the first resurrection. It is not an automatic
resurrection to eternal life. This resurrection involves coming up as
flesh and blood. This is the largest resurrection. You remember Christ
speaking of the Queen of Sheba coming up in “the judgment???” The Great
White Throne judgment is what he was describing.
All the “rest of the
dead” small and great will rise up in this judgment to be evaluated on
the things written in the book (the Bible). At the end of the
evaluation, the book of life is opened for them and there is a chance
for them to go through the last chance “door” into eternal life. Since,
the saints are the ones clothed with “white raiment,” we can safely
assume that the rest of the dead come up naked! Remember God’s warning
to Laodicea to buy white raiment that the shame of their nakedness does
not appear. He is threatening them that if they don’t straighten up
their act, they will come up naked at the Great White Throne judgment.
For some, coming up in this last huge resurrection will be their first
chance for salvation, for the foolish virgins, it is their second
chance. Much to the dismay of many, God is merciful and He gives second
chances. This is what the second Passover is about. Even those who miss
the first door into the spirit world for whatever reason, will have
another chance, they will have a “second Passover.” Almost everyone will
eventually be in the kingdom of God. Only those who are evil incarnate
with the very character of Satan stamped on their personalities will
want to defy God to the end and be burned up in the lake of fire!
So as you see, we will all have to go through one of these two doors or
resurrections into the spirit world at some point---or we will cease to
exist forever. Our physical bodies are not meant for permanence. The
earth is going to be destroyed to prepare the way for the new heavens
and the new earth. Anything that is not spirit at that time, will be
burned up----in essence, everything that is physical at the formation of
the new heavens and earth will be thrown into “outer darkness...” in
other words, NON-EXISTENCE. This non-existence is called the second
death in four scriptures! (Revelation 2:11, Revelation 20:6, Revelation
20:14, and Revelation 21:8)
Hopefully, the foolish virgins will wise up and go on to qualify for
eternal life. Even if they do, they will never live in New Jerusalem
right with God and they won’t rule with Christ. These promises belong
only to the bride of Christ, to the firstborn in God‘s plan of
salvation.
HEBREWS…. THE BOOK OF THE FIRSTBORN
The book of Hebrews should have been called the “book of the firstborn”
or the book of the saints because that’s the real subject of the book!
It is about the race for the spiritual Promised Land, the race for the
spiritual birthright, about being the bride of Christ.
If you are “called,” your judgment is not some far off thing. It is on
you right now. Paul said to the Corinthians, “I tell you, now is the
time of God's favor, now is the day of salvation.” Peter 4:17 says, “For
the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God.” The ten
virgins--the house of God--are being EVALUATED right now to see who will
go through the portal or door into the spirit realm at the return of
Christ. It truly is a “race” of sorts, since many are contending for it,
and only a few will be chosen to be the firstborn...
God is offering those called for the first resurrection the spiritual
birthright!” It is a better inheritance. The Church of God is the womb
that contains the firstborn children of God. Hebrews 12:22-23 says, “but
ye are come unto mount Zion, unto the city of the living God, the
heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, to the
general assembly and Church of the firstborn…”
Hebrews chapter 9 confirms that we will indeed belong to a spiritual
priesthood. The book of Hebrews is written solely for the benefit of
those who are qualifying to be ETERNAL PRIESTS in the coming government
of God. This priesthood is conferred on us at the first resurrection.
This is a high spiritual office. Melchizedek was Jesus Christ, HIGH
PRIEST OF GOD. He is not some dead Canaanite...read the description in
Hebrews 7:1-3 “...Without father or mother, without genealogy, without
beginning of days or end of life.” THIS IS YOUR CALLING...you will be a
priest AFTER THE ETERNAL ORDER OF MELCHIZEDEK. Revelation 20:6 says,
“they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him for a
thousand years!”
The book of Hebrews is all about YOUR “HIGH CALLING.” You will be seated
in the upper echelons of the literal Kingdom of God! We will be higher
in office than any congressman or senator. The men and women listed as
the faithful in the book of Hebrews have gone on to perfection
(completion) and they have already qualified for this office...yet they
have not received the promises. They are waiting for you to qualify and
join them! Abraham has already qualified and is called the father of the
faithful; yet, he still hasn’t received the promises. He waits for you!
Biblical analogies explain the connection we will have with God! We will
be priests. Don’t priests dwell right in the temple serving God in close
proximity. We will be the bride??? Don’t brides move into the house with
their new husband, and receive all that He has. We will be the
firstborn?? Don't the firstborn in God’s plan receive the best
inheritance?
The book of Hebrews not only gives us examples of those who
acted wisely, it also gives examples of those who have acted foolishly
and failed.
We already know that TWO THINGS can KILL US SPIRITUALLY!
These two mistakes break the covenant with Christ. It is no
surprise that the book of Hebrews illustrates these same two examples of
SPIRITUAL FOOLISHNESS------losing interest (ESAU) and committing
spiritual adultery. (ANCIENT ISRAEL) The book of Hebrews
tells us of those who have qualified to rule in the coming Kingdom of
God, it also outlines 2 perfect examples of those who didn't
qualify.
1. ESAU LOST INTEREST IN WHAT GOD OFFERED HIM.
2. ANCIENT ISRAEL COMMITTED ADULTERY…THEY WERE NOT FAITHFUL TO GOD.
Esau lost interest in his birthright.... he just didn’t care about his
inheritance…. he sold his birthright for a bowl of beans. Like the
foolish virgins, he didn’t actually value his birthright until it was
too late. He greatly regretted losing his birthright later, and cried
bitterly but to no avail. All the knocking on the door of a foolish
virgin is futile once the door is closed to them. By lack of interest in
Gods covenant, he lost big time…a foolish mistake indeed.
Hebrews also reminds us of ancient Israel’s failure with God, and how
they broke the covenant by adopting false religion. Because of
disobedience (and adultery with pagan religion) they were not allowed to
go into the Promised Land, which was a type of the Kingdom of God. There
is a cogent example here for the Church of God! The ancient Israelites
tried to carry their idolatrous false religion with them into the
Promised Land, and foolish virgins in the Church of God sometimes make
the same mistake of trying to carry their old religion with them into
the Kingdom of God too! By the droves, foolish virgins for the last two
thousand years have defected into false religion.
When it is all said and done, the book of Hebrews, which is written to
the first born, admonishes us to “lay aside every weight, and the sin
which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race
that is set before us.” The race is to get to that wedding!
YOUR REWARD FOR KEEPING THE MARRIAGE COVENANT WITH GOD!
The race is to be in that future city of the saints! “…Come hither, I
will shew thee the bride, the Lamb's wife. And he carried me away in the
spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the
holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God.”
When we marry Christ, we will do 2 things. We will take on His family
name of God and we will “move into His house” to live with him. The
converted members of the Church of God will have THE NAME OF THE GOD
FAMILY WRITTEN ON THEM AT THE MARRIAGE OF THE LAMB! The foolish virgins
will be in agony when they see what they have missed and all because
they got lost interest in obeying God, or decided they liked their old
religion better!
No fleshly human can look directly at God’s face, because it would
instantly melt his or her skin off! But, Revelation 22:3-5 says of the
bride, “they will see His face, and his name will be on their
foreheads.” Those who make it for the first resurrection will be able to
look on the face of God in His spirit form…because they will be spirit
beings too. The bride of the Lamb will have the same spirit form that
God has. She will be joined to the God family in a marriage covenant
that will last forever.... The God family is a ruling monarchy. We will
be kings and priests.
God has an office waiting for you if you qualify... Christ also
confirmed that there are many mansions (offices) in His Father’s house,
yet many of those offices of rulership are already filled. The whole
book of Hebrews is about those who have already qualified for these
offices of rulership in the coming Kingdom of God.
The mother of James and John came to Christ and asked that her two sons
might be able to sit on the right hand and the left hand of Christ in
His kingdom. He didn’t say, Lady you’re crazy! There isn’t going to be a
literal kingdom. Rather, He told her in no uncertain terms that,” to sit
on my right hand, and on my left, is not mine to give, but it shall be
given to them for whom it is prepared of my Father.” (Matthew 20:23)
David trained all his life to learn to be a good king. It is this
preparation by God that will make him a perfect king in the future
kingdom of God as prophesied in Ezekiel 37:34. Christ trained His 12
disciples for offices in His kingdom. They are already chosen to rule
the 12 tribes of Israel at the return of Christ! Matthew 19:28
These offices of rulership have already been “given to them for whom it
is prepared of my Father.” Thankfully, for us, there are many more
offices to be filled. Remember the parable about the faithful servants
being given cities to rule in Luke 19:17? YOU ARE BEING TRAINED FOR ONE
OF THESE OFFICES. Strive to obey God, hang on the faith once delivered
to the saints, endure to the end and you can be a wise virgin by
gathering lots of oil (God’s Holy Spirit) into extra containers.
How did the wise virgins buy their extra oil?
THE ANSWER ON HOW TO GET MORE OF GODS SPIRIT!
The Bible
says that God gives His Spirit (oil) to those who obey Him.
The more you obey God, the more of His Holy Spirit you will acquire.
Wise virgins do not consider the law restrictive and evil like the
Gnostic, they want to keep the law. This is how the wise “bought” their
oil. Wise virgins don’t wander far from the truth they’ve been taught.
They still keep the faith that was once delivered to the saints. Wise
virgins don’t fall for false religion and they label it as being from
Satan. Wise virgins fully obey God’s laws and precepts and they receive
more of God’s Holy Spirit accordingly, every time they do. They are not
lazy; they apply the things they understand to their lives. The wise
virgins are fully prepared Christians who are even ready to go through
the door into the kingdom right NOW if necessary, were the bridegroom to
suddenly appear.
The wise virgins have followed the admonition of Christ, “Be ye
therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think
not.” Don’t wait until the last minute to prepare to enter the kingdom
of God. The end may be sooner than you think. The scripture above could
be speaking of the end time or it could even be speaking of your own
death.
The Bible
says in Ecclesiastes 5 that the living know they will die, but
“the dead know nothing.” According to your Bible, you will not be aware
of the time you are dead, even if it is a thousand years. So when you
close your eyes in death, seemingly, to you, in just the twinkle of an
eye, you will be resurrected! We never know when we will die, that is
why at our own death, the “son of man cometh at an hour when ye think
not.”
Also, world events could escalate fast and unexpectedly. The cry could
go out that the bridegroom cometh at any time. We need to be wise and
ready if the end of this age should arise in our lifetime. The Bible
says, “He that endures to the end will be saved.” The wise virgins don’t
pack their bags and go home. They don’t quit. They learn and apply
Christian principles to their lives as long as they live. They obey
God’s commands and God gives them His Holy Spirit.
As stated earlier, keeping the law is the only currency that will “buy”
you extra oil for your spiritual lamps.
Having extra of God’s Spirit is the secret to preparing for the end
time, which will be a time like no other in history. Even the Holocaust
of World War II was a cakewalk compared to what is coming; yet, we
should take no anxious thought. As Christ said, “sufficient unto the day
is the evil thereof.” Preparation for the end does not involve worrying
about it. The secret to making it through is having God’s Holy Spirit,
the comforter, which is given to those who obey God. The foolish virgins
didn’t have enough oil because they hadn’t obeyed God, as they should
have.
If you have enough of God’s Holy Spirit, you will make it through, no
matter what comes your way. On the other hand, if you are depending on
carnality to carry you through, you are in big trouble. In Matthew
7:24-27, Christ told a parable about two men, one built his house on a
rock and the other built his house on sand. The human body without water
is basically dust or sand. The point is, if we rely on our own human
abilities, our house will fall. Only those who have God’s active
involvement in their lives will be able to stand when the howling wind
and storms of life come.
If your life is connected to the most powerful being in the universe,
and He knows you (recognizes His Spirit in you) your house will still be
fine. It will stand no matter what comes. We must keep the Saturday Sabbath,
which is the "sign" or "mark" of the covenant with the same God who
created all things.
In the end time, Satan will try to enforce worldwide observance of
Sunday, and those that don’t comply will face horrible consequences.
This is the sign or "mark" of the Beast. Bowing down and keeping Sunday
which breaks the covenant with God, shows
alliance with Satan. The Saturday Sabbath is part of the marriage
covenant agreement. It is the most important identifying sign or “mark” that you are
connected to the true God.
If the Sabbath is God's marked day, then the “mark of the beast” is Sunday. That is Satan’s day of worship...The
sign of the covenant with Satan. God never authorized SUN-day for
worship. Sunday was the day of worship of Baal who pulled Israel away
from the covenant God made with them. God said, “I gave them my
Sabbaths, to be a sign between me and them, that they might know that I
am the LORD that sanctifies them.” Ezekiel 20:12 God’s day of worship
has always been the seventh day Sabbath.
In the end time, the false Pagan Babylonic religious system HEADED BY
SATAN is going to try to make every one kneel before it and keep Sunday.
If you already admire Sunday and occasionally go to Church on that day,
how will you be able to withstand the mark of the beast and the coming
satanic onslaught?
And if the Ministry of the church organization that you belong to has
already begun to make Nicolaitan compromises---then be assured that your
organization is on it’s way to APOSTASY, case in point, the modern day
WWCG. Just take note of how fast they became a fully apostate church.
When a church becomes apostate, it’s affiliation is with the Babylonic
Mystery religion. Don’t be naive, it can happen to you too. Revelation
18:4, says, “And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of
her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye
receive not of her plagues.”
We must evaluate whether the Church organization we belong to and their
Ministry has been infiltrated with the Gnostic “Nicolaitan” approach of
compromising with paganism and false doctrine…because only the wise
virgins will enter through the doors into the kingdom. Prepare yourself
now, before the door is shut… ARE YOU READY FOR THE RETURN OF CHRIST?