The 10 Bridesmaids – Part 2
Being ready is the main theme of Jesus’ description of the time of His return. The Parable of the 10 Bridesmaids is describing the rewards of being ready and the risks of not being ready. This same theme is described more fully in the Revelation 2 and 3 letters to the seven churches. The seven churches of Revelation 2 and 3 are describing seven characteristic churches of the time leading into the Great Tribulation. These letters are written to us...in this current generation. John says that anyone reading Revelation is His partner in the tribulation, the kingdom, and the patience of Jesus. These all go together:
Revelation 1:9 I, John, both your brother and companion in the tribulation and kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was on the island that is called Patmos for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.
The seven churches are being addressed by Jesus through John because they are about to share in all three of these aspects: tribulation, kingdom, and patience. Every church is encouraged to “overcome.” Seven awesome promises for “overcoming” are given along with warnings of punishment, failure, and even removal, for not fixing the problems now, before the trouble exposes them. What are they being so strongly encouraged to overcome? The Great Tribulation, of course!! The very next event described, beginning in Chapter 6, is the Great Tribulation. Seven divided churches go into the Great Tribulation, and out of it comes one pure and spotless Bride! The tribulation is what Jesus uses to refine the Bride. The falling away results in a purer Bride, the tribulation she sets her heart to endure makes her spotless. This is what tribulation is DESIGNED by God to do:
Romans 5:3-5 And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; (4) and perseverance, character; and character, hope. (5) Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
Here in Romans, Paul is talking about the same thing. The tribulation, the KINGDOM, and the patience. The pouring out of the Spirit in greater measures THROUGH tribulation produces more tangible manifestation of the KINGDOM. The Kingdom is coming here. The kingdom was much more tangibly here during Paul, Peter, and John’s days, because the Church was living united and ready for the tribulation. The Spirit was given to them in greater measures of authority in the first few hours because they stood in greater measures of unity, holiness, and in less compromise. This is what the last days will look like. John looked around and said “this is the last hour!” You should expect that the time of Jesus’ return will look to Christians the same way John described his own life…tribulation…kingdom manifestation…patience…
1 John 2:18 Little children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the last hour.
Jesus’ kingdom IS coming HERE, but it isn’t going to come here by magic! Jesus isn’t going to wave His hand, take everyone who knows Him off the planet that He is reclaiming, and then do the “kingdom on earth” thing! No! The kingdom is going to come when WE bring it, by patiently enduring tribulation THROUGH the outpoured power of the Holy Spirit…this is called VICTORY.
Revelation 15:2 And I saw something like a sea of glass mingled with fire, and those who have the victory over the beast, over his image and over his mark and over the number of his name, standing on the sea of glass, having harps of God.
You don’t get victory without opposition. The opposition…the long dark night promised by Jesus in the parable…the Great Tribulation brought by the antichrist getting his way for 42 months…is designed to produce the context of victory for Jesus and His Bride! Jesus and Peter both described it the same way. Peter said if you “get it” (how the kingdom comes) you should live holy (get ready) and “hasten the day.”
Luke 17:20-21 Now when He was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He answered them and said, "The kingdom of God does not come with observation; (21) nor will they say, 'See here!' or 'See there!' For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you."
2 Peter 3:3-17 knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, (4) and saying, "Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation." (5) For this they willfully forget: that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water, (6) by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water. (7) But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. (8) But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. (9) The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. (10) But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. (11) Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, (12) looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? (13) Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. (14) Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless; (15) and consider that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation—as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you, (16) as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures. (17) You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked;
Peter was saying the tribulation…literally the heavens being dissolved and on fire with fervent heat (check out the trumpet judgments of Revelation 8 and 9)…was cause to get yourself ready in holiness and godliness (this is the oil in the Bridesmaids lamps…I’ll talk about this next). The tribulation is what is going to accompany Jesus, and Jesus’ Bride is going to flourish through it, because she is ready. Anyone who is not ready will likely not be a part of the Bride…for real.
Getting ready to “endure” is Jesus-following 101, but because our westernized comfort-soaked hearts are so divided between Jesus and the comforts of the world (just like the five of the seven churches in Revelation 2 and 3) right now, the Bride to Be is actually debating whether or not tribulation will even happen!! But that is exactly what Peter warned about!! To think tribulation won’t happen is to be a “scoffer.” Peter wasn’t describing unbelievers as scoffers!! Unbelievers don’t waste their time considering that Jesus’ return hasn’t happened, they don’t even believe it will happen!
Peter is talking about a bunch of scoffing “casual” bridesmaids…unready because they don’t really believe you for sure even need to be ready. Notice their proximity to those hastening the day, though! They are close enough to be in the conversation. They are at the door of the wedding, waiting, but also scoffing. To deny great trouble is coming by the signs all around us IS scoffing. These unready bridesmaids care more about what they are doing this weekend, or the size of their ministry, or the vacation they have planned, or how to make their bills this month, than they care about being selected to live in the greatest generation to ever inhabit earth. Oh, the tragedy of getting picked to live in this hour and then not being ready and mostly missing it, or worse yet, getting offended and falling away!
Believing, and even worse TEACHING, that nothing bad will happen is one of the worst crimes a teacher could commit against God’s people. THIS is what will cause the offense that leads to falling away. Those who don’t get ready have no root, and in the time of trial, they fall away. Keeping people comfortable to not get ready will be a crime held against many teachers in the Body of Christ. This is clearly stated throughout the word:
Amos 9:9-11 "For I will give the command and will shake Israel along with the other nations as grain is shaken in a sieve, yet not one true kernel will be lost. (10) But all the sinners will die by the sword—all those who say, ‘NOTHING BAD WILL HAPPEN TO US.' (emphasis mine) (11) "In that day I will restore the fallen house of David. I will repair its damaged walls. From the ruins I will rebuild it and restore its former glory.
The offenses that cause the falling away must happen. It is written. Many will be offended by what Jesus allows, just like John the Baptist’s disciples were offended by John’s imprisonment and execution, but the Bible says “woe to those through whom the offense comes.”
Matthew 18:7 Woe to the world because of offenses! For offenses must come, but woe to that man by whom the offense comes!
Theorizing the events of Revelation in such a way as to say the tribulation has already happened, or to symbolize, or minimize the Great Tribulation is a very popular thing right now, but everyone who teaches (even simply teaching their kids, or the neighbor over a cup of coffee) should take these words to seriously. Jesus constantly told His disciples to BE READY, to watch (know the plan), and pray (agree with the plan, which includes the tribulation). Teaching people comes with great weight. If you teach people in a way that does not produce an increased desire for being ready, you should start talking to Jesus about how to agree with Him in helping His Bride be ready to endure what is coming. This should be priority #1 for every teacher in the Body of Christ, whether or not it is the last hour, as John said. How much more should we be one-track minded if it actually IS the hour, which I believe it clearly is.
Paul endured GREAT tribulation, and he wrote that he gloried in it. Paul and John are the ones who wrote much of the Bible we take as the Word of God! They assumed we would have the same attitude as they did about life lived for another age and the patience through tribulation required for the last hour. The modern church has gotten so far removed from the experience of these ones we admire so much that we have actually gotten to the point in history where we debate whether or not WE will endure tribulation like they did, if not worse (it will be more intense than Peter and John saw). If you asked Paul and John whether the last generation of Christians would experience the tribulation described in the Bible, they would look you square in the eyes and say “duh!...did you not read anything about our own lives that you are trying to emulate?! GET READY TO ENDURE THE SAME THING AND WORSE!”
Matthew 24:44-46 Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect. (45) "Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master made ruler over his household, to give them food in due season? (46) Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing.
Revelation 1:9 I, John, both your brother and companion in the tribulation and kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was on the island that is called Patmos for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ.
The seven churches are being addressed by Jesus through John because they are about to share in all three of these aspects: tribulation, kingdom, and patience. Every church is encouraged to “overcome.” Seven awesome promises for “overcoming” are given along with warnings of punishment, failure, and even removal, for not fixing the problems now, before the trouble exposes them. What are they being so strongly encouraged to overcome? The Great Tribulation, of course!! The very next event described, beginning in Chapter 6, is the Great Tribulation. Seven divided churches go into the Great Tribulation, and out of it comes one pure and spotless Bride! The tribulation is what Jesus uses to refine the Bride. The falling away results in a purer Bride, the tribulation she sets her heart to endure makes her spotless. This is what tribulation is DESIGNED by God to do:
Romans 5:3-5 And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; (4) and perseverance, character; and character, hope. (5) Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
Here in Romans, Paul is talking about the same thing. The tribulation, the KINGDOM, and the patience. The pouring out of the Spirit in greater measures THROUGH tribulation produces more tangible manifestation of the KINGDOM. The Kingdom is coming here. The kingdom was much more tangibly here during Paul, Peter, and John’s days, because the Church was living united and ready for the tribulation. The Spirit was given to them in greater measures of authority in the first few hours because they stood in greater measures of unity, holiness, and in less compromise. This is what the last days will look like. John looked around and said “this is the last hour!” You should expect that the time of Jesus’ return will look to Christians the same way John described his own life…tribulation…kingdom manifestation…patience…
1 John 2:18 Little children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the last hour.
Jesus’ kingdom IS coming HERE, but it isn’t going to come here by magic! Jesus isn’t going to wave His hand, take everyone who knows Him off the planet that He is reclaiming, and then do the “kingdom on earth” thing! No! The kingdom is going to come when WE bring it, by patiently enduring tribulation THROUGH the outpoured power of the Holy Spirit…this is called VICTORY.
Revelation 15:2 And I saw something like a sea of glass mingled with fire, and those who have the victory over the beast, over his image and over his mark and over the number of his name, standing on the sea of glass, having harps of God.
You don’t get victory without opposition. The opposition…the long dark night promised by Jesus in the parable…the Great Tribulation brought by the antichrist getting his way for 42 months…is designed to produce the context of victory for Jesus and His Bride! Jesus and Peter both described it the same way. Peter said if you “get it” (how the kingdom comes) you should live holy (get ready) and “hasten the day.”
Luke 17:20-21 Now when He was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He answered them and said, "The kingdom of God does not come with observation; (21) nor will they say, 'See here!' or 'See there!' For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you."
2 Peter 3:3-17 knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, (4) and saying, "Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation." (5) For this they willfully forget: that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of water and in the water, (6) by which the world that then existed perished, being flooded with water. (7) But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. (8) But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. (9) The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. (10) But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. (11) Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, (12) looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? (13) Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. (14) Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless; (15) and consider that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation—as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you, (16) as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures. (17) You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked;
Peter was saying the tribulation…literally the heavens being dissolved and on fire with fervent heat (check out the trumpet judgments of Revelation 8 and 9)…was cause to get yourself ready in holiness and godliness (this is the oil in the Bridesmaids lamps…I’ll talk about this next). The tribulation is what is going to accompany Jesus, and Jesus’ Bride is going to flourish through it, because she is ready. Anyone who is not ready will likely not be a part of the Bride…for real.
Getting ready to “endure” is Jesus-following 101, but because our westernized comfort-soaked hearts are so divided between Jesus and the comforts of the world (just like the five of the seven churches in Revelation 2 and 3) right now, the Bride to Be is actually debating whether or not tribulation will even happen!! But that is exactly what Peter warned about!! To think tribulation won’t happen is to be a “scoffer.” Peter wasn’t describing unbelievers as scoffers!! Unbelievers don’t waste their time considering that Jesus’ return hasn’t happened, they don’t even believe it will happen!
Peter is talking about a bunch of scoffing “casual” bridesmaids…unready because they don’t really believe you for sure even need to be ready. Notice their proximity to those hastening the day, though! They are close enough to be in the conversation. They are at the door of the wedding, waiting, but also scoffing. To deny great trouble is coming by the signs all around us IS scoffing. These unready bridesmaids care more about what they are doing this weekend, or the size of their ministry, or the vacation they have planned, or how to make their bills this month, than they care about being selected to live in the greatest generation to ever inhabit earth. Oh, the tragedy of getting picked to live in this hour and then not being ready and mostly missing it, or worse yet, getting offended and falling away!
Believing, and even worse TEACHING, that nothing bad will happen is one of the worst crimes a teacher could commit against God’s people. THIS is what will cause the offense that leads to falling away. Those who don’t get ready have no root, and in the time of trial, they fall away. Keeping people comfortable to not get ready will be a crime held against many teachers in the Body of Christ. This is clearly stated throughout the word:
Amos 9:9-11 "For I will give the command and will shake Israel along with the other nations as grain is shaken in a sieve, yet not one true kernel will be lost. (10) But all the sinners will die by the sword—all those who say, ‘NOTHING BAD WILL HAPPEN TO US.' (emphasis mine) (11) "In that day I will restore the fallen house of David. I will repair its damaged walls. From the ruins I will rebuild it and restore its former glory.
The offenses that cause the falling away must happen. It is written. Many will be offended by what Jesus allows, just like John the Baptist’s disciples were offended by John’s imprisonment and execution, but the Bible says “woe to those through whom the offense comes.”
Matthew 18:7 Woe to the world because of offenses! For offenses must come, but woe to that man by whom the offense comes!
Theorizing the events of Revelation in such a way as to say the tribulation has already happened, or to symbolize, or minimize the Great Tribulation is a very popular thing right now, but everyone who teaches (even simply teaching their kids, or the neighbor over a cup of coffee) should take these words to seriously. Jesus constantly told His disciples to BE READY, to watch (know the plan), and pray (agree with the plan, which includes the tribulation). Teaching people comes with great weight. If you teach people in a way that does not produce an increased desire for being ready, you should start talking to Jesus about how to agree with Him in helping His Bride be ready to endure what is coming. This should be priority #1 for every teacher in the Body of Christ, whether or not it is the last hour, as John said. How much more should we be one-track minded if it actually IS the hour, which I believe it clearly is.
Paul endured GREAT tribulation, and he wrote that he gloried in it. Paul and John are the ones who wrote much of the Bible we take as the Word of God! They assumed we would have the same attitude as they did about life lived for another age and the patience through tribulation required for the last hour. The modern church has gotten so far removed from the experience of these ones we admire so much that we have actually gotten to the point in history where we debate whether or not WE will endure tribulation like they did, if not worse (it will be more intense than Peter and John saw). If you asked Paul and John whether the last generation of Christians would experience the tribulation described in the Bible, they would look you square in the eyes and say “duh!...did you not read anything about our own lives that you are trying to emulate?! GET READY TO ENDURE THE SAME THING AND WORSE!”
Matthew 24:44-46 Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect. (45) "Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master made ruler over his household, to give them food in due season? (46) Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing.
Comments
Post a Comment
I appreciate your comments.