We have been studying the prophetic Parable of the Wise & Foolish Virgins...Matt. 23:1-13. I know this is a long blog series, but the Bible has so much to reveal regarding how to be truly prepared for the return of Jesus Christ, and stand before Him on that Day to have our works judged - the house we built on the foundation of salvation. When we were last together I asked, "What happens to the foolish virgins (Christians)?
The Apostle Paul said, regarding the house (works) we build on the foundation of salvation...if anyone's work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward...if anyone's work is burned, he will suffer loss, but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire...I Cor. 3:14-15. This script is very clear - no interpretation needed.
There are ten virgins in this parable - ten born again Christians. The five Christians - who were prepared - whose houses didn't burn up at the Judgment Seat of Christ, will receive the reward Jesus brings with Him - the Wedding Garment - Robe of Righteousness. This garment allows entrance into the Wedding Hall - Holy of Holies.
The five Christians - who weren't prepared -whose houses burned up at the Judgment Seat of Christ, were received into Heaven, because they accepted Jesus as their Savior - they were born again...John 3:3. But, they will suffer loss. While on the earth they spent little time getting to know their Savior intimately, who could reveal issues in their hearts that needed to change, so the oil in their lamps grew dim. They were busy enjoying worldly pleasures, which means they built their house from wood, hay, and stubble, so it burned up at the Judgment Seat of Christ.
When the Bridegroom arrives, the five wise Christians were welcomed into the Wedding Hall - Holy of Holies - to participate in the Marriage of the Lamb...Rev. 19:7. The five foolish Christians were left on the outside of the Wedding Hall saying...Lord, Lord, open to us. Jesus said in the last verse of the Parable of the Wedding Feast...many are called, but few are chosen. This means that many Christians have been invited into the Wedding Hall, but few will be prepared to enter...Matt. 22:11-12. Very sobering thought.
What is the reward the five wise Christians will receive on that Day? To her (wise Christian) it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints...blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb...Rev. 19:8-9. The reward Jesus gives to His wife on that Day is the Wedding Garment - fine linen, clean & bright made from her righteous acts. Because she is wearing the Robe of Righteousness (Wedding Garment), she is invited to participate in the marriage supper of the Lamb in the Holy of Holies - Wedding Hall.
What is the loss that the five foolish Christians will suffer? In the Parable of the Wedding Feast Jesus clearly explains in verse 13...then the king (God) said to his servants...bind him (them) hand and foot, take him (them) away, and cast him (them) into outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
In blog #14 of this series I described in depth, a place called Outer Darkness. It is a metaphor describing a place on the exterior of Heaven, on the outside of the Holy of Holies - Wedding Hall. It does not describe the darkness of night as we understand on the earth, because in Heaven there is only light. John said...the city had no need of sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illumined it. The Lamb is its light...Rev. 21:23. Jesus the Son is the light of Heaven.
The darkness in a place named Outer Darkness, describes the great loss that will be experienced by those who are not allowed to enter the Wedding Hall. When they find out they were unprepared to receive the reward that Jesus brings with Him - Wedding Garment - there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth - great sorrow, grief, pain & rage - sobbing and wailing - because now it is too late to build a house for the Lord!
They will still enjoy many blessings of Heaven, and the Lord loves them very much for accepting His blood sacrifice for their sins, nonetheless, they will experience profound loss for not being ready for His return - illustrated by the five foolish virgins.
If we find all of the prophetic parables of Jesus, place them in consecutive order, which I have tried to do in this series, we will find a clear explanation of what happens at the end of the world to all people, saved or unsaved, when they stand before Jesus at the Great White Throne judgment and all the books are opened...Rev. 20:11-15.
Are you truly prepared for the return of Jesus Christ - to have the house you built on His foundation of salvation judged? He is ready to come - are you ready to receive His reward?
God's sheep question the doctrines of men...sheeple follow without question~~~
When we were last together we read the Old Testament scripture that described the Holy of Holies, where God dwells. In order to enter the Holy Place, the priest was required to wear pure white linen holy garments, and have no defilement in his heart, in order to bring the blood sacrifice for the sins of the people to God, so they could be forgiven. The High Priest had a rope tied to his leg. Why? If his heart was defiled he would die in the Holy of Holies - no darkness of error could live in God's sinless Presence. Great fear would come upon the other priests, so they needed a way to pull him out, otherwise they also could die if they entered the Holy Place.
In the Parable of the Wedding Feast, Jesus describes a Wedding Hall where only Christians, who are properly attired, will be able to participate in the Marriage of the Lamb. The Wedding Hall is the New Testament terminology for the Holy of Holies...Matt. 22:1-14. The reward Jesus brings with Him the day He returns is the Wedding Garment that He will give to His Bride.
Do you remember in Blog #2 of this series that I explained in detail the Greek language definition of His reward? It means: pay for service. At the Judgment Seat of Christ each Christian will have the house they built for the Lord, while they lived on the earth, judged according to what is written in his book...Rev. 20:12. If his house is defiled it will burn up - destroyed. If his house is not defiled, he will receive His reward - pay for service - for his undefiled virtuous acts.
This Christian will be invited into the Wedding Hall...because to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints...Rev. 19:8. Does the prophetic Parable of the Wise & Foolish Virgins confirm the Wedding Hall is the Holy of Holies?
Then the kingdom of Heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom...now five of them were wise, and five were foolish...those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps...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!"...then all the virgins arose and trimmed their lamps...and the foolish said to the wise, "Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out"...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...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...afterward the other virgins came also, saying, "Lord, Lord, open to us!"...But He answered and said, "Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you. Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming."...Matt. 25:1-13.
This prophetic parable is about a wedding because it describes...those who were ready went in with Him to the wedding. I was taught in church that this parable is about entering Heaven - five were allowed in - five went to Hell. But is that really what the parable illustrates? Before we can understand this parable, we must find out who are the virgins.
The word virgins is a metaphor for born again Christians - someone who has been cleansed and purified from sin by the blood of Jesus Christ. Jesus has called as...out of darkness into His marvelous light...I Pet. 2:9. By calling all ten, virgins, we can conclude that all ten are born again Christians. The Apostle Paul described this experience by saying...if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new...II Cor. 5:17.
Old things passed away - a brand new life has begun with a clean slate. All called virgins - undefiled. Now that we have defined the symbolism, we understand that the parable is referring to ten born again Christians - all will be allowed into Heaven - but not all will be invited into the Wedding Hall. In verse 8 of the parable, notice that the five foolish virgins say...give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out. It does not say that their lamps are out of oil.
What does oil symbolize? It symbolizes the Holy Spirit. The five foolish Christians had allowed the power and authority of the Holy Spirit to become second in their lives, while all the worldly pleasures became prominent, so they said...our lamps are going out. The cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful...Matt. 13:22. In other words, the house they built will burn up at the Judgment Seat of Christ.
After Jesus, the bridegroom, took those who were ready to go into the Wedding Hall, the door was shut - no one else could enter the Holy of Holies - because they were defiled. When the five foolish virgins asked if they could come in the Lord said...I do no know you. To know the Lord, symbolizes intimacy with Him - someone bearing the attributes of Christ in their lives. The five foolish virgins did not know Him, they knew about Him.
Because of the blood of Jesus Christ they were wearing the Garment of Salvation, so were allowed in Heaven. But they were not allowed in the Wedding Hall, because they had no virtuous acts to provide a Robe of Righteousness - Wedding Garment.
What happens to the five foolish virgins? Stay tuned...
God's sheep question the doctrines of men...sheeple follow without question~~~
In this series we are studying the prophetic parables of Jesus regarding our eternal home - what happens at the end of the world - when we stand at the Judgment Seat of Christ. We have defined all the key points in the Parable of the Wedding Feast except one - the Wedding Hall...Matt. 22:1-14. What does it symbolize? To understand this symbolism we must turn to the Old Testament.
...the Lord said to Moses...Tell Aaron your brother not to come at just any time into the Holy Place inside the veil, before the mercy seat which is on the ark, lest he die; for I will appear in the cloud above the mercy seat...He shall put the holy linen tunic and the linen trousers on his body; he shall be girded with a linen sash and with the linen turban he shall be attired...these are holy garments. Therefore he shall wash his body in water and put them on...Lev. 16:2-4.
In the days of the Israelites, when the high priest Aaron ministered in the Holy Place (Holy of Holies) to God, presenting the blood sacrifice for the sins of the people, he could not just come in by his own will. God told him when to enter His presence. When he did go into the Holy of Holies, he was required to cleanse his body, and wear holy garments made of linen. Linen is made from flax, a fine, light colored plant. The finished material was pure white - symbolizing humility and purity of the high priest - when he enters the Holy of Holies - where God dwells.
When the high priest left the Holy Place, where God dwells, he was required to remove his holy garments, preventing them from becoming defiled when he ministered to sinners in the outer court. The outer court symbolizes the world. The promise of a Messiah who would offer His blood for the sins of the world was the purpose of this ritual - looking forward to that day when He would appear in Israel and fulfill God's promise. This prophecy was fulfilled when Jesus was crucified and rose from the dead.
With this scriptural description of the Holy of Holies, let's find this fine linen garment in the heavenly Holy of Holies. The marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready...and to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints...blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb...Rev. 19:7-9. When Jesus returns He will bring with Him a reward - it is the fine linen garment that He presents to His wife.
The fine linen garment symbolizes the righteous acts of the saints. This means the house (temple) they built while they lived on the earth - their works. When the books are opened at the Great White Throne judgment, the house (temple) each believer built - his works - will be judged by fire (glory of God). If his house was built of righteous acts he will be invited into the Wedding Hall - Holy of Holies. If his house was not built of righteous acts - it will be deemed defiled (of the world) and he cannot enter the Wedding Hall - Holy of Holies - he will suffer loss. Yet, he is allowed to enter Heaven because he is born again by the Spirit of God...I Cor. 3:12-17.
At the end of the world, God comes to the Wedding Hall to see the guests who are waiting for the Marriage of His Son. He saw a man there who did not have on a wedding garment...Matt 22:11. This man had to be removed from the Wedding Hall - Holy of Holies - because he as not properly attired for the Marriage of the Lamb...Matt. 22:12-13.
Many Christians are invited to the Wedding Hall, but few are prepared (properly attired) to enter in. A human being must be wearing a Garment of Salvation to enter Heaven, but must be wearing a Robe of Righteousness (Wedding Garment) to enter the Wedding Hall - Holy of Holies - where God dwells. The fine linen Wedding Garment is the righteous acts of a believer. No righteous acts recorded in his book -- no Robe of Righteousness is waiting in Heaven for that Christian.
What is the loss a believer will suffer if he is not allowed in the Wedding Hall? As we saw in our Old Testament example, no defilement was allowed in a priest who presented himself in the Holy of Holies - where God dwells. This place symbolizes intimacy with God who has always dwelled in a sinless environment. If a human being desires this intimacy with God he cannot present a defiled house at the Judgment Seat of Christ. A defiled house will burn up on that Day.
Not being allowed to enter the Holy of Holies, because he is not wearing a Wedding Garment is the loss a believer will suffer, causing weeping and gnashing of teeth - intense sobbing and wailing - when he realizes, albeit too late, that he truly was not ready for the return of the Lord Jesus Christ!
Jesus gave us so much information on how to be prepared for His return in His prophetic parables. How does the Parable of the Wise & Foolish Virgins confirm the Wedding Hall as the Holy of Holies? Stay tuned...
God's sheep question the doctrines of men...sheeple follow without question~~~
When we were last together we were studying the Parable of the Wedding Feast (Matt. 22:1-14). We left off with the part that describes the end of the world, when the King (God) appears in the Wedding Hall to see the guests that have arrived to participate in the Marriage of the Lamb...Rev. 19:7. The King spots something out of place.
When the king came in to see the guests, he saw a man there who did not have on a wedding garment...Matt 22:11. We know the man is in Heaven, because he wandered into the Wedding Hall - so he must be wearing the Garment of Salvation. Why is this garment not enough to attend the Marriage of the Lamb? What did the King say to the man who is not properly attired for the Marriage of the Lamb?
So he said to him, "Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding garment?" And he was speechless...Matt. 22:12. The man was shocked to find out that he needed a wedding garment in order to attend the Marriage of the Lamb! When he studied the Bible, while he lived on the earth, didn't he ever read the Parable of the Wedding Feast? Did he ever hear a pastor preach a sermon about a Wedding Garment, or that it is the reward Jesus brings with Him the day He returns?
Dear reader, did you ever hear a sermon preached on this subject? No, I didn't either. Before any of us stand at the Judgment Seat of Christ, at the end of the world, we must be prepared to participate in the Marriage of the Lamb. In this prophetic parable, Jesus calls it a Wedding Garment, while the Prophet Isaiah calls it the Robe of Righteousness...Is. 61.10. The Robe of Righteousness is worn over the Garment of Salvation.
In other words the garment is issued first - while we live on the earth. The robe is issued to us at the Judgment Seat of Christ. But, the issuance of the robe is contingent on the the house (work) we build for the Lord, while we live on the earth. We must make sure our house (work) does not burn up on that Day. Regarding that Day, the Apostle Paul said to believers about the foundation of salvation built by Christ...if anyone's work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward...if anyone's work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire...I Cor. 3:14-15.
Why did the King (God) call the man without a Wedding Garment - friend? The word friend in the original Greek language is hetairos meaning: clansman; tribe. By calling this man friend, God was acknowledging him as part of His heavenly family - tribe. But since he was not wearing a Wedding Garment he could not stay in the Wedding Hall and participate in the Marriage of the Lamb. What happens to this man?
Then the king said to the servants, "Bind him hand and foot, take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth?...Matt. 22:13. God called His servants (attendants) to bind him, hand and foot, remove him from the Wedding Hall, and cast him into Outer Darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth in this place called Outer Darkness, because this is the loss a believer will suffer when his house burns up at the Judgment Seat of Christ.
How do we define the symbolism - bind him hand and foot - in this verse? It symbolizes that when this believer stood before Jesus at the Great White Throne judgment, he did not present...the image of the heavenly Man...I Cor. 15:49. The house he built on the earth did not honor and glorify Jesus Christ, it honored and glorified himself. His mind was focused on worldly pleasures, rather than on the spiritual pleasures of the Lord. He wasted his life, squandering his talents, so he reflected the material world at the Judgment Seat of Christ.
I was told by pastors and Bible teachers that all three places in the Bible referring to outer darkness are defined as Hell, Hades, or Lake of Fire. In other words, damnation. When I finally looked up the original Greek language for these words, I found a different understanding.
The word outer is exoteros meaning: exterior. The word darkness is skotos meaning: obscurity; shadiness (darkness of error); adumbration (outline). Outer Darkness is a place on the exterior of Heaven, far away from the brightness of the Wedding Hall, where the Marriage of the Lamb takes place.
If a believer finds himself in Outer Darkness, rather than attending the Marriage of the Lamb there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth - sobbing and wailing - as he realizes, albeit too late, that he was not properly attired to enter the Wedding Hall. For many are called, but few are chosen...Matt. 22:14. This is the last verse of the Parable of the Wedding Feast. Born again believers in Christ are invited to attend the Marriage of the Lamb, but few are selected to enter the Wedding Hall.
It is obvious that the Wedding Hall is a significant location. According to the Old Testament, what does it symbolize? Stay tuned...
God's sheep question the doctrines of men...sheeple follow without question~~~
