The Ten Virgins

[Mimi]

Thus again the cry was given, and the cry awakened the virgins - both wise and foolish. Since it is clearly not the world giving the cry, and it was not the virgins awakening themselves, it must be Jesus who again takes the initiative.

I believe so, YET ... He speaks through His Word. Apostles, evangelists, pastors, elders, laymen are preaching the message, "Jesus is coming again!" "Behold, the bridegroom cometh!" Are they giving the cry? I believe so. Both groups appear to be sitting in church in their Laodicean condition (Rev. 3) and something in the message pricks the hearts of the wise five virgins.

Look at this which was previously quoted from inspiration:

The Wise Arouse From Sleep.--All who wait for the heavenly Bridegroom are represented in the parable as slumbering because their Lord delayed His coming; but the wise roused themselves at the message of His approach, and responded to the message, and their spiritual discernment was not all gone, and they sprang into line. As they took hold of the grace of Christ, their religious experience became vigorous and abundant, and their affections were set upon things above. They discerned where was the source of their supply, and appreciated the love that God had for them. They opened their hearts to receive the Holy Spirit, by which the love of God was shed abroad in their hearts. Their lights were trimmed and burning, and sent forth steady rays into the moral darkness of the world. They glorified God, because they had the oil of grace in their hearts, and did the very work that their Master did before them--went forth to seek and to save those who were lost (ST June 28, 1910).

This is latter rain language!

What happens with the five foolish who are lacking in that ever-so-critical oil? They are sitting in the same church pew along side the five wise virgins.

Let's begin at the beginning of this story - let's take it a paragraph at a time to really discover its message. I want to know every nuance of it - every single reference to other biblical truths that are so very relevant to us right now, so we can truly know what this parable is telling us. We are, after all, represented in this group of women - all are in white - that is pregnant with meaning; all anticipate His appearing - that has significant meaning; all have oil in their lamps in the beginning - again, significant;  yet while they wait, they are overtaken by sleep and upon being awakened, half realize they are in need of more oil.

Shall we begin with the second paragraph in this chapter? There begins the foundational details we need to look at, then we can tie all of this together. This parable brings all of our beliefs into play.

 

Lingering near the bride's house are ten young women robed in white. Each carries a lighted lamp and a small flagon for oil. All are anxiously watching for the appearance of the bridegroom. But there is a delay. Hour after hour passes; the watchers become weary and fall asleep. At midnight the cry is heard, "Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him." The sleepers, suddenly awaking, spring to their feet. They see the procession moving on, bright with torches and glad with music. They hear the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride. The ten maidens seize their lamps and begin to trim them, in haste to go forth. But five have neglected to fill their flasks with oil. They did not anticipate so long a delay, and they have not prepared for the emergency. In distress they appeal to their wiser companions saying, "Give us of your oil; for our lamps are going out." (Margin.) But the waiting five, with their freshly trimmed lamps, have emptied their flagons. They have no oil to spare, and they answer, "Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves."   

[Greg Goodchild]

In GC 426-427 God's messenger says that the bride is the kingdom of God and the guests are the saints.

[Mimi]

In GC 426-427 God's messenger says that the bride is the kingdom of God and the guests are the saints.

Very good - let's mark that.

Here is more from your citation from the Great Controversy:

In the summer and autumn of 1844 the proclamation, "Behold, the Bridegroom cometh," was given. The two classes represented by the wise and foolish virgins were then developed--one class who looked with joy to the Lord's appearing, and who had been diligently preparing to meet Him; another class that, influenced by fear and acting from impulse, had been satisfied with a theory of the truth, but were destitute of the grace of God. In the parable, when the bridegroom came, "they that were ready went in with him to the marriage." The coming of the bridegroom, here brought to view, takes place before the marriage. The marriage represents the reception by Christ of His kingdom. The Holy City, the New Jerusalem, which is the capital and representative of the kingdom, is called "the bride, the Lamb's wife." Said the angel to John: "Come hither, I will show thee the bride, the Lamb's wife." "He carried me away in the spirit," says the prophet, "and showed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God." Revelation 21:9, 10. Clearly, then, the bride represents the Holy City, and the virgins that go out to meet the bridegroom are a symbol of the church. In the Revelation the people of God are said to be the guests at the marriage supper. Revelation 19:9. If guests, they cannot be represented also as the bride. Christ, as stated by the prophet Daniel, will receive from the Ancient of Days in heaven, "dominion, and glory, and a kingdom;" He will receive the New Jerusalem, the capital of His kingdom, "prepared as a bride adorned for her husband." Daniel 7:14; Revelation 21:2. Having received the kingdom, He will come in His glory, as King of kings and Lord of lords, for the redemption of His people, who are to "sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob," at His table in His kingdom (Matthew 8:11; Luke 22:30), to partake of the marriage supper of the Lamb.  {GC 426.2}

     The proclamation, "Behold, the Bridegroom cometh," in the summer of 1844, led thousands to expect the immediate advent of the Lord. At the appointed time the Bridegroom came, not to the earth, as the people expected, but to the Ancient of Days in heaven, to the marriage, the reception of His kingdom. "They that were ready went in with Him to the marriage: and the door was shut." They were not to be present in person at the marriage; for it takes place in heaven, while they are upon the earth. The followers of Christ are to "wait for their Lord, when He will return from the wedding." Luke 12:36. But they are to understand His work, and to follow Him by faith as He goes in before God. It is in this sense that they are said to go in to the marriage.  {GC 427.1}

     In the parable it was those that had oil in their vessels with their lamps that went in to the marriage. Those who, with a knowledge of the truth from the Scriptures, had also the Spirit and grace of God, and who, in the night of their bitter trial, had patiently waited, searching the Bible for clearer light--these saw the truth concerning the sanctuary in heaven and the Saviour's change in ministration, and by faith they followed Him in His work in the sanctuary above. And all who through the testimony of the Scriptures accept the same truths, following Christ by faith as He enters in before God to perform the last work of mediation, and at its close to receive His kingdom--all these are represented as going in to the marriage.  {GC 427.2}

     In the parable of Matthew 22 the same figure of the marriage is introduced, and the investigative judgment is clearly represented as taking place before the marriage. Previous to the wedding the king comes in to see the guests, to see if all are attired in the wedding garment, the spotless robe of character washed and made white in the blood of the Lamb. Matthew 22:11; Revelation 7:14. He who is found wanting is cast out, but all who upon examination are seen to have the wedding garment on are accepted of God and accounted worthy of a share in His kingdom and a seat upon His throne. This work of examination of character, of determining who are prepared for the kingdom of God, is that of the investigative judgment, the closing of work in the sanctuary above.  {GC 428.1}

The Ten Virgins are whom, then? They are dressed in white. They all are waiting on the bridegroom and they are representative of the church. The universal church? I would say yes.

Notice in this last GC paragraph, the parable of the wedding feast speaks to the same subject. The guests have on the robe of Christ's righteousness, as our own robe is not acceptable - and the Investigative Judgment is brought to light in the examination of the guests.

It is interesting how these things are not seen at first sight. I need prayer and fasting to discover all that is here.

[Dora]

So? The Holy city is the Bride of Christ.  But, Jesus is into relationships, what would a city mean?  It has to be more than a city as we think of a city!!  When one reads all of the words in the Bible concerning Jesus and His "Bride," and how He equates the church to wives when speaking to husbands. Eph.5, how can we see His bride as only a city? Or a kingdom? I have thought that when 'John saw the new Jerusalem coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband,' was it so special because of who was in it?  I have thought that Christ's people/church was in the new Jerusalem.  Is that not right?  Or, are the words "Bride, Kingdom, City, etc" interchangable? After all, these things we are studying about the wedding guests, the wedding garment, are parables, and like the parable of the rich man and Lazarus, may not be the truth in reality, as a lot of liberty is taken with the story.  Or is that thought wrong?  More than a bit confusing.

[Mimi]

  You are a sister after my own heart! How I understand. However we interpret some things in the Bible, whether literal or symbolic or a parable that speaks of real things - in a language we can understand, I think we need to lean on the Spirit of Prophecy interpretation of this one. She is quite clear who the bride is - as it is taken directly from the Scriptures. That would be a literal interpretation in this sense and I would in no way try to do anything different with inspiration.

If the Bible says it is the bride and the Spirit of Prophecy says it is, then it is. The passages in Ephesians simply backs all that up. In my mind, it adds no confusion - but clarifies.

But, Jesus is into relationships, what would a city mean?  It has to be more than a city as we think of a city!!

God's ways are not our ways. While thinking over this, is it possible that this is representative of coming into His kingdom?

Remember, we are guests at the banquet. The ceremony is something we will not witness. After Jesus leaves the Most Holy Place and the wedding garments have been examined (during the Investigative Judgment), we are here on earth experiencing the great time of trouble. At that time there is no Intercessor - we stand empowered by His grace to hold us until the wedding ceremony is over. Then the Father gives the Son His kingdom. In this sense, is the New Jerusalem also representative of The Kingdom? It appears to be from Greg's citation of the Great Controversy. And if not, I need someone to explain this.

[Dora]

Sybil, I like trying to study things through with you, I believe we think a lot alike.  So, all our lives we have had the idea that the "church" (which is not a building, but you and I) is the Bride of Christ.  Is that not true?  But, now, we are learning that instead of being the bride, we are the guests.  Well, I will sure settle for that, if I can be a guest!  But, I don't see how we could have been so confused in our roles all these years.

"Clearly, then, the bride represents the Holy City, and the virgins that go out to meet the bridegroom are a symbol of the church." GC 427

I still believe there is something we are not understanding here....but until/unless Jesus shows us more that might be meant by these words, like you, dear Sybil, I will accept what the inspired word says.

[Mimi]

Amen, I will, too!

I will be embarrassingly honest here, Dora. I never knew any different on the city not being the bride. How pathetic is that? So I never have had to unlearn this. Remember - I was out of the church for 28 years - was seventeen when I left and I never, ever recall studying anything about the Ten Virgins, much less who the bride is in this parable before leaving the church in my years of high rebellion.

Where this seems to come into play is that we have possibly heard Jesus would have "a purified bride." Is that it? Instead of saying, "Jesus wants a purified church" the wording changed to "a purified bride." Now how and when this understanding changed, I have no idea. But the Bible and the Spirit of Prophecy have been around for a while - they remained the same and we just didn't pay attention and listened to someone else's version? Have not a clue.

There is NOTHING in the Spirit of Prophecy describing "a purified bride." Go look - it isn't there. Yet there are about seventy hits from the CD on a "purified church."

[Dora]

What you say is true, Sybil. And, we do read and hear much about having on the wedding garment.  I always got mixed up when I read that, though...for I kept wondering, "Is it the bride who is supposed to have the wedding garment, or the guests, or both?" But, I see that the church is who is to be sure we have on the wedding garment, with extra oil in our lamps.  We are the guests.

Well, that is not a bad thing to be a guest, especially when the bridegroom Himself is eagerly waiting for us to be ready for the wedding, and has prepared special clothes for us!!  At my grandson's wedding, back in September, when he made a special effort to spend some time with me, and with his other grandmother, who is 92, I was very pleased.  I felt honored that he would want to talk with us, when he had just married his lovely bride.  He was so pleased that his family was all there.  Maybe that is how it will be with Jesus, He will be so pleased that we are there, to share in His joy forever.

[Mimi]

Dora - think back on the parable of the Wedding Feast and see how it fits in with the very tone of this parable of the Ten Virgins - it adds to the entire picture. There is an examination of the "guest's" garments. The guest we are told of in that parable wanted to come in to the banquet wearing his own clothes.

As guests, the wedding garments we are to be clothed in is Christ's robe of righteousness. The bride has her own clothes. The City is adorned as that of a bride, etc. 

 

 

[Dora]

I agree, totally, Sybil.  It is Christ's robe of righteousness that we must have.  We dare not try to enter into the wedding feast without it. We must be washed and purified by the Blood and the Water.

There is something else that keeps prodding  my mind, please think on this with me.....we are in Rev21:2.  A book filled with symbolism.  .  But, the word "CITY" keeps nagging at me.  We have been studying about the UNholy city in Rev.(Babylon) and now, we have the HOLY CITY.  For every counterfeit, there is the true.  The city (Babylon) is pictured as an impure woman, and the Holy City is the pure bride of Christ.  The "church" is pictured as a pure woman, too.  The counterfeit "church" as a harlot.  Yes, it is a city, but is it more than just a city...help me here...let us see if there could be any connection.  "Ye, also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ."1Peter2:5. There is also Eph.2:19-22., 1 Cor.3:16. Does any of this fit together? I do not know..but I am asking what all of you think?

The beauty and adornment of the Holy City, in the description of it, centers a lot around the different kinds of "stones."  We, you and I, if Christ's, will be in or with that city when it comes to earth.  Is it possible that a part of the city's "adornment" are the "lively stones?" Not making a statement, just asking...  I believe there is still much to study on this.

[Mimi]

You make some excellent points and have a much deeper way of thinking about this than I, expanding it to depths that have never entered my mind. Bringing up the pure church, the impure church and the women associated with both are nice points, along with the Holy City verses the symbolic unholy city, Babylon. These are direct outcroppings of your heavy studies in the books of Daniel and Revelation. And I appreciate them as examples of city comparisons as we move along; however, for now, let's stew on these things, having put them out there and move on to the stones of 1Peter. I have never studied this, so I cannot answer to these as a possibility. Again, let's let them simmer in the back of our minds while we enjoy the fact that we have come upon an old teaching that is new to us.

The bride is the New Jerusalem - Jesus' Kingdom.

How was that for side-stepping your deep thoughts?  We may need to call in some big guns on this study to solve those questions, dear Dora!

The time context of this parable is set in pre-Second Coming events. So we would naturally (in my mind) not yet consider the elements of adornment the bride has at the Third Coming - after the millinneum.

 

[Dora]

The time context of this parable is set in pre-Second Coming events. So we would naturally (in my mind) not yet consider the elements of adornment the bride has at the Third Coming - after the millinneum.
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Hmmm, maybe...but maybe not. We are still considering the bride, even here....and whether or not that we, as the wedding guests have any part with the bride.  Let us look at Rev.19:7.  "Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honor to Him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and His wife hath made herself ready.  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."  Interesting!!

 

[Mimi]

Whoa! Then there is something we are not thinking through to have these two elements being the bride. Are they one in the same? 

SDA Bible Commentary, Volume 7 on Revelation 19:7-9 (Eph. 5:23-25; see EGW on ch. 7:9). God the Husband of His Church.--God is the husband of His church. The church is the bride, the Lamb's wife. Every true believer is a part of the body of Christ. Christ regards unfaithfulness shown to Him by His people as the unfaithfulness of a wife to her husband. We are to remember that we are members of Christ's body (Letter 39, 1902).  {7BC 985.9}

     Conduct Befitting the Bride of a King.--The church is the bride, the Lamb's wife. She should keep herself pure, sanctified, holy. Never should she indulge in any foolishness; for she is the bride of a King. Yet she does not realize her exalted position. If she understood this, she would be all-glorious within (Letter 177, 1901).  {7BC 986.1}

     (Chs. 3:4; 7:14; 16:15.) Clean Garments.--The church is the bride of Christ, and her members are to yoke up with their Leader. God warns us not to defile our garments (Letter 123 1/2, 1898).  {7BC 986.2}

The Kingdom Jesus receives is made up of saints in the New Jerusalem. Is this how we square this? I know there is no blatant contradiction in inspiration, so this is something we are missing or have not thoroughly thought through.

I just hate it when I post and have not thoroughly thought things through. 
   

[Greg Goodchild]

One of the difficulties we wrestle with is in the OT God's people are referred to as Jesus' bride. In the largest example of marriage is Ezekiel 16. In this parable Jerusalem is equated with a girl cast out of her Cannanite home. Ez 16:3 She is naked  and alone until Jesus comes and casts His skirt over her and enters into covenant relationship with her. He covers her with sanctuary clothing. Ezekiel 16:10,13. Then he places the jewels of the law over her as well. Then her renown goes out unto all of he world because of His comliness. She rebels but Jesus remembers His everlasting covenant with her and she will be healed. Ez 16:60-63 and Ez 36.

Jeremiah 3 is another chapter that describes the marital relationship and the infidelities of Israel and Samaria and God's faithfulness to His marriage covenant. In Jer 6:2 God describes Zion/Jerusalem as a comely and delicate woman. Jesus again claims her as His wife. Isaiah 54:1-6. Zion and Jerusalem are equated in Isaiah 37:22. In Isaiah 51:1 God claims Zion is His people.

So the great issue we have is when we discuss Daniel 7:14 the dominion/kingdom is given to Jesus so that His people can serve Him. In Daniel 7:18 the saints receive the kingdom and possess it forever. Daniel 7:22 the saints possess the kingdom. In Daniel 7:26-27 the IJ declares that the kingdom/dominion should be taken from the little horn and given to the people of the saints of the Most High.

So in Daniel 7 God makes a clear distinction between the kingdom/dominion and the saints and the possession of the kingdom. I believe that in this context God wants to differentiate between His people and His kingdom. Apparently the messenger of the Lord holds this differentiation when speaking of the IJ and the granting of the reward of the kingdom. This is followed up with the references in Rev 19:7-8; 21:2,9-10.

I hope this is of some help.

[Dora]

I have read p.426,27 in the GC concerning the parable of the Virgins.  On these pages, is where it says, "Clearly, then, the bride represents the Holy City."  Now turn with me, please, to the GC p381. "In the Bible the sacred and enduring character of the relation that exists between Christ and His church is represented by the union of marriage.  The Lord has joined His people to Himself by a solemn covenant, He promising to be their God, and they pledging themselves to be His and His alone.  He declares "I will betroth thee unto Me forever; yea, I will betroth thee unto Me in righteousness, and in judgment, and in loving-kindness, and in mercies." Hosea 2:19. And, again: "I am married unto you." Jer.3:14.  and, Paul employs the same figure in the NT when he says: "I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ." 2Cor.11:12. and...reading on, it sounds just the same.
I found some other references by looking up "Bride."  Still interesting.

I found this (not in SOP writings, but by a George E. Ladd.) this is in the book Revelation of Jesus Christ, by Ranko Stefanovic.  "As Jerusalem is frequently used in Scripture to represent the people of God (Matt.23:37), so in the vision of the new world, the people of God and their capital ciry--the church and the New Jerusalem--are so closely connected that the same figure--the bride--is used for both."

So, the question is, in light of all the Bible has to say, and the SOP, could we believe that the "church" and the Holy City may be used interchangably?  We do look at the church today as Spiritual Jerusalem.

Please share your thoughts with me on this!
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Note....I wrote this while you, Sybil and Greg were posting..but thought I would add it anyway...wonderful posts you both just did!  This is a very good and productive study.

[Mimi]

I just got this in from a "friend" who is quite reliable in these things:

I have understood that the bride is both the church and New Jerusalem.

We have a couple definitions of "church."  Us, today here on this earth in the organized church.  We are the bride of Christ.

The spiritual church, all who love and obey God. We are the bride.

The dead and living who are raised or translated, we are the church, New Jerusalem.

Are we coming closer to an understanding? Sounds like one in the same to me. WDYT?

[JimB]

There is something new for everyone. While I have read this verses and SOP references before, never I had noticed that the Holy City was also called the bride of Christ even though I've read it many times. This is just another small rebuke to me of many in the past few weeks that reveal to me how little I actually know. Let me tell you it is a very humbling experience.

As I think about these interesting points that God's Kingdom, His Church, and the Holy City are all represented as Christ's bride it actually makes sense to me. Maybe there are small nuances that I'm missing here but to me God's church and His Kingdom are one in the same. I could easily interchange these terms with no difficulty or changing the meaning of the message in the Bible. Now, how is it that the Holy City (New Jerusalem) is also Christ's Bride?  Let me ask a question.... Who is it that inhabits this Holy City? Is it not His Church (His Kingdom).

Now with this in mind. And please keep in mind that I'm more or less thinking out loud here. So if I sound like I'm way off base then please feel free to bonk me over the head and drag me back to safety. But I can't help but wonder if these 3 different terms used to describe God's people are used in 2 (3) different phases of the relationship between Christ and His church? The Holy City representing the permanent part of the relationship where the husband and wife share the same house. They are now permanently living together literally forever!

Like I said... just thinking out loud.

[Dora]

Beautiful, Sybil! I believe the three of us can claim Malachi 3:16,17 tonight, and that our Lord is pleased with our studying together.

 "Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another: and the Lord hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before Him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon His name.  And, they shall be mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them as a man spareth his own son that serveth him."

[Mimi]

Jim, I don't think you are off the mark at all, especially with all the weight of evidence pointing solidly in that direction. Thank you! 

And I thought this was going to be a relatively easy study!  There is nothing easy about this!



Dora: we are making progress! Learning! Stretching the mind! Thank you for that blessing!

And, yes - I thought of the jewels, too! Could those be the lively rocks?

[Dora]

And...I am so very glad to see you on here, JimB!!  It is late for you, too!  That was a wonderful post you just made, and yes, I think you have it together just right! And, I like that about the Holy City part representing their "living together forever."  

Greg, your post was so informative, it just kinda' pulled all our thoughts together here.  Sybil, I love studying together like this...no competition, just working in love for Jesus and each other to learn more of Him.  This is going back to "primitive Adventism" when our church pioneers met together, and on their knees before the Bible sought to learn these precious truths.

How thankful I am that Jesus has now allowed us to have the technology that we can be in MI, NM, CA and KY, yet still have that beautiful experience of studying together, and in comparing thoughts and impressions from all our studies, wonderful truths are rediscovered and recognized.