1 Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.
Let me say this. There is no educated intellectual denominational theologian who could ever see the Scriptures regarding God sending a Gentile messenger to His Church. If only they could understand what Prophet Malachi was prophesying of with regards to Elijah the prophet who "shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers" (cf. Mal.4:5-6). That John the Baptist fulfilled only the first part of the prophecy was undeniable for an angel of the Lord told his father, Zacharias, thus: "And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord" (Luk.1:17). In the same manner, someone has to come to fulfill the second part of Malachi’s prophecy. It is hard for many Christians to understand that Malachi’s prophecy had something to do with the Gentile believers. Notice that the prophecy targeted the heart. The law and the prophets were until John the Baptist. John the Baptist came in the spirit of Elijah with a message to usher in the Grace of God by which God Himself would write His Word, no longer on tablets of stone, but on the hearts of men. The message of John the Baptist was to prepare a people for the coming Saviour. His preaching was also to turn the hearts of the religious fathers (who held to their teachings of Judaism) to the children. These children were those who were converted by the Words that John the Baptist preached. Even those who were disobedient and rebellious came to recognize the wisdom of the righteous ones under the preaching of John the Baptist. These children had opened their hearts to receive the Word, the gospel of the coming Messiah. Some of these children became the Disciples of Christ. Later they became the Apostles of the Lord Jesus Christ when the Church started on the Day of Pentecost. They became the Apostolic Fathers of the Faith for the Word of God was written in their hearts. When the Gentile believers were later grafted into the Church, they too became a part of the Body of Christ. However, with the passing away of all the Apostolic Fathers the Church did not maintain its course in the Truth but instead fell deep into man-made traditions, creeds and dogmas for some 1500 years before God brought about a reformation. But in this last leg of the Church Age, God had sent a messenger in the spirit of Elijah (just as John the Baptist was). The messenger was sent with a message that would wake the believers to the Word of God and to turn their hearts back to the Faith of their Apostolic Fathers, before God strikes the earth with a curse.
The Wise And The Foolish 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. Why "five wise" and "five foolish"? Why not some other numbers? Biblical numbers are God’s way of showing some simple yet profound truth. The number "5" is the number of GRACE. This shows that who the wise and the foolish virgins represent were in God’s Grace and they have their places in the Kingdom of God. Unlike the tares among the wheat in the field and the bad among the good in the dragnet, both of which were to be cast into fire, the foolish virgins were not. They only missed something great that the wise virgins had the pleasure of receiving and enjoying. What made the wise virgins wise and the foolish virgins foolish was their very own personal attitude towards the care of the lamps. The virgins did not become wise or foolish during their journey. They were either wise or foolish from the start. A wise virgin is someone who is sensible, intelligent and prudent. She steadfastly takes inventory of herself in her relationship with the Lord and His Word as God illuminates Himself towards her. She takes the necessary care and the required preparation to facilitate her meeting with Him. A foolish virgin is not so. She is thoughtless and without consideration. Think of her as one who wants to go in the night to a certain town through a large sparsely inhabited rural countryside in a car with just enough fuel to get her there. She has no thought that she might just take a wrong road and use up much of her available fuel and find herself lost somewhere out in the back country. With the outpouring of the Spirit in this last Church Age, these Holy Spirit filled Christians became aware of the soon coming of Christ to claim His Bride. (The need to take the Name of the Bridegroom in Water Baptism is scriptural and correct.) Gospel songs of Christ’s Second Coming were the main theme of most writers and believers. Many were written and sung; more so as the years passed. It was not so prior to the 20th Century. Such songs were scarce. What the churches had then were mainly hymns. So this ought to tell the 20th Century Christians something. The Spirit of God was rousing His Church to the hour of Christ’s Return. The spiritual ones saw it and began proclaiming, "He’s coming soon. Jesus Christ is coming again". Yes, the virgins were all looking forward to the return of the Lord Jesus Christ, the Bridegroom.
The Lamp, The Oil, The Wick, The Light And The Oil Vessel It is important to note that all the virgins carried a lamp. They each had light. If each lamp had light, then each lamp had oil. Some Bible believers jump to the conclusion that the lamps of the foolish virgins did not have oil because of the statement in verse 3, which states: "They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them." However, if they were to read on to the next verse they would know that unlike the wise, the foolish virgins did not take any extra oil in an oil vessel (small and portable) for their lamps during the journey to meet the bridegroom. Further proof that the foolish had oil in their lamps is seen in verse 8 when they found out the light of their lamps was going out because the oil in them was almost used up. Furthermore, no one in his right mind would carry an empty oil lamp and venture out in the evening time after sunset. Without light to illuminate the pathway, surely one could easily get lost as the darkness deepens into the night. (Note: If the foolish virgins had no oil, then they did not have the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. Also, if they did not have the oil, then they could not be called virgins.) Now, the lamp is a receptacle which holds oil that is lifted up through a wick (of twisted flax) by capillary action to an opening or spout at the top in order to feed a flame. The common oil used in the early days was olive oil. Every oil lamp that was made to serve its purpose of holding light would receive an initial pouring of oil and, thereafter, constant in-filling. The lamp represents the virgin, the believer. As a believer, she carries oil which represents the Spirit and the Word of God, for the Spirit and the Word are One (cf. 2 Sam.23:2; Eph.6:17). To be more precise, the oil speaks of the Spirit in His Own Word. Jesus said, "…the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life" (Jhn.6:63). "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path" (Psa.119:105). Therefore a person is under a delusion if he claims to have the Holy Spirit and yet believes contrary to the simple facts of the Scripture of the Lord. The flame of the lamp represents the light of Truth. As a lamp, the Spirit-filled believer lights up her life in testimony to the Truth. She exhibits the Truth. As long as the lamp is filled with oil and the wick is clear of soot, the light will be bright, clear and steady. It will not flicker. The wick speaks of the understanding of the believer in the Word. It speaks of her revelation of the Word of God. If the flame flickers or bobs, it is not feeding properly on the oil at the tip of the wick. It is partly feeding on something else, something that is deposited there and which at the same time is become a hindrance to the flow of the oil for the flame. The soot or carbon that is formed on the tip of the wick speaks of the darkening of her revelation by some man-made doctrines and teachings that have attached themselves to her understanding. Hence, the virgin needs to trim her lamp regularly by lifting up the wick and snuffing off the blackened part and, if necessary, fill up the lamp with the oil from the oil vessel. [Note: In Biblical days, as there was no pilot flame to provide fire, virtuous housewives had to trim their lamps every few hours during the night so that they could have fire in the morning (cf. Prov.31:18). The lamps were trimmed at least twice during the 12 hours of darkness.] The oil vessel speaks of a ready source of the Spirit and the Word in the life of the believer to keep the lamp burning at all times. The unction in a believer who continually walks with the spiritual Inspired, Absolute and Authoritative Word of Scriptures provides the source through which the Spirit of the Lord flows through (2 Tim.3:14-17; 1 Jhn.2:20-21, cf. Rev.22:17). The Life of the Spirit flows from His Word for It is stored in His Own Word.
Slumber And Sleep Ancient oriental weddings (which is still practiced today among some oriental people) were very elaborate. It had several ceremonial events. An important feature was the public pronouncement of the marital relationship. (The spiritual relationship between Christ and His Bride is reflected in the entire wedding process.) The wedding usually took place after sunset. It was in the wedding that the couple was presented to the world as man and wife. Having made the necessary arrangements, the Bridegroom would leave his home for the Bride’s home, which was almost always in a very distant village, to wed her. The forerunner of the bridegroom, accompanied by musicians and singers, would go before the bridegroom to herald his arrival (Gen.31:27; Psm.45:15; cf. Jer.7:34). Because of the great distance between the two homes of the couple and the afternoon heat, the procession would usually reach the bride's home late in the evening, which was why light was needed. [Note: There is the assumption that both parties would set off from their respective homes to meet each other mid way. This was hardly practiced, if at all.] The marriage and the feasting would then take place in one designated place in the village that the Bride’s family picked. Except for family members, relatives and invited guests, the Bridegroom has no prior knowledge of the actual location. As the sun began to set, the virgins (bride’s maids of the Bride) went forth to meet the Bridegroom (so as to guide him to the place of the marriage). Each of the wise virgins took along an oil vessel containing the extra oil that would see them through (the necessary required duty that must be performed) to meet the Bridegroom and to enter into the marriage feast. This was wisdom for the Bridegroom’s coming might be delayed as He had to come from His "far away" home. They knew that it would take more than just some Holy Ghost sensations to keep their lamps burning. The foolish virgins were not so thoughtful and well-prepared. They assumed that a lamp with certain amount of oil – having some Holy Ghost sensations, signs and wonders – would be just enough for them as they expected the Bridegroom to arrive according to their own calculated timing. The foolish virgins took no extra oil, they took only what amount they had in their lamps. From the beginning of the 20th Century, these virgins had yearned for the Coming of the Bridegroom, our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. But our Lord tarried His return. 5 While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. About ten years into the journey, the virgins got weary and tired. They soon found shelter somewhere along the path through the village and began to settle down. It was not long before they slumbered and slept, slipping right back into a denominational spirit. In this state of repose they drifted along with the flow of the system of organized religions as it encompassed them. Yes, all the virgins were carried away by a denominational spirit and housed in a system. Soon the Pentecostal Movement began to split into factions. It began with the Assemblies of God (which stood for the Trinity doctrine), then the General Assemblies of the Apostolic Assemblies (which stood for the Oneness doctrine). As the years passed, other denominations appeared on the scene. Some organizations include the Church of God in Christ; Pentecostal Church of God; Pentecostal Church, Incorporated; Apostolic Churches of Jesus Christ; Pentecostal Assemblies of the Word; and United Pentecostal Church (which is the biggest Oneness Pentecostal denomination today). There were the usual squabbling over doctrines, especially in the areas of the teachings on the Godhead and Water Baptism. Some organizations disappeared while others merged with one another. All these organizations appeared in less than 50 years after the outpouring of the Spirit. To keep their faith, these organizations had to build Bible Schools and Theological Seminaries to train their men. It was no longer God Who called and trained His men. Such educational systems only sought to make men slaves to the organizations they were brought up in and to the doctrines they were taught. Hence, these preachers were all subjected to upholding the constitution of the organizations that paid them. They had to propagate whatever doctrines they were taught whether they liked it or not, otherwise they had to leave. Nicolaitanism, a deed that started at the end of the first Church Age (Rev.2:6) and became a doctrine in the third (Rev.2:15), now exists in all organized religions and in almost all churches. During this period, in the Protestant system, many souls with hungry hearts for Truth came out of man-made systems to receive the OIL message. They were the wheat on the threshing floor (the Word of God) that were thoroughly fanned and they came out as virgins to fulfill the parable. As all the virgins slumbered and slept (for about 50 years nothing could wake them), God prepared a man to take a message that would wake them all up. At the same time this man was also to clear up the errors that surrounded the revelation of the OIL and the many false teachings that existed in the Church. As John the Baptist was sent to "turn the heart of the fathers to the children", this messenger and forerunner would turn "the heart of the children to their fathers" (cf. Mal.4:5).
The Midnight Cry 6 And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. "Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him" should be translated correctly as "Behold, the bridegroom cometh; come ye out to meet him". The midnight cry was made not by one within the system. Rather it was the voice of one crying from without. Like John the Baptist, this man was a forerunner of the (second) Coming of the Lord’s Christ. He came with a message, forerunning the Coming of the Bridegroom. Though he had walked and ministered amongst them since the 1930s, he was not a part of them. He had not been sleeping. He had ministered mainly among the Pentecostal people who accepted him because of the OIL message and, who fastened themselves to him because of his unique gift in the field of divine healing. On the evangelistic field, he was a man well known in the Christian world as the one who was greatly used by God in the casting of the drag net. The man was William Marrion Branham, a man of God, specially anointed with the purpose of spearheading the Deliverance Movement back in the late 1940s. In those years (1947-1956) the world witnessed a marvelous move of God in salvation, Holy Spirit baptism, healing, miracles, signs and wonders. It was never seen before. Other than the Lord Jesus Christ, William Branham was the only one with the gift that could discern the secrets of the hearts of men (Jhn.1:47-50; 4:16-19). It was a gift that is not to be confused with the gift of "discerning of spirits" (sometime referred to as the gift of discernment), one of the 9 spiritual gifts distributed to selected individuals of the Church as the Spirit wills. The gift drew many to the great net. But with that gift came a message – a message to restore the elect to the Original Word. Like John the Baptist who was not a part of religious system of his days, William Branham was also not a part of the system. But, like John the Baptist, he was a messenger of God sent to a chosen people. This messenger was sent to forerun the Bridegroom, the Christ of God. As was in a natural wedding procession of the bridegroom to the bride’s home, the best man (of the Bridegroom) would proceed before the Bridegroom to herald His arrival. As soon as he was able to see the light of the village, he would raise his voice and shout. This cry not would only awaken the Bridesmaids, it would also awaken everyone who heard the commotion. For about 50 years the virgins of God had slumbered and slept in the system. 1956 was the year that the messenger, William Branham, came out crying, "Come out! Come back to the Word! Back to the Original! Back to the Apostolic Fathers’ Faith!" It was a message for all who had an ear to hear to break free out of the system, and to meet and receive the Word(-groom). His message was to call the Elect out of "Mystery, Babylon the Great, the Mother of Harlots and Abomination of the Earth" (Roman Catholicism) and all her harlot daughters (organized denominational churches) before the Lord destroys them all. Brother Branham’s ministry revealed the Word of God to call the Elect back to the Original Word, the Word that was Christ. The Elect was called to meet this "Revealed Word" and to come into its fullness and be free from the prison bars of denominationalism. Fifty is the number of the jubilee. Jubilee represents liberty and freedom (Lev.25:11-13). It was 50 years after the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in 1906, which began the Laodicean Church Age, that the MIDNIGHT CRY was made. Similarly, would this message of the messenger take 50 years to wind up before the dawn breaks and the Lord comes in the clouds to take away His Bride? Think about it. Crying out his message, the messenger traveled quickly down the path towards the village, down through the corridor of denominationalism. Whilst awakening the virgins, he also glorified the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ through the Scriptures, showing the true revelation of the One God and why a believer ought to be water baptized in the Redemptive Name of the Lord Jesus Christ. He exhorted the believers of their need to be baptized in the Holy Spirit and to live a sanctified life. He showed how both the Oneness Christians and the Trinitarians had both erred in their doctrines of the Godhead. He took the doctrines of Luther’s Justification and Wesley’s Sanctification and linked them with Knox’s Predestination and Calvin’s Eternal Security into the proper framework of the Scriptures, and told the believers that they were to stay in those truths. Bro. Branham was calling them back to the Original Word. Later, he brought forth the truth of the Original Sin that caused the Fall of mankind and of the Serpent and his seed. And he rebuked the Pentecostal churches for falsifying the teaching of the Holy Spirit baptism and for condoning woman preachers. Then in 1963, through an anointing of the Lord, he was able to take out of God’s treasure something new for the Church – the revelation of the Seven Seals. He continued to sound his message through the night, all about the village, the Church World. Here and there some villagers would be roused from their sleep. A number would get up for a second, just to go right back to their slumbering. Others would get up to investigate what was going on and to join in the ceremony. These others were not as yet virgins for they had not received the oil message because they slumbered in the denominational darkness. Several religious, ecclesiastical and pompous leaders of the church world, would later hurl "words" at him because his cry disturbed their religious comfort and peace (what is known today as "religious comfort zone"). Many of those who had once stood with Bro. Branham in the evangelistic field turned away from him. The strong conviction they once had of the Truth they received was no more. They compromised what they had in order to please the people and to draw them to their ministries. However, the cry of the messenger was specially and specifically targeted at the virgins throughout the whole Church World.
The Discovery 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. 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.
In trimming the lamp, there are three things that need to be done. One, the soot on the wick needs to be removed. Two, the wick needs to be adjusted. Three, the lamp needs to be refilled, if the oil has run out. Yes, for the virgins, sleeping in the religious systems for such a length of time had certainly darkened their understanding of the Word for they were indoctrinated with many traditional man-made teachings. Their characters and behaviors were affected too because of the various spirits that abound in the religious and worldly systems. If they had not slumbered they would have been watchful and made sure that the soot (deceptive doctrines and spirits) did not blacken their wick (their understanding or revelation of the Word) which was fueled by the oil (the Holy Spirit). In other words, false doctrines and false spirits had stained their white robes. They had to trim their wicks of understanding. To do that they had to get rid of all spirits and doctrines that darkened and dimmed their light. The virgins first had to remove this carbonaceous sediment, the soot on the wick, so that the oil may flow freely to fuel the flame. Then the wick (of twisted flax) would be adjusted once the soot had been removed. The trimming would revive the light to its brilliance as long as there was oil in the lamp. However, the foolish virgins soon discovered to their horror that there was but little oil left in their lamps by reason that their "lamps are gone out". (The correct translation should be that their "lamps are going out".) That is, the flame of their lamps were bobbing, showing sign that the wick was not able to provide a constant flow of what little oil was left in the lamps to the flame. Without the oil, the light in their lamps would soon go out and they would not be able to find their way to meet the bridegroom. They needed the oil badly. They needed to "be filled with the Spirit" (Eph.5:18; 3:19; Col.1:9). It was too late by the time they realized that whatever "sensations, signs and wonders", which they had depended on, were not good enough. Asking the wise for some of their oil only resulted in them receiving a rebuke, "Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves." Yes, it was time for the two groups of virgins to go their separate ways. In real life Christians would be willing to share or to give a share to those who are in need. But this parable concerns spiritual life and spiritual matters. Though certain spiritual blessings can be shared and imparted, the spiritual oil of the Lord cannot for it is supplied only to those who are willing to buy. And one can only do so through an exchange. Remember: one must give up something in exchange for what one desires to purchase. "Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness. Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live;…" (Isa.55:1-3a). "Be filled with the Spirit" (Eph.5:18). "Be filled with all the fulness of God" (Eph.3:19). "Be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God; Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power, unto all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness" (Col.1:9b-11). A believer must have an ear to hear what the Spirit says in order to receive it. "He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches" (Rev.2:7). And the more a believer purchases of the Spirit and the Word, the easier will it be for him to hear the Voice of the Spirit as he matures in the Faith. It becomes a part of his spiritual life. Remember: the first experience with the OIL of the Lord is never enough for any true worshipper. "Be filled with the Spirit" (Eph.5:18). The wick must be continuously supplied with the oil. The wick and the oil, both acting as "one", give light (life) to the lamp (Christian) just as the Word and the Spirit are one (Jhn.6:63). The Holy Spirit is always connected to the Word and the Works of God.
The Oil Merchants Seeing that soon their lamps would consume the last of the oil, the foolish virgins had no choice but to quickly rush off in search of those who sell oil. If they could obtain the oil quickly, they would be able to make it back in time to meet the Bridegroom and partake of the Marriage Feast. But who were these Sellers of Oil? Who were these Oil Merchants? These Oil Merchants refer to Preachers of the Holy Spirit Baptism. In the natural there are different kinds of oil. Some oil merchants strictly only sell a specific type of oil, while others sell a variety of oils. There are still others who will even sell a mixture of different kinds of oils. As in the natural, so also are they in the spiritual. In the beginning of the 20th Century during the outpouring of the Spirit, there was only one kind of Oil. And the Merchants of God began selling only this one precious Oil. But in less than a decade some Oil Merchants began selling blends of the Original Oil, while others sold varieties of oils on the side. To majority of the buyers, this did not amount to much since all oils would fuel the flame in a lamp. That may be true. However, if the Maker of the lamps specifies only one particular type of Oil for His lamps (in the parable it is olive oil), He has reason for that requisite. (Note: A well-informed motorist will never use any low octane fuel for the high performance engine of his valuable car. It will spoil the engine. The maker of the car will not honour the warranty of the engine if the owner insists on using a different grade or quality of fuel. Think about it. The natural types the spiritual.) Clearly the foolish virgins knew that time was of the essence. The Bridegroom was not far for the messenger had heralded "The Bridegroom cometh!" Unless they could go quickly and obtain the necessary OIL from the Oil Merchant(s) and rush back in time, they would not only miss meeting the Bridegroom but also the marriage feast. They went as quickly as they could to the market places in search of Oil Merchants – not just any oil merchants but the ONES who sold the Original Oil. Now, there are numerous "Holy Spirit Baptism" Preachers (Oil Merchants) scattered throughout the entire Church World. There are as many such "Oil" Preachers, as there are the types of oil they sell. However, there is only one kind of OIL to be used by the true lamps of God – the "Olive Oil", the Holy Spirit of Life. When it is lit, it has a certain characteristic and a certain smell. Though other oils, such as peanut oil, palm oil and coconut oil will light a fire, their characteristics and smells are discernibly different. Remember that God "is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart" (cf. Heb.4:12). Getting the right OIL is of utmost importance. The Original Oil that was poured out in the early 20th Century that brought about the Pentecostal Movement is no longer as easily available today as it was in the first 50 years. Soon after that period came the Charismatic Movement, a movement that emerged from the many denominational "home prayer fellowship" gatherings. This "New Pentecostal" produced a new breed of Oil Merchants. While "Pentecostal" was seen by the vast majority of the Protestant churches as being of Satan, "Charismatic" was embraced almost by all, even the Roman Catholic church. Sad to say, even the Pentecostals have since gone the way of the Charismatics. The Pentecostals could not in anyway not be a part of the movement for they were the people who had formulated the teaching that "speaking in tongues is the evidence of having the baptism of the Holy Spirit". Hence, according to such teaching, any Roman Catholic or attendee from any denomination church, who speaks in tongues possesses the Holy Spirit. In those days the Pentecostals depended upon the power of the Lord to get the Truth across. They bore strong spiritual and moral convictions to the faith and were living examples of it. On the other hand, the Charismatics were not so. Men and women dressed as they liked contrary to the modest demand of the Scriptures. Women cross-dressed in men’s garments or wore skimpy dresses. Contrary to the Word of God which states that a woman must have long hair (1 Cor.11:14-15), many had their hair cut short and even styled just like the men. These believers followed in the manner of their preachers (not forgetting their woman preachers as well), who dressed like movie stars or "pop" stars. It was not uncommon to see worldly personalities from the movie and television industries taking up the pulpit to speak as if they were preachers of God. What an influence! With such a magnitude of influence to draw people into their churches, how could they preach what they could not live up to. Today, the many Scriptural doctrines that the Pentecostals had once contended for are no longer so fervently contended for. As I have said before, Charismaticism is a tool in the hand of Satan to bring all denominations together under one head. It is aiding the spirit of ecumenism by helping to bring all the tares together to form a One World Church organized under the Fatherhood of God and Brotherhood of man, that is, love and unity. To achieve this, Satan must destroy the very truth that is being restored in this last Church Age. And through Charismaticism he is able to achieve this very easily, something he could not do before it existed. With such an offing the Foolish Virgins went looking for that ONE specific type of OIL they needed from among all these many different Oil Merchants. Would they be able to recognize the OIL? Would they be able to find IT in time?
Those That Were Ready 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. "And while they went to buy" denotes that a period of time was spent by the foolish virgins in looking for the Oil Merchants. The Bridegroom came during that period of time. The forerunner of Christ's Second Advent had come to herald His Parousia (Coming, Presence), to introduce Christ the Word to the virgins (as written in the parable). And the wise virgins who were ready went forth to meet the Bridegroom and went with Him into the marriage (feast). [Note: The word "marriage" so used here speaks of the "marriage feast", cf. Mat.22:2,4.] Now, remember that the parable features the virgins as bridesmaids of the bride, and certainly they are not the ones marrying the bridegroom. In the natural the wedding ceremony would immediately begin. The bridegroom and his bride would exchange their vows in the presence of all the family members, relatives and invited guests, and of course, the bridesmaids (virgins). When the solemnization is over, the feasting then begins. These are momentous occasions that the virgins look forward to, to meet with the bridegroom and usher him into the marriage. Of course, we understand the implication that these individual wise virgins (in the parable) refer to members who will make up the spiritual Bride of Christ. As such, in the parable, they were enjoying a personal spiritual intimacy with the Lord as they feasted with Him in the Word of God. They were getting themselves ready as the Wife of Christ for the Rapture while the foolish virgins were frantically trying to buy oil from the many different oil merchants. The marriage feast has already started and is still going on at this present time. It will continue until the door is shut. That is right. The spiritual Marriage Feast is still going on at this present time. It is not over yet. Many have misinterpreted verse 10: "And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and immediately the door was shut". Those who teach that the parable is about the Rapture hold to such misinterpretation. They have ignored even the time element shown by the word "while". The phrase "and the door was shut" refers to the wedded couple entering their nuptial chamber, shutting themselves in. [Note: Except for that of royalties, ancient oriental wedding feasts were almost always out in an open area (in a village or town) and there was no door. Any guest who arrived late simply joined in the feasting. A simple marriage celebration had only a night of feasting for all present and when that was over, the bridegroom and bride entered the nuptial chamber. The door of the room was then shut. Cf. Lk.13:25 Lk.11:7.] When the Midnight Cry was sounded forth in 1956, the Wise Virgins were awakened and they trimmed their lamps. They, having the OIL and with their lamps burning bright, understood the message and all the specifics that came with it. They immediately went forth to meet the Bridegroom and to enter with Him into the Marriage Feast. Since that time, there have been many virgins, who were awakened by the SHOUT or the commotion created through the corridor of the Pentecostal and Charismatic churches. Upon wakening, they too trimmed their lamps. Those, having not the OIL, began searching for Oil Merchants. Those who had the OIL went straight to meet the Bridegroom and into the Marriage Feast. I was one of them. I was asleep in the system of the Assemblies of God in the 1960s, and was awakened in the mid-1971 by the SHOUT (message). Throughout the years since 1956, from time to time, wise virgins within the other denominational systems have also been aroused from their sleep by the commotion. They woke up to investigate and found that the Parousia of the Lord Jesus Christ had taken place. They obtained information that told them they needed a certain specific OIL in their lamps to enter into the Marriage Feast, and they sought those that sold and purchased the OIL (giving up what they possessed for IT). With the OIL they were able to make themselves ready to enter into the Marriage Feast.
Just Who Are The Foolish Virgins? But how is it that the wise virgins could meet the Bridegroom and enter into the Marriage Feast? The answer lies in the fact that the wise virgins were always full of the Holy Spirit (OIL). They knew their OIL. They had the OIL VESSELS with them to have a constant supply for the flame. They knew that the OIL, the Spirit of God, would light the way and reveal farther and deeper into His own WORD, to make known to them the Lord Jesus Christ in their lives (cf. Jhn.15:26; 5:39). The foolish virgins were never full of the Spirit but had just what they need of Him. Such are the many Pentecostals and the Charismatics even today. However, notice that the parable does not just tell about the virgins and the oil in their lamps but also about them being awakened by the CRY of the messenger. Remember: both the wise and the foolish virgins heard the CRY of the messenger. They all heard the SHOUT. They all heard the MESSAGE. Yet only the wise fully UNDERSTOOD the message and the added blessings and revelations uttered by the messenger. But many of the virgins who had heard the CRY, whether it be in the late 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, 1980s or 1990s, still have yet to enter into the Marriage Feast because they have not the OIL to get them to the Bridegroom and the Marriage Feast. Are they not the Foolish Virgins? Let me say this: as long as a Christian does not see, realize and understand that she needs OIL, she will remain perpetually in religious darkness. She has no light and she has fallen into a deep sleep. She is NOT a virgin for a virgin has OIL. However, for the virgin who has little oil remaining, she must quickly refill her lamp lest the oil runs out and she finds herself in religious darkness. When she has her lamp refilled, she will be able to make herself ready to go and meet the Bridegroom and partake of the Marriage Feast before the door is shut. There are many VIRGINS who have heard the Message of the messenger, Bro. Branham, but they have not followed through into the Marriage Feast. (The Marriage Feast is the revelation of the Word which the Lord has spread out by His "Ascension Gifts" Ministry of Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists, Pastors and Teachers.) These virgins are still confused for they do not know how to get ready to enter into the feast. They are confused by the many "oil merchants" within the Message Movement selling their blends of oil concerning the message of the hour. Some of these "preachers" even advocated the message itself to be the OIL. These preachers emphasized that a Christian must embrace the message otherwise he does not have the Holy Spirit. (They are just like the Pentecostal and Charismatic preachers who preach that a Christian must speak in tongues otherwise he does not have the Holy Spirit.) Some display a religious placard proclaiming, "STAY WITH THE MESSAGE! Unless you stay with the message you are not a wise virgin". They tell the Christians to "come and meet the messenger and stay with his message" instead of "obey the message of the messenger and go to meet the Bridegroom and get into the marriage". These preachers have missed the mark concerning the OIL and the MESSAGE! And yet many virgins within the Message Movement are looking to all these preachers for the OIL that they need in order to take them into the Marriage Feast but instead they are receiving other types of oil instead. Nevertheless, if there be any wise virgin amongst them she would not only recognize that the oil these Pentecostal and Charismatic "Oil Merchants" are offering today is totally different from that offered by those "Oil Merchants" in the beginning of the 20th Century, but also that which is offered by the Message "Oil Merchants" of the present day. The true OIL has a distinctive sweet smelling savor that pleases God. Oh virgins of God, why standest thou gazing at the messenger? Why art thou holding to his words and yet obeyest not the instruction of his words? Stop gazing at the man, though he be a man of God. If thou art wise, shouldest thou not have the oil by this time? Have thou not understood that the Spirit dwellest in His Own Word? Have thou not understood that the message calleth thee to meet the Christ, to enter into the Marriage and feast with Him in the Word and, to be made perfect by the 5-Fold Ministry? Thou hath ears, yet hearest thou not? Come out, and go to meet the Word! That is the message. Speaking in "tongues" is not the OIL – the Holy Spirit is the OIL. The power to heal the sick and cast out demons is not the OIL – the Holy Spirit is the OIL. The message of the messenger is not the OIL – the Holy Spirit is the OIL. You may speak in "tongues", you may heal the sick and cast out demons, you may believe the message, but have you entered into the Marriage? You may think you are in the Marriage, but you are only deceiving yourself if you are not in the Present Ministry where the Lord has spread His table of Spiritual Food for the Elect. Only the true OIL can take you into THE WORD, nothing else. Again, the Holy Spirit will not just lead you into some sensations, some revelations and some gifts, but He will lead and guide you into ALL TRUTH (Jhn.16:13). Are you willing to buy? Can you give up "certain possessions" of yours in exchange for the OIL?
Lamentation 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. Well, by the time the foolish virgins rushed back (having finally recognized and purchased the true OIL), hoping to meet up with the other virgins, to meet the Bridegroom and at least enter into the Marriage Feast, they were just too late. The door had closed. The feasting was over. Oh, lamentation! "Also when I cry and shout, he shutteth out my prayer" (Lam.3:8 cf. Prov.1:27-29; Zech.7:13). Cry and howl, O foolish ones! There is nothing that can change history once the prophetic time slips by. The night had passed. The dawn was breaking. [Note: Some ministers use Matthew 7:21-23 to support their teaching that the foolish virgins were not saved because of the Lord's rebuff to their plea – "I know you not". But those people mentioned in Matthew 7:21-23 were called "workers of iniquity" who were told to "depart" from the Lord. This was not so with the foolish virgins. It does not mean that the Lord did not know them as they were but rather He did not know them as intimately as those who are married to Him by spiritual revelation of the Word, as a man and his wife are joined together in holy wedlock (cf. Eph.5:25-32; Eph.4; Rev.19:7). Those "workers of iniquity" are the preachers found especially among the tares, the many false christs and the false anointed ones that we see in the Pentecostal-Charismatic Movement. They have the anointing for the works (in which they reward themselves) but they lack the anointing of the WORD. They do many wonderful works – preach the Gospel, heal the sick, cast out demons and all other religious works. But the one thing they fail to do is to fulfill the Will of God, which is His Word (cf. Matt.3:15; Col.1:25).] Had the Foolish Virgins purchased the right OIL sooner they would have made it in time for the Marriage Feast while the door was still opened (Rev.3:7-8, 17-20). They were gone too long in their search. Perhaps they lingered while they searched for the OIL. Perhaps they struggled over the purchase of the OIL, not willing to pay for IT to replace the blend of oil they had long possessed. Or, perhaps, like the Branhamites, they were immersed in the 'Message of Branham' for too long, possibly searching for some special revelations beyond the simplicity of the message. The foolish virgins had missed the table of solid nutritious food brought forth by the Present Truth Ministry of apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers (2 Pet.1:12; Eph.4:11). Yes, since the departure of the messenger, these faithful servants of the Lord had been dishing out "meat in due season" for the last days. It was meat to grow by, a feast provided "for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love" (Eph.4:12-16). The foolish virgins will remain foolish until it is too late. Having started their journey foolishly, it is difficult for them to ever come to the realization of the importance of getting the true OIL before it is too late. They have also failed to realize that the revelation of God and His Word is always progressive and of the importance of looking into the Holy Scriptures that God has written. This is true for many are just buying blends of oils peddled by "Oil Merchants" in the Message Movement while others, for fear of purchasing the wrong type of oil, stay home and repeatedly listen to the taped messages. They cannot see the forest for the trees. They miss the important thing that the messenger was trying to tell them and instead cling on to every minute word he ever spoke believing that he can bring to them a rapturing faith for the rapture. The Glory of the Lord will be revealed if one dares to look into His Word. "Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me" (Psa.40:7 cf. Heb.10:7; Jhn.5:39-40). The Apostle Paul said: "Nevertheless when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord" (2 Cor.3:16-18 NKJ). After the Marriage Feast is over and the door is closed, the Lord will no longer open up the Word of God to those on the outside. The wise virgins, making up the Bride of Christ, would be sealed in. The Lord will not let any one trouble Him as He and His beloved are shut in together for that grand period of wedlock. In the Nuptial Chamber the Bride becomes Wife as she unites with the Bridegroom in Spirit and in Word! Once she is Wife, the Lord will give her the final revelation that will take her to the Father’s Home. This revelation will come about through the utterances of the Seven Thunders of the Book of Revelation (chapter 10). What the Apostle John heard uttered by the Seven Thunders could not be written but it will be made known to the Bride when she as Christ’s Wife is made ready. "Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb" (Rev.19:7-9). "Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish." (Eph.5:25-27) This is the reason why we enter into this marriage, not just to feast on the Word but also to be cleansed by the Word. We cannot be cleansed by some religious experience or some spiritual gifts. Neither can we be cleansed by the words of Bro. Branham or any other gifted preachers. We can only be cleansed by the revelation of the Word of God. The Word washes us in Spirit and in Truth.
Warning 13 Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh. Let us take heed to this warning and be watchful while there is still time, while the door is still open. Once the last of the wise virgins makes it into the marriage and the feasting is over, the wise virgins will have eaten their fill. Not only that, all the wise virgins will also have been greatly loved and strengthened by the Presence of their Lord at the Marriage Table. Amen. There are many Christians who have been awakened to the commotion created by the SHOUT but they have gone back to slumbering in their denominational system. They may claim they are virgins but only to their own deception. Virgins are no longer virgins, if they 'sleep' with the system of man, for that is religious harlotry. Being seduced to wear harem pants (loose-fitting women's trousers made of thinly translucent fabric that expose their nakedness) they seduce others. What deception! If you have the light why do you live in darkness? The Apostle John said: "This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness [that is, tradition] at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin" (1 Jhn.1:5-7). Saints, the marriage feast has commenced and is still on. Enter and sup while you can. And when you do, you have to have the wedding garment on (cf. Mat.22:1-14). No guest can enter into the Marriage Feast without the proper garment of God’s Word. The Lord has provided the garment. By refusing to wear that chosen garment of the Lord, a guest is testifying to the fact that whatever garment he has on is good enough. It also testifies of his rebellious spirit. Such a guest will be speechless when judgement comes and he hears the words "I know you not", only to find himself cast into the outer darkness of the Great Tribulation. O hear the cry of the Lord, those that be a part of the Holy City, New Jerusalem. "Awake, awake; put on thy strength, O Zion; put on thy beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city: for henceforth there shall no more come into thee the uncircumcised and the unclean" (Isa.52:1 cf. Eph.6:13-18).
|
The
Ten Virgins
In God’s
reckoning, a new day begins when the sun sets. Notice that the OIL came
about at the setting of the sun showing that the last of the Seven Church
Ages, the Laodicean Age, began at about 1906. The outpouring of the OIL in
this last Church Age marked the beginning of the end of God’s final work to
bring the Bride of Christ into perfection in the Word. Calling the people to
"come and get oil" – the Baptism of the Holy Spirit – was not the final
message. The revelation of One God was also not the final message. Both of
these two teachings had even deviated from the Scriptural positions
not long after they were given. The former went into a false teaching that
one has the Holy Spirit only when one speaks in tongues. The latter went
into a oneness doctrine of "Jesus Only", a doctrine that made Jesus Himself
the Heavenly Father which is contrary to these simple Scriptures:
"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath
blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:"
(Eph.1:3); "That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of
glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the
knowledge of him:" (Eph.1:17). However, the final message came at
midnight, about 50 years later in 1956. The cry of the messenger ushered in
the final message to the Church World.
Having heard the cry the virgins began to
stir from their slumbering. Certainly, not all jumped out of their sleep at
the same time. But as the virgins awoke, they discovered that the light of
their lamps were but a bobbing, flickering flame. They had slept deeply
and long. Now their lights were dim. They knew that the Bridegroom had come
and that they had to go and meet Him, so they began to trim their lamps.
Why? They needed light to show them the way (Psm.119:105). A dim
light can hardly show the pathway clearly at night. Also, danger lurks in
the darkness (cf. 1 Pet.5:8).
