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LESSONS for the ENDTIME in MATTHEW 25: all set, all out, and all in!

These parables have valuable lessons showing that what we do on earth has ramifications for all eternity!

GAL 6:7 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.

However, these lessons come after Yeshua’s prophecy about the endtime in Matthew 24 and so therefore, in context, they refer to these times directly. Who will be resurrected at the midnight hour? The ones who have the oil of the Holy Spirit!

ALL SET! Parable of the Wise & Foolish Virgins

The first one is the Parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins (MATT 25:1-13). This definitely relates to the endtime! One needs to be ready, prepared, and all set to be at the Heavenly Wedding.

MATT 25:1 “Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.

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Whereas the lampstands (G3087) in REV 1:12 are referring to a collective body, the church or the ekklesia, these lamps in Matthew deal with the lamp/light that each individual carries.

From The LIFE AND TIMES OF JESUS by Dr. Edersheim
“The lamp consisted of a round receptacle for pitch or oil for the wick. This was placed in a hollow cup or deep saucer … – which was fastened by a pointed end into a long wooden pole, on which it was borne aloft. According to Jewish authorities, it was the custom in the East to carry in a bridal procession about ten such lamps.” https://www.ccel.org/ccel/edersheim/lifetimes.x.vii.html

MATT 25:2 Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. 3 Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, 4 but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. [Notice that!] 5 But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept. 6 “And at midnight a cry was heard: ‘Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!’ 7 Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. 8 And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’

Oil is representative of the Holy Spirit flowing through one’s life. We all receive the Holy Spirit when we are born-again of the Spirit. We all need to keep our lamps lit with the oil of the Holy Spirit to be consistently renewed. We all need fresh oil.

The foolish virgins had lamps that were “going out”! The flax or the wick was still smoking. They neglected to have the vessels (v4) filled with the oil to refresh the fire.

The wise virgins were careful to carry these two things: the lamps and the vessels filled with oil! When the lamps were low, they would use fresh oil.

However, the foolish had no oil in the vessels to keep their lamps burning. They were running on empty! Do we tend to run on empty – empty of the oil of the Holy Ghost?

MATT 25:9 But the wise answered, saying, ‘No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.’

I tend to be compassionate and want to help people out so I might have given them a little oil. However, the point of the story is that the foolish virgins were unprepared!

MATT 25:10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut.

Those who were prepared entered into the wedding. And the door was closed! No one who was not supposed to be there could enter.

The LORD also shut the door of the ark in Genesis 7:16! We will be going into the “ark” of His salvation, away from the wrath of God on the earth!

MATT 25:11 “Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’ 12 But he answered and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.’

The LORD doesn’t even know these people because they do not have the Spirit! They played at “church”.

ROM 8:9b And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Christ.

Possibly, they were nominal, so-called “Christians” but they don’t have the oil of the Holy Spirit functioning in their lives. There are many people in this situation. You must be born-again!

The Word says:
PSA 5:5a KJV The foolish shall not stand in thy sight.

But the wise will enter in! The oil of the Holy Spirit is vital to keep one burning!

1THES 5:19 reads “Do not quench the Spirit.” But another translation reads, “Do not extinguish the Spirit.” Many are extinguishing the Spirit. We don’t want our flame to go out! Yeshua taught, “You are the light of the world.” (MATT 5:14) Don’t let your light grow dim!

MATT 25:13 “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.

However, we can know the season!

1THES 5:4 But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief. 5 You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. 6 Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us watch and be sober.

ANOTHER THEORY
There is another theory about this parable. Both may be right. I don’t discount it because there are many layers to Scripture. The foolish virgins represent those of the Israelites that have not yet come to Christ and haven’t received the Holy Spirit within them. However, when they see Messiah return, they will repent. All Israel will be saved. (ROM 11:26)

ZECH 12:10 Then I will pour out on the house of David and on the people of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and prayer, and they will look on Me, the One they have pierced. They will mourn for Him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for Him as one grieves for a firstborn son.

The wise ones are the true Christians. True Christians will be resurrected when the shofar sounds at the Feast of Trumpets and they will enjoy the wedding of the LAMB. This is at YOM TERUAH. So the unredeemed Israelites will miss out. However, they will come to know the LORD when they see Him standing on the Mount of Olives soon afterwards. (ZECH 14:4)

The Parable of the Wedding Feast
This is another wedding parable that the LORD taught when He was here on earth:

MATT 22:1 And Jesus answered and spoke to them again by parables and said: 2 “The kingdom of heaven is like a certain king who arranged a marriage for his son, 3 and sent out his servants to call those who were invited to the wedding; and they were not willing to come. 4 Again, he sent out other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, “See, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and fatted cattle are killed, and all things are ready. Come to the wedding.” ’

Everyone who attends the wedding is blessed!

REV 19:9 And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb.

MATT 22:5 But they made light of it and went their ways, one to his own farm, another to his business.

These are cares of the world as seen in this Scripture:

MATT 13:22 The seed sown among the thorns is the one who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.

Returning to the Wedding Feast parable …

MATT 22:6 And the rest seized his servants, treated them spitefully, and killed them. 7 But when the king heard about it, he was furious. And he sent out his armies, destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city.

This happened in 70AD when the Romans burnt Jerusalem. But the Messianic believers in Christ fled according to the prophecy the LORD had given before His death.

“Through the roar of the flames streaming far and wide, the groans of the falling victims were heard; such was the height of the hill and the magnitude of the blazing pile that the entire city seemed to be ablaze; and the noise – nothing more deafening and frightening could be imagined.”
“The Romans Destroy the Temple at Jerusalem, 70 AD,” EyeWitness to History, http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com (2005).

This will happen again at the Day of the LORD:

ZECH 14:12 And this shall be the plague with which the Lord will strike all the people who fought against Jerusalem:
Their flesh shall dissolve while they stand on their feet,
Their eyes shall dissolve in their sockets,
And their tongues shall dissolve in their mouths.

This would be a description of a nuclear war. A nuclear war produces fires. At Hiroshima, these fires produced a “firestorm”.

“This intense light and heat from nuclear detonations is capable of setting many simultaneous fires over vast areas of surrounding terrain.” https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK219184/

MATT 22:8 Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy. 9 Therefore go into the highways, and as many as you find, invite to the wedding.’ 10 So those servants went out into the highways and gathered together all whom they found, both bad and good. And the wedding hall was filled with guests.

Soon after Christ’s first coming, the Gentiles were invited to the heavenly Wedding Feast. Today, the Gentiles and the sons of Ephraim (who don’t know they have been descended from the ten tribes of Israel) are believing in Christ! Many believe that there will be a world-wide revival – and it may have already begun – prior to the end of the age.

MATT 22:11 “But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw a man there who did not have on a wedding garment. 12 So he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless.

Wedding garments are indicative of the character of the person.

REV 3:18a I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed…

REV 7:9 After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could number, of all nations, tribes, peoples, and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, with palm branches in their hands,

REV 19:8 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.

REV 19:14 And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses.

In Middle Eastern cultures, it is the host who provides the wedding garments. The host of this wedding party would be the Heavenly Father and the garments or the righteous acts are provided by the Holy Spirit indwelling us. This shabbily-dressed person did not allow the Holy Spirit to operate fully in his life. He was, however, saved through faith in Christ by the grace of God. So therefore, he was thrown into “outer darkness”, a place that he will regret during the Millennium.

MATT 22:13 Then the king said to the servants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

Now, people usually think that “outer darkness” is hell. That’s a possibility. However, Hades is often confused with hell, the lake of fire. It is possible that “outer darkness” is also confused. Why would Yeshua say “outer darkness” if he just meant hell? However, it is a place of great sorrow and great regret and maybe that is just for the wedding time.

MATT 22:14 “For many are called, but few are chosen.”

Have you been called to the Marriage Feast? Will you go, meeting the conditions – that the Holy Spirit is operating in your life? Are you chosen? Meditate on this.

ALL OUT! The Parable of the Talents

Our rewards are based on our fruitfulness, our all out effort in this life for the Kingdom of God. Also, this parable is also another instance where a servant is thrown into “outer darkenss”.

One should be wise and use your talents competently. It should be our desire to give an increase, particularly an increase of souls for the LORD’s Kingdom. That is the LORD’s desire! This is accomplished through prayer for the lost and through evangelism and various other means.

MATT 25:21 His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Enter into the joy of your master!’

This attitude may determine one’s placement in Yeshua’s reign for the Millennium and for all eternity!

But the “wicked, lazy servant” (MATT 25:26) is denied his one talent when the Master returns and it is given to the one who best used his talents.

MATT 25:30 And throw that worthless servant into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

Another case of deep regret.

ALL IN! The Parable of the Sheep and the Goats

A determination will be made by the LORD concerning the fate of nations* or people’s groups. This may happen at start of the Millennial OR it may happen at the Great White Throne Judgment (REV 20:11-15). I’m leaning towards the start of the Millennial because it says “the Son of Man comes in His glory”.

*G1484. éthnos (from ethō, “forming a custom, culture”) – properly, people joined by practicing similar customs or common culture; nation(s), usually referring to unbelieving Gentiles (non-Jews).

MATT 25:31 “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. 32 All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats.

Yeshua speaks about being kind: giving to those thirsty; those naked; those sick; and those in prison.

EPH 4:32 And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.

Generally, being kind is a good choice, anytime or any day. However, in particular, this passage relates to the endtime.

How have these peoples groups treated Israel and the saints? We should be all in – to be totally committed to the LORD’s brethren.

MATT 25:40 And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’

Ultimately, the King of Kings will bless those nations who were kind to His people, His chosen people, His elect, especially during the endtime when persecution will be !

MATT 25:34 Then the King will say to those on His right hand, [the sheep] ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:

Wow! God had this kingdom planned from the foundation with Yeshua HaMashiach as it’s head!

This is parable is confirmed In the OT:
EZE 34:17 ‘And as for you, O My flock, thus says the Lord God: “Behold, I shall judge between sheep and sheep, between rams and goats….

It is most important to how you treat the God’s saints, especially in these latter days when persecution will intensify.

The LORD promised,
GEN 12:3 “I will bless those who bless you,
And I will curse him who curses you;
And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”

After the Holocaust, the Jews had an expression, “Never Again”. Now we see this ugly evil head of antisemitism looming again. If the enemy could, he would totally annihilate the Jews, God’s chosen nation. But they will remain for the LORD doesn’t break a promise!

EZE 34:25 “I will make a covenant of peace with them, and cause wild beasts to cease from the land; and they will dwell safely in the wilderness and sleep in the woods…. 28 And they shall no longer be a prey for the nations, nor shall beasts of the land devour them; but they shall dwell safely, and no one shall make them afraid. 29 I will raise up for them a garden of renown, and they shall no longer be consumed with hunger in the land, nor bear the shame of the Gentiles anymore.

There is physical hunger right now in the land of Israel, but someday, in the Millennial Kingdom, there won’t be! And the Israelites will no longer “bear the shame of the Gentiles anymore”! They have endured this as long as the enemy was in the world, that enemy of antichrist! The Israelis have been hated before the time of Esther when the Persians tried to slaughter them. They were forced out of towns and villages in the pogroms of Russia. They, and also Christians, were tortured by the Nazis.

However, the spirit of antichrist will be bound in the Abyss in the Millennial Reign, as when this would happen in Ezekiel 34. The Israelites will therefore blossom under their King, the Lion of Judah.

EZE 34:30 Thus they shall know that I, the Lord their God, am with them, and they, the house of Israel, are My people,” says the Lord God.’ 31“You are My flock, the flock of My pasture; you are men, and I am your God,” says the Lord God.

CONCLUSION

Be encouraged to be all in for the Kingdom in kindness to the saints; to give one’s whole heart to building His Kingdom; an all out effort to win souls! Then one will be all set to enter the Wedding of the LAMB and to wear the pure, white garments of righteousness!

ALL SET, ALL OUT, and ALL IN!