I'm not going to pull any punches with covering this parable our Lord gave. It has many subject links throughout the whole Bible, and I'll cover as many of those as time permits. It is especially an important parable for the last days leading up to our Lord Jesus' return to this earth, and our gathering to Him. Understanding it for the times that are coming is a grave matter for all believers on Jesus Christ.
Matt 25:1-13
1 Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.
In Matt.9:15 our Lord Jesus used this "bridegroom" as a symbol for Himself. The idea of the ten virgins going to meet the bridegroom is put for the gathering of His saints ("virgins") to Him at His return (1 Thess.4; Zechariah 14; Rev.20; 1 Cor.15; Matt.24; Mark 13).
Where does this idea of symbolic "virgins" for His saints originate from? It originates as a metaphor from Old Testament Scripture. First, look at how apostle Paul covered the idea from the OT prophets...
2 Cor 11:1-4
1 Would to God ye could bear with me a little in my folly: and indeed bear with me.
2 For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one Husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.
Did you know Paul was actually pulling that idea from OT Scripture? He was referring to Scripture like Isaiah 54:5 that says, "For thy Maker is thine Husband, the LORD of hosts is His name: and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; The God of the whole earth shall He be called". The "chaste virgin to Christ" idea is a spiritual symbol for those who remain faithful to Christ Jesus.
It is used in the sense of worship and our personal relationship with The Father and The Son, our Redeemer. It is about spiritual marriage to GOD, and to Him only. So the natural usages of the idea of a virgin, betrothal of a bride, a wedding, all apply, but in the spiritual sense as a symbol of our Faith in The Father through His Son Jesus Christ.
2 Cor.11:3 But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.
4 For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.
(KJV)
Notice the idea apostle Paul continues with that idea of our being "a chaste virgin" espoused (betrothed) to Christ. His fear was that just as that old serpent (Satan) deceived Eve in God's Garden, he fard our minds might be corrupted away from the simplicity in Christ, and instead believe false prophets that preach "another Jesus" Christ's Apostles did not preach. Also, he feared we might be deceived by another spirit (not from God), or by another gospel they didn't preach, and that we might bear with that falseness instead of remaining "a chaste virgin" waiting for Christ's return.
Further in that 2 Cor.11 chapter, Paul covers how Satan himself is disguised as an angel of light (KJV "transformed"= disguised in the Greek). And also he said Satan's ministers are also disguised as ministers of righteousness. Paul declared there exists false apostles, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. Did you know that working of iniquity existed even back in apostle Paul's days?
What that teaching from Paul is especially about, is the idea of "another Jesus", a false one which Christ's enemies are preparing the world to accept in place of our Lord Jesus Christ. We well know no one can actually replace our Lord Jesus, but that doesn't mean Satan won't try to present someone in Christ's place to try and trick us into accepting instead. Paul is really teaching Satan's host are going to actually try it, and the idea was already in the working in Paul's days among false ones that had crept into Christ's body. Thus Christ's Church since the beginning in the days of Christ's Apostles has been under this attack by Satan's workers preparing the deceived for the coming of a particular false one.
The early Church fathers looked for the coming of that false one, so they well knew about this warning from God's Word like Paul covered. Our Lord Jesus warned the last generation of this world about this also, in Matt.24 and Mark 13. It's the subject of the "abomination of desolation" He quoted from the Book of Daniel, the idea He specifically covered in the Matt.24:23-28 verses. In Matt.24:24 the KJV translators rendered the Greek word 'pseudochristos' as "false Christs". Greek pseudochristos is made up from two Greek words, 'pseudo' (false) and 'Christos' (Christ singular). The direct translation should have been 'a pseudo Christ', not "false Christs". It's this same "another Jesus" idea apostle Paul mentioned.
That idea of "another Jesus" originates from how Satan originally first rebelled against GOD. Per Isaiah 14 and Ezekiel 28, Satan coveted God's Throne, and wanted to be GOD. That's the idea Paul is also pulling from in 2 Thessalonians 2 about a false one coming to sit in the Temple of God, showing himself that he is God. Our Lord Jesus Christ as KING is Who is to actually sit in GOD's House on the throne of David on earth at His return (Psalms 2; Ezek.40-48; Rev.20). That is the specific event Satan is going to try to copy in the last days on earth, just prior to our Lord Jesus' coming.
In this ten virgin parable, it's about the time just prior to Christ's return and then our gathering to Him. Since we now have God's Word from Genesis through Revelation, we should be able to understand this coming event upon the whole world just prior to Christ's return, and thus it's a very important link to fully understanding this ten virgin parable our Lord Jesus gave...
Matt.25:2 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.
It's important to note per the lesson flow in this Matthew 25 chapter, that our Lord Jesus had just covered the seven signs leading up to the end of this world in the previous Matthew 24 chapter. Matthew 25 is a continuation of what He was teaching His disciples upon the Mount of Olives in the previous chapter. Let no man take this away from you that He was giving this ten virgin parable for any other time than in the days of His return, which is still future to us even.
Five of the ten virgins were wise because they carried a spare vessel of Oil with their lamps, while the five foolish virgins did not. The wise thus had the oil in their lamps plus another vessel of oil. The five foolish virgins only had the oil in their lamps.
What is this Oil used as a symbol for here with the lamps? In Zech.4, a lamp with a bowl on top is shown to Zechariah, and two olive trees feed the golden oil through the lamp's pipes. There's so many Biblical references to this idea of oil and a lamp put for God's Light of Truth in contrast to spiritual darkness that it would take much space to cover them all. Our Lord Jesus used the idea of our works being as a lamp giving light. Olive oil was used for anointing to symbolize the presence of The Holy Spirit. Our Lord Jesus was anointed with the Oil, kings were anointed, the OT prophets were anointed. Per James 5 we as Christians are still to anoint ourselves with oil in sickness as a petition for healing by The Holy Spirit.
But how does that Oil as a symbol for anointing by The Holy Spirit apply in this parable? Anointing by The Holy Spirit has to do especially with understanding in God's Word, not just the various administrations of 1 Cor.12-14. Per our Lord Jesus in John 14 The Holy Spirit is sent to us in order to teach us all things, and that means understanding, especially in God's Word since It was given through The Holy Spirit, and must be understood by The Holy Spirit.
Not having a spare vessel of that Oil would mean what then, per the parable? Not having enough Holy Spirit? No. Not having enough 'understanding' by The Holy Spirit. It's obviously related to the idea of having spiritual eyes to see, and spiritual ears to hear, which our Lord Jesus hinted at many times. That doesn't come by any other way than from our LORD by The Holy Spirit and getting into His Word with that anointing.
5 While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.
Our Lord Jesus and His Apostles used a metaphor about spiritual sleep, like a lethargic spirit of slumber. Paul referred to the idea of spiritual sleep in Romans 11 when quoting from Isaiah 29 of how God had poured out the spirit of deep sleep upon the prophets and rulers of Jerusalem that had fallen away from Him, closing their spiritual eyes away from His Truth. This shows even more that Oil in the lamps represent one's spiritual eyes being opened by that spare vessel of the Oil the five wise virgins had. It shows they are able to come out of that time of slumber prepared, while the lamps of the five foolish virgins burned out of Oil.
In Matthew 7, our Lord Jesus mentioned a rebuke of closing the door upon His deceived servants that do iniquity when He does return, even though they will claim how they did many wonderful works in His Name, prophesied in His Name, cast out devils in His Name. Just doing wonders and miracles in Christ's Name is not enough for what's coming in the last days during the tribulation. We especially must stay spiritually awake to not fall into false worship to the false messiah/antichrist that is going to appear on earth first. That false messiah is going to use great signs and miracles to deceive with as a show to the deceived, and that will convert them into accepting that false one, instead of waiting for Christ's return later. In Matt.24 and Mark 13 our Lord Jesus even showed how that pseudo-Christ is going to do miracle works so powerful in deception that if it were possible, it might even deceive His own elect. Thus understanding against deception is the key in the last days, not the working of miracles.
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.
Midnight is put for lateness, even tribulation timing, a time of the height of darkness upon the earth, pointing to the spiritual darkness for the last days. All the virgins arose to meet the bridegroom (Christ). Then the five foolish virgins discovered their lamps had burned out of the Oil, and asked of the five wise virgins to borrow some of their Oil.
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.
The five wise virgins tell the foolish no, unless they wouldn't have enough for all of them. Can one really give the Oil to another without God's approval? No. The five foolish virgins are told to go to the seller and buy it.
And there reveals one of the problems with the five foolish virgins. One cannot SELL nor BUY the Oil of God's Truth by The Holy Spirit. Remember Simon the sorcerer who offerred to buy The Holy Spirit from Christ's Apostles? (Acts 8). That's exactly what some brethren think to do today, going to Church once a week and put money in the coffers never to crack open God's Word at any other time to get understanding for theirselves, just believing whatever is taught them by the Church organizational system they trust in. The hirelings among Christ's Body who preach for barley and wheat love it too (John 10; Ezek.13); it's a fleecing of Christ's sheep without so much as a whimper (see Isaiah 10 about the Assyrian's bragging of stealing from God's people). (Think I'm lying about this? Next Sunday School class, ask the teacher when they're going to start covering The Bible line upon line from Genesis to the end of Revelation, and see what kind of response you get).
It's late in the day, concerning endtime events. It's time to get understanding in God's Word like never before, and that means doing it God's Way, not going everywhere else to hear all the different doctrines man can come up with.
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.
11 Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.
12 But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.
Why would our Lord shut the door on those five foolish virgins at His return? Doesn't He tell us why here? Not until the next verse...
13 Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.
(KJV)
Our Lord Jesus is actually repeating this warning to watch, for He already mentioned that once in this Discourse back at Matt.24, the chapter He was giving us the seven signs of the last days remember?
Matt 24:37-47
37 But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
38 For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark,
39 And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
Our Lord Jesus gave the command to be on watch with those signs of the end He gave in Matt.24. The same signs are given in Mark 13 also, and they parallel the seven signs of His Book of Revelation, especially the seven seals. He compares the last days of His coming to the time of the flood of Noah. Those who refused to believe a flood was coming were 'taken', destroyed by the flood. There is a 'taken' metaphor also in God's Word, first given in Isaiah 28, applied to the spiritually deceived. It's linked with that spirit of slumber idea.
40 Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
41 Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
At the end of Luke 17, our Lord reveals those who are 'taken' is not a good thing, for He linked it with the idea the "carcase" (dead) in Matt.24:28. Wherever the dead are (carcase), that's where the vultures will be gathered. The KJV translators rendered the idea of eagles, when vultures for Satan's host is actually what is meant. Eagles is a metaphor in this, of how Satan's host will disguise themselves as the ministers of righteousness, remember? As a metaphor, it is put for the spiritually deceived, like the five foolish virgins who don't take a spare vessel of the Oil with them to meet the Bridegroom.
42 Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.
There it is. Watch thefore, but why, since He says we don't know what hour He returns? So since we can't know the hour, no sense in really watching, right? Wrong. He gave us seven signs to be watching right there in that Matt.24 chapter! Learn em'. Watch for 'em. It's important so you won't be caught asleep.
43 But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up.
If you know in what 'watch' the thief is to come, then you wouldn't let that thief break into your house at night. A watch is a group of hours, not just one hour. It's like the times and the seasons Paul forewarned about, staying sober watching them. It's about those seven signs our Lord gave. Watch.
44 Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.
45 Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season?
46 Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.
47 Verily I say unto you, That he shall make him ruler over all his goods.
(KJV)
Those who will be blessed when Christ does return will be those who kept watch on those signs He gave leading up to His return. Being able to watch those signs is about having that spare vessel of the Oil, being prepared. Attitudes like, "I believe on Christ, so I know He'll take care of me no matter what's coming in the last days, so I don't need to know the events" isn't going to get it done. If you don't know what to watch for, like that false messiah coming to work miracles on the earth, how will you know whether that's our Lord Jesus or not? Those who don't know are in danger of falling away to that false one, thinking the first one coming will be our Lord having returned, when it will be an imposter. The signs our Lord Jesus gave are to help you know this. And I assure you, falling into the spirit of slumber to wrongly worship the coming false messiah in place of our Lord Jesus, will be a work of iniquity, for our God is a Jealous God, as written.
Matt 25:1-13
1 Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.
In Matt.9:15 our Lord Jesus used this "bridegroom" as a symbol for Himself. The idea of the ten virgins going to meet the bridegroom is put for the gathering of His saints ("virgins") to Him at His return (1 Thess.4; Zechariah 14; Rev.20; 1 Cor.15; Matt.24; Mark 13).
Where does this idea of symbolic "virgins" for His saints originate from? It originates as a metaphor from Old Testament Scripture. First, look at how apostle Paul covered the idea from the OT prophets...
2 Cor 11:1-4
1 Would to God ye could bear with me a little in my folly: and indeed bear with me.
2 For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one Husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.
Did you know Paul was actually pulling that idea from OT Scripture? He was referring to Scripture like Isaiah 54:5 that says, "For thy Maker is thine Husband, the LORD of hosts is His name: and thy Redeemer the Holy One of Israel; The God of the whole earth shall He be called". The "chaste virgin to Christ" idea is a spiritual symbol for those who remain faithful to Christ Jesus.
It is used in the sense of worship and our personal relationship with The Father and The Son, our Redeemer. It is about spiritual marriage to GOD, and to Him only. So the natural usages of the idea of a virgin, betrothal of a bride, a wedding, all apply, but in the spiritual sense as a symbol of our Faith in The Father through His Son Jesus Christ.
2 Cor.11:3 But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.
4 For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.
(KJV)
Notice the idea apostle Paul continues with that idea of our being "a chaste virgin" espoused (betrothed) to Christ. His fear was that just as that old serpent (Satan) deceived Eve in God's Garden, he fard our minds might be corrupted away from the simplicity in Christ, and instead believe false prophets that preach "another Jesus" Christ's Apostles did not preach. Also, he feared we might be deceived by another spirit (not from God), or by another gospel they didn't preach, and that we might bear with that falseness instead of remaining "a chaste virgin" waiting for Christ's return.
Further in that 2 Cor.11 chapter, Paul covers how Satan himself is disguised as an angel of light (KJV "transformed"= disguised in the Greek). And also he said Satan's ministers are also disguised as ministers of righteousness. Paul declared there exists false apostles, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. Did you know that working of iniquity existed even back in apostle Paul's days?
What that teaching from Paul is especially about, is the idea of "another Jesus", a false one which Christ's enemies are preparing the world to accept in place of our Lord Jesus Christ. We well know no one can actually replace our Lord Jesus, but that doesn't mean Satan won't try to present someone in Christ's place to try and trick us into accepting instead. Paul is really teaching Satan's host are going to actually try it, and the idea was already in the working in Paul's days among false ones that had crept into Christ's body. Thus Christ's Church since the beginning in the days of Christ's Apostles has been under this attack by Satan's workers preparing the deceived for the coming of a particular false one.
The early Church fathers looked for the coming of that false one, so they well knew about this warning from God's Word like Paul covered. Our Lord Jesus warned the last generation of this world about this also, in Matt.24 and Mark 13. It's the subject of the "abomination of desolation" He quoted from the Book of Daniel, the idea He specifically covered in the Matt.24:23-28 verses. In Matt.24:24 the KJV translators rendered the Greek word 'pseudochristos' as "false Christs". Greek pseudochristos is made up from two Greek words, 'pseudo' (false) and 'Christos' (Christ singular). The direct translation should have been 'a pseudo Christ', not "false Christs". It's this same "another Jesus" idea apostle Paul mentioned.
That idea of "another Jesus" originates from how Satan originally first rebelled against GOD. Per Isaiah 14 and Ezekiel 28, Satan coveted God's Throne, and wanted to be GOD. That's the idea Paul is also pulling from in 2 Thessalonians 2 about a false one coming to sit in the Temple of God, showing himself that he is God. Our Lord Jesus Christ as KING is Who is to actually sit in GOD's House on the throne of David on earth at His return (Psalms 2; Ezek.40-48; Rev.20). That is the specific event Satan is going to try to copy in the last days on earth, just prior to our Lord Jesus' coming.
In this ten virgin parable, it's about the time just prior to Christ's return and then our gathering to Him. Since we now have God's Word from Genesis through Revelation, we should be able to understand this coming event upon the whole world just prior to Christ's return, and thus it's a very important link to fully understanding this ten virgin parable our Lord Jesus gave...
Matt.25:2 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.
It's important to note per the lesson flow in this Matthew 25 chapter, that our Lord Jesus had just covered the seven signs leading up to the end of this world in the previous Matthew 24 chapter. Matthew 25 is a continuation of what He was teaching His disciples upon the Mount of Olives in the previous chapter. Let no man take this away from you that He was giving this ten virgin parable for any other time than in the days of His return, which is still future to us even.
Five of the ten virgins were wise because they carried a spare vessel of Oil with their lamps, while the five foolish virgins did not. The wise thus had the oil in their lamps plus another vessel of oil. The five foolish virgins only had the oil in their lamps.
What is this Oil used as a symbol for here with the lamps? In Zech.4, a lamp with a bowl on top is shown to Zechariah, and two olive trees feed the golden oil through the lamp's pipes. There's so many Biblical references to this idea of oil and a lamp put for God's Light of Truth in contrast to spiritual darkness that it would take much space to cover them all. Our Lord Jesus used the idea of our works being as a lamp giving light. Olive oil was used for anointing to symbolize the presence of The Holy Spirit. Our Lord Jesus was anointed with the Oil, kings were anointed, the OT prophets were anointed. Per James 5 we as Christians are still to anoint ourselves with oil in sickness as a petition for healing by The Holy Spirit.
But how does that Oil as a symbol for anointing by The Holy Spirit apply in this parable? Anointing by The Holy Spirit has to do especially with understanding in God's Word, not just the various administrations of 1 Cor.12-14. Per our Lord Jesus in John 14 The Holy Spirit is sent to us in order to teach us all things, and that means understanding, especially in God's Word since It was given through The Holy Spirit, and must be understood by The Holy Spirit.
Not having a spare vessel of that Oil would mean what then, per the parable? Not having enough Holy Spirit? No. Not having enough 'understanding' by The Holy Spirit. It's obviously related to the idea of having spiritual eyes to see, and spiritual ears to hear, which our Lord Jesus hinted at many times. That doesn't come by any other way than from our LORD by The Holy Spirit and getting into His Word with that anointing.
5 While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.
Our Lord Jesus and His Apostles used a metaphor about spiritual sleep, like a lethargic spirit of slumber. Paul referred to the idea of spiritual sleep in Romans 11 when quoting from Isaiah 29 of how God had poured out the spirit of deep sleep upon the prophets and rulers of Jerusalem that had fallen away from Him, closing their spiritual eyes away from His Truth. This shows even more that Oil in the lamps represent one's spiritual eyes being opened by that spare vessel of the Oil the five wise virgins had. It shows they are able to come out of that time of slumber prepared, while the lamps of the five foolish virgins burned out of Oil.
In Matthew 7, our Lord Jesus mentioned a rebuke of closing the door upon His deceived servants that do iniquity when He does return, even though they will claim how they did many wonderful works in His Name, prophesied in His Name, cast out devils in His Name. Just doing wonders and miracles in Christ's Name is not enough for what's coming in the last days during the tribulation. We especially must stay spiritually awake to not fall into false worship to the false messiah/antichrist that is going to appear on earth first. That false messiah is going to use great signs and miracles to deceive with as a show to the deceived, and that will convert them into accepting that false one, instead of waiting for Christ's return later. In Matt.24 and Mark 13 our Lord Jesus even showed how that pseudo-Christ is going to do miracle works so powerful in deception that if it were possible, it might even deceive His own elect. Thus understanding against deception is the key in the last days, not the working of miracles.
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.
Midnight is put for lateness, even tribulation timing, a time of the height of darkness upon the earth, pointing to the spiritual darkness for the last days. All the virgins arose to meet the bridegroom (Christ). Then the five foolish virgins discovered their lamps had burned out of the Oil, and asked of the five wise virgins to borrow some of their Oil.
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.
The five wise virgins tell the foolish no, unless they wouldn't have enough for all of them. Can one really give the Oil to another without God's approval? No. The five foolish virgins are told to go to the seller and buy it.
And there reveals one of the problems with the five foolish virgins. One cannot SELL nor BUY the Oil of God's Truth by The Holy Spirit. Remember Simon the sorcerer who offerred to buy The Holy Spirit from Christ's Apostles? (Acts 8). That's exactly what some brethren think to do today, going to Church once a week and put money in the coffers never to crack open God's Word at any other time to get understanding for theirselves, just believing whatever is taught them by the Church organizational system they trust in. The hirelings among Christ's Body who preach for barley and wheat love it too (John 10; Ezek.13); it's a fleecing of Christ's sheep without so much as a whimper (see Isaiah 10 about the Assyrian's bragging of stealing from God's people). (Think I'm lying about this? Next Sunday School class, ask the teacher when they're going to start covering The Bible line upon line from Genesis to the end of Revelation, and see what kind of response you get).
It's late in the day, concerning endtime events. It's time to get understanding in God's Word like never before, and that means doing it God's Way, not going everywhere else to hear all the different doctrines man can come up with.
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.
11 Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.
12 But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.
Why would our Lord shut the door on those five foolish virgins at His return? Doesn't He tell us why here? Not until the next verse...
13 Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.
(KJV)
Our Lord Jesus is actually repeating this warning to watch, for He already mentioned that once in this Discourse back at Matt.24, the chapter He was giving us the seven signs of the last days remember?
Matt 24:37-47
37 But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
38 For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark,
39 And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.
Our Lord Jesus gave the command to be on watch with those signs of the end He gave in Matt.24. The same signs are given in Mark 13 also, and they parallel the seven signs of His Book of Revelation, especially the seven seals. He compares the last days of His coming to the time of the flood of Noah. Those who refused to believe a flood was coming were 'taken', destroyed by the flood. There is a 'taken' metaphor also in God's Word, first given in Isaiah 28, applied to the spiritually deceived. It's linked with that spirit of slumber idea.
40 Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
41 Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left.
At the end of Luke 17, our Lord reveals those who are 'taken' is not a good thing, for He linked it with the idea the "carcase" (dead) in Matt.24:28. Wherever the dead are (carcase), that's where the vultures will be gathered. The KJV translators rendered the idea of eagles, when vultures for Satan's host is actually what is meant. Eagles is a metaphor in this, of how Satan's host will disguise themselves as the ministers of righteousness, remember? As a metaphor, it is put for the spiritually deceived, like the five foolish virgins who don't take a spare vessel of the Oil with them to meet the Bridegroom.
42 Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.
There it is. Watch thefore, but why, since He says we don't know what hour He returns? So since we can't know the hour, no sense in really watching, right? Wrong. He gave us seven signs to be watching right there in that Matt.24 chapter! Learn em'. Watch for 'em. It's important so you won't be caught asleep.
43 But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up.
If you know in what 'watch' the thief is to come, then you wouldn't let that thief break into your house at night. A watch is a group of hours, not just one hour. It's like the times and the seasons Paul forewarned about, staying sober watching them. It's about those seven signs our Lord gave. Watch.
44 Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.
45 Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his lord hath made ruler over his household, to give them meat in due season?
46 Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.
47 Verily I say unto you, That he shall make him ruler over all his goods.
(KJV)
Those who will be blessed when Christ does return will be those who kept watch on those signs He gave leading up to His return. Being able to watch those signs is about having that spare vessel of the Oil, being prepared. Attitudes like, "I believe on Christ, so I know He'll take care of me no matter what's coming in the last days, so I don't need to know the events" isn't going to get it done. If you don't know what to watch for, like that false messiah coming to work miracles on the earth, how will you know whether that's our Lord Jesus or not? Those who don't know are in danger of falling away to that false one, thinking the first one coming will be our Lord having returned, when it will be an imposter. The signs our Lord Jesus gave are to help you know this. And I assure you, falling into the spirit of slumber to wrongly worship the coming false messiah in place of our Lord Jesus, will be a work of iniquity, for our God is a Jealous God, as written.
