Hello all,

There is much contention about this issue, and I too used to believe that this parable was about the Church. Yet, once one understands who Israel truly is, it changes everything! Spiritual Israel has never ceased being a nation…it was God’s people in the Old Testament and it is God’s people in the New. Not understanding this is a major stumbling block to seeing the truth. It has allowed us to believe that carnal natural Israel is God’s chosen people, and to accept the great lies that the world has told us about their re-gathering into an illegal nation called Israel which is made up of fake Jews. But that is not the topic here, but the misunderstanding of this parable is a symptom of that disease.

With that in mind let us take a look at this parable:

Matthew 25 is a continuation of Matthew 24 as it begins with the word "then" meaning the time of the Second Coming of Jesus. At that time Jesus will establish His kingdom on the New Earth. So, Jesus tells us that the coming of the Kingdom of Heaven is similar to ten virgins waiting for the Bridegroom. This parable is not a picture of the wedding, but of the wedding supper. The wedding supper, in Jewish tradition takes place after the Bride and groom have consummated the marriage. At this point, the Bride is already married to Christ and therefore can no longer be considered a virgin.

Let's first take a look at where in the Gospels it says that we are married to Christ as born again believers. In Romans 7:4 Paul speaks about this relationship:

Rom 7:4 “Wherefore, my brethren, ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ; that ye should be married to another, [even] to him who is raised from the dead, that we should bring forth fruit unto God.”

Eph 5:23 “For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.”

Jhn 3:29 “He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom's voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled.”
Thus, the spiritual bride, spiritual Israel, the church, was purchased by the blood of Christ, and brought into existence in like manner as Eve, Adam’s bride.

Our first husband was the first Adam (the law) who dies when we become born again and are now married to the last Adam, Jesus Christ. So we can no longer be virgins, and besides the parable is speaking of the bridesmaids not the Bride.

Where in the Bible is Israel spoken of as a virgin? 'Virgins' describe the ingathering of the exiles in the end of days.

KJV Jeremiah 31:4 Again I will build thee, and thou shalt be built, O virgin of Israel: thou shalt again be.

KJV Jeremiah 31:13 Then shall the virgin rejoice in the dance, both young men and old together: for I will turn their mourning into joy, and will comfort them, and make them rejoice from their sorrow.

KJV Jeremiah 31:21 Set thee up waymarks, make thee high heaps: set thine heart toward the highway, even the way which thou wentest: turn again, O virgin of Israel, turn again to these thy cities.

Amo 5:2 The virgin of Israel is fallen; she shall no more rise: she is forsaken upon her land; [there is] none to raise her up.

Ephraim (Jeremiah 31:9) (known as the TEN tribes) are being gathered as a 'shepherd does his flock' (Jeremiah 31:10). The exiles who are being gathered as called, 'virgins' (Jeremiah 31:4 and Jeremiah 31:13).

Therefore the TEN VIRGINS represent the ingathering of the Ten Tribes / Ephraim aka "natural Israel" in the end of days. The first that will be last; the first that Jesus preached the Kingdom of God to, and the last to accept Christ as their Messiah.

With this concept now in mind, let's look at the parable itself and see what we find:

Mat 25:1 ¶ Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.

The lamps represent the Torah, the law, the Word of God, The light of the World. The Word of God is like a lamp to our feet.

Mat 25:2 “And five of them were wise, and five [were] foolish.”

The five wise virgins had the lamp (the Torah) and the oil (the Gospel) and had believed and were born again, thus having the jar of extra oil which is the Holy Spirit.

The five foolish virgins had the lamp ( the Torah) and the oil (the Word of God) but did not find that Jesus is the Messiah, therefore they did not have the jar of extra oil which is the Holy Spirit, which they would have had, had they been born again.

Mat 25:3 They that [were] foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them:

They had been preached the Gospel, but had no faith and did not receive the Holy Spirit.

Mat 25:4 But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.

The oil is the Gospel, preached to them by the 144,000 and the Two Witnesses. The extra oil, or the jars of extra oil ,is the Holy Spirit. After believing the Gospel and accepting Christ into their hearts they receive the Holy Spirit and are born again. Unless we are born again we cannot have a PERSONAL RELATIONSHIP with Christ.
Mat 25:5 While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.

The wise virgins that are slumbering are most like resting in the peace and safety of having Jesus as their Savior and knowing that they will be ready when he comes. The foolish who are also slumbering are resting on knowing the Law and having the lamp (the Torah) and may have already accepted the False Messiah as their savior.

Mat 25:6 And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.

Joh 3:29 “He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom's voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled.”

Midnight is the Second Coming and they all awake, but only those with extra oil in their lamps (the Holy Spirit) can go out to meet Christ.
Mat 25:8 And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.

The word of the Torah does not sustain them, and they don’t have the Holy Spirit which is the wedding garment.

Mat 25:9 “But the wise answered, saying, [Not so]; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.”

The wise tell the foolish that they cannot give them their extra oil...they must go and buy it. Only Christ can give one the Holy Spirit, these wise virgins could not give the foolish what only Christ can do.

Mat 25:10 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.

It was too late to be born again and to have a personal relationship with Christ through the Holy Spirit. The born again believers have gone into the Marriage Supper and the door is closed.

Mat 25:11 “Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.”

They have the Truth of God, His Word, but they have no Spirit.

Mat 25:12 “But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.”

Mat 25:13 “Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.”

The nation of Israel will not expect the return of Christ because they have accepted the Antichrist as their Messiah and are surprised by the Second Coming. Only those who are saved by the witnesses of the 144,000 and the Two Witnesses will be watching and have the Holy Spirit and go into the Wedding Supper. The wedding garment is having the Holy Spirit, and without believing the Gospel and giving your life to Christ, you cannot have the wedding garment and therefore are not allowed into the Wedding Supper.

Matthew 25 and the parable of the ten virgins is not speaking about the Church (Spiritual Israel) as the wedding has already taken place.

7 "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 His WIFE has made herself ready.....wife is the key word here, it does not say Bride!!! The marriage has already taken place, and His wife is ready for the Wedding Feast!! Another reason that the parable of the Ten Virgins is NOT speaking about the Bride, but of the friends of the Bridegroom that hear his voice and are born again BEFORE His Second Coming.

In His parable of the ten virgins, as in all His kingdom parables, Christ was not setting forth the mysteries of the Church but the mysteries of the Kingdom of God.

May we all have the lamp to light our path, the oil to fill it, and the jar with extra oil to sustain us until he shouts our names.

JESUS IS ALL AND EVERYTHING!!

Agape!!

Patti C.