The Parable of the Ten Bridesmaids – Part 6

This is the Truth Network. Did Jesus give other spiritual readiness warnings about Christians being left behind besides the ten bridesmaids?

Well, 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 will continue our study of the parable of the ten bridesmaids. Let's begin by rereading the text in Matthew 25, verses 1 through 13. Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins or bridesmaids. which took their lamps and went forth to meet the bridegroom. And five of them were wise, and five were foolish.

They that were foolish took their lamps, And took no oil with them, or no extra oil.

So we immediately see they were not. foreseeing they were not prudent, And they didn't take extra. 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 because Behold, the bridegroom comes.

Go ye out to meet him.

Well, then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps, And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil, for our lamps are gone out, or they are going out. But the wise answer say not so. lest there be not enough for us and you. But go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. And while they went to by, The bridegroom came.

And they that were ready went in with him to the marriage, and they and the door was shut. 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. That is, we don't have a close, intimate relationship. You may have the righteousness of God, but you don't draw near me and you don't seek to know me.

I know you're not. Watch, therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man. Comes.

Well, in this parable, as we've discussed earlier, there are clearly consequences for not being ready.

Now the key phrase here is they that were ready went in with him.

So, are there other passages in the New Testament? This is what we want to examine now. Besides this one, in which Christ taught us That there would be consequences, adverse consequences, for those who do not prepare themselves for his coming. Those who are not looking for him. those who don't even believe he's going to come back.

Will there be consequences when he appears? And the answer is yes. Here the foolish bridesmaids were left and did not go to the marriage supper.

Now that of course is a figure for the marriage supper of the Lamb in heaven that's discussed in Revelation 19 verses 7 through 9.

So let's examine this. Were there other passages where Jesus gave similar warnings of adverse consequences for those who do not prepare?

Well, there are, and let's look at three of them. Revelation 2, 20 through 23 will be our first one. Here Jesus is speaking to the church in Taitira. In Asia Minor, And he says, Notwithstanding, I have a few things against thee. Because thou sufferest, or you allow, that woman Jezebel which calls herself a prophetess.

to teach and to seduce my servants, to commit fornication, and to eat things committed to idols.

Now, This is describing a church with heresy in it. Jesus is rebuking the elders because they were permitting or allowing this woman to teach. and she was teaching, timing she was a prophetess, that the Christians there could participate in the local pagan temple worship without it bothering them, without it displeasing the Lord.

Well, Jesus is letting everybody know he's highly displeased about it. And that would have involved that is, if you were participating in temple worship, it would have involved going probably about once a month It could vary from some uh different sects to others, but you would go once a month for a official meal there, a sacrificial meal. Where you communed with others who also believed in that pagan god? And then often you would commit some illicit sexual act with a priest or priestesses as a form of worship, worship so-called.

So this woman was leading his people In Thyantara? both into idolatry and immorality, and Jesus was not happy about it. He says in verse 21, And I gave her space to repent of her fornication. He gave her a great spirit, he was forbearing. and she repented not, so she was hardened and determined to continue in her sin.

Behold, Jesus now is going to pronounce sentence. I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her, into great tribulation, except they repent, of their deeds. and I will kill her children with death.

Now, he's very clearly warning That when he appears, they will not be taken. This sect within the Thought your time in church. That followed this woman whom he called Jezebel.

Now that was not her name, that was a pejorative. Her ma name may have been Mary or something else, but He called her Jezebel, because the ancient Jezebel led the children of Israel into the worship of Baal. This woman was leading Christians in the first century to worship pagan gods.

So He's warning her and her followers that he is going to toss them into another bed. Ellen putting that word in quotes. Not a litteral bit. Where they would have pleasure. But another kind of bed.

Where they would have pain. He's referring to the tribulation period. And he said, unless they repent. opening the door if they repent, but if not, they're going to go into the tribulation period. Why?

Because of heresy and immorality. Friend, today are you in any way practicing immorality. Are you looking at porn at uh pornography? Are you in on a relationship. Where are you having sex outside of marriage?

If so, you are falling into this very category, and Jesus is warning you that if you don't repent, He will not take you when he comes, and you will have to go through the tribulation period.

Now he goes on to say. And all the churches will know, that is, when they see this happen, that they will know that I am He who searches the reins and the hearts, the minds and the hearts. and I will give unto every one of you according to your works.

So, here is one passage where clearly there are consequences for not being ready when Jesus. Appears. Let's look at his message to the church at Sardis. Revelation 3. Verses one through three.

And unto the angel of the church in Sardis, write, These things saith he that hath the seven spirits of God, that is the sevenfold spirit of God. and the seven stars. I know thy works, that thou hast a name, that is, a reputation, that thou livest. and art dead.

So here this is a little bit comical. A little bit humorous because this church had a reputation for being a lively church, a church that's spirit-filled. There's dynamic. You need to go to this church. But Jesus said he had been to this church and he didn't like it.

He said it was dead.

Now then he adds this: Be watchful. Be watchful. Obviously, he would have been referring to being watchful of their own souls, of course. But in the larger context of the book of Revelation, this watchfulness has got to do with his coming.

So he says, be watchful. and strengthen the things which remain. that are ready to die, for I have not found your works perfect Before God. Remember, therefore, how thou hast received and heard. Remember, he said, the way you used to receive the word of God with joy.

And obedience. And it says, and hold fast. And repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch now here's his warning, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour. I will come upon thee.

Now, Jesus is alluding to the thief in the night motif that's in the New Testament, which he used, and he uses here again. Speaking of himself in AD 95 when he was talking to John sending these messages to the church. He was using this figure of a thief in the night.

Well, a thief in the night comes, steals, and goes, and you don't even know it.

So Jesus is saying, My appearing to take away my church will be just like that. I'll appear, I'll take away my church. and no one will even know it until the next day. that they have all been taken or been caught up. to be with me in heaven for ever.

But, he says, if the Christians at Sardis do not watch. They will not be taken. He will come on the church as a thief, but they will not know it. And he's very clearly implying they will not be taken. This would mean.

that this faction, this section, this sect within the Sardist Church that was spiritually dead, Would not be taken in the rapture and therefore would be left behind.

So this is our second clear warning of adverse consequences, specifically being thrust into the tribulation period, for those who are not prepared. In this case, the lack of preparation was in the area of watchfulness.

Now let's look at another passage, Matthew 24. forty-four through fifty-one. Therefore be ye also ready, Jesus says, for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of Man comes. Who then is a faithful and wise steward?

So he's calling a faithful servant. a wise servant. Who is a faithful and wise servant? Whom his Lord has made ruler over his household to give them meat in due season.

Now, speaking now of a servant. of a large estate who is put in charge of the food services. He had to acquire the food, prepare it, and serve it to all the servants on the estate. and as well for the master and his household. Blessed is that servant, Whom is Lord?

When he comes, shall find so doing. That is Faithfully feeding. the people on the estate. Verily I say unto you, That he shall make him ruler over all his goods.

So Jesus is saying, I will promote this. Food services. Manager. to be the steward of the entire estate.

Now that would have been quite a responsible position. in the first century. 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.

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So he goes on to say Hear that verily I say unto you, that if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My Lord delays his coming. and shall begin to smite his fellow servants and to eat and drink with the drunken The Lord of that servant shall come in a day When he looks not for him, and in an hour which he is not aware of.

So now Jesus is speaking of an unfaithful servant, and he calls him evil.

So we see here that Jesus says faithfulness is wise and good. But unfaithfulness Not doing one's duty, not fulfilling one's pledge, not being loyal to God or to others with whom we have a close relationship, not discharging one's duty. Faithfully, loyally, steadily, steadfastly, This kind of a servant whom Jesus called evil. Will not be taken when he comes. Again, he used the.

uh the reference to his coming in verse 48. And fifty. In verse forty-eight, he said, The servant said, My lord delays his. Coming. And in verse 50, he said, The Lord of that servant shall come.

in a day when he does not look for him. and in an hour which he is not aware of. He goes on to say, And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites.

Now, this is a figurative statement when applied to Christians. Jesus was speaking to the embryonic church. His disciples were there with him as he delivered this discourse, which we call the Olivet Discourse, because he was on the Mount of Olives at the time. And uh he's speaking to them. And he's warning them.

about the consequences for not being faithful. And Here in verse 52, being cut asunder, I don't believe that he's referring to actually cutting the servant in two, because you see, in the ancient world, servants were very valuable, and no master would have killed his servants, but he would have beaten them and sometimes severely. and their backs would have been lacerated.

So this is what Jesus is referring to. And then he adds, he'll have a portion with the hypocrites. That means he will be left behind when I come, and he will be in that same time with sinners who do not know God and other carnal Christians who have known about God. But I have not walked with God.

So, this is the third passage where we see Jesus clearly issuing a warning. Four. lack of readiness, not being ready when he comes, that is, not being fully prepared for the anticipated event of the rapture or his appearing before it happens.

So these three examples Give us three different kinds of lack of preparedness. in Revelation two, twenty through twenty three, The problem was heresy and immorality. In chapter three, this passage in Sardis, The problem was lack of watchfulness and spiritual deadness. And in Matthew 24, 44 to 51, the problem was. Unfaithfulness.

So, this is very important. There's a difference between a Christian who lives morally. and doesn't have an idol, and one who does. There is a difference between a Christian who is watching for his Lord to come every day. and one who does not watch for his Lord.

And there is a difference between a Christian who, motivated by the knowledge that the Lord will come and soon, is a faithful servant. in his daily responsibilities, and one who is not faithful. in his daily responsibilities.

So, I think we've clearly answered the question that yes, there are other spiritual readiness warnings in the New Testament that Jesus has issued. Telling us that adverse consequences await the Christian who is not prepared.

Well, some of you may be thinking right now, Do we have to be perfect to be taken into the rapture? No, we do not. No, we do not. No Christian is sinlessly perfect. But We must be serious.

That he is specifically serious about preparing. For this event, the appearing of Christ that Paul describes in 1 Thessalonians 4. and in First Corinthians fifteen. You know, when Noah heard that the flood was coming, he was serious about it. He took it very seriously.

And he and his sons went out and built a tremendous structure. We call it the ark. And they were saved. by that preparation. We should be doing the same today because another flood is coming.

Not of water, but but of worldwide judgments specified in the book of Revelation. called the seal trumpet. and bold judgments. They're described in Revelation chapter 9 and chapter 10. Also Revelation 6.

Revelation 16.

So we must be serious about preparation for Jesus' coming. It must not be a light thing to us. That is, if we want to have rapture assurance. The knowledge. That whenever Jesus comes we will be taken.

And we should also want to bring others into that state of God confidence and confidence when Jesus comes, they will be taken.

Well This kind of a Christian who is serious about the Lord will be learning to live spiritually minded every day. Will be God conscious that is He will put God on His mind? And the Word of God? And he'll do this while he's walking in this world. He'll walk with God as Enoch did.

This is described in Genesis 5. 22-24. Enoch walked with God. Enoch walked with God, and he was not, for God took him. This is exactly the kind of life we need to live now.

You see, the serious Christian will conform his or her life to the will of God as they learn it. This is what Enoch did. Note that Enoch walked With God. God did not walk, with Enoch.

So the text implies there in Genesis 5, 22 and 24 that Enoch conformed to God in all his ways. This is the way a serious Christian will prepare himself or herself. For the appearing of Christ, and thus be saved from or kept from. the coming worldwide judgment of the tribulation period. This kind of a Christian will be seeking Christ personally every day.

They'll have a place. In their home they can get along with him and pray and read their Bibles. sing worship songs unto him. Pray not only for themselves, but intercede. for others that they come in contact with, obviously their family and their neighbors.

those that they go to school with or work with. or they meet on the street. These kinds of Christians will also walk in close communion with Jesus every day. Every day they will be close to Jesus, thanking him. Through the day and praying through the day.

They will also go through their daily tests. In faith, that is, in trust in God, as the proverb says in Proverbs 3, 5, and 6: trust in the Lord with all your heart. And lean not to your understanding. In all your ways, that is, in all your situations or circumstances, acknowledge Him. Acknowledge God's control over what you cannot control.

And he shall direct your paths.

So this kind of a Christian who is serious about the Lord's coming will go through their daily test. in faith, in trust. And they will also go through their test obediently, obedient to God's word. Obedient to his guidance, obedient to his correction. They will also be patient.

in their trials. awaiting God's time. of deliverance or release from that trial. Why? Because they will remember the words in Ecclesiastes: He has made everything beautiful.

in his time. That's Ecclesiastes 3, verse 11. These serious Christians will also go through their trials with endurance. Oh, this is so important, my friend. that we learn to endure.

that we learned that sometimes God allows tests. that are just not going to be over within a few days or a week or a month. They're going to go on. And so we have to endure. When we come to the end of our patience, we have to hold on, and God will stretch our patience, and we find.

with His grace we are able to endure what we did not tolerate or endure. before we knew him.

So these kinds of serious Christians will go through the test with endurance. They will wait a very long time, if need be, for God's answer or God's aid or his deliverance. for a breakthrough.

Now the Philadelphian Christians had done this in Revelation 3.10. Jesus said this to them. He said, Because you have kept the word of my patience, or because you have patiently endured. Or because you have persevered. Patiently.

in your tests. He promises, I also will keep thee from The hour of temptation which shall come upon all the world To try them that dwell upon the earth. He's very clearly talking about the tribulation period. Here we see there are positive. Positive results.

For those Who are ready when he comes? In this case, The Philadelphia Church. had kept the word of his patience. They had patiently endured in their trials, probably with the local Jews, because he speaks of the synagogue of Satan. Again, he's speaking in a in a derogatory term with caustic wit.

So it's implied that these Christians had suffered trouble from the local Jews. They had shut some doors for them and caused them other problems. Jesus said that. He said he was going to make them come. and worship.

at the feet. Of the Philadelphia Church. That is, they would be converted and brought into the local Christian assembly. and be worshipping God with the other Christians.

So here we see that Jesus is saying, if you'll keep my word, I'll keep you from. the hour of temptation.

Now specifically My requirement That she bear long With me. In some of your trials, that you learn to endure, that you learn to persevere.

Now, if this kind of a serious Christian should fail, that is, fail in his test, fall and sin, disobey the Lord, become offended. Get out of the spirit, etc. Then he or she will go to the Lord. With a frank and full confession of their sins. They know that in 1 John 1, verse 9, the Bible promises.

If we will confess our sins, He is faithful and just. to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all. Unrighteousness. And so they will go to the Lord, confess their sins, and then they will joyfully watch for. and submit to a retrial In God's time and way.

You see, every time we fail in a test, Not long afterwards, the Lord will arrange another similar test, which will give us an opportunity. To demonstrate our obedience to Him. Why? Because He doesn't want us to be under a cloud of condemnation, knowing that we have failed our test. He wants us to have the joy of the overcomer.

So He will send that test again. It may not be in the same setting with the same people, but He will send a situation that tests the same graces in you and give you an opportunity to overcome.

Well, we'll break this off at this point, and we'll continue our discussion of the valuable lessons from the parable of the ten virgins in the next episode. God bless you. 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 Hennett 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.

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