Dear Steven:
Thank you for your very informative books, articles and blogs. Separating the House of Judah and the House of Israel has been so helpful.
I have a question about the 10 virgins. In your article you stated that you felt this is the church. Could this not also be the 10 Tribes? I started studying this to see if it were possible.
Jeremiah 31:3-22 talks about the Virgin daughter of Israel. (i.e. the 10 tribes). Since there are 10 virgins and 10 tribes, it would seem there is a connection here. At one time, according to your book, most of the progeny of these 10 tribes came out of Christion countries. Today their “Christianity” could certainly be debated.
I kept thinking about the oil. It would seem that it is the annointing of the Holy Spirit which causes us be a light to those around us. Most churches would be called “Ichabod” these days.
In the scripture, the foolish virgins took their lamps that had no oil in them. They hadn’t had to light them or they would have already known they were without oil. At midnight, they would need light from their lamps. How many denominational churches once were on fire for the Lord, letting their lights shine. We are so prosperous that we don’t know what darkness we are really living in.
Now, since he has been so long in coming, they have lost their first love and the annointing. They are caught up in the Babylonian System. In Churches, people are grandfathered in with no true salvation ever even being preached to them. I grew up in such a church.
I agree with you about them being asleep to the truth of Prophecy. If it does not include Pre-Trib Rapture, no one wants to hear about it. Hal Lindsey’s books have certainly made people aware of the end times. But, like you said, have put people to sleep concerning the signs we are to be watching for.
The fact that the foolish virgins are shut out and told that “I do not know you,” seems like it would be those churches that never have altar calls or preach the saving grace of Jesus. Sunday after Sunday, these people sit in services and don’t even know the Lord. In these times, “the god of materialism” is whom most people serve. The 5 foolish virgins are told to go buy oil. We know salvation is a free gift. It can’t be borrowed, bought, or gotten from anyone other than the Lord. Had their hearts and eyes been open, had they had the truth preached to them, they would have known this. Instead they went out to buy oil and apparently got some oil from another source. (The devil has certainly fooled a lot of people.)
I agree with you that after salvation we need to be doing the work of the Lord. That truly is more important than understanding prophecy. Eph 2:10 tells us that after the free gift of salvation, we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” The Holy Spirit will lead us into these truths as we let him keep our oil fresh each day. Eph. 5:13-21 is almost a parallel of the “Virgin” scriptures. It has lots of information on how we can have oil in our lamps and let our lights shine. It talks about light, being asleep, being wise, not foolish, redeeming the time for the days are evil, being filled with the Spirit, having the right kind of heart attitude and living that way.
Thank you for your words of wisdom on the 10 Virgins. it caused me to delve more deeply into it. Again thank you so much for all the study and time and sharing that you have done.
Yours in Christ’s love,
Cindy
MYREPLY
Dear Cindy,
You make some very good points! I favor the view that the “virgins” of Matthew 25:1-13 are modern believers (who exist in all kinds of denominations, doctrinal systems, attitudes, etc.) because the “wise virgins” are invited to participate in the “wedding supper” of the Lamb (verse 10). The “wedding supper” argues that these are the saints who gathered to be with Christ at his Second Coming. Also, the parable of the ten virgins is the third in a series of parables about the attitude of believers in the latter days (Matthew 24:42-Matthew 25:1-13).
Nevertheless, your comments about the modern situations of the ten tribes of Israel very accurately describe the lack of faith in our modern nations. There is no question that the “oil” of God’s Spirit is declining rapidly in the nations of the modern tribes of Israel. As you correctly noted, so many modern Christian churches have “let their light go out” and are now little more than religious social clubs. Many churches are, indeed, given over to the materialistic spirit of our day, and they are blind to the critical prophetic times in which we live.
Your comments and observations are very timely for our modern era, and I’m posting them at the website for all to consider.
Steve
