| Foolish Virgins |
Created Date: 17-Feb-2020 |
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Last updated: 25-Jun-2020 |
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| 1 | Jewish Groom Custom |
| 2 | Who are the Foolish Virgins? |
It was the Jewish culture and custom for the future groom, of a wedding, to go away and make a place for himself and his future bride before the wedding. The groom would go away for a period of time and then return at a time when his bride would not know.
It was the point of the bride to always be ready at a moment's notice which also became a fun game of excitement with the expectation that the groom could come at any moment. The groom could also come in the middle of the night!
God set up the custom in the Jewish culture to point to the future Messiah's Second Coming as Luke 12:40 and Matthew 24:44 relate to us. Luke 12:39 and Luke 21:36 reflect the importance of diligence in our Faith.
| Matthew 25:1-13 (The Parable) |
1 Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. 2 And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. 3 They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: 4 But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. 5 While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. 6 And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. 7 Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. 8 And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out. 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. 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. |
| Luke 12:40 | You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect. |
| Matthew 24:44 | Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect. |
| Luke 12:39 | But understand this: If the homeowner had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have let his house be broken into. |
| Luke 21:36 | So keep watch at all times, and pray that you may have the strength to escape all that is about to happen, and to stand before the Son of Man." |
The warning, by Jesus Christ in the Foolish Virgins parable, is to give notice to everyone, who God knows will be Saved, to accept Salvation before the Tribulation period begins. God exists outside of all Time Domains where He knows who and when someone will accept Salvation, so Jesus is saying to do it now rather than later. The Foolish Virgins are like the people who were planning on accepting Jesus Christ as their Savior, while still being in a Christian Fellowship, but had not done so, but will. Many of us have been going to Church for years and seen people, who we thought to have accepted Jesus Christ as their Savior, but are then seen giving their life to Jesus Christ in an Altar Call.
The Foolish Virgins still wanted to be married and wanted to be with their future husband, but they failed in being ready. The question often asked is the virgins saved or not saved? The answer in this author's opinion was "no" at the time but will later.
Additionally, the Parable points to Israel because Israel had a history of always recognizing and doing the correct action on the second try, which is one of the points of Stephen's speech to the Sanhedrin, in Acts 7, which got him killed, and also the point of the Tribulation Period's Purpose where Israel will petition Jesus Christ to come back.
What to read next?
What is Salvation? Is it possible to lose Salvation? We have eternal life. Evolution is not real. When a Christian suffers is there benefits from it. Do we Tithe? What does the 3rd Commandment tell us? What is Grace and Mercy? Is there an Age of Accountability? Is there a place of unending punishment and exile form God?