FRIDAY MORNING MANNA
Biblical Numerology: NUMBER FIVE Part II
Five are Foolish, Five Wise of the Ten Virgins – Part 2
QUOTE OF THE WEEK:
And he is oft the wisest man,
Who is not wise at all.
William Wordsworth, The Oak and the Broom
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Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.. While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. See Matthew 25: 1-13.
“Many shall be purified, made white, and refined, but the wicked shall do wickedly; and none of the wicked shall understand, but the wise shall understand.” Daniel 12: 10. The willfully ignorant and incorrigibly unrepentant wicked shall not understand the deep things of God that He is waiting to reveal to those who humbly and diligently sink the shaft of investigation deep into the mine of the Bible, searching for the pure truth as for hidden treasure. To such, the spiritual mysteries of the kingdom, the plan of redemption, the nature of the controversy, the parables, and prophecies will be unfolded. Like faithful Daniel and his friends, they will receive from the Holy Spirit, “knowledge, wisdom, skill, and understanding.”
“The parable of the Ten Virgins of Matthew 25 (also) illustrates the experience of the Adventist people. In Matthew 24, in answer to the question of His disciples concerning the sign of His coming and of the end of the world [the disciples correctly associated Christ’s second coming with the end of the world], Christ had pointed out some of the most important events in the history of the world and of the church from His first to His second advent; namely, [1] the destruction of Jerusalem [in A.D. 70 by the Romans led by Titus], [2] the great tribulation of the church under the pagan and papal persecutions [the latter being the 1260 day-years of the Dark Ages] [3] the darkening of the sun and moon [May 19, 1780] and [4] the falling of the stars [Nov. 13, 1833, the Leonid Showers, witnessed in the New England states; cf. Matt. 24: 29; Rev. 6: 13.]
NOTE: There were generally five kinds believers generically referred to as “Adventists” after the Oct. 22, 1844 Disappointment, namely, 1) the Millerite Adventists 2) the nominal, i.e., not Sabbath-keeping 3) the first-day {Sunday) Adventists 4) no-day Adventists 5) the pioneer Sabbath-keeping Adventists that later organized in 1863 and fulfills the description of Scriptures as the commandment-keeping remnant church of prophecy, Rev. 12: 14: 12; cf. 22: 12-14
“After this He spoke of His coming in His kingdom, and related the parable describing the two classes of servants who look for His appearing. Chapter 25 pens with the words, ‘Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins. Here is brought to view the church living in the last days, the same that is pointed out in the close of [Matthew] chapter 24. In this parable their experience is illustrated by the incidents of and Eastern marriage.
NOTE: The kingdom of heaven. – “In many of His parables, Christ uses the expression, ‘the kingdom of heaven,’ to designate the work of divine grace upon the hearts of men.’- GC 347.
“The coming of Christ, as announced by the first angel’s message [“Fear God and give glory to Him for the hour of His judgment is come,” Rev. 14: 6, 7], was understood to be represented by the coming of the bridegroom. The wide-spread reformation under the proclamation of His soon coming, answered to the going forth of the virgins. In this parable, as in that of Matthew 24, two classes are represented. All had taken their lamps—the Bible—and by its light had gone forth to meet the Bridegroom [the expected Christ]. But while hey that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them,‘ ‘the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.’
“The latter class [the wise virgins] had received the grace of God—the regenerating, enlightening power of the Holy Spirit, which renders His word a lamp to the feet and a light to the path [Ps. 119: 105, 130]. In the fear of God they had studied the Scriptures to learn the truth, and had earnestly sought for purity of heart and life. These had a personal experience, a faith in God and in His word, which could not be overthrown by disappointment and delay.
“Others ‘took their lamps, and took no oil with them.’ They had moved from impulse.Their fears had been excited by the solemn message, but they had depended upon the faith of their brethren, satisfied with the flickering light of good emotions, without a thorough understanding of the truth, or a genuine work of grace in the heart. These had gone forth to meet, full of hope in the prospect of immediate reward; but they were not prepared for delay and disappointment. When trials came, their faith failed, and their lights burned dim.
“While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.’ By the tarrying of the bridegroom is represented the passing of the time when the Lord was expected, the disappointment [in October 1844], and the seeming delay. In this time of uncertainty, the interest of the superficial and half-hearted soon began to waver, and their efforts to relax; but those whose faith was based on a personal knowledge of the Bible, had a rock beneath their feet, which the waves of disappointment could not wash away. ‘They all slumbered and slept;’ one class in unconcern and abandonment of their faith, the other class patiently waiting till clearer light should be given.
Yet in the night of trial, the latter [wise virgins] seemed to lose, to some extent, their zeal and devotion. The half-hearted and superficial could no longer lean upon the faith of their brethren. Each must stand or fall for himself.
NOTE: “The work of preparation is an individual work. We are not saved in groups. The purity and devotion of one will not offset the want of these qualities in another. Though all nations are to pass in judgment before God, yet He will examine the case of each individual with as close and searching scrutiny as if there were not another being upon the earth. Everyone must be tested, and found without spot or wrinkle or any such thing [see Eph. 5: 26, 27].” – Ibid, Great Controversy, p. 490.
Fanaticism appears. – “About this time, fanaticism began to appear. Some who had professed to be zealous believers in the message [of the first angel], rejected the word of God as the one infallible guide, and claiming to be led by the Spirit, gave themselves to the control of their own feelings, impressions, and imaginations. There were some who manifested a blind and bigoted zeal, denouncing all who would not sanction their course [sounds familiar right now in the nation’s unprecedented political condition!]. Their fanatical ideas and exercises met with no sympathy from the great body of Adventists; yet they served to bring reproach upon the cause of truth.
Who is the author of fanaticism, bigoted zeal, and confusion? “Satan was working by this means to oppose the work of God [as it was from the very beginning]. The people had been greatly stirred by the Advent Movement, thousands of sinners had been converted, and faithful men were giving themselves to the work of proclaiming the truth, even in the tarrying time. The prince of evil was losing his subjects; and in order to bring reproach to the cause of God, he sought to deceive some who had professed the faith, and to drive them to extremes. Then his agents stood ready to seize upon every error, every failure, every unbecoming act, and hold it up before the people in the most exaggerated light, to render Adventists and their faith odious.
Who do the Foolish Virgins represent? What is their spiritual condition?- “The state of the church represented by the foolish virgins, is also spoken of as the Laodicean state.” – E. G. White, Review & Herald, vol. 2, p. 420, col. 1. Moreover:
“The class represented by the foolish virgins are not hypocrites. They have a regard for the truth [else they would not be represented as also waiting for the coming of the Bridegroom, Christ!], they have advocated the truth; but they have not yielded themselves to the Holy Spirit’s working. They have not fallen upon the Rock, Christ Jesus, and permitted their old natures to be broken up.”- Ibid, Christ’s Object Lessons, p. 411.
What happens to the Five Foolish Virgins? – “When the foolish virgins reached the banqueting hall, an unexpected denial was given them. They were left outside in the blackness of the night. The door was shut.” – Ibid, MS 92a, p. 1 1898/ Vol. 3ST, p. 138/ 4RH p. 109.
Who do the Five Wise Virgins represent? – “The wise virgins are those who have faith and love and patience, whose experience day-by-day is nourished by the Holy Spirit. They do not conform to the world in careless inattention. They do not put off their daily preparation, but follow Jesus wherever He leads the way.” – Ibid, Signs of the Times, vol. 3, p. 138.2, Aug. 6, 1894. Paul admonishes the church members: “And be not conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” Rom. 12: 2.
“The wise virgins represent those who have perfected a Christian character, who have washed their robes [of character] and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.” – Ibid, MS 92a, pp. 4, 5, 1898. Christian simply means Christ-like even as godly means God-like in moral character. White is the color symbol of purity as in, “Though your sins be as scarlet
The Lord of the Sabbath bade the beloved disciple to write to the churches what was shown to him in vision at Patmos: “And they [the true, commandment-keeping saints of every generation, specially the final one] overcame him [“the great dragon, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan,” v. 9], by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony.” Rev. 12: 11. “He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son. But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.” Rev. 21: 7, N.K.J.V.
NOTE: The Biblical “lake that burns with fire and brimstone” which the Christian world who claim sola scriptura, i.e., the sole basis of faith and doctrine, openly contradict themselves with the doctrine of an “eternally burning hell” located somewhere at the center or the nether parts of the earth”—the so-called Dante’s Inferno. Many employ this doctrine to convert, actually, scare unbelievers into becoming “saved,” and then add another error—“once-saved-always-saved!” The “lake that burns with fire and brimstone” is the second death—to which there is no resurrection, the eternal reward of the wicked described above. The “first death” (see Rev. 20: 5, 6) is the death all will die as the result of Adam and Eve’s sin. “By one man’s [Adam’] disobedience sinentered into the world and death passed on to all men.” Rom. 5: 12.
“Those that overcome the world, the flesh, and the devil will be the favored ones to receive the seal of the living God. Those whose hands are not clean, whose hearts are not pure, will not have the seal of the living God. Those who are planning sin and acting it will be passed by. Only those who, in their attitude before God, are filling the position of those who are repenting and confessing their sins in the great antitypical Day of Atonement [begun 1844 and will soon transfer to the cases of the living, we know not when], will be recognized and marked as worthy of God’s protection. The names of those steadfastly looking and waiting and watching for the appearing of their Savior—more earnestly and wishfully than they who wait for the morning—will be numbered with those who are sealed.
“Those who, while having all the light of truth flashing upon their souls, should have works corresponding to their avowed faith, but are allured by sin, setting up idols in their hearts, corrupting their souls before God, will have their names blotted out of the Book of Life; and be left in midnight darkness, having no oil in their vessels in their lamps.’- Ibid, Testimonies to Ministers, p. 445.
(To be continued next week)