Matthew 24 is one of the most read chapters in the Bible. I've had this old Bible of mine since I first came into the Church almost fifty years ago now. At one time it had gold-leaf on the outside. And you could look where Matthew 24 was, right in there and all the gold-leaf was just worn off. In fact, it's to the point now where all of it's worn off. But when we first came into the Church Matthew 24 was a huge focus because it gave us a timeline for the end.
I think we all know that men have put in the verses, divided the Bible into verses and into chapters. The fact is that Christ's message in Matthew 24 doesn't stop with Matthew 24. It continues on in Matthew 25. He's talking about the very same subject. And Christ's message begins in Matthew 25 with the Parable of the Ten Virgins, after all the information that we glean out of Matthew 24.
So, let's turn there by way of introduction and if you have a ribbon or a marker in your Bible, you might want to put it in Matthew 25 because we'll be coming back there as we go through. So, let's read the first two verses of Matthew 25. Christ said:
Matthew 25:1. Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, (KJV)
He's saying, "This is what getting into the Kingdom is going to be about. And I'm drawing you an analogy with ten virgins." He says, "These ten virgins, they:
Matthew 25:1b. … took their lamps, [they] went forth to meet the bridegroom. (KJV)
Which is obviously Jesus Christ, He's referring to Himself. Verse 2:
Matthew 25:2. And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. (KJV)
Now let's understand: They were all virgins. That's important to understand if we're going to understand this parable.
The definition of a virgin is one who has not had sexual intercourse. And that can either be male or female. Another definition of virgin is to be pure or untouched. And, of course, that is the relevant definition for Matthew 25, this parable.
So in this context, none of them, none of the ten had illicit spiritual or physical relations with Satan and the world that Satan has deceived. So, this parable is not talking about converted versus unconverted. Sometimes we make the mistake of viewing this parable in that way. Christ here is talking about Brethren in the Church—all ten in the Church. He's talking about Brethren in the Church.
Therefore, it brings up a very large question. It should in our minds. And that's the subject of the sermon today. What Does It Mean to Be a Wise Virgin? Because He said some were wise, some were foolish. Well, obviously, we would want to know what a wise virgin is so that we can emulate that and become one.
Now, let's go on from there. The first point we want to make is:
So, how does the Bible define the word "wise" as Christ used it here? Now the Greek is Strong's #5429. It's the Greek word phronimos (fron'-ee-mos) and it means thoughtful, discerning, or discreet. And discreet in the Greek word implies "a cautious character," someone who is thoughtful, cautious, discerning.
Zodhiates says the word means this: "To think, to be prudent, to be sensible." Prudent sensible and to think, meaning to think before you jump or think before you leap.
Now, the Greek word for foolish in contrast to this is Strong's #3474. And it is the Greek word moros (mo-ros') and we derive the English word from that "morose" or we derive the word "moron" in English from this Greek word moros. And it means to be dull or stupid in a heedless way, stupid in a heedless way or—and this is a funny definition in Strong's—Strong's says it means to be a "moral blockhead." Blockhead is somebody who doesn't have a lot of sense and to have not a lot of sense morally—ethically and morally.
Zodhiates says it means "to be silly, stupid, foolish or morally worthless." Going on, he says: "It is a more serious reproach than raca." Remember Christ said in Matthew 5:22 if you call somebody raca that you would be in danger of the council, the Sanhedrin? So, what Zodhiates says is this Greek word means a stronger condemnation than even raca. He goes on to say, "Raca scorns a man by calling him stupid; whereas moros scorns him concerning his heart and his character."
Christ is saying that five of them were foolish in character, foolish in their heart—motives, intentions and so on.
Clarke's Commentary says this word means "He who sees not what is proper or necessary." He doesn't look ahead to see what is proper or necessary. We would say today—you've heard the term, "Ready, aim, fire."—Well, the foolish would be "Ready, fire, aim." They would shoot before they looked ahead. It would be as some people say, "They go where angels fear to tread."
Now, let's go to Proverbs 22 and verse 3 and see where the Proverbs talk about the difference between the wise and the foolish. Proverbs 22 and verse 3, this is the first point—we're defining what the word "wise" means and contrasting it with "foolish." Proverbs 22 and verse 3, it says:
Proverbs 22:3. A prudent man… (KJV)
That [prudent] we would say that's one of the definitions of "wise," which we just read.
Proverbs 22:3. A prudent man [foresees] the evil, (KJV)
Meaning: Thinks ahead, looks ahead.
Proverbs 22:3b. … and [hides] himself: but the simple [meaning the foolish] pass on, and are punished. (KJV)
They go right where angels fear to tread. They go right in and get themselves into trouble.
So, in this parable, Christ is not referring to good versus bad or righteous versus evil. He's saying that five of these virgins were thoughtful and sensible and five were heedless and they lacked character. So, let's keep this in mind now as we go through this parable.
The second point we want to make as we go verse by verse through the parable is that:
Matthew 25, we'll read verses 3 and 4. It says:
Matthew 25:3. They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them:
4) But the wise took oil in their vessels… (KJV)
And the Greek word for "vessels" simply means a container. He said:
Matthew 25:4. [They] took oil in their vessels with their lamps. (KJV)
So, this was a container that was separate from the lamp itself.
Now The Expositor's Bible Commentary Vol. 8 page 513 says the following about this verse.
The lamps here are either small oil fed lamps or, more plausibly, torches whose rags would need periodic dousing with oil to keep them burning.
You've seen it in the movies. They carry this stick with rags on the top and they're burning as they walk through a cave or trying to light their way. Expositor's is saying this was more like likely the case. Going on:
In either case, the prudent would bring along a flask with an additional oil supply.
So that when the torch began to burn down, they would just douse it with more oil and it would brighten up again. You see the wise had a separate container with a supply of oil.
Clarke's Commentary says, "They took care to make a proper provision beforehand." It took planning beforehand.
We just walk out with this torch, but what happens if the journey is a little longer than we expect? Well, we better bring some oil. So, the wise thought ahead, whereas the foolish just jumped up, walked out with their torch, but they didn't have a separate oil supply. The wise looked ahead and planned.
Now, what does oil symbolize? There are many Scriptures and that could be a whole sermon in itself. We're just going to give one example. Let's go to Zechariah chapter 4 and begin in verse 1. We're going to show that oil is a symbol of God's holy spirit. And it is very clear here in Zechariah 4. There are other Scriptures also, but we just don't have the time. Zechariah chapter 4 and verse 1, an angel came to Zechariah. Verse 1:
Zechariah 4:1. And the angel that talked with me came again, and waked me, as a man that is wakened out of his sleep,
2) And [he says] to me, What [do you see]? And I said, I have looked, and behold [I see] a [gold] candlestick, with [there is] a bowl upon the top of [the candlestick, above] it, and [there are] seven lamps [on the candlestick], and [there are] seven pipes to the seven lamps, which are upon the top thereof: (KJV)
So, we see a candlestick with seven lamps and then above in a bowl and coming out of the bottom of the bowl are seven pipes, one pipe for each candlestick [lamp]. Then we see in verse 3:
Zechariah 4:3. And two olive trees by it, one upon the right side of the bowl, and the other upon the left side thereof.
4) So I answered and [spoke] to the angel that talked with me, saying, What are these, my lord?
5) Then the angel that talked with me answered and said unto me, [Don't you know] what these [are]? And [he] said, No, [I don't know what they are]. (KJV)
Now jumping down to verse 12:
Zechariah 4:12. And I answered again, and [I] said unto him, What [are] these two olive branches [or olive trees] which through the two golden pipes empty the golden oil out of themselves? (KJV)
So, you have two olive trees that are the source of the oil. They have pipes connecting themselves to the bowl to fill the bowl. And then, coming out of the bowl are the seven pipes that connect to the candlestick and feed oil to the seven flames on the candlestick.
Now, what does the oil stand for? Well, the answer is in verse 6.
Zechariah 4:6. Then he answered and [spoke] unto me, saying, This is the word of the Lord unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, [said] the Lord of hosts. (KJV)
So, this image of the olive trees and the bowl and the candlesticks tell us that oil is a symbol of God's holy spirit. And it tells us that we must be connected to the source of the holy spirit at all times. The oil came into the bowl a drop at a time and the oil came out of the bowl to each candlestick a drop at a time. It tells us that we have to be connected to the Source of the oil or the Source of the holy spirit.
So, here in Matthew 25, the oil in the parable has got to refer to the holy spirit.
Now, notice how the holy spirit works. We'll just give one Scripture, Proverbs 1 and verse 23. Neil referred to Solomon's writings before. Proverbs 1 and verse 23, it says:
Proverbs 1:23. Turn you at my reproof: (KJV)
When God corrects us, what we're being told is "Turn. Change. Hear what I'm saying and change." And He says, "Behold, if you change, if you turn at My reproof:"
Proverbs 1:23b. … behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make my words [known] unto you. (KJV)
In other words, when we repent, when we change, God responds. And He responds by giving us more of His spirit as we use His spirit, as we exercise His spirit. He gives us more just like the oil flows from the olive trees to the bowl and then the bowl to the candlesticks [lamps].
And the wise in Matthew 25, the wise virgins planned in advance for a long journey. They took their oil with them. They were ready with their flasks when the call came.
So, the analogy for us, obviously, is we need to have God's holy spirit in us, with us. And we need to have a supply of God's spirit that will carry us through. The wise realized that their journey was not a sprint. It was a marathon. It is a marathon.
Dorothy and I came into the Church in the mid-sixties. If you had asked anybody in the Church in the mid-sixties, "Would we still be here in 2012?" I think you could have taken any bet for any amount of money—if we were gambling people—and there was just no way we were going to be here. But guess what? We are! It is a marathon. It is not a sprint.
And God will respond when we repent and we must come to the end-time. As we're getting closer and closer, we must be connected directly to God to receive His holy spirit. There is a huge message here in just this one point. We must be able to come to the end-time with a reserve of God's holy spirit. The foolish didn't have a reserve. The wise had a reserve of God's spirit to carry them through the difficult times right at the very end.
So, the second point is that: The wise had oil with them.
The third point we want to make is that:
Let's go to Matthew 25, back there again, and read the beginning of verse 5. Notice what is happening here. It says:
Matthew 25:5. While the bridegroom tarried, (KJV)
The New International says:
Matthew 25:5. The bridegroom was a long time in coming, (NIV)
Far longer than any of us ever thought! And we know the Bridegroom in this analogy, this parable, is a symbol of Jesus Christ. None of us ever thought we would be here in the year 2012.
Now go back to the previous chapter, Matthew 24, look at verse 44 because this is all one story. This is all one message that Christ is trying to get across. Matthew 24 verse 44 Christ says:
Matthew 24:44. Therefore be [you] also ready: for in such an hour as [you] think not the Son of man [comes]. (KJV)
Verse 48:
Matthew 24:48. But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord [delays] his coming;
49) And [then] shall begin to smite his fellowservants, and to eat and drink with the drunken; (KJV)
Meaning: Going back into the world, behaving as they did before their conversion, just throwing it all over because Christ is delaying His coming. Verse 50:
Matthew 24:50. The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he [looks] not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of,
51) And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. (KJV)
So, we see here in the beginning of verse 5, Matthew 25, the Bridegroom was a long time in coming, longer than they thought. Now the second part of verse 5, notice:
Matthew 25:5B. … they all slumbered and slept. (KJV)
Now it's interesting Christ uses two words here. He did not say they all "slept." He said, they all "slumbered and slept."
Now look at the Greek word for the word "slumbered" (and I believe this refers to the wise). It is Strong's #3573 and it simply means to nod.
And we've all been there. Occasionally when I'm giving a sermon, I see somebody's head kind of nodding up and down, and they're fighting sleep and they're kind of half awake/half asleep. Every once in a while somebody's head will jerk down and you'd think they're going to break their neck off. And they jerk back up and they're wide awake.
Well, that's what this word means. It means to nod. You're not totally asleep, but you're kind of half asleep. That's the Greek word for "slumbered."
The Greek word for "slept" is Strong's #2518. And it means to lie down to rest, that is by implication to fall asleep, either literally or figuratively.
So, we see here that the ten virgins were either slumbering meaning kind of half awake and nodding or they were just conked out completely. This is obviously referring to their spiritual condition. Not physical sleep, but their spiritual condition.
And what is the trademark of the Laodicean Era? Lukewarm. Need nothing. This obviously applies to all of us in this Era of the Laodiceans. All of us, if we're honest with ourselves have at times been asleep spiritually. I have several times. If you're honest with yourself, so have you. We've all been there. We've either been conked out completely or we've nodded off. Just sitting there nodding.
But God in His mercy has always given us a warning. God has always given us a wake up call. Look at verses 6 and 7.
Matthew 25:6. And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom [is coming]; [He says] go out to meet him. [The crier says.]
7) Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. (KJV)
So, they all ten received a wake up call; some from a dead sleep, some from kind of nodding off. There was a wake up call. And if we're honest with ourselves, all of us have had wake up calls in our lives, in our Christian lives. It might be sickness, a trial. It might be a child who is sick, a trial. It might be a lost job, another trial. It might be a marital crisis. It might be a Church crisis.
God uses all of those as a wake up call to get us awake and to get us to pay attention. And through the trial, if you look back in our lives, we have always seen something in ourselves that we did not see before. The trial opened our eyes to see something that we had not seen in ourselves before. It might be pride. It might be selfishness. It might be, as Neil pointed out, not loving others as we love ourselves, or not putting God first in our lives, just being totally selfish. The problem is that most of us, as I've said before, we only learn through pain. That is a very, very effective teacher.
So, we see here that a wake up call occurred. And they all rose from either their slumber or their sleep. They all at this moment in their lamps had oil in their lamps and the lamps were burning after the wake up call. They all responded to the wake up call. They all woke up and got on their feet and had their lamps in their hands and the lamps were burning. This tells us, then, that all were seeking Christ; all knew that time was short because the cry came.
But there was a problem with half of them. Remember what Mr. Armstrong said? "I don't think half of you are converted." He said that to the ministry in the ministerial conferences I've attended. He said it at the Feasts. He said it on the television program and the radio program. "I don't think half of you are converted." And the history since that time bears that out. I don't think half were truly converted.
So, we see here in this third point is that the wise slumbered/slept, but that they woke up.
Now that leads us to the fourth point.
From that point on, the wise kept their lamps burning, did not allow that flame to go out. Verse 8:
Matthew 25:8. And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps… (KJV)
The King James says, "Are gone out."
Now, the New King James, the Revised Standard Version, the New American Standard, the NIV say:
Matthew 25:8b. 'Give us … of your oil, for our lamps are going out.' (NKJ)
Meaning: They had this lamp and it started to flicker. The flame started to dim. It started to go down. It might flicker a little bit, then catch and burn a little bit and then start to go down.
The foolish knew that "Something's wrong here. I'm missing something. It's not working." They knew that they lacked what it took to see ahead on the path. Remember it's midnight. They needed the lamps to guide their path. And they knew that they couldn't go forward if their lamps were gone out, if they didn't have light. They couldn't stay on the path if the lamps were not burning, if they didn't have light.
And the foolish, as we've said before, they didn't have a separate vessel, a flask, of oil with them. The only oil they had was in the lamps and the lamps were starting to go out now. Clarke's Commentary says:
… when the oil that was in their lamps burned out, they had none to pour into the lamp to maintain the flame.
No reserves whatsoever. The foolish reacted at the last minute with no planning. They didn't plan ahead. They only reacted when they saw the flame going out. The foolish did not have a reserve to carry them through. They just didn't. And that tells us that the foolish did not have enough of God's holy spirit. They didn't have enough of it to carry them through. They were just coasting along. The foolish had not put in the time and the effort to grow God's holy spirit. Before the midnight call, they were sleeping. They didn't put in the time. They were coasting spiritually.
Look at verse 9.
Matthew 25:9. But the wise answered, saying, Not so; (KJV)
"No, you can't get oil from us."
Matthew 25:9b. … lest there be not enough for us and you: but go [you] rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. (KJV)
Now, we all know that you can't go buy God's holy spirit. That's where the analogy breaks down a little bit, but what they were really saying; the wise were saying to the foolish, "Go to the place where you can get oil and pay whatever price is necessary to get the oil." That's what they were telling them. In other words, "You should have been studying. You should have been praying. You should have been fasting. You should have been taking the time to get close to God before the call came at midnight."
But all of that takes time. You can't just at the last minute just conjure up God's holy spirit. You can't conjure up faith. It takes time to build over months, years, decades of building God's holy spirit in us.
What happened now is the foolish had to turn aside and they got off the path. They turned aside to go somewhere else (in the analogy) to buy more oil. That meant they got off the path. They were out scrambling who knows where, going to a farmhouse or going back into the little town or something like that to find oil. They got off the path. They had to turn aside.
Look at 2 Timothy chapter 4 and we'll read verses 3 and 4. I'm going to read it out of the NIV. It's just a more modern translation of this particular verse. It just flows better, more understandable. 2 Timothy 4:3, notice what Paul tells this young minister Timothy. He's warning him and it's a warning for us today, obviously.
2 Timothy 4:3. For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. (NIV)
We heard that in the sermonette. They won't put up with sound doctrine!
2 Timothy 4:3b. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. (NIV)
They're not interested in hearing what God says. They're interested in having somebody tell them what they want to hear. Verse 4:
2 Timothy 4:4. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside [getting off the path] to myths. (NIV)
Now the Greek word for "turn away" is Strong's #654. And it means to turn away or to turn backward, either literally or figuratively. It means to pervert. Interesting.
"We want to hear what our ears want to hear and we don't care if that perverts the truth or not. We want to hear what we want to hear." And many today are turning aside.
Look at 1 Timothy, Paul's first letter to Timothy, chapter 4 and verse 1. It is a prophecy for today. Now, the apostles from time to time thought that the end was very near, but the end is a lot closer now than it was back then. 1 Timothy 4 verse 1:
1 Timothy 4:1. Now the Spirit [speaks] expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of [demons]; (KJV)
It takes the holy spirit to discern truth from a lie. It takes the holy spirit to understand what God is really saying versus what Satan or demons or men say God is saying.
The wise planned for the long run. They prepared in advance. And they had built and developed God's holy spirit and a relationship with God for a long time. The foolish did not do that.
Remember, we cannot buy our way into God's Kingdom. We cannot borrow our way into God's Kingdom. We cannot ride on the coattails of other people into God's Kingdom. And yet, people are doing that today. They're hooking their wagon onto a man and hoping this man leads them into God's Kingdom. That's not going to happen. A passport is not going to make the difference whether we're in God's Kingdom. A pile of money is not going to make the difference to being in God's Kingdom.
What makes a difference is being filled with God's holy spirit and allowing God's holy spirit to lead us so that we become more like Jesus Christ.
So the issue for us today we find in Romans 8 and verse 14. It's a Scripture we've quoted many times before, but as we get closer to the Passover, this is what we need to examine ourselves in—this very Scripture, Romans 8:14. It tells us:
Romans 8:14. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. (KJV)
It is not just enough to have God's holy spirit. We have to be led by God's holy spirit.
The five foolish, remember, were virgins. They had God's holy spirit. They had oil in their lamps, but it was going out. They were running out. We must be led by God's holy spirit.
A second Scripture, 2 Timothy 1 and verse 6. This is what we need to be doing now prior to the midnight call, prior to the Passover. 2 Timothy 1:6, notice what Paul says.
2 Timothy 1:6. Wherefore I put [you, Timothy] in remembrance that [you, Timothy] stir up the gift of God, (KJV)
Now, the NIV for "stir up," they translate it as "to fan into flame." We've all bent over a campfire. You fan it real fast, a little spark and it bursts into a flame. That's the implication of the Greek word. "Stir up the gift of God. Fan it into a large flame."
He goes on to say:
2 Timothy 1:6b. … which is in [you] by the putting on of my hands. (KJV)
Paul baptized him and laid hands upon him.
Over time, the wise had plenty, had an abundance of God's holy spirit. The foolish did not. They just did not. And we are going to need an abundance of God's holy spirit to heed the midnight call and walk down the path. Prior to the Passover this is a good time to begin to analyze ourselves as to whether or not we are building God's holy spirit.
So, the fourth point is that the wise kept their lamps burning.
The fifth point:
When the time came, they were ready. We'll start in verse 10 of Matthew 25.
Matthew 25:10. "And while [the foolish] went to buy, (KJV)
They were off the path, went to buy some oil.
Matthew 25:10b. … the bridegroom came, and [they that] were ready went in with him to the [marriage]; and the door was shut. (KJV)
Now, the Greek word for "ready" is Strong's #2902 and it is a Greek word derived from an old noun that means fitness. For example: If you are going to run a race, obviously you have to be in a certain physical condition if you hope to win the race or complete the race. And that's the nature of the root word. That's what it means is to be fit.
But this word was translated "ready," but it can also be translated "prepared." They were simply prepared. The foolish were not prepared. Look—just keep your finger here and go back to the previous chapter Matthew 24—look at verse 44. Notice:
Matthew 24:44. Therefore be [you] also ready [be you also prepared]: for in such an hour as [you] think not the Son of man [comes]. (KJV)
We just read that. We have to be prepared. We have to be ready.
Going on in verse 11:
Matthew 25:11. Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open [the door, open up] to us. (KJV)
They're pounding on the door. The Marriage Supper is going on inside.
Matthew 25:12. But he [Christ] answered and said, [Truly, truly,] I say unto you, I [don't] know you. (KJV)
Hmm. Now why did He say that? It's very simple. Guess what? They didn't have any of God's holy spirit. They did not have any of God's holy spirit.
Let's go back to Romans 8. We were there earlier, but look at verse 9. Romans 8 and verse 9, this is the reason He said, "I don't know you. I don't recognize you. You're not familiar to Me." Romans 8:9, it says:
Romans 8:9. But [you] are not in the flesh [Paul says], but [you are] in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God [dwells] in you. Now if any man [has] not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. (KJV)
That's why He said, "I don't know you. You had an opportunity to grow My holy spirit. You had an opportunity to develop My holy spirit. You had a pipe connected to the bowl that was connected to the Source of the oil and you just let it run dry because you disconnected yourself from the Source of the holy spirit. You slept and you just didn't do what was necessary to grow My spirit in you."
Look at Revelation 19 and verse 7 talking about the marriage supper. Notice what it says. It's very interesting what it says. A man is not going to make us ready. God and Christ are not going to make us ready. Guess who is going to make us ready? Revelation 19 verse 7:
Revelation 19:7. Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, (KJV)
Just what we were reading in Matthew 25, inside at the marriage supper.
Revelation 19:7b. … and his wife [has] made herself ready. (KJV)
We do it as individual Christians. We make ourselves ready. Prayer, study, fasting, developing the mental discipline to control what is in our mind, the ability to cast out evil thoughts, the ability to cast out impure thoughts, that mental discipline and discipline of our mouth, controlling what comes out of our mouth, the discipline of our body, controlling what our body does, what we think, what we say, what we do. It takes daily effort.
And the wise were prepared. They put in the time. They put in the effort. They grew God's holy spirit to the point that they had a reserve when the midnight call came. The wise had overcome Satan and they had overcome their human nature.
Let's go to Revelation 3 and verse 12, the Letter to Philadelphia. Notice what it says. They had overcome all of the obstacles to being like Jesus Christ. They had overcome all of the faults in their nature to be more like Jesus Christ. Revelation 3:12:
Revelation 3:12. Him that [overcomes] 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 [comes] down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name. (KJV)
Him that overcomes. The Greek word for "overcome" is Strong's #3528. It means to subdue, either literally or figuratively to subdue. It means to conquer. It means to prevail or it means to get the victory. You get the understanding of the word—subdue, conquer, prevail or get the victory.
The wise had been transforming themselves through the power of the holy spirit into the image of Jesus Christ. We've talked about this so many times before. Let's go to Ephesians 4 and verse 13. They had spent the hours, the days, the weeks, the years necessary to change themselves. Remember the Bride prepares herself, makes herself ready? This is how it's done, Ephesians 4 and verse 13. It says:
Ephesians 4:13. Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, (KJV)
That means mature. The word "perfect" means mature.
Ephesians 4:13b. … unto the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ: (KJV)
They had spent their time exercising God's holy spirit to transform themselves so that they began to look like Jesus Christ; more so this year than last year, more so last year than the year before. They had put in that time. They were preparing themselves.
So, the fifth point is that the wise were, indeed, ready.
Now the sixth and the last point is that:
They were watching. The question that we need to investigate in this last point is what were they watching for? Because I think the Church over the years has been watching for the wrong thing. They've been looking in the wrong place.
Verse 13, Matthew 25, He says:
Matthew 25:13. Watch therefore, (KJV)
Meaning: "Everything that I've told you up to this point," He says, "because of what I've told you up to this point, watch!"
Matthew 25:13b. … for [you] know neither the day nor the hour [where] the Son of man [comes]. (KJV)
You don't know when He's coming. You don't know.
Now the Greek word for "watch" is Strong's #1127. And it means to keep awake; or to watch either literally or figuratively.
We’re talking in this case, obviously, figuratively. Remember they were all asleep or they were all slumbering up to this point. Prior to this point, they were slumbering or they were asleep.
Now, what should we watch for? Christ says to watch. Now, in the past we were told, "Well, you've got to watch world events, for certain world events to unfold. You have to watch what happens in Jerusalem. You have to watch for the time to flee. You have to watch for the time to buy your airline tickets or to get your passports." That's been circulated through Greater Church of God.
But I'm saying could we maybe be missing something here? Maybe we were just totally off base and watching for the wrong things. Could it be that it could be tied into "being ready" in verse 10 of the previous point? "Being ready," watching in a sense of to be ready? Look at chapter 24. Again, this is all one story going back to Matthew 24. Beginning in verse 36, Christ is saying the same thing that He said here in verse 13.
Matthew 24:36. But of that day and hour [knows] no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. (KJV)
Verse 37:
Matthew 24:37. But as the days of [Noah] were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. (KJV)
Now what does He mean by that? Well, He goes on. Verse 38:
Matthew 24:38. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, [they were] marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that [Noah] entered into the ark, (KJV)
Life was going on as normal. Verse 39:
Matthew 24:39. And [they didn't know] until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. (KJV)
So, we're told here—Christ was very plain—"You don't know the time because life is going to appear to be normal right up until the end." So, you have to ask the question—it comes to my mind. Well, if life is normal right up until the end; there's no difference, what on earth are we supposed to be watching for? If it's normal, if life's normal, what on earth can we be watching for?
And my point is maybe we've been watching the wrong thing, watching for the wrong thing. Notice verse 40. Look at verse 40 of Matthew 24.
Matthew 24:40. Then shall two be in the field; one [is] taken, (KJV)
And the Greek word for "taken" means exactly what it says—taken.
Matthew 24:40b. … and the other [is] left. (KJV)
Verse 41:
Matthew 24:41. Two women shall be grinding at the mill; one shall be taken, and the other left.
42) Watch therefore: for [you don't know] what hour your Lord [comes]. (KJV)
Verse 44:
Matthew 24:44. Therefore be [you] also ready: (KJV)
We've read that before.
Matthew 24:44b. … for in such an hour as [you] think not the Son of man [comes]. (KJV)
But notice verse 31 of Matthew 24.
Matthew 24:31. And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. (KJV)
Every time you look at a fleeing, whether it's fleeing out of Egypt or right at 70 A.D. fleeing Jerusalem, you look at a flight, angels have been involved. "One is taken and one is left" what we're reading here today.
But, again I say, if life is normal up to the end, what on earth should we be watching for? If the righteous are taken, then what does watching current events have to do with anything if the righteous are taken? Meaning: They're not watching for something so they can flee on their own or they can head out on their own, but they're taken rather.
Look at Luke 17 and verse 20. Notice this profound observation by Jesus Christ. It's a prophecy that somehow I think we've overlooked. Luke 17:20—keep your place in Matthew 25, we'll come back. The Pharisees were demanding answers of Jesus Christ. Luke 17:20:
Luke 17:20. And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God [comes] not with observation: (KJV)
Now the Greek word for "observation" is Strong's #3907. And it means inspection that is ocular evidence. Now "ocular" means with the eye.
So, what He's saying is, "The Kingdom does come by observation with the eye." Zodhiates says, "The Kingdom of God does not come by attentive watching as can be observed by the eye." Now, what this says is that you can't watch for the Kingdom because events will be normal right up until the time of the end if you put the Scriptures together.
But here we have one Scripture that says we need to watch and then another Scripture says that the Kingdom does not come by watching with the eye. So, we have an apparent contradiction. The one Scripture says, "The Kingdom does not come by watching with the eye," like watching world events or watching Jerusalem or what's happening over there. So, how do we sort out this apparent contradiction? What is the Bible trying to tell us? Well, obviously we have to let the Bible define the Bible.
So, Christ, remember, started in Matthew 24 went to the Parable of the Ten Virgins that we just read, but it's not over with. Guess what is next? Guess what comes in context? The Parable of the Talents, verses 14 through verse 30. In other words, the Parable of the Talents, that's not the subject today. We won't go through that, but the Parable of the Talents is talking about bearing fruit as a Christian. God gives us certain gifts. And then He watches us to see how we exercise the holy spirit of whether we build on the gifts that He gives us. Some He gives more, some He gives less, but He's wanting to see whether we multiply it two times, ten times, five times or whatever. That's the context of what comes next.
Then, after that at the end of the chapter from verse 31 to the end, He talks about the sheep and the goats. And that is telling us about the end result of our works. If our works are righteous, then we are the sheep and we go into the Kingdom. If our works are not appropriate, not the right kind of works that Christ is looking for, we are classified as the goats. And guess what? We don't go into the Kingdom. We're destroyed.
So, what I'm saying is that in the context of Matthew 24 and Matthew 25 and of "watching" and yet Christ is saying in Luke 17, "The Kingdom doesn't come by ocular observation," could it be that Christ is saying, "Watch your conduct. Watch your thoughts. Watch your words. Watch your deeds."? Because Satan would love to get us not watching our thoughts, not watching our words, not watching our deeds and get us so preoccupied with getting on CNN to see what the latest thing in Jerusalem is or getting on the internet to look up about a red heifer and a calf and all of this kind of stuff to the point that we don't look at ourselves.
Look at 2 Corinthians 13 and verse 5. This is a Scripture we emphasize prior to Passover. And what I'm saying here is in the Parable of the Ten Virgins and in Matthew 24 and Matthew 25 it seems to me the message is that we have to do what we find here in 2 Corinthians 13 and verse 5. Paul says to this dysfunctional Corinthian Church:
2 Corinthians 13:5. Examine yourselves, whether [you] be in the faith; (KJV)
That comes not by having 20/20 vision physically. That means analyzing our words and our thoughts and our deeds.
2 Corinthians 13:5. Examine yourselves, whether [you] be in the faith; prove your own selves. [Don't you know] your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except [you] be reprobates? (KJV)
The Greek word for examine here is Strong's #3985. It's the Greek word peirazo (pi-rad'-zo) and it means to objectively test. It can also mean to scrutinize. And it also means to assay.
Back in the 1800s if you were in the west, there was generally in many towns an Assayer's Office where the gold miners or silver miners would bring in rocks and have it assayed to see whether it was pure silver, pure gold or it was a mixture of something. So, the assayer would look at it and scrutinize it and judge it and examine it to see if it was pure. And this Greek word "examine" means exactly the same thing.
Examine yourselves to see whether you are a pure Christian, a legitimate Christian, a Christian that is in the image of Jesus Christ. Watch yourselves. Don't be deceived into getting your mind off of examining your spiritual condition because the foolish did that. They just treaded water. They didn't examine themselves. They were out doing who knows what. Back in the world, having fun, doing whatever they did. They weren't examining themselves.
Look at 1 Corinthians chapter 6. Again, Paul is talking to this very dysfunctional Church. We're going to read verses 9 through 11. Notice what he says unto them. This is the bottom line. This is where the rubber meets the road as they say. 1 Corinthians 6 beginning in verse 9:
1 Corinthians 6:9. Know [you] not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? (KJV)
"Don't you understand that?" he's saying. "Look at your conduct." And reading 1 and 2 Corinthians you see a lot of bad conduct. He says:
1 Corinthians 6:9b. [Do not be] deceived: (KJV)
And I'm here to tell you there are people in God's Church who are among the Firstfruits, who call themselves the Firstfruits who are deceived. They're deceived in this way. He says:
1 Corinthians 6:9 continued. …neither fornicators, nor idolaters, (KJV)
Now an idolater today would not be bowing down in front of something of wood or stone or metal but putting something in front of God—themselves, job, materialism, possessions and so on.
1 Corinthians 6:9 continued. … nor idolaters, nor adulterers, (KJV)
That can be physical or it can be spiritual. You can commit spiritual adultery with me God says.
1 Corinthians 6:9 continued. … nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, (KJV)
This is absolutely talking about homosexuality. And people that say the Bible doesn't talk about homosexuality do not read the Bible. They don't understand the Bible.
Verse 10, thieves are not going to be in God's Kingdom. People who covet are not going to be in God's Kingdom. People that have an alcohol problem are not going to be in God's Kingdom—drug addicts too.
1 Corinthians 6:10b. … nor revilers, nor extortioners, [He says, "None of these] shall inherit the kingdom of God.
11) And such were some of you: (KJV)
And such were some of us! We've all been there. What he's saying is "You used to be that way. Hopefully, you're not now. He says:
1 Corinthians 6:11b. … but [you] are washed, but [you] are sanctified, but [you] are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, (KJV)
How does that happen?
1 Corinthians 6:11 continued. … by the Spirit of our God. (KJV)
The very thing we're talking about with the olive trees, the bowl, the candlesticks all flowing into a human being—God's spirit—and being connected to the Source of God's holy spirit.
So, when Christ says "To watch," we need to understand what He really means. Is He saying, "Watch when you see this thing or that happening or some thing you can see with the eyes?" Or He is saying, "Watch yourselves and measure yourselves against Me," being Jesus Christ. "Measure yourselves. Are you thinking like I think?" Let this mind be in you which is in Christ Jesus." "Are you acting like I acted when I walked the earth? Are your motives My motives? Are your motives pure, honorable? Are they or are they not?"
We just read Ephesians 4:13 "unto the measure and the stature of the fullness of Jesus Christ." And Christ says, "Watch yourselves to see if you are becoming in My image." Are we making ourselves ready? The wise made themselves ready through the power of an extra measure of God's holy spirit. And when the time came, Christ came and said, "Oh, I recognize you. We have a common bond. You have My spirit. You think like I do. You talk like I do. You act like I do. Come in. I want to marry you."
But the foolish are outside banging on the door. They're looking in. Oh, they're grieving. They're looking in the windows. They're trying to look through a crack in the door, trying to get inside and the door is shut. And as Christ says, "There's going to be weeping and gnashing of teeth." There are going to be people out there banging, wanting to get inside and they're going to say—if we read continuing on in Matthew 25, the goats saying—"Didn't we do this? Didn't we prophesy in Your name? Didn't we produce booklets? Didn't we have campaigns? Weren't we on television, the internet, all this kind of stuff? Didn't we do all of that?" And Christ says, "I don't know you. I don't know who you are." Why? Not because they didn't do that, but because they did not have enough of His holy spirit to transform themselves into a human being that He could look at and recognize. That's the bottom line. That is the bottom line.
So, let's conclude.
The message of the Ten Virgins, the Parable is we are not to be deceived. He says, "Don't be deceived" into thinking that we're wise when we're really not wise. "Don't be deceived" into thinking we've got it made when we don't have it made. Being deceived into thinking were in the image of Jesus Christ when we're really not. He says, "Don’t be deceived."
Let's go to one final Scripture in 1 Corinthians 10 and verse 12. Paul had to warn these people in Corinth and he's warning us today. This is what we should pay attention to as we approach the Passover in examining ourselves. 1 Corinthians 10:12, Paul says:
1 Corinthians 10:12. Wherefore let him that [thinks] he [stands] take heed lest he fall. (KJV)
You could say, "Let him who thinks he is a wise virgin take heed lest he is really a foolish virgin and the door is going to be shut and he's going to be hammering on that door wanting to get in but cannot get in."
The wise virgins did not have ungodly relationships with the world. All the virgins didn't. They were all alike in that sense. But the wise virgins were awake to see themselves as they really were. They watched themselves. They evaluated themselves to see how they really were.
In other words, they would get down on their knees and say, "God, show me how you see me." That's something I pray for just about everyday. Don't let me see myself through my eyes. Don't let me see myself through human eyes. Show me how You look at me." Because then that's reality—how God looks at us. It's not how any other human being looks at us, but "Show me how You see me and then, impress upon me how I am now and how Jesus Christ is today. And show me the difference so that I can become more like Jesus Christ." The wise were awake to see themselves as they really are, as God sees us.
The wise were led by God's holy spirit. They were exercising God's holy spirit. They were connected directly to the Source of God's holy spirit, which is God and Jesus Christ. The wise were ready for Christ's return. They were prepared. They looked in advance. They saw what was coming and they prepared themselves accordingly.
So, the message is:
We must watch ourselves, examine ourselves to see if we're becoming like Jesus Christ and not be deceived.
Passover is four weeks and five days away. Can you imagine? We have a little over a month. And, frankly, that's not much time as the man said, "The older I get, life is like a roll of toilet paper. As you get down toward the end, the faster it unrolls (laughter)." And that is so true! In this month between now and the Passover is going to go by very quickly.
So, let's learn from the Parable of the Ten Virgins. Let's learn the lessons and let's be prepared. Prepare ourselves to be the Bride of Jesus Christ.
Transcribed by kb April 15, 2012
Verified April 18, 2012