HOW WE ARE TO LIVE UNTIL OUR LORD RETURNS

08-03-14 

This message may be viewed live streaming video at www.tabernacleofmoses.org commencing today Sunday at 11:00am, and repeated 24/7 for one week; thereafter, the audio and notes without video are archived.

EVERY PERSON IS RESPONSIBLE FOR HIS OR HER OWN SPIRITUAL CONDITION

(Mat 25:1)  Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. Mat 25:2  And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. Mat 25:3  They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: Mat 25:4  But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. Mat 25:5  While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. Mat 25:6  And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. Mat 25:7  Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. Mat 25:8  And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out. Mat 25:9  But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. Mat 25:10  And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut. Mat 25:11  Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. Mat 25:12  But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not. Mat 25:13  Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.

(Mat 25:1)  Then [concluding the Great Tribulation (the fifth seal) and commencing His Second Coming (the sixth seal)] shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.

1.       Commentary: The “virgins” are those converts who are “not defiled with women (fig. false doctrines)” and “follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth” (Rev 14:1). In the context of this parable, the number “ten” represents the minimum number of men necessary to form a Jewish synagogue, and thus by extension herein, a congregation of all believers.

2.       lamp = Gk: light, torch /// to beam, radiate brilliancy: - give light, shine.

3.       (Mat 5:14)  Ye are the light of the world. A city [congregation] that is set on an hill cannot be hid.

4.       (Psa 119:105)  NUN. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.

5.       Commentary: The lamps that the ten virgins are holding are holy Bibles from which “all light” is generated.

6.       Commentary: The precise item that we are becoming, that we are being continuously “transformed” into (Rom 12:2), humbly appears before us in thin paper sheets as the physical logos Bible. But upon our inevitable demise or translation and that in the twinkling of an eye, we shall all be spiritually changed, transformed into the walking, talking rhema Word of God, just like Jesus Christ:

7.       (John 1:14)  And the Word [of God] was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

8.       Commentary: “the bridegroom” = In the Jewish culture, a couple were engaged (equally as binding as the marriage ceremony) for perhaps up to a year before the actual marriage ceremony and consummation thereof. On the wedding day, the bridegroom went to the bride’s house for the ceremony and thereafter returned with his bride in a great processional to the groom’s house for a feast with invited guests (hopefully, you and I) often lasting a week.

(Mat 25:2-5)  And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. They that were foolish took their lamps [Bibles], and took no oil with them: But the wise took oil [prepared for the future] in their vessels with their lamps. While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered [Gk: to nod] and slept [thus none were perfectly “vigilant” as exemplified by “while men slept” in the parable of the tares (Mat 13:25), and the disciples found asleep three times in the garden of Gethsemane (Mat 26:36-46)].

1.       wise = Gk: thoughtful /// to rein in or curb (the mind).

2.       foolish = Gk: dull or stupid, heedless, blockhead, absurd.

3.       (Mat 13:5,6)  Some [“The seed is the word of God” Luke 8:11] fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness [Gk: profundity: deepness, deep things, no depth /// profound (as going down) deep] of earth: And when the sun was up [i.e., when the bridegroom cometh], they were scorched [Gk: burned]; and because they had no root [“I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star. Rev 22:16], they withered away [Gk: desiccated; shriveled: dried up].

4.       Commentary: The foolish “took no oil with them” = and they consequently “dried up.” Oil is a liquid symbol of the Holy Spirit. Thus these foolish persons (professing Christians) had a Bible but took no thought of the future. They lived out their shallow lives in the present and took no deeper thought of the prophetic future, no thoughts of the Holy Spirit upon which to further meditate, to further ruminate. They did not “chew the cud” (Lev 11:4; Deut 14:7) and hence were “unclean” creatures, and they lived exactly like animals who live only in the present, satisfying gratifying their earthly needs [not knowing “that they themselves are beasts” Eccl 3:18].

5.       (1Pe 5:8)  Be sober [be “of a sound mind” 2 Tim 1:7; not drunk nor intoxicated], be vigilant [Gk: keep awake, watch]; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about [Gk: to tread all around], seeking whom he may devour [Gk: gulp entire: swallow up]:

(Mat 25:6-10)  And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed [attempted to put in order] their lamps [i.e., themselves]. And the foolish said [foolishly and without understanding] unto the wise, Give us of your oil [your illumination]; for our lamps are gone out [for lack of thoughtful provision they were effectively blinded and could not see (understand) the great glory that lay before them]. But the wise answered [the foolish request in terms the foolish could understand], saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell [God’s salesmen = apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers: Eph 4:11], and buy [exchange, trade, your time (a sacrifice) for “illumination”] for yourselves. And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready [“prepared as a bride adorned for her husband” Rev 21:2] went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut [“and the LORD shut him (Noah) in” Gen 7:16; “the two angels pulled Lot into the house to them and “shut to the door” Gen 19:10].

1.       Commentary: “midnight” = is midway between sunset (6pm) and sunrise (6am) and thus is conceptually the darkest time, the zenith of the night (i.e., the time of the least amount of light). The darkness of midnight is also when the figurative point at which the Great Tribulation of the fifth seal will have increased to the zenith of its terrible destructive power, and then The Lord Jesus Christ will return with the light of life. The fifth seal (extended increasing darkness) will end with the beginning of the sixth seal (extended increasing light).

(Mat 25:11-13)  Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not. Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.

2.       (Mat 7:21-23)  Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity [Gk: lawlessness: wickedness].

3.       (Luk 6:46)  And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?

4.       (Luke 13:23-28)  Then said one unto him, Lord, are there few that be saved? And he said unto them, Strive [Gk: struggle: fight] to enter in at the strait gate [Gk: narrow (from obstacles standing close about)]: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are: Then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets. But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out.

Amen