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The Time is at Hand: Five Wise and Five Foolish Virgins Waiting for the Midnight Cry
Renette Vermeulen
[Acknowledgement to the people who published these images]
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Facebook post, March 21, 2018. (Scripture references are from the King James Version, modern English.) I was planning to publish the study I promised on Facebook of What Is Really Going On in South Africa At the Moment, but woke early this morning with Jesus’ parable of the five wise and the five foolish virgins on my mind. While I was pondering the parable; thinking of the many spiritual attacks I had to wrestle through to finish that study; convinced that all the political chaos and spiritual darkness in the world surely signify the last of the end times, the following thought overwhelmingly came to me, “The time is at hand.” In the context of Jesus’ parable concerning the ten virgins, (Mt. 25:1-11,) this means He issued a very serious warning to His sincere believers that concerns the time right before He returns on That Day to take His bride to their Wedding Feast in heaven, (1 Ths. 4:14-18.) All true believers together form the body or bride of the Lord Jesus Christ. And yes, there is only one body of Christ where spiritually, there is no race, status, or gender, (Gal. 3:28-29,) and she is also the bride of Christ. So, there will only be one return of the Bridegroom for one bride, and one wedding feast in heaven, (Rev. 19:7—9.) The wedding feast of Jesus and His bride is a figure of the Hebrew wedding feast, which was formalized in two stages: the engagement or the “betrothal” - followed by the actual wedding feast when the Bridegroom comes to take His bride to their new home. All those who decidedly believe in and accept Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior are immediately part of His body or bride as His “betrothed;” (His fiancée,) waiting and readying herself for Him to fetch her to their wedding feast in heaven, (1 Cor. 12:13; 1 Ths. 4:13-18; 5:1-11.) Þ Jesus unmistakably explained in Mt. 25:1-11, the parable of the ten virgins, “When the news went out that the Bridegroom is on His way, [or that we are fast approaching the final end of the world,] ten virgins went out to meet Him.” In Scriptural context and according to God’s commandment in Revelation 18:4, we, (called “His [true] people” in this verse,) must all “come out of” all sinful habits and the false, enslaving, Babylonian church system of all denominations, (Rev. 18:4; Jn. 1:11-14; Gal. 4:6.) This commandment is not only for Roman Catholics and Judaists as church clergy say. It is God’s commandment to all true believers. This commandment to “Come out of her My people, lest you share in her sins… and receive of her plagues...” runs through the contextual truth of the whole Bible. “My People” clearly refers to Jesus’ real disciples; the Scripturally and personally born again children of God or The Followers of the Lord Jesus Christ, (Jn. 8:12.) Paul said it correctly in Eph. 5:10-11 when He wrote, “Find out what is acceptable to the Lord. And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, [such as pagan, Christianized church dogma, norms and forms,) but rather [flee from them and] expose them.” All the virgins had “lamps;” personal ‘light’ or spiritual discernment through adequate knowledge of the Bible, which proved that they have made a real commitment to Jesus. Thus, they were personally born again in Him through faith. Then, they must have demonstrated their faith by their obedience to His most important commandment to be water baptized as true believers as per He’s own example, (Mt. 3:13-17.) From there, the indwelling Holy Spirit taught them and led them as His disciple-followers to obey the precepts of His Moral Law of Love, (Jn. 1:12-14; 3:3-5; Mt. 28:15-20, Rom. 6, Col. 2:9-15; Jn. 13:34.) Þ Half of the virgins were wise believers. They were people of character who were “willing to forsake all else” to stick to their commitments and responsibilities in Jesus Christ according to the full context of His Word, (Mt. 10:37-39; 24:44-51.) They were seeking “all truth” while striving to live by God’s Moral Law of Love to honor Him, (Jn. 13:34.) Þ The other half were unwise. Some of them might even have left the false church system in obedience to the Holy Spirit, (Rev. 18:4,) but they still clung to the self-enhancing doctrines and the easy way of church Christianity, instead of forsaking every false doctrine and false church form and norm to embrace only the contextual truth of Scripture, (1 Jn. 2:4.) This is why they were foolishly not fully committed to the Entire Truth of Christ and their personal responsibilities in Him. “The five wise virgins took [extra] oil in their vessels with their lamps.” “Oil” signifies the ‘fuel’ we must continually ‘burn,’ or the constant, responsible effort we must all make to equip ourselves in Holy-Spirit power by expanding our Scriptural knowledge, faithful stewardship, and obedience to the leading of the Spirit. (Mt. 25:14-36 — the parable of the talents or gifts God entrusted to each of us, and the parable of the separation between the lawless ‘goats’ (Mt. 7:21-24) and obedient ‘sheep.’ Þ The wise virgins exercised foresight and faithfully made extra provision to keep their lamps burning during the dark time ahead. They realized that the Truth of Scripture and not self-satisfying church doctrine, must govern their commitment, responsibilities, and obedience to Christ “to the end,” (Mt. 24:11-14.) They were willing to submit to the authentic leading of the Holy Spirit and even suffer for the Truth of Christ to glorify His Name, (Rev. 12:11.) Þ “The five foolish virgins also took their lamps, but they took no [extra] oil with them.” They probably still expected Jesus to return immediately after they heard He is coming because that seems like an ‘easy way out’ of the terrible things, which they knew, are coming upon the whole world. They falsely believed Jesus will ‘rapture’ them out of all impending calamity before the so-called ‘great tribulation’ could strike them, and so, they would not suffer for His cause. They professed Christ but sought Him more for their own benefits such as outward prosperity than to glorify His Name through sincere obedience to the truth of His Word. They neglected their real Holy-Spirit gifts and responsibilities, and thus they “buried their talents” by not living the lifestyle of Scriptural obedience to, and trust in Jesus, (1 Jn. 2:4.)
Quite unforeseen by all the virgins, the Bridegroom tarried. Jesus said He is coming soon, but He will come at a time when we least expect His return, (Mt. 24:44.) This warning of Jesus should make us understand how faithful we must continually seek His face in all things. We must constantly search His Scriptures to understand His ways and to remain faithful to Him, and to do all things in His will as far as possible. Should we fail like we all sometimes do, we must run straight back to Him to fall at His feet, (1 Jn. 1:8-10; Jam. 3:2.) We must literally stick with Him and our responsibilities “through thick and thin” despite our personal circumstances and the state of the decaying world, and not grow weary of “doing good,” (Gal. 6:9.) May God help us all! Nevertheless, maybe because the virgins thought they heard wrong and He is not really returning soon to take them to the marriage feast, “they all slumbered and slept,” (Mt. 25:5.) This might be why Jesus asked, “When the Son of Man returns, will He [still] find [any true] faith on earth?” Or will we all lose heart, grow weary of doing good in an all-bad world, and lose our way in the impenetrable darkness that is descending upon the whole world just before Jesus’ return? (Mt. 24:36-39; Lu. 18:8.) Þ Jesus explained this slumber and eventual sleep in Mt. 24:45-51. He asked, “Who then is a faithful and wise servant [or virgin waiting and readying her for His return,] whom [He gave the responsibility to remain a faithful steward over everything He had entrusted to him?] Blessed is that servant whom his Master, when He comes, will find so doing. Þ “But if the evil servant [or unwise virgin] says in his heart, “My Master is delaying His coming,” and begins to beat [or abuse and neglect] his fellow servants to eat and drink with the drunkards [or disobedient Christians and total unbelievers of this world,] the Master will come on A Day [at His one-off return] when the servant is not looking for Him and at an hour that he is not aware of. Then, the Master will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth,” (Mt. 24:44-51.) [Oh God, please cleanse us all from slumbering and hypocrisy!] At this stage, while they were all ‘slumbering,’ the push of human desire and need, and probably also deeply ingrained, false church doctrine, deceived all the virgins to think they do not need to be vigilant against the schemes of the enemy while watching for Jesus’ return, thus constantly readying themselves for That One Day and specific hour of Jesus’ return on the clouds. Þ So, gradually the five unwise virgins fell fast ‘asleep.’ They began to “suppress the truth in unrighteousness.” As lawlessness and lovelessness squeezed practical obedience to Jesus out of their hearts and minds, they began to participate in, and give their consent to abuse of the innocent and other cowardice practices of disobedience to the Moral Law, (Mt. 24:10-13; Rom. 1:18-32.) Their mixed priorities and love for their friends, family, and personal pleasures lured them into itch-soothing doctrine. They either chased ecstatic but false spiritual manifestations, or they rejected the supernatural God and passively slumbered in their little corners far away from their Scriptural, Moral duties. And so, they were slurped up by the sinful pleasures of the religious and political world. They justified their lukewarm hypocrisy with the thought that Jesus did not rapture or rescue them from calamity as they believed He would when they saw the signs of His coming, so He is not returning at all. Yet, a bone-chilling warning comes with this assurance of God’s love and patience. 2 Pt. 3:10-14 proclaim, “But The Day of the Lord will come as [unexpectedly not ‘secretly’] as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat. Both the earth and the works that are on it will be burned up.” Hence, the return of Jesus on the clouds to fetch His bride is also the final Judgment Day. Þ This is why the hypocrites, the pretentious, the proud religious exclusive ones, and the passive-aggressive underhanded ones, “who did not have love for the truth to be saved,” (2 Ths. 2:9-12,) will “perish” together with the unbelievers of the world once the total darkness of “strong delusion” descends upon them all.
Jesus even tarried longer than the wise virgins expected Him to do. Although they truly desired to follow Him closely through the darkness, it seemed their burdens in this world were growing far too heavy to bear. They also began to loose heart and the enemy also lulled them into hopelessness, lukewarmness, avoidance, and passivity. Yet, Jesus released neither the unwise nor the wise virgins from their pressing obligation to remain faithful to His calling and commandments, (1 Jn. 2:4; Heb. 5:8.) Instead, He delays His return because “He is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance,” (2 Pt. 3:9.) He is allowing all the virgins and even the whole world to be “tried and tested” to either convince them that they must turn to Him under all circumstances, or to show Him their faithfulness to their commitments and responsibilities under all circumstances so that they can strengthen others who have fallen by the wayside, (Jam. 1:13-14 — Rev. 2:10; 3:10.) Þ This is why Peter seriously warned in 1 Pt. 4:17-19, “The time has come for judgement to begin at the [spiritual] house of God [because universal calamity is at hand.] And if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the Gospel of God? (2 Ths. 2:9-12.) Now if the righteous one is scarcely saved, [because persecution and affliction steadily wears him out,] where will the ungodly [believer] and the sinner appear? Therefore, let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to Him in doing good, as to a faithful Creator.” This means that the time has now come when God is purifying His true believers to ready them for His return. The time of great, global suffering for righteousness is at hand, and God’s timely refinement is His mercy. It will crush personal sin and destructive habits, and ready us to remain faithful to Him through the incomprehensible dark time ahead. God first allows terrible affliction on His true disciples to cast down all sin in their minds, (thoughts or beliefs,) and lives, (see 2 Cor. 10:3-6.) The mortification of personal sin comes through the suffering of their bodies and even worse, through direct oppression and afflictions on their souls, (intellect, emotions, and free will,) such as chronic abuse and unmerited trauma. We must understand that persecution for righteousness has the power to either drive us to totally commit our souls to God, Who is the Only One Who can keep us, or to push us down the dark road of apostasy and self-destruction. Þ The only way to preserve our souls in Jesus’ truth and Holy-Spirit power, is to “commit them in well-doing to God;” in obedience to His Word of Truth, and to keep on obeying His Moral Law of Love in the Spirit’s leading, (Jn. 13:34.)
And then, suddenly at midnight, (when the world is at the peak of spiritual darkness, lawlessness, and suffering,) a cry was heard: “Behold, the Bridegroom is coming; [wake up from your slumber and sleep ] and go out to meet Him!” Just before the very last moment of the Bridegroom’s arrival, “the ten virgins arose and trimmed their lamps.” They all did final preparations in what little time they had left. They began to repent from all immorality and turned from all darkness to “do Jesus all honor and give Him all praise” in everything He Is, and had entrusted to them. They checked their lives to see which priorities and responsibilities they have neglected. They sincerely sought to set their entire lives in order, (Mt. 10:37-42.) Þ The five wise virgins had enough experience and truth of His Word, because they have sincerely committed their souls and lives to God under all circumstances. They were purified and thus single-minded through the affliction they suffered, (1 Pt. 4:17.) So, they are able to accomplish their hasty preparations because they have oil in their ‘vessels’ to keep their lamps burning through the impenetrable darkness. As faithful stewards, they made proper provision beforehand. Þ The foolish five also had their lamps, (their commitment to know and serve Him,) but they lacked “more fuel” to avoid being overcome by the darkness. Their double-mindedness, self-conceitedness, and passivity caused a terrible lack of knowledge about vital truths and a lack of Godly character. They needed the time to set their priorities straight and attend to their responsibilities, which would have guided and sustained them now to glorify Jesus’ Name until the very end. They suddenly realized they are totally unprepared and urgently needed more “oil” for their lamps. In utter desperation, the foolish virgins then hurriedly tried to share in the oil of the wise virgins, but it was too late. The wise virgins could not teach, encourage, or pray for them anymore. They were not prepared to give them their ‘oil,’ lest they do not have enough for themselves, (Mt. 25:9.) Everyone will only be able to face Jesus with what they have done with their lives, which He had entrusted to each of them. When the foolish virgins had the opportunity and time to fill their lamps and vessels while ‘oil’ was still available to carry them through the impenetrable dark times ahead, they were shunning their personal duties — and also shunning the diligent wise virgins! They looked with contempt upon the “narrow walk” of the wise virgins. But suddenly, the moment they must face the returning Bridegroom was imminent, and they lacked the necessities to keep their ‘lamps’ burning until that moment when they see Jesus. Þ This means, we will not have God or serve God when, as, and how it suits us, but as He warned in Heb. 3:15, “Today, [the moment] you hear His voice, [through the truth of Scripture and the conviction of the Spirit,] do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion… The Lord will judge His people. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the Living God,” (Heb. 10:30-31.) In hard-hearted, headstrong disobedience the unwise virgins forfeited the grace of God over a long period of time, (Mt. 25:1-11.)
However, while the unwise virgins were frantically running “to and fro” to try and buy oil for their lamps, “the Bridegroom came and the door was shut,” (Mt. 25:10-13.) When the foolish virgins demanded entrance, Jesus declared, “I do not know you... Watch therefore, [He will come unexpectedly not secretly,] for you know neither The Day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.” Jesus confirmed His judgment on these disobedient, truth-lacking, irresponsible believers in Mt. 7:21-24, saying, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only those who do the will of my Father Who is in heaven. Many will say to Me on That Day, [singular,] ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your Name, cast out demons, and performed many miracles?’ Then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice [unrepented] lawlessness [or disobedience to the Truth of the Scriptures, My Holy Word!’]” Signs and miracles surely do not prove salvation. Þ M. H. Commentary, (Mt. 25:14-30,) explained, “While [the five foolish virgins] went out to buy [oil for their lamps] the Bridegroom came. With regard to those that put off their great work [to Scripturally obey and follow Jesus] to the last moment, it is a thousand to one that they have not time [or grace] to do it then. Getting grace is a work of time, and cannot be done in a hurry. While the poor awakened soul addresses itself upon [facing Jesus’ return, or on] a sick bed to repentance and prayer, [and to the upkeep of responsibilities,] in awful confusion, it scarcely knows which end to begin at, or what to do first; and presently death comes, [Jesus comes,] judgment comes, and the work is undone, and the sinner is undone forever. This comes of having oil to buy when we should burn it, and grace to get when we should use it.”
We are so blessed to have the internet for nearly everything we choose to know. Even most people without internet have libraries where they can find knowledge about nearly anything. God has made a way, during the last fifteen years or so, to let His True “Gospel be preached in all the world… [because] the end [is so very near.]” (Mt. 24:8-14.] As I see the disappearance of many blogs and websites that taught real truth about the Gospel and exposed the lies of everything in church religion and in politics – other vital truths about the world as well; I realize that the parable of the ten virgins is already manifesting now in our day, (Mt. 24:4-14; Mt. 24:1-51, Lu. 17:20-37, etc.) Thus, it is no coincidence that instant, almost miraculous modern technology like the internet, accompanies this last time. While God made ways for His believers to know and obey “all truth,” (Mt. 24:11-14; Dan. 12:4,) these technologies also brought terrible filth and the most dangerous deceptions we have ever seen. People are bombarded with knowledge from all sides, and they are becoming increasingly lazy to read their own Bibles, because they can just watch and swallow everything they see on video. Of course videos are useful; but we cannot say that about all of them. Extremely false doctrine flood the internet and all other avenues unhindered. When we search for Godly, Scriptural truth, (and political and other truth as well,) we must already waddle through a marsh of deceptions to get to little bric-a-bracs of truth — if we can find any truth at all. Soon, only deceptions will be available, as all Godly, contextual, and real truth is slowly being smothered by wilfully created deception and darkness. Many people, believers especially, are saturated with information about everything – or so they think, (Hos. 4:6.) Equipping ourselves (Jude 1:20) and always praying and striving in the Spirit to acquire God’s Truth, Guidance, Provision, and Protection to survive the dreadful deceptions and other onslaughts of this world, is an absolute necessity. The study I have now published on what is really happening in South Africa connects to what has, and what is about to happen in the whole world. I would never have known the truth about the false political history, false church doctrines, and misinterpreted prophesies on which we were all raised, if I did not study by God’s grace, in context, the history of politics and religion, (Christian religion in particular,) in the light of the contextual truth of the Bible. May God give us all the grace to fill our ‘lamps’ and ‘vessels’ with enough ‘oil’ while it is still available, so we can have light (or spiritual sight) during these ever-darkening last days. What will happen if hidden religious and political powers suddenly clamp down on all Bible-truth websites, messages, chats, Real Bibles, True literature, genuine fellowships, and all Godly knowledge about what is really going on in this world? (Rev. 13:5-9, 13-18.) Will we really have enough “oil” in our "lamps" and “vessels” to sustain us until that moment of the ‘Midnight Cry?’ Home Let’s Talk Fatal Wrong Priorities ► The Seven Ecclesias in Revelation show us How to Overcome Satan’s Traps “Sell your cloak to buy a sword.” What was Jesus really saying? What does Jesus Really Say about a “Worldwide Revival?” Þ What does Scripture teach About Prosperity and Persecution? “Deliver us from evil and Restore our souls” How to live fruitful in the Kingdom of Jesus Christ Suffering from ‘Left-Church Syndrome:’ Feeling Guilty, Lost, Disorientated? Is the church the body of Christ? Church Praise & Worship Versus Scriptural Praise & Worship Miraculous Healing — does God still heal and how does He do it? Þ South African Promise Keeper Angus Buchan and the Masonic Brotherhood Þ Did Billy Graham really bring millions of believers to heaven? Þ The Human Sacrifice of the Mary-worshiping, Masonic Protestant Reformers |
