The Warning (Matthew 25:13)

 

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 2/29/2024 11:45 AM

 

My Worship Time                                                                                       Focus:  “The Warning”

 

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                    Reference:  Matthew 25:13

 

            Message of the verse:  “Be on the alert then, for you do not know the day nor the hour.”

 

            After taking a number of days to go over the first part of Matthew 25:6-12 it will only take just one day to go over this 13^th verse, but the verse is very important for us to understand, as I have mentioned that chapters 24-25 are speaking about the Tribulation period, much like Revelation chapters 6-19 do, but there are things that we certainly can learn from these two chapters that will help us to live the Christian life for the cause of Christ.

 

            Now this is the fifth time in the discourse that Jesus called those who will be alive during the last days of the Tribulation to be alert, notice 24:36, 42, 44, and 50 along with this verse, 25:13.  Jesus wants them to be on alert because they will not know the day nor the hour of His appearing, that is when He will return to earth to bring judgment to the lost of the Tribulation period and to also send those who are believers into the Millennial Kingdom to begin the very last period that will take place on planet earth before the earth and the universe will be destroyed and the New heaven and New earth will appear along with the New Jerusalem. It is true that they would know its nearness by the catastrophic signs, but the exact day and the exact hour they will not know.

 

            The rest of this SD will be a quotation from John MacArthur’s commentary, and then in the next SD we will begin to look at Matthew 25:14-30.  I have to say that chapter 25 will not take nearly as long to go over as chapter 24.

 

            “Be on guard,” Jesus said in the Temple on the previous day, “that your hearts may not be weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of life, and that day come on you suddenly like a trap, for it will come upon all those who dwell on the face of the earth.  But keep on the alert at all times, praying in order that you may have strength to escape all these things that are about to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man’ (Luke 21:34-36).”

 

            In his epic poem Idylls of the King, Alfred Lord Tennyson used figures from the parable of the ten virgins in a song directed to the wicked Queen Guinevere, who learned too late the cost of sin:

 

Late, late, so late, and dark the night and chill!

Late, late, so late, but we can enter still.

     Too late, too late, ye cannot enter now.

 

No light had we, for that we do repent;

And learning this, the Bridegroom will relent.

     Too late, too late, ye cannot enter now.

 

No light, so late, and dark and chill the night!

O let us in, that we may End the light.

     Too late, too late, ye cannot enter now.

 

Have we not heard the Bridegroom is so sweet?

O let us in, thou ‘late, to kiss His feet!

     No, no, too late!  Ye cannot enter now.

 

May no one who reads this end up like the wicked Queen Guinevere did, as you have your warning.

 

2/29/2024 12:07 PM

PT-3 "The Bridegroom" (Matt. 25:6-12)

 

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 2/28/2024 10:37 AM

 

My Worship Time                                                                          Focus: PT-3 “The Bridegroom”

 

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                 Reference: Matthew 25:6-12

 

            Message of the verses:  “6 “But at midnight there was a shout, ‘Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ 7 “Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. 8 “The foolish said to the prudent, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ 9 “But the prudent answered, ‘No, there will not be enough for us and you too; go instead to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.’ 10  "And while they were going away to make the purchase, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding feast; and the door was shut. 11 “Later the other virgins also came, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open up for us.’ 12 “But he answered, ‘Truly I say to you, I do not know you.’”

 

            I finished the last SD by looking at Luke 6:47-49, a story that most people who go to church learned when they were small, the story of building your house on the firm foundation of a rock as opposed to the soft sand.  People who build their lives on any other foundation that the Lord Jesus Christ are doomed to destruction, MacArthur writes “They do not have the necessary grace, imputed righteousness, resident holiness of God, or transformed character to counter the destructiveness of sin, whose ultimate consequence is death.  In short, they have no spiritual life and therefore no eternal hope.  They may feel happy about Jesus, admire His teachings, and enjoy the fellowship of His people.  They may look as prepared for His coming as do true believers, having torches like the rest, but they have no oil with which to light them.”

 

            Let us talk about verse ten: 10 "And while they were going away to make the purchase, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding feast; and the door was shut.”  The tragedy for sure was there was no more opportunity to make the purchase, and the search for the oil merchant was in vain, because the shops do not stay open that late so their search will be in vain.  In his commentary John MacArthur gives another of Jesus’ many illustrations as he quotes from Luke 13:25-28:

 

25 “Once the head of the house gets up and shuts the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock on the door, saying, ‘Lord, open up to us!’ then He will answer and say to you, ‘I do not know where you are from.’ 26  "Then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in Your presence, and You taught in our streets’; 27  and He will say, ‘I tell you, I do not know where you are from; DEPART FROM ME, ALL YOU EVILDOERS.’ 28  "In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, but yourselves being thrown out.   

 

            Something similar will be said to the foolish virgins after returning from trying to buy oil and they came saying, “Lord, Lord, open up for us” the bridegroom answered from the house, “Truly I say to you, I do not know you.”  These were what could be called shame attendants who had never belonged to the wedding party but had managed to dress and act like true bridesmaids.  It was over for the now as they were found out and turned away.

 

            Their experience will be sheer terror like all unbelievers who think that they are true believers, but are not.  They will be like the people outside the ark that Noah built and God shut the door, as it will be too late and all over for them.

 

            MacArthur concludes “Although the parable of the ten virgins illustrates the time of Christ’s second coming, its truths apply to an unbeliever’s facing God at death in any age.  At that moment the opportunity for salvation will be past and all hope gone forever.”

 

            As you think about this last paragraph think about how many in this world today will face that experience of dying without Christ as their Savior and Lord and what they will be going through right now.  You don’t have to go through it!!  Realize that you were born a sinner and that on your own you can do nothing to please the Lord, but Jesus paid it all so the dept you owe is already paid and all you have to do is claim that most precious gift of salvation by telling the Lord that you are a sinner, born in sin and thank Him for dying for you on the cross 2000 years ago, and invite Him into your life to not only save you, but to then led you through the gift of the Holy Spirit that He will give you.  By doing this you will never have to go through what these five virgins went through in this parable.  Please think about this and then accept the gift of God, the Lord Jesus Christ who did it all for you because you could not do anything on your own to be saved.

 

2/28/2024 11:10 AM

PT-2 "The Bridegroom" (Matt. 25:6-12)

 

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 2/27/2024 11:30 AM

 

My Worship Time                                                                         Focus:  PT-2 “The Bridegroom”

 

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                Reference:  Matthew 25:6-12

 

            Message of the verses:  “6 “But at midnight there was a shout, ‘Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ 7 “Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. 8 “The foolish said to the prudent, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ 9 “But the prudent answered, ‘No, there will not be enough for us and you too; go instead to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.’ 10  "And while they were going away to make the purchase, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding feast; and the door was shut. 11 “Later the other virgins also came, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open up for us.’ 12 “But he answered, ‘Truly I say to you, I do not know you.’”

 

            8 “The foolish said to the prudent, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ 9 “But the prudent answered, ‘No, there will not be enough for us and you too; go instead to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.’”  I guess the foolish bridesmaids tried to light their torches and found out that they were too dry to hold the flame, and so they needed oil, but they did not bring any and so they wanted to get some from the prudent, but the prudent would not give them any because if they did then they would not have enough.  It is not that they were mean in not selling the oil; it is because they would not have enough to light their torches and then not be able to get into the wedding celebration with the bride and groom.

 

            MacArthur writes “Just as one person cannot transfer part of his physical lite to another person, neither can he share spiritual life, which is indivisible and unique to each person who has it.  Like physical life, spiritual life is a direct, individual gift from God and is non transferable.  The saved cannot themselves become saviors.  Those who receive grace cannot impart it.  When the call to the judgment seat of God comes to an unbeliever, whether at death or at the Lord’s coming, the intercession of all the saints in heaven and on earth could do him absolutely no good.  After that time there is no second chance, nor purgatory, no hope.”  This paragraph from MacArthur’s commentary reminds me of something that Paul wrote to the Romans where he said something to the effect that if he could that he would give up his own salvation for the sake of the Jews, but Paul knew that this was not possible to do.  This can be seen in Romans 9:3-4a where he writes “3  For I could wish that I myself were accursed, separated from Christ for the sake of my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh, 4  who are Israelites.”

           

            The truth is that you cannot buy salvation and the buying of the oil from the dealers refers simply to securing salvation from its only source, which is God.  It is bought in the sense that Isaiah used the term when he wrote, “Ho! Every one who thirsts, come to the eaters; and you who have no money come, buy and eat.  Come buy wine and milk without money and without cost” (Isa. 55:1).  The same idea is used by Jesus in His parables of the treasure found in a field and of the pearl of great price (Matt. 13:44-46).  In both cases, the discoverer sold everything he possessed in order to obtain that which was valued above all else.  In that sense, the price for salvation is the entire relinquishment of one’s own merit, which has no value in itself but must be surrendered because it is an absolute barrier to God’s grace.

 

            I will conclude this second section from verses 6-12 with a quotation that John MacArthur uses in his commentary that comes from Luke 6:47-49, and then it is my hope to finish this section in my next SD.

 

            “Stressing the necessity for individual appropriation of the gospel, Jesus said,

 

47 “Everyone who comes to Me and hears My words and acts on them, I will show you whom he is like: 48 he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid a foundation on the rock; and when a flood occurred, the torrent burst against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built. 49 “But the one who has heard and has not acted accordingly, is like a man who built a house on the ground without any foundation; and the torrent burst against it and immediately it collapsed, and the ruin of that house was great."

 

2/27/2024 12:09 PM

           

           

PT-1 "The Bridegroom" (Matt. 25:6-12)

 

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 2/26/2024 11:36 AM

 

My Worship Time                                                                         Focus:  PT-1 “The Bridegroom”

 

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                Reference:  Matthew 25:6-12

 

            Message of the verses:  ““But at midnight there was a shout, ‘Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ 7 “Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. 8 “The foolish said to the prudent, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ 9 “But the prudent answered, ‘No, there will not be enough for us and you too; go instead to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.’ 10  "And while they were going away to make the purchase, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding feast; and the door was shut. 11 “Later the other virgins also came, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open up for us.’ 12 “But he answered, ‘Truly I say to you, I do not know you.’”

 

            As I look at this first verse (6) I wonder why the shout comes at midnight, as that seems kind of a funny time for the bridegroom to come to make his announcement, as most people are sleeping soundly at that time, which is what the bridesmaids were doing.  MacArthur writes “the bridegroom’s arrival at that time underscores still again the unexpectedness of Christ’s return.  The children of Israel began their journey out of Egypt at midnight (Ex. 12:29), and the rabbinical tradition held that the Messiah would come to earth at that hour.”

 

            He goes on to write:  “All the bridesmaids knew the groom would be coming soon and they were gathered at the bride’s house waiting for him.  They were well aware that the engagement and betrothal periods were over and that the final festivities were about to begin.  But they did not know precisely when he would arrive until they were awakened and the shout, ‘Behold, the bridegroom!  Come out to meet him.’”

 

            Now keep in mind once again that this is a parable, and the Lord’s parables certainly have great meaning.  Think about that in the last part of the tribulation period people will have seen all the signs of His coming and will know that His appearing is imminent.  As mentioned before many times, they will not know the exact time of His arrival until they see Him, as Matthew 24:30 says “coming on the clouds of the sky.”

 

            In an earlier SD which came from the 24^th chapter of Matthew, I mentioned that a long time ago, and as remember it was 46 years ago that my wife and I first went to Founder’s Week that is put on by the Moody Bible Institute in early February.  The theme was the second coming of Christ and that is what the preachers were preaching about.  I bought a novel about the Tribulation and in the novel there was a woman who was blind and she had to be cared for throughout this very difficult time.  Her husband and friends were hiding out somewhere outside and all of a sudden this blind woman could see again, and this surprised the group and when they looked around they could see that the Lord had just returned.  They knew His coming was close because of all the signs, but once this woman received her sight they realized that the Lord had returned.  Once the bridesmaids knew the Bridegroom was here they began to trim their lamps but only the prudent ones could do this for the foolish ones had no oil to do this.  The foolish ones knew they were in trouble and wanted to get oil from the prudent ones, but they would not give them any or they too would have run out of oil.  They would go to the oil store, but it was too late as there was not enough time to do this and get back to the wedding.

 

            I will end this SD with another quote from John MacArthur:  “When the Lord appears at the end of the Tribulation, many professed Christians will frantically realize their lack of spiritual life.  They will not have heeded Paul’s advice to the Corinthian church:  “Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves!  Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you—unless indeed you fail the test?” (2 Cor. 13:5).  They will be self-deceived, perhaps believing that mere association with the things and the people of Christ has made them a part of Christ’s true church.  Some may think that being born into a Christian family will make them a member of God’s family.  We know with certainty that many will be trusting in their good works, saying to Christ “on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?”  And they [He] will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness’” (Matt. 7:22-23).”

 

            I want to begin with what the foolish said to the prudent in the next SD.

 

2/26/2024 12:15 PM

PT-5 "The Bridesmaids" (Matt. 25:1-5)

 

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 2/25/2024 11:53 AM

 

My Worship Time                                                                        Focus:  PT-5 “The Bridesmaids”

 

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                 Reference:  Matthew 25:1-5

 

            Message of the verses:  “1 "Then the kingdom of heaven will be comparable to ten virgins, who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 2 “Five of them were foolish, and five were prudent. 3 “For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, 4 but the prudent took oil in flasks along with their lamps. 5 “Now while the bridegroom was delaying, they all got drowsy and began to sleep.”

 

            I want to finish this section by quoting the last four paragraphs from John MacArthur’s commentary for reasons that I mentioned in my last Spiritual Diary.

 

            “In one sense, life should go on much as usual for the believer who eagerly anticipates the Lord’s return.  Readiness for His coming is not evidenced by going apart somewhere to wait idly for Him but by being about His business with enthusiastic dedication.  Even the most ardent service of the Lord does not exclude such normal activities as eating, drinking, laboring, and sleeping.  Therefore, when Christ comes, ‘there shall be two men in the field; one will be taken, and one will be left.  Two women will be grinding at the mil; one will be taken, and one will be left (Matt. 24:40-41).’

 

            “It will not be their common participation in the normal activities of human life that will distinguish the prepared from the unprepared when the Lord returns, but the supernatural, internal participation in the life of God that only believers will possess.

 

            “The nineteenth-century Bible commentator William Arnot observed:  ‘There is not a more grand or more beautiful spectacle on earth than a great assembly reverently worshipping God together.  No line visible to human eye divides into two parts the goodly company; yet the goodly company is divided into two parts.  The Lord reads our character and marks our place.  The Lord knows them that are his, and them that are not his, in every assembly of worshippers’ (The Parables of Our Lord [London: Nelson, 1869], p. 290).

 

            “The Lord can look down on every group of bridesmaids, as it were, and accurately judge between those who are unbelieving and deceived about their readiness, and therefore foolish, and those who genuinely believe and are therefore wise.  But when He appears in power and glory at His second coming, the difference will be apparent for all to see.  The torches of believers will shine brightly, but those of unbelievers will not even burn.”

 

            Lord willing in tomorrow’s SD I will begin looking at Matthew 25:6-12 entitled “The Bridegroom.”

 

2/25/2024 12:15 PM

PT-4 "The Bridesmaids" (Matt. 25:1-5)

 

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 2/24/2024 12:34 PM

 

My Worship Time                                                                        Focus:  PT-4 “The Bridesmaids”

 

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                 Reference:  Matthew 25:1-5

 

            Message of the verses:  “1 "Then the kingdom of heaven will be comparable to ten virgins, who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 2 “Five of them were foolish, and five were prudent. 3 “For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, 4 but the prudent took oil in flasks along with their lamps. 5 “Now while the bridegroom was delaying, they all got drowsy and began to sleep.”

 

            I believe that I have mentioned that in using John MacArthur’s commentaries to aid me in my Spiritual Diaries that there are times when he writes a lot of “stuff” where there is no Scripture being used that is Scripture from the text that he is writing about.  When this happens I usually go ahead and quote what he is writing and put it into my Spiritual Diaries because it is worth quoting or he would not write it into his commentaries.  With this said I will quote some things from MacArthur’s commentaries.

 

            “The warning Jesus gave in this parable is repeated over and over in the gospel’s, a continually recurring theme of His teaching.  He warns that professed believers are like wheat and tares; some are genuine and some are false.  They are compared to various kinds of soils, some of which give initial evidence of productivity but only one of which genuinely receives the seed of the gospel and allows it to take root and grow.  It was not a popular message in Jesus’ day and is not a popular message today, even in many evangelical churches.

 

            “No conclusion regarding the number who will be saved can be drawn from the fact that the bridesmaids were divided evenly between the foolish and the prudent.  But the proportion suggests, however, that a large part of the professing church does not belong to God.  And the situation is obviously pervasive or Jesus would not have spent so much time warning about it.  It existed during Jesus’ earthly ministry, in apostolic times, and throughout the church until the present.  And it is evident from this parable that it will also exist at the end of the Tribulation.”

 

            We can no conclude from the following statement that the bridegroom was delaying actually reinforces Jesus’ teaching that His second coming will be unexpected, something that we have talked about in a number of earlier SD’s.  Now from the divine perspective it will not be delayed but from the human perspective it will seem to be delayed.  MacArthur writes “Because so much time will have elapsed since His first coming, most people, including many professed Christians, will be carrying on business as usual when He appears (see Matt. 24:38, 43).  Jesus may also have been giving the disciples a hint that He would not be returning as soon as they anticipated (see Luke 19:11).  But the main thrust of the parable, like the main thrust of the entire discourse, is directed to the generation who will be living during the later part of the Great Tribulation (Matt. 24:34).  Even the short period of time that will elapse between the signs of His coming and His actual appearance will cause some people to think the Lord is delaying His return.” 

 

            I have mentioned that this parable that Jesus is speaking has to do with the Jewish wedding celebration, which is indeed different that weddings in our country today, unless some of the Jewish people in our country follow this plan, something that we have discussed in earlier SD since we began looking at chapter 25.  I have mentioned that the couple is actually married when all the things that are going on in this section are happening, as they are legally married, and if they decided to break up they would have to get a divorce.  The sexual consummation of the union has not yet taken place and that is what will happen when the groom comes to get his bride, that is probably after a week of celebrating goes on first.  So the idea of being delayed and the brides maids getting sleepy supports the thought that the bridegroom is delayed, thus the bridesmaids get sleepy.  The sleep of the foolish bridesmaids might suggest their false confidence, whereas the sleep of the prudent ones could suggest their genuine security and rest in the Lord.

 

            Looks like one more SD on this subject will finish it for this section.

 

2/24/2024 1:04 PM

PT-3 "The Bridesmaids" (Matt. 25:1-5)

 

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 2/23/2024 12:38 PM

 

My Worship Time                                                                           Focus PT-3 “The Bridesmaids”

 

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                 Reference:  Matthew 25:1-5

 

            Message of the verses:  “1 "Then the kingdom of heaven will be comparable to ten virgins, who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 2  "Five of them were foolish, and five were prudent. 3 “For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, 4 but the prudent took oil in flasks along with their lamps. 5 “Now while the bridegroom was delaying, they all got drowsy and began to sleep.”

 

            Again I have mentioned that this is a parable of Jesus, which is very important to remember.  Being a parable we must understand who the ten bridesmaids represented.  MacArthur states that the ten bridesmaids “represented professed disciples of Christ who claim to love the prospect of His appearing and who demonstrate outward readiness for entrance into His kingdom.”  Now when one looks at these ten bridesmaids we can see that they are indistinguishable, they did not have signs on them saying what they truly believed or didn’t believe, they were as stated indistinguishable.  You certainly could not tell the apart from how they looked as they were all dressed with bridesmaids clothing.  Unlike the parable Jesus told earlier about a man who came into a wedding and was thrown out because he was not dressed in wedding cloths, these ladies were dressed properly.  However they were not truly alike, which is the point of the parable, because they were not all prepared—five of them were foolish, and five were prudent.  You could say “five were foolish and five were wise,” a meaning for prudent.

 

            Now here is the evidence that some of the bridesmaids were prepared and others were not, that is some took extra oil and some did not.  I have talked about that they all carried torches, torches to light their path which was a part of being a bridesmaid in those days.  The torch that has no fuel is worthless, and a profession of faith in Jesus Christ without a saving relationship to Him is infinitely more worthless, because one is left in spiritual darkness.

 

            The prudent or wise bridesmaids took a flask of oil along with them as they prepared wisely, while the others or foolish did not prepare wisely.  MacArthur writes “The outward profession was substantiated by inward possession.  They had oil of preparedness, namely, the reality of the light of the saving grace of God within them.  The oil of preparedness, namely, the reality of the light of the saving grace of God within them.  The oil is similar to the wedding garments in Jesus’ parable of the wedding feast that a king gave for his son.  The man without the proper wedding clothes who attempted to crash the celebration was thrown out into the darkness (Matt. 22:11-13).  The king had invited everyone in his realm to the feast, regardless of social standing, wealth, or character.  He made every effort to see that no one was excluded, sending his servants into every obscure part of the country (vv. 9-10).  The only condition for attending the feast was the wearing of the wedding clothes provided by the king, symbolizing the divinely bestowed grace apart from which no person can come to God.  Because that presumptuous, self-satisfied man would not allow himself to be attired in the kings clothing, he was rejected.”

 

            I guess we can compare not having proper wedding clothes without having proper torches with extra oil.  They had a form of godliness but had no spiritual life or power because they did not belong to God.  “Holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; Avoid such men as these” (2 Timothy 3:5).  MacArthur adds “They were committed to Jesus Christ religiously, intellectually, socially, and no doubt emotionally.  But they were not committed to Him in their hearts because their hearts had not been regenerated by His saving grace.  They had the appearance of faith, but it was dead (cf. James 2:17).  They were in darkness, not light”  “Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself” (James 2:17).  This verse from James is often mis-understood.  I am going to quote the entire paragraph that James 2:17 is in.  Think about it as you read over it.

    14 What use is it, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but he has no works? Can that faith save him? 15 If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, "Go in peace, be warmed and be filled," and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that? 17 Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself. 18 But someone may well say, "You have faith and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works." 19 You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder. 20 But are you willing to recognize, you foolish fellow, that faith without works is useless? 21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up Isaac his son on the altar? 22 You see that faith was working with his works, and as a result of the works, faith was perfected; 23  and the Scripture was fulfilled which says, "AND ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS RECKONED TO HIM AS  RIGHTEOUSNESS," and he was called the friend of God. 24 You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone. 25 In the same way, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way? 26 For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead.”

 

2/23/2024 1:34 PM

PT-2 "The Bridesmaids" (Matt. 25:1-5)

 

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 2/22/2024 11:44 AM

 

My Worship Time                                                                        Focus:  PT-2 “The Bridesmaids”

 

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                        Reference:  Matt. 25:1-5

 

            Message of the verses:  “1 Then the kingdom of heaven will be comparable to ten virgins, who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 2 “Five of them were foolish, and five were prudent. 3 “For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, 4 but the prudent took oil in flasks along with their lamps. 5 “Now while the bridegroom was delaying, they all got drowsy and began to sleep.”

 

            A couple of things before I get started in this SD, and the first is that I have been sick since late last week, but sicker beginning with Monday and that is the reason that I have not be able to keep up with my Spiritual Diaries.  It is very important for me to keep up with these Spiritual Diaries, but sometimes I just can’t do it because it is very hard to think when you are sick.  Next I want to remind you that what we are looking at in these verses is a parable of Jesus and as will all of His parables the message of this one is simple.  It is meant to illustrate truths He has just been teaching, and I am talking about the truths He was just teaching in chapter 24.  Jesus is coming again, is part of what He was teaching, and when He does He will then judge sinners and reward the righteous, that people must be ready, and that His coming will be unexpected, something that we went over many different times when looking at chapter 24.  The central truth is that once Jesus arrives back to planet earth that there will be no second chance and the opportunity for salvation will be gone forever, and that certainly something that every person should take time to think about.  Now I realize that we are still living in the church age, and that the end of the Church age will be the rapture of the church, which will take all true believers up in the clouds to meet the Lord, and so we will ever be with the Lord.  Soon after that the Antichrist will be revealed as he signs a 7 year peace treaty with Israel ticking of the last seven years of Daniel’s prophecy given in Daniel chapter nine, and this is the time that Jesus has been speaking of in chapters 24 and 25. 

 

            John MacArthur writes “The parable is not an allegory, as many interpreters have claimed.  Every small facet of the story does not carry a mystical meaning that is subject to speculation and imagination.  Nor does every part of the parable have application to Christian living, ad devotionalists frequently maintain.  Still less is the parable a confused and clumsy teaching effort on Jesus’ part, as some liberal interpreters suggest.  The fact that details such as the bride’s identity and the place where the virgins slept are not mentioned has no bearing on the point Jesus was making.  For His purpose the story was clear and complete.”

 

“Allegory:” “As a literary device or artistic form, an allegory is a narrative or visual representation in which a character, place, or event can be interpreted to represent a meaning with moral or political significance. Wikipedia”

 

            I will conclude this SD by once again quoting from John MacArthur’s commentary:  “There may be significance in the fact that there were ten virgins because Jews considered ten to be a number representing completion.  According to Josephus, a minimum of ten men was required to celebrate the Passover.  The same number was required to establish a synagogue and to give an official wedding blessing.  The attendants were virgins because it was the custom of that day that bridesmaids be chaste young women who had never been married.

 

            “Although the English lamps is derived from lampas,in the New Testament times that Greek term was used primarily of torches, as it is translated in John 18:3, where it denotes the torches carried by soldiers who arrested Jesus.  Another word, luchnos, was generally used for a lamp.  The torches used by wedding attendants consisted of tightly wrapped sloths attached to long poles.  In addition to lighting the way for the procession, the lamps, or torches, served to identify members of the wedding party, marking them off as special participants.  It was therefore important that each of the bridesmaids have a torch.”  Some interesting facts that help us to better understand the parable that Jesus is telling.

 

2/22/2024 12:17 PM

PT-1 "The Bridesmaids" (Matthew 25:1-5)

 

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 2/18/2024 8:11 AM

 

My Worship Time                                                                        Focus:  PT-1 “The Bridesmaids”

 

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                 Reference:  Matthew 25:1-5

 

            Message of the verses:  “1 "Then the kingdom of heaven will be comparable to ten virgins, who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 2 "Five of them were foolish, and five were prudent. 3 “For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, 4 but the prudent took oil in flasks along with their lamps. 5 “Now while the bridegroom was delaying, they all got drowsy and began to sleep.”

 

            In studying the Bible for the past 50 years I have learned that the theme of the Bible is Jesus Christ, and smarter people than me can see the Lord on every page of the Bible.  It is well known that the Lord was rejected the first time that He came and the truth is that there are many prophecies that speak of His first coming, but the people of that time refused to accept those prophecies, therefore they rejected Him and put Him to death just as the prophecies said that they would.  The Old Testament also said that He would have a forerunner who would be a voice crying in the wilderness, and John the Baptist was that forerunner.  It also says that He would be born in Bethlehem, the son of a virgin, and in the line of David.  Jesus uniquely and exclusively met those qualifications.  Jesus, it said, would minister in Galilee of the Gentiles and exhibit great miraculous power, and He did those things. Nevertheless, when “He came to His own…those who were His own did not receive Him” (John 1:11). 

 

            John MacArthur writes “Preparation for His second coming will be more decisive and consequential than preparation for His first, because those who rejected Him during His incarnation had continued opportunity to be saved as long as they were alive.  Doubtlessly many of those who cried out for Jesus’ crucifixion in place of Barabbas or who voted against Him in the Sanhedrin were later convicted to turn to Him as Lord and Saviour.  But there will be no such continued opportunity when Jesus comes again.  When He appears then, the opportunity for salvation and citizenship in the kingdom of heaven will be past.”

 

            The word “then” refers to the time of Christ’s unexpected appearing in power and glory, about which He was speaking.  It will be at that time, He said, spiritual preparedness for entrance into the kingdom of heaven will be comparable to the preparedness of a certain ten virgins who served as bridesmaids at a wedding.

 

            With that I conclude this first SD on Matthew 25:1-5, but it would be very prudent to look over the quote from John MacArthur a second time and think about what he wrote about not having a second chance after the Lord returns from heaven with His saints and angels as seen in the 19^th chapter of Revelation.  Now remember once again that this is not talking about the rapture of the church, but the second physical coming of the Lord Jesus Christ to planet earth at the end of the tribulation period.  There certainly will be chances to receive the Lord as Savior during the Tribulation period as many will be saved, but it is much better to receive Him before the rapture so that you will not have to go through the horrors of the Tribulation period, for that will be the worst time to live on planet earth.  2/18/2024 8:35 AM

PT-2 "Intro to Matt. 25:1-13

 

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 2/17/2024 10:05 AM

 

My Worship Time                                                           Focus:  PT-2 “Intro to Matthew 25:1-13”

 

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                 Reference: Matthew 25:1-13

 

            Message of the verses:  “1 "Then the kingdom of heaven will be comparable to ten virgins, who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 2  "Five of them were foolish, and five were prudent. 3 “For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, 4 but the prudent took oil in flasks along with their lamps. 5 “Now while the bridegroom was delaying, they all got drowsy and began to sleep. 6 “But at midnight there was a shout, ‘Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ 7 “Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. 8 “The foolish said to the prudent, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ 9 “But the prudent answered, ‘No, there will not be enough for us and you too; go instead to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.’ 10  "And while they were going away to make the purchase, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding feast; and the door was shut. 11 “Later the other virgins also came, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open up for us.’ 12 “But he answered, ‘Truly I say to you, I do not know you.’ 13 “Be on the alert then, for you do not know the day nor the hour.”

 

            In the last SD I was quoting from John MacArthur’s commentary about how weddings were done in the Middle East at the time when Jesus was on earth.  I stated that there are some places there that this was still done.  I will continue quoting from MacArthur’s commentary about this subject, as we have to understand it before we can understand the parable in verses 1-13.

 

            “At the end of the betrothal period the wedding feast would be held, and it was in the feast and its related celebrations that the entire community became involved.  This festivity, which could last a week, began with the groom’s coming with his groomsmen to the bride’s house, where her bridesmaids were waiting with her.  Together the bride and the groom and their attendants would then parade through the streets proclaiming that the wedding feast was about to begin.  The procession was generally begun at night, and lamps or torches were used by the wedding party to illumine their way and to attract attention.

 

            “At the end of the feast period, a close friend of the groom, who acted much like a best man, would take the hand of the bride and place it in the hand of the groom, and the couple would for the first time be left alone together.  The marriage would be consummated and the couple would henceforth live together in their new home.  It was that third part of the marriage rite that Jesus used as the framework for this parable.

 

            “As the parable unfolds, Jesus focuses first on the bridesmaids, then on the bridegroom, and finally on the warning that the parable is given to reinforce.”

 

            Now that we have a better understanding of these types of weddings that took place we can better understand looking at the church age as the church is the bride of Christ and the church is awaiting the arrival of the Lord to return to planet earth to get His bride and take His bride to the place where He has prepared for her.

 

2/17/2024 10:24 AM

 

           

Intro to Matthew 25:1-13

 

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 2/16/2024 1:35 PM

 

My Worship Time                                                                        Focus:  Intro to Matthew 25:1-13

 

Bible Reading & Meditation                                                 Reference: Matthew 25:1-13

 

            Message of the verses:  “1 "Then the kingdom of heaven will be comparable to ten virgins, who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 2  "Five of them were foolish, and five were prudent. 3 “For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, 4 but the prudent took oil in flasks along with their lamps. 5 “Now while the bridegroom was delaying, they all got drowsy and began to sleep. 6 “But at midnight there was a shout, ‘Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ 7 “Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. 8 “The foolish said to the prudent, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ 9 “But the prudent answered, ‘No, there will not be enough for us and you too; go instead to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.’ 10  "And while they were going away to make the purchase, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding feast; and the door was shut. 11 “Later the other virgins also came, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open up for us.’ 12 “But he answered, ‘Truly I say to you, I do not know you.’ 13 “Be on the alert then, for you do not know the day nor the hour.”

 

            Jesus is giving another one of His parables that were given during the Olivet Discourse, others were found in Matt. 24:43, and 45:51 that illustrate His repeated and specific declarations that the exact time of His second coming will not be known in advance.  Matthew 24:36 tells us that His return will be at a time when it is least expected, as this can also be seen in 24:42, 44, 50:25:13.  We have been talking about this since mid November and have stated that there will be many signs which indicate the general time period, but not the specific time.  I have stated that when I first became a believer that I thought that it would be known, but since I have changed my mind and the reason is because of all of the turmoil that will be going on during the last three and a half years of the Tribulation period that people who are believers will know His return is close, but they will not know the exact time when He will return.

 

            MacArthur writes “The parable of the ten virgins is given to accentuate the incalculable importance of being spiritually prepared to meet Christ when He returns to earth, because after He appears, unbelievers who are then alive will have no further chance for salvation.”  This reminds me of when the doors of the ark were shut by the Lord as there had been 120 years of witness to the fact that God was going to send rain to destroy the earth and kill those outside of the ark, but they did not listen.

 

            I think in order to best understand this parable one has to understand a Jewish wedding, a typical Jewish ceremony, and I will do my best to help you understand it as we go through this section of thirteen verses.  Weddings in the Near East were and are much different than what they are in our country, as they have great meaning in Biblical terms. 

 

            John MacArthur explains the Jewish wedding and I will quote the first paragraph in today’s SD, and then will continuing quoting in my next SD.  It is necessary to understand this to understand the parable.

 

            “A Jewish marriage consisted of three parts, the first of which was the engagement.  Most often arranged by the fathers of the bride and groom, the engagement amounted to a contract of marriage in which the couple had little, if any, direct involvement.  The second stage was the betrothal, the marriage ceremony at which the bride and groom exchanged vows in the presence of family and friends.  At that point the couple was considered married, and their relationship could be broken only by formal divorce, just as if they had been married for many years.  If       the husband happened to die during the betrothal, the bride was considered a widow, although the marriage had not been physically consummated and the two had never lived together.  The betrothal could last for many months, sometimes a year, during which time the groom would establish himself in a business, trade, or farming and would make provision for a place for the couple to live.”

 

2/16/2024 1:59 PM