In this short article, it is my aim to show that only believers that are BORN-AGAIN and sanctified by the Holy Spirit's internal and external action in their minds, spirits and lives can be classified as one of the Wise Virgins. These are the sanctified saints in the Church, or those who are saved, chosen and safely grasped in the Father's Hand. These lovers of Yahshua and His Word work tirelessly for Him as His servants. They also have a loving and active relationship with Yahshua via His Spirit.
These saints are the only ones that were chosen for salvation by God the Father from before the foundation of the world because they are faithful to Yahshua and His Word to the end of their lives, or until the Rapture. Because they are or were faithful to God until the end, they can therefore be classified as being among the Wise Virgins in Yahshua's Parable of the Ten Virgins. Since parables are deeply couched in symbols that contain hidden meaning, Yahshua anticipated needing a clarification of the meaning of this parable when He said:
~*~ Matthew 7:21-23 (NKJV) ~*~
“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ 23 And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’”So, in Matthew 7, Yahshua tells us that there are believers out there who use their spiritual gifts in inappropriate, self-directed ways, perhaps as an allusion to preachers like Benny Hinn, who seem to sensationalize the gifts of the Spirit as if they were some kind of Carnival act. It could also be suggesting that the spiritual energy these believers were using to perform "miracles" that were attributed to Yahweh God were not of God at all, but that they were the counterfeit miracles of the Devil. This same exact idea was beautifully expressed by our Messiah Yahshua when He told His disciples the Parable of the Ten Virgins in Matthew Chapter 25:
~*~ Matthew 25:1-13 (NKJV) ~*~
The Parable of the Ten Virgins
“Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 2 Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. 3 Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, 4 but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. 5 But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept. “And at midnight a cry was heard: ‘Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!’ 7 Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. 8 And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ 9 But the wise answered, saying, ‘No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.’ 10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut. 11 Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’ 12 But he answered and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ 13 Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.”In the Parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins, the virgins are all people within the Church that claim to be followers of Christ, and who are anticipating being taken to the Wedding Supper of the Lamb in Heaven at the time of the Rapture. The lamps that the virgins carry signify the spiritual light of each believer that they cultivate while reading the Word of God, praying, and helping others. Because the Foolish Virgin's lamps are "about to go out" as they light them when the Bridegroom is approaching, it signifies the fact that they are lukewarm believers that were given a saving portion of the Holy Spirit, but have not nurtured the seeds of faith planted in their hearts at the moment that they were saved. Instead, they have ignored their commitment to Christ, and have not been given the oil that signifies the gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit.
The fruits and gifts of the Holy Spirit can only be given to those who sincerely desire and pray to be transformed into new creations in Christ. The fruits and gifts of the Spirit can be measured by the good works believers do that are Spirit-directed rather than self-directed, and their Spirit-led desire to do good works as a result of the faith is the oil that fills their lamps. Therefore, the parable is telling us that the good works of the Foolish Virgins are not only sparse, but are not being done as a part of God's good and perfect will. So, when the Foolish Virgins ask the Wise Virgins to give them some of their oil, they are actually asking the Wise Virgins to give them their spiritual gifts and fruits! But the Wise Virgins can't give these gifts and fruits, as only Yahshua can do this - and only when we establish a real two-way relationship with Him and His Spirit via prayer and words of knowledge.
The Rapture or "Catching Away" itself is represented in verse 10 by the door that the Virgins must pass through with the Bridegroom to get to the Wedding Banquet. The fact that a committed relationship is missing between Yahshua and the Foolish Virgins is made apparent by His harsh words to them at the closed door - or at the moment of the Rapture when they realize that they have been left behind. This is when the Bridegroom tells them: “Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.” Whenever I read these words, I feel a renewed need to pray that I never hear these words, and will be found worthy to be taken to the Wedding Supper.
In fact, in light of this stern warning of coming divine rejection for a large segment of the Church (potentially every 5 out of 10!), all believers need to pray that they are found worthy of the Rapture, and that God will forgive us all for whatever opportunities we may have missed to be His servants, and to share His light and love in this dark world. If we do this, we can rest in the hope that we will be forgiven, and that we will not hear those harsh words being said to the Foolish Virgins at the moment of the Rapture!
READ PART TWO OF THIS ARTICLE:
TWO KINDS OF SALVATION:
SONSHIP OR SLAVERY
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IMPORTANT NOTE: For a more in-depth study of the Parable of the
Ten Virgins, please read the following articles at my POEM Ministry Blog:
THE PARABLE OF THE WISE AND
FOOLISH VIRGINS TELLS US TO WATCH!
"Deciphering the Parable of the Ten Virgins"
MARANATHA! Yahshua is coming very soon!
Your Sister In Yahshua,
Helena Lehman of
The Pillar of Enoch Ministry
Ministry Site: http://pillar-of-enoch.com
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