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Copyright © 2012 J. Neely. All rights reserved.
Chapter 25 - Ten Virgins
Ten Virgins
Matt. 25:1
1 Then [tote] shall the kingdom [basileia] of heaven [ouranos] be likened [homoioo] unto ten [deka] virgins [parthenos] , which [hostis] took [lambano] their [autos] lamps [lampas] , and went forth [exerchomai] to meet [apantesis] [eis] the bridegroom [numphios] . KJV-Interlinear
1 'Then the kingdom of heaven will be comparable to ten virgins, who took their lamps, and went out to meet the bridegroom. NASB
The extreme importance of being prepared for the return of Christ is again taught in this parable of the wedding feast.
In this world there are two types of people, those who are prepared and those who will not be prepared. In the first category, there will be those people who prepare themselves through believing in Christ. By believing in Christ they are prepared for their eventual exit from this life. They are prepared. They will go to heaven when God calls them out of this world.
In the second category are the unbelievers. They are the unprepared. They ignore God, Christ and the truth of their destiny. They are indifferent, or defiant and thus they ignore the truth of life. When God calls them out of the world, they are unprepared and their destiny will be the Lake of Fire.
There are also two categories of believers, the prepared and the unprepared. The first group will be the smallest group. They see the importance of Bible study and spiritual growth. They study daily, learn Gods Word and His expectations, apply these expectations to their daily routine, and grow up spiritually. When God calls them out of this world and stands them in front of Himself for evaluation, they are prepared. Blessings flow to them in abundance. Remember our definition of abundance - receiving more than a person can possibly use in an infinite lifetime. That is a lot.
Those who do not see the importance of a daily study program will leave the world unprepared. They will lose out on the 'extra' blessings and rewards which God has set aside for them. They will see their reward pot being distributed to others (those who were prepared). Recall the Parable of the Ten Minas.
A quick view of the wedding rituals of those days is in order here and will help in understanding the meaning of this parable.
The wedding ceremony had three parts. The first part was the arrangement of the marriage between the bride and groom. Their parents usually made these arrangements. Sometimes it is with the consent and wishes of the bride and groom, sometimes it is made long before they know each other, and therefore they have no say in the matter.
In human history, we can view this as God the Father making arrangements with God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit concerning His Plan for human history. But in this plan God considers all decisions people will make in history. Those who choose for Him (Jesus Christ) will be saved and entered into Gods family. Those who reject God will be excluded from His family, as per their wishes. God respects all our wishes even though they will be detrimental to us.
The second part of the wedding ritual is the betrothal. In this part, the bride and groom exchange their vows, but do not necessarily live together. Typically the groom goes off to make a life and to make ready a home for the couple. They are considered married however. Even if the groom were to die, the bride would be considered a widow, even though the couple had not yet consummated their marriage physically.
The third part of the ritual is the wedding feast. This is the celebration of the return of the groom, whom everyone has been waiting for, to finally collect his bride and take her home. The feast is celebrated for perhaps a week or so. The groom returns to the brides home where there she has been waiting with her bridesmaids, and then the couple and their group enter the feast. At the conclusion of the feast, the couple finally have their time alone together.
Now this ritual has implications relative to the Church Age, but the Church Age is not in view here. Jesus only relates the final part of the ritual, the feast portion, in this parable.
That is the setting and that is where we will resume tomorrow.
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Study to show thyself approved (mature) unto God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing (studying/discerning), the Word of truth.
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