Matthew 25:1,13
25:1. "Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.
25:13 "Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.
We have to know Jesus as Heavenly Bridegroom. Knowing Him as a doctor, we only need Him when we are sick. Knowing His as a helper, we only need Him when we need a help. Furthermore, knowing Him as Heavenly Bridegroom, we will be with Him whatever our condition is.
None knows the time of Jesus' second coming. Therefore, the Church of the Lord must be watchful in order to be able to welcome Jesus' second coming on glorious clouds.
Welcoming Jesus' second coming, we have to keep our burning lampthrough these requirements:
Previously, we were sinful men. Receiving Good News (Gospel), we receive Jesus and are saved but we must continue through receiving Bride Tidings.
2 Corinthians 4:3-4
4:3 But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing,
4:4 whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.
Bride Tidings sanctifies and perfects the virgins (the Church of the Lord) in order to welcome His second coming.
Why does the Church have to receive Bride Tidings?
Matthew 25:5-7
25:5 "But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept.
25:6 "And at midnight a cry was heard: 'Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!'
25:7 "Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps.
It is because the Church is spiritually sleeping = the lamp is not burning. Consequently, she will be left at the time of Jesus' second coming.
Bride Tidings awakes the Church which is in spiritual sleeping to make her ready in welcoming Jesus' second coming.
The condition of the Church which is in spiritual sleeping is below:
Matthew 8:23-27
8:23 Now when He got into a boat, His disciples followed Him.
8:24 And suddenly a great tempest arose on the sea, so that the boat was covered with the waves. But He was asleep.
8:25 Then His disciples came to Himand awoke Him, saying, "Lord, save us! We are perishing!"
8:26 But He said to them, "Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?" Then He arose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm.
8:27 So the men marveled, saying, "Who can this be, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?"
Church in spiritual sleeping = the disciples in a boat hit by a great tempeston the sea while Jesus was asleep. It means being in darkness, no hope, going toward destruction, sinking, and perdition. It is also as a lamp which is almost quenched even has already been quenched.
What we need in facing storm and waves is Jesus sleeping and waking up. Meaning Jesus who dies and resurrects in glorious body as Heavenly Bridegroom we receive through Bride Tidings.
We will experience these things through Bride Tidings:
25:1. "Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.
25:13 "Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.
We have to know Jesus as Heavenly Bridegroom. Knowing Him as a doctor, we only need Him when we are sick. Knowing His as a helper, we only need Him when we need a help. Furthermore, knowing Him as Heavenly Bridegroom, we will be with Him whatever our condition is.
None knows the time of Jesus' second coming. Therefore, the Church of the Lord must be watchful in order to be able to welcome Jesus' second coming on glorious clouds.
Welcoming Jesus' second coming, we have to keep our burning lampthrough these requirements:
- Burning = receiving Bride Tidings.
Matthew 25:6
25:6 "And at midnight a cry was heard: 'Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!' - Having oil for supply.
Matthew 25:3-4
25:3 "Those who werefoolish took their lamps and took no oil with them,
25:4 "but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.
Previously, we were sinful men. Receiving Good News (Gospel), we receive Jesus and are saved but we must continue through receiving Bride Tidings.
2 Corinthians 4:3-4
4:3 But even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing,
4:4 whose minds the god of this age has blinded, who do not believe, lest the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine on them.
Bride Tidings sanctifies and perfects the virgins (the Church of the Lord) in order to welcome His second coming.
Why does the Church have to receive Bride Tidings?
Matthew 25:5-7
25:5 "But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept.
25:6 "And at midnight a cry was heard: 'Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!'
25:7 "Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps.
It is because the Church is spiritually sleeping = the lamp is not burning. Consequently, she will be left at the time of Jesus' second coming.
Bride Tidings awakes the Church which is in spiritual sleeping to make her ready in welcoming Jesus' second coming.
The condition of the Church which is in spiritual sleeping is below:
- Disobeying the righteous teaching Word and being unfaithful in committing ministry even leaving it as Jonah who slept.
Jonah 1:1-5
1:1 Now the word of the LORD came to Jonah the son of Amittai, saying,|
1:2 "Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry out against it; for their wickedness has come up before Me."
1:3 But Jonah arose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD. He went down to Joppa, and found a ship going to Tarshish; so he paid the fare, and went down into it, to go with them to Tarshish from the presence of the LORD.
1:4 But the LORD sent out a great wind on the sea, and there was a mighty tempest on the sea, so that the ship was about to be broken up.
1:5 Then the mariners were afraid; and every man cried out to his god, and threw the cargo that wasin the ship into the sea, to lighten the load. But Jonah had gone down into the lowest parts of the ship, had lain down, and was fast asleep.
The disobedient and unfaithful Church of the Lord is fleeing from the Lord = being far away from Him and near to the death/perdition. - As Lazarus who was dead for four days.
John 11:11
11:11 These things He said, and after that He said to them, "Our friend Lazarus sleeps, but I go that I may wake him up."
The practices are below:- Being dead in sins up to the peak, i.e. sins concerning eating-drinking and sexuality.
- Rottenness in marriage, children, and morals.
Continuing in death and rottenness, one will produce worms and go into perdition forever in hell. Spiritual sleeping heads for perdition.
Isaiah 66:24
66:24"And they shall go forth and look Upon the corpses of the men Who have transgressed against Me. For their worm does not die, And their fire is not quenched. They shall be an abhorrence to all flesh." - Being dead in sins up to the peak, i.e. sins concerning eating-drinking and sexuality.
- As the disciples sleeping in worshiping God.
Mark 14:37-38
14:37 Then He came and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, "Simon, are you sleeping? Could you not watch one hour?
14:38 "Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed iswilling, but the flesh isweak."
The practices are below:- Being unfaithful and impatient in worshiping God.
- Being dry in worshiping God.
Being dry in worshiping God, we must check our holiness. It is in line with our worship. The worship must decrease if the holiness decreases. Besides, we must check our obedience and our love to God, whether we love Him more than everything or not.
James 1:13-15
1:13 Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am tempted by God"; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone.
1:14 But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed.
1:15 Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.
Worshiping God is a process to tear our flesh.
Being dry in worshiping God, one will fall into problems. If he seeks his own way, he will fall into perdition forever. - Being unfaithful and impatient in worshiping God.
Matthew 8:23-27
8:23 Now when He got into a boat, His disciples followed Him.
8:24 And suddenly a great tempest arose on the sea, so that the boat was covered with the waves. But He was asleep.
8:25 Then His disciples came to Himand awoke Him, saying, "Lord, save us! We are perishing!"
8:26 But He said to them, "Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?" Then He arose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm.
8:27 So the men marveled, saying, "Who can this be, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?"
Church in spiritual sleeping = the disciples in a boat hit by a great tempeston the sea while Jesus was asleep. It means being in darkness, no hope, going toward destruction, sinking, and perdition. It is also as a lamp which is almost quenched even has already been quenched.
What we need in facing storm and waves is Jesus sleeping and waking up. Meaning Jesus who dies and resurrects in glorious body as Heavenly Bridegroom we receive through Bride Tidings.
We will experience these things through Bride Tidings:
- Sanctification for our attention.We have paid attention to other things but now we are sanctified to pay attention to the Word, to the Lord only. Being in problems but not relying ourselves to the Word, Jesus is still asleep. There is no solution outside the Word. Maybe the physical matters are good but they are not before God. The time is drawing near.
- Sanctification for our heart,from doubtful heart to strongand courageous heart, believing fully to the Lord.
- Sanctification for our mouth,not blaming others but confessing our sins to the Lord and men, confessing our failures and powerlessness.Besides, our mouth is sanctified to be able to worship God and cry Jesus' name.
Matthew 8:25
8:25 Then His disciples came to Himand awoke Him, saying, "Lord, save us! We are perishing!"
A prayer lifted up with faith and crying Jesus' name will stir up His heart to have mercy on us.
Faith + mercy = miracle.
Miracle in physical life means all problems are solved, even the impossible ones.
The greatest miracle is spiritual miracle, that is to say the renewal of life from carnal men to spiritual men, little by little until Jesus comes a second time, we are renewed to be as glorious as He is.