THE RAPTURE - PART 2

THE PARABLE OF THE TEN VIRGINS

The first thing that should strike us is that it is a CONTINUATION of Matt 24 from the conjoining word THEN; meaning that it ought not to have been broken by a chapter separation at all, seeing that it still follows the same train of thoughts as was in Matt 24 – the sign of Christ’s coming and the end of the world.

THEN refers to timing…meaning when shall the Kingdom of Heaven be likened to ten virgins? At this time – the end of the world.

The disciples asked WHAT WOULD BE THE SIGN OF CHRIST’S COMING?

This is Christ’s DIRECT answer to that question:

Matt 24: 29 - 30  Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:

30   And then shall appear the SIGN of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.

When does the SIGN appear? Verse 29 – IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE TRIBULATION OF THOSE DAYS!

If this Parable depicts the Rapture then it means the Rapture does not happen until AFTER the tribulation, and as we will see later…the Church is already gone by then.

They seem to know when he is coming from the midnight cry...there is a sense of urgency... EVERYBODY WAKES UP, ALL TEN OF THEM!
Because the midnight cry is THE PREACHING OF THE GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM!

The above verse states that ALL the tribes of the earth shall MOURN...they are not happy...the entire earth is going through a tragedy here...it is because they shall SEE the Son of Man coming in the clouds of heaven with great power and glory...so do you see it?

In the Rapture, Christ comes alone for the living and the dead who are in Christ Jesus...he does NOT come with great glory and power (power there obviously referring to his armies);  life continues as normal after the Rapture...there will be no mourning then as we see here, and ALL shall not see him. So in the sequence so far, Christ returns to the earth with great power and glory, and this forms the background for the parable of the ten virgins, because these things were written sequentially not haphazardly....

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

WHEN?
1. AFTER the tribulation of those days.
2. After the sun is darkened and the moon does not give her light.
3. After the stars fall from heaven.
4. After the powers of the heavens are shaken.

ONLY THEN does the parable of the ten virgins occur.

This parable therefore refers specifically to the Jewish people seeing that by this time the Church would no longer be on earth.

So let us look at the marriage itself...

Matt 25:10 And while they went to buy, (ie the five foolish virgins), the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him TO THE MARRIAGE: and the door was shut.

Now where did we see this marriage earlier on?

RE 19:17 And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the SUPPER of the great God;

The Rapture has already happened before this…The above verse is an announcement for what is about to happen…the marriage supper of the Lamb.

RE 19:9 And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the MARRIAGE SUPPER of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.

In the parable of the ten virgins, Christ  returns for THOSE WHO ARE CALLED TO THE MARRIAGE SUPPER OF THE LAMB!

Now here is the thing...

Can those who are called to the marriage supper possibly be the Bride of Christ, or how can the invited guests be the bride at the same time? No these WISE VIRGINS CANNOT BE the glorious church without spot or blemish that Christ will soon come back for...

Eph 5:25  Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;

27  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.

This is where Christ will present the Church that he has loved like a wife to himself...this is his Bride...therefore the Wise Virgins who were called to the marriage supper of the lord cannot be this same church referred to here.

Back to our parable..

 Before the marriage supper, we see Christ leaving Heaven with his armies, the very same armies he will use in defeating the Antichrist at the battle of Armageddon!

Rev 19:11-16 And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.

12 His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself.

13 And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.

14 And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.

15 And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.

16 And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.

Verse 14 clearly shows us that THE SAINTS ARE ALREADY IN HEAVEN BEFORE THE MARRIAGE SUPPER OF THE LAMB, WHICH IS THE SAME MARRIAGE SPOKEN OF IN MATTHEW 25!

He is only returning for his guests, his Bride is already with him.

 THEY CONSTITUTE THE ARMIES OF THE LORD THAT FOLLOWED HIM ON WHITE HORSES!

 (Unless there are two marriages...No? )

Next we will consider the Rapture itself...will it really happen and how?

Do look out for Part 3.

If you would like a PDF of the entire post, please leave your email address in the comment section below and I'll see to it that you get it right after the series is completed.

God bless you!