Introduction
At the beginning of the twenty-fifth chapter of the book of Matthew, Jesus tells a story about ten virgins. The virgins are waiting into the night for the coming bridegroom, whose feast they will attend. Five of them, described by Jesus as wise, bring extra oil for their lamps, while the other five, described as foolish, do not. As the night lengthens, all the virgins fall asleep. Suddenly, at midnight, a cry rings out, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him (Matt. 25:6). The wise virgins use their extra oil to trim their lamps, while the foolish virgins watch their lamps go out and must go purchase more oil before they can meet the bridegroom. By the time they return, the feast has already begun and they are turned away when the bridegroom says, ‘I know you not’ (Matt. 25:12). Jesus explains that the story is an allegory for the kingdom of heaven.
The contemporary church has much to learn from this story. In the first place, all of the virgins know that the bridegroom is coming eventually; they all had the same word of warning. In the same way all of the church has the warning that Jesus is returning; he, our bridegroom, is coming back for his bride. Even though all of the virgins have the same warning, not all respond to it in the same way. Half respond foolishly, by not being prepared, and the other half respond wisely, by bringing extra oil. We see that not being prepared is more significant than not having a little oil when, at the end of the story, the bridegroom refuses the foolish virgins entry and pronounces a comprehensive judgment on them, saying that he doesn’t even know them. From that judgment, we can see that the foolish virgins represent non-believing people within the church while the wise virgins represent those who truly believe in God. Thus, while all churched people have heard of Jesus impending return, not all are truly saved.
Besides being in the same group, the foolish and wise virgins share another similarity: they all fall asleep. In the context of the modern church, we could say that the forces of spiritual darkness and deception within our culture have lulled the church, believers and non-believers, to sleep. Everyone in the church needs a wake-up call, a cry at midnight.
In the story, someone other than the virgins, someone who is awake, must make the wake-up call. The twofold purpose of this book is to prepare people to recognize the call when it comes and encourage them to be prepared by giving their hearts to Jesus now. When God’s wake-up call comes, it will signal the beginning of trials that will sift the church and separate the wise from the foolish, the believing from the unbelieving. During this time of trial, the true church of God, those who really know Jesus Christ, will be revealed, and God’s glorious desire for His people will be manifested.
Of course, not all who read this book claim to be followers of Jesus. The book has a message for you too, particularly as I discuss the role that America plays in Biblical prophecy. In some ways, America’s situation is similar to the church’s situation as it is described above: America, like the Christian church, was begun with Christian principles and goals and a glorious, God-given purpose, but America, like the church, has since become a mix of wise and foolish, believing and unbelieving, those who follow God and those who do not. In the time of trial and trouble that is soon to come, America, the people of America, like the people of the church, will be separated, and God’s original intent for this nation will be revealed.
It is my sincere hope that by reading this book you will become equipped to recognize prophecy as it is fulfilled in contemporary events and to recognize God’s wake-up call and the subsequent trials or judgments when they occur. Right now, as you read this book, I pray that God’s Spirit will touch your heart, and that you will become a wise virgin, waiting for the bridegroom’s return.
The contemporary church has much to learn from this story. In the first place, all of the virgins know that the bridegroom is coming eventually; they all had the same word of warning. In the same way all of the church has the warning that Jesus is returning; he, our bridegroom, is coming back for his bride. Even though all of the virgins have the same warning, not all respond to it in the same way. Half respond foolishly, by not being prepared, and the other half respond wisely, by bringing extra oil. We see that not being prepared is more significant than not having a little oil when, at the end of the story, the bridegroom refuses the foolish virgins entry and pronounces a comprehensive judgment on them, saying that he doesn’t even know them. From that judgment, we can see that the foolish virgins represent non-believing people within the church while the wise virgins represent those who truly believe in God. Thus, while all churched people have heard of Jesus impending return, not all are truly saved.
Besides being in the same group, the foolish and wise virgins share another similarity: they all fall asleep. In the context of the modern church, we could say that the forces of spiritual darkness and deception within our culture have lulled the church, believers and non-believers, to sleep. Everyone in the church needs a wake-up call, a cry at midnight.
In the story, someone other than the virgins, someone who is awake, must make the wake-up call. The twofold purpose of this book is to prepare people to recognize the call when it comes and encourage them to be prepared by giving their hearts to Jesus now. When God’s wake-up call comes, it will signal the beginning of trials that will sift the church and separate the wise from the foolish, the believing from the unbelieving. During this time of trial, the true church of God, those who really know Jesus Christ, will be revealed, and God’s glorious desire for His people will be manifested.
Of course, not all who read this book claim to be followers of Jesus. The book has a message for you too, particularly as I discuss the role that America plays in Biblical prophecy. In some ways, America’s situation is similar to the church’s situation as it is described above: America, like the Christian church, was begun with Christian principles and goals and a glorious, God-given purpose, but America, like the church, has since become a mix of wise and foolish, believing and unbelieving, those who follow God and those who do not. In the time of trial and trouble that is soon to come, America, the people of America, like the people of the church, will be separated, and God’s original intent for this nation will be revealed.
It is my sincere hope that by reading this book you will become equipped to recognize prophecy as it is fulfilled in contemporary events and to recognize God’s wake-up call and the subsequent trials or judgments when they occur. Right now, as you read this book, I pray that God’s Spirit will touch your heart, and that you will become a wise virgin, waiting for the bridegroom’s return.