This is the Truth Network. In the parable of the ten bridesmaids, what is this door that was shut and locked after the wise entered? And are the foolish bridesmaids who are left behind lost eternally?
Well, my friend, stay with us, listen, and learn. You're listening to Until He Comes, a blend of prophetic and practical biblical studies with Dr. Greg Hinnant, author of The Second Coming of Christ, His Appearing, His Return, Our Preparation. And now, author and teacher Greg Hinnant. Welcome to the broadcast, my friend.
Today we are continuing our study of the ten bridesmaids. The text is Matthew 25, 1 through 13. I'm going to read that for you just in case you were not with us in previous episodes. Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, said Jesus. who took their lamps and went forth to meet the bridegroom.
And five of them were wise, that is, God fearing, obedient to Biblical wisdom, and preparing for his coming. And five were foolish that is, just the opposite, not fearing God, not preparing for His coming, Christ's coming, and not seeking and living by Biblical wisdom. They that were foolish took their lamps. and took no oil with them, or extra oil. But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.
While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. and at midnight There was a cry made. Behold, the bridegroom comes, Go ye out to meet him. Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. Note, all the virgins arose.
Not just the wise. but the foolish also. And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil, for our lamps are going out. But the wise answered, saying, Not so. lest there be not enough for us and you, but go rather to them that sell and buy for yourselves.
and while they went to Ba the bridegroom came. And they that were ready went in with him to the marriage. And the door was shut.
Some versions render this locked. Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord open to us. But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not. Watch, therefore, Jesus said in conclusion, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man comes. My friend, I want to testify to you that for 35 years Thirty-five years, I've been telling pastors and congregations all over America and beyond.
That we were living in this parable right now, and soon. These verses would be fulfilled, Matthew 25, 6 and 7. That at the midnight hour The cry went forth. Behold, the bridegroom comes, go ye out to meet him. Then all The virgins, all the bridesmaids, arose and began to trim their lamps.
Many pastors have believed, but many others have dismissed it. Feeling that Jesus' coming is not near. But I've known all along I've had a Fire burning in my belly. To Tell the church. That he is coming.
Very soon, and that we must be ready.
Now, this particular verse, seven. Then all those virgins arose and began to trim the lamps. It is an awesome revelation, my friend. It means not only the wise, but also the foolish. at one moment in time will begin to try to get themselves ready to meet their Saviour who is coming back for them.
This Is a parabolic portrait. A prophetic portrait Of the Church of Jesus Christ finally, fully being. Awake Can you imagine for a moment Just a moment. All the foolish Christians you know in your life, people who have had a born-again experience, but they haven't pursued the Lord. They're not serious about the Christianity.
Suddenly. Believing Jesus is coming soon, and suddenly believing they needed to get ready and rising up to do something about it. Seeking every Bible study they could be a part of, studying the Lord, His Word, seeking His face early in the morning, praying, worshiping at home. Oh This is an awesome Revelation. of a church that's abu absolutely, thoroughly stimulated.
In the spirit. This, my friend, is coming. Not because I believed it and talked about it for thirty five years. No, not at all. But because it is the word of the Lord, Jesus, the master prophet.
prophesied that before he returned for his church, All his people would wake up, not just the wise, but also. The foolish.
So, my friend, stretch your mind in your faith today to take in what I just told you because it is coming.
Now In our last study, We emphasize what Jesus said in Matthew 25, 10. They that were ready went in. And we made it very plain that Jesus said what he meant and meant what he said. And if you said only the ready would go in, he meant it, and that's the way it will go down.
So, prepare yourselves now so you won't be shocked later. And be sure you are among the ready and you give yourself. to helping others. Be ready. When he comes, we've defined readiness as being fully prepared for an anticipated event before.
it occurs. And we've also given in At least two of our previous episodes, a simple definition of how to be ready for Christ's coming. Seek Him daily. Seek his face, pour over his word. Pray to him about every need you have and pray all day long.
Let prayer be your breath. Then obey that word. Realize you're not studying for study's sake. You're studying to change your ways and your thinking to be spiritually minded and to live spiritually. Then go through your daily tests.
Obey God. Trust Him and submit as He sends humbling tests into your life. He's trying to conform you to the image of Christ. And then be sure you are fulfilling your responsibility. You're using the gift Christ has given you, and you are doing the duty He has assigned you.
As you do these things, you are being steadily transformed into the image of Christ. That is our common predestination that is revealed in Romans 8, 29. and you are also preparing for Jesus' appearing.
Now moving further today, what is this door that was shut or locked? after the wise entered.
Well, we have a hint of that in Revelation 4. Verse 1. if you'll look there and read with me. After this, John said, that is, after Jesus' messages to the church age, and in a sense, after the church age itself comes to a conclusion. After this I looked and behold Ador was opened.
in heaven. and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me, which said, Come up here. And I will show you things which must be hereafter, or hereafter the church age, which has been. Discussed in the previous two chapters. of Revelation.
Now in this text There are elements. In fact, I will read the second verse as well. And immediately I was in the Spirit, and behold, a throne was set in heaven. and once sat on the throne. And then he goes on to describe the throne of God.
In this text, John himself experiences in miniature The Rapture. There are elements in here that connect with other portions of Scripture. that described the rapture event. and God with full intention. inspired John to Write this.
experience immediately after He finished the seven messages to the church age. Beginning with the words, after this.
So, after this, or after the church age, I looked.
Now, Who will Jesus come for those who are looking for him? Hebrews 9:28, unto them that look for him. Shall he appear? Unto them that look for him. Shall he appear.
If you're not looking for Christ, you're not going in the rapture. And I looked, and behold, a door was opened in heaven.
Now, that is what we're identifying here. The door. of Matthew twenty five is the door Of Revelation 4, verse 1. The same door that John saw in heaven. What is a door?
A door is a portal of passage from one room to another. or from one world to another. This door will be our means of passage from this mortal fallen world to the immortal Perfect. World. We will pass through that door.
when Jesus appears. A door was opened in heaven, so he's looking to heaven, and this door is opened in heaven.
Now, this door is not in the paradise of God, the third heaven, or in outer space, the second heaven, but in the first heaven. He sees it in the sky. When Jesus appears, we will meet him in the air, Paul says in 1 Thessalonians 4, or in the earth's atmosphere. It will be a secret appearing. Oh, yes.
Not every eye will see him when he appears. Every eye will see him when he returns to earth seven years later. And this test goes on to say, the first voice that I heard was as a trumpet talking to me.
So he hears a voice and it reminds him of a trumpet because Paul said the rapture will occur when the trump of God sounds. In 1 Thessalonians 4. Not the trumpet of the angel of Revelation 11. No, not at all. That's another trumpet.
That's a trumpet announcing judgment. The trumpet we hear at the rapture is the trumpet that summons us. To gather together unto him. And then he said, The voice said, Come up hither. That is, John, you come up from earth to heaven.
I'm not coming down from heaven to earth. And so. This speaks of the rapture also. Jesus said in John 14, That if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto myself, that where I am, you may be also. That's in John 14:3.
Where is that? He's in heaven, where he's been preparing a place for us, New Jerusalem. And when he appears, he's going to call us to come be with him. He's not coming down to earth at this point. to be with us.
John continues, and I will show you things which must be hereafter.
So, Revelation is describing. beginning with this text, Revelation 4.1, the things that occur after the church age. Revelation 4 and 5 describe the Heavenly scene of worship. Of which the church will be a huge part immediately after the rapture of the church. And then Revelation 6 through 19 describes.
this seven year tribulation that begins with the signing of a seven year peace agreement. between Anti-Christ and Israel. Revelation 20 describes the 1,000-year millennial reign of Christ on this earth, the Jewish day of the Lord. And Revelation 21 and 22 describe the eternal state, the eternal world. And then John says in verse 2, and immediately I was in the Spirit.
So he immediately experienced a change. This month, for a gift of any amount, receive Dr. Hinnant's book, Spiritual Truths for Overcoming Adversity, which reveals God's loving guidance, wisdom, and purpose in our adversities and how we stop hindering and start advancing His purpose. This book has changed many lives. Let it change yours.
For a gift of $60 or more, we'll send you the complete four-volume Hinnant End Times Prophecy Collection: The Second Coming of Christ, The Tribulation Story, Revelation Notes, a verse-by-verse commentary on Revelation, and the Day of the Lord commentary, which interprets all Old Testament prophecies and foreshadowings of the end times. And if you are a Logos Bible software user, you may purchase all four of these books from the Logos Online Bookstore. You may give your gift today by visiting the donation page at Grey. GregHinnant Ministries.org or sending your checks to Greg Hinnant Ministries, PO Box 788 High Point, North Carolina, 27260. Or by calling 336-882-1645.
Now again, Dr. Hinnant. He said he was in the Spirit.
So he was either in his body under the control of the Spirit or He had had an out-of-body spirit experience. In the power of the Holy Spirit. This is exactly what will happen at the moment of the rapture. We will immediately be. caught up by the power of the Holy Spirit.
bodily to be with Christ, and changed from a mortal body to an immortal body. Oh, my goodness Oh my goodness, what an event this will be. And behold the A throne was set in heaven, and now he sees the throne of God. Friend, Immediately after we're caught into Christ's presence, we will be ushered into the unspeakably majestic. Awesome.
Beautiful beyond description. throne room of God. It will have to be a big throne room because there will be a million plus. types of Christians there. Millions and millions and millions of Christians.
those from the day of Pentecost to the moment of the rapture. And he said, one sat on the throne.
So everything he experienced represents in miniature something. That will happen. At the moment, Jesus appears, and we are caught up. to be with him forever. The key word in this phrase, though, is the door.
The door was up in mid-heaven. We are linking that to the door. that Jesus mentions will be shut. When they that are ready are caught up. to the marriage.
So With that in mind, we want to see one other text to help identify this door. Let's look to John 10, verse 11. Verses seven through nine. There Jesus made this statement. Then Jesus said unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep, or the door of the sheep pin.
All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door, twice she says this. By me, if any man enter in, that is, enter into the sheepfall, which is a symbol. for salvation Eternity in the presence of God. He shall be saved.
Because so we know here, Jesus is talking about salvation. And shall go in and out and find pasture.
So here Jesus is saying he is Not only the good shepherd, but the door of the sheepfold. He is the portal through which we enter into the kingdom of God, the eternal sheep. Pin Now That means that the door Jesus speaks of in Matthew 25 is both himself and also the means of passage from earth to heaven in the rapture experience.
So Jesus will appear, and it is through him that we will, by the grace of God and by our readiness, yes, our readiness, be sure you hear me. The bride has made herself ready. By our response to Jesus' readiness warnings, when He charged us: be ready, be wise, be watching, be worthy. That which means powerful. Be knowing him, that is, knowing Christ intimately.
Be faithful. As we respond to these charges, these warnings, We will be ready when that moment appears.
So what is the door that was shut? It is the door through which we enter into heaven, and it is, in a sense, Christ himself. The next question is this. Are the foolish bridesmaids who are left behind eternally lost, Now I've heard this before from some teachers and I'm sure You have as well. or it's likely that you have.
And the answer simply is no. Yeah. Being left behind in the rapture means you miss the immense privilege. A being translated in the twinkling of an eye From earth to heaven and change from a mortal to an immortal state. That's a great privilege.
Only two human beings have ever experienced it before. Enoch. and Elijah. both of whom I will say walk closely with God. not at a distance.
But those who are left behind, though they don't qualify for the privilege of the rapture, do not lose their salvation. Remember, The rapture experience is not a benefit of salvation. The change of the body from mortal to immortal. That is a benefit of salvation. To spend eternity with God.
is a benefit of salvation. But All Christians normally pass through the portal of death. into the presence of the Lord. We know that Paul taught to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. But being translated From earth to heaven in a moment, and never experiencing death, that is not a covenant promise.
to Christians. Millions and millions and millions of Christians have died in order to enter into heaven. No, this this privilege of the Translation Immediately into the presence of God is reserved for those Who are living closely with the Lord, as Enoch did and as Elijah.
Now Some who say that those who miss the rapture are eternally lost base their teaching on 2 Thessalonians. eight through twelve. Let's read That passage and talk about that. Verse 8: And then shall that wicked one be revealed, whom the LORD shall consume with the spirit of his mouth. In this passage, Paul is speaking, Really, of the tribulation period.
The primary focus is on. a person whom he calls the man of sin. Here he calls him that wicked one. This is clearly the Antichrist. the beast of Revelation 13.
The little horn of Daniel seven. This is the one we know is coming.
So he says, and then shall that wicked one be revealed. And when does that happen? After. He who withholds is removed. The withholder is the Holy Spirit and His presence in the whole body of Christ worldwide.
Now, at the moment of the rapture, the full plenary presence of the Spirit worldwide. will be taken out. And conditions will revert to what they were before Pentecost. The Holy Spirit will still work in the world. through chosen vessels, particularly the 144,000 Jews described in Revelation 7.
But he will not fill the earth as he has in this church age in. the body of Christ were what?
So, Paul continues then. That wicked one will be revealed whom the Lord shall, and that is at the end of the tribulation, consume with the spirit of his mouth. and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming. Even him whose coming is after the working of Satan. With all power and signs and lying wonders.
When Antichrist comes on the scene, he will do so with satanic miracles. Yes, my friend, be sure you understand this. Satan has supernatural power, but God has omnipotence.
So Satan will wile the world with his wonders through the Antichrist and later through the false prophet. And Paul says, and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish, because they received not The love of the truth. That they might be saved. And for this cause, God shall send them strong delusion that they should believe a lie, that they all might be damned who believe not the truth. But at pleasure in unrighteousness.
Now, in this context, the truth, which is mentioned twice, is the truth of the gospel. The gospel of salvation to Christ alone and his work on the cross. alone. by the shedding of his blood alone. There is salvation for us.
That is the truth. That is rejected. These persons spoken of here who are filled with complete delusion and damned with the Antichrist are the mocked followers of Antichrist during the tribulation period. They are not. Christians who are left behind.
Now, Should a Christian who's left behind Take the mark of the beast and worship the beast. Yes, he will be damned along with the others. But when a Christian is left behind, he or she will realize in that moment what has occurred. the rapture which the wise have been speaking of and preparing for. and which they themselves tried urgently to prepare for, but did not have time.
They didn't have the time to go through sufficient testing to buy the oil of spiritual preparation. They will realize that they have one more chance. in the first part of the tribulation period. if you will, to get their spiritual act together. to begin to seek the Lord.
Study his word. Live in obedience. Worship him daily. Go through their tests. And demonstrate their faithfulness to him.
Before he comes. To take a great Jewish harvest home, that is a harvest of both Jews and Gentiles. Who are saved primarily through the Jewish witness of Jesus, but also that will include. Christians who have been left behind after the rapture of the church. but who subsequently began to seek the Lord.
it is clear that those left behind At the rapture are not automatically lost eternally. It depends on their. Response Now, 1 Thessalonians 5, 9-11 is taken as a means of proving, in the minds of some, that All Christians will be taken, and none will be left behind. Let's read this. For God, who has not appointed, God has not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us.
That whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him. Wherefore, comfort yourselves together and edify one another, even as you do. Paul is encouraging obedient Christians to encourage and comfort themselves with the knowledge of the rapture and the knowledge that God has not appointed, that is, ordained, He does not will, for us to go through the time. of wrath. I heartily agree.
But I want to point something out to you, my friends, if you insist that all Christians go automatically regardless of how they live. Let's point back to the days of the Exodus. There, God intended for the Jews to go briefly, relatively briefly, through the wilderness wandering, testing period into the Promised Land, but they rebelled. They did not believe him and they would not obey him.
So They wandered for forty years in the wilderness. God did not ordain that. But they went through that. God wanted them to go through a relatively short period of testing, perhaps a few months. Then go in.
to the promised land and receive his blessings. But they rebelled and they would not go in.
So they didn't.
Now for end of the same way. Your participation, if you're a Christian, your participation in the rapture is not automatic. God ordains. That you be taken. He does not want you to go through the tribulation.
But if you do not prepare yourself, if you do not seek the Lord, study His Word, build a life of prayer and worship. Fulfill your calling. And walk closely with Christ every day, like Enoch did and as Elijah did, then you have no assurance that you will be taken in the rapture. If you are left behind, you're not eternally lost, but you will go through a time of trouble such as has never been since the foundation of the world until that time. I encourage you.
Don't be foolish. Be wise. Be preparing. You do not want to go through the tribulation period. And we're going to see this marriage motif also in other New Testament scriptures when we continue our study in the next lesson.
If this message has blessed you, tell your friends and please consider helping us stay on the air by sending your tax-deductible donation to Greg Hannett Ministries. Also, remember, you may download the Until He Comes podcast from your preferred podcast app. May you walk closely with Christ and trust and obey Him in your daily tests of faith and patience until He Comes. This is the Truth Network. Yeah.
