Matthew 25:1-13 and 1 Samuel Chapter 25
Hello and good day.
I’m taking a break from the “A Peculiar People” series.
My next post in that series will continue looking at the “fear of death” Jesus faced for every man and woman. (Hebrews Chapter 2:5-18)
The fear of death referred to in Hebrews is not what you may think.
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Recently, I had the opportunity in the men’s group I attend to view a message on 1 Samuel Chapter 25 (the account of David, Nabal, and Abigail), by Andy Stanley, from Andy’s series on “David.”
I started thinking about the possible “types” David, Nabal, and Abigail represented and The Parable of the Ten Virgins came to mind.
(It is widely understood David is a “type” of Christ in many ways. I will cover some them in the next few posts. Types from Adam and Eve through the Old Covenant “express,” “show meaning,” and/or “present a picture,” of certain aspects of New Covenant people, places and things.
As the scripture says, they are for our example, a depiction, prefiguring, of the plan of God. In some cases a path for us to follow or not to follow. In the truest sense of the meaning of “type,” they are a shadow of the “true” in the New Covenant.
For scriptural references regarding “types” see Romans 5:14; 1 Corinthians 10:6; Colossians 2:17; and Hebrews 8:5.) See footnote (A).)
I hope you enjoy this short journey in the Word.
I pray the revelation of old truths would open the eyes of your heart and mine to our need for more of Jesus and his desire to give more of himself to us.
I pray we would be among those who receive God’s care and love.
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Nabal
I see Nabal as an Old Testament “prefiguring,” or “type,” of the five foolish virgins (his name means fool, senseless) found in Matthew Chapter 25.
Nabal lived in the covenant and protection of the Lord but did not dwell in the light or knowledge of the holy one who protected and provided for him.
He receives the blessings of the covenant, e.g., mercy and “increase,” but, for whatever reason, does not choose to reward good for good, to “receive” the generosity and goodness of David and his men with like generosity and goodness.
The account begs the question, among others “What hinders Nabal from receiving care from David and his men (who are an extension of the mercy and grace of God, David being a “type” of Christ)?”
His heart is not impacted to the good by the kindness shown to him, his shepherds, his land, and his possessions, through the protective actions of God through David.
I believe God endeavored to reach the broken places of Nabal’s heart and life – to awaken him to God’s love, a descendant of Caleb, the tribe of Judah.
Further, I believe God desired, through David and his men – to “endear” him (God) to Nabal.
That Nabal’s affections, desires, and passions would be towards the Lord, like David’s heart.
God gave Nabal an example of goodness and demonstrated his love for him.
God was after one lonely and lost sheep, Nabal.
There were “self-interest” reasons David and his men watched over Nabal’s sheep, property, and herdsmen. But self-interest does not preclude God’s love.
I would like to believe the Lord put it in David’s heart to be a wall around Nabal’s men and herds to reach Nabal’s stony heart.
Maybe this was one, in a series of attempts, by the Lord, to reach inside the heart of Nabal, to change his heart and give him a new name.
This was Nabal’s opportunity to humble himself, pray, seek God and turn from evil and do good. (2 Chronicles 7:14)
Though the prophet Micah comes much later in Israel’s history to Judah, his words reflect God’s heart to Israel for all time:
“He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” (NIV, Micah 6:8)
Nabal is a “type” of the five foolish virgins, who do not have enough oil in their lamps to meet the Lord.
Nabal did not enter into the most basic provision, or heart, of the Old Covenant, to walk humbly and to act justly, to do good.
Nabal is in every sense of the word a “virgin” to the ways of God, the heart of God.
He lived under the stewardship of the fallen nature. How horrible, he did not receive God’s care and love for him.
God was intentional and purposely in his protection of Nabal’s possessions through David and his men. Sadly, Nabal was not receptive.
We will never know the new name and increase God had for Nabal. His story ends in an untimely and infamous death.
The Five Foolish Virgins
Here are some of my thoughts regarding the five foolish virgins, prefigured by Nabal, who have neglected to buy enough oil for their lamps.
Like Nabal, the five foolish virgins do not enter into the heart of the covenant they live in, neglecting to “receive,” i.e., to pay the price to receive the intimate care and love offered by the Lord Jesus Christ, in grace, through faith.
The five foolish virgins “miss” Christ.
They have not learned or been instructed to feed and drink at the Lord’s table. They have failed to eat his flesh and drink his blood. (The Gospel of John, Chapter 6)
(I’m referring to spiritual truths, obviously, as Jesus pointed out in the gospel account.)
Eating Christ’s flesh is living like he lived – the sustaining life, in grace, of the word of God written on the fleshly tables of the heart, through years of being “fathered.”
Drinking his blood, spiritually speaking, refers to “made alive” in Spirit, to walk in newness of life.
In other words, eating his flesh and drinking his blood refers to putting to death the deeds of the body to walk in newness of life – the baptism Jesus pioneered and perfected – the pattern for us.
It’s the only way we can truly receive and give love to one another, with a pure heart fervently.
The five foolish virgins are seemingly stuck between covenants – having the light of the new, but essentially living under the old.
For whatever reason, they have not taken advantage of the opportunity for spiritual light and life under the new covenant in Christ.
Like Nabal, there is a protective wall around them, covenant blessings. And like Nabal, the protective actions of the Lord are not resulting in the changes the new covenant offers and provides.
The five foolish virgins hear the call of the gospel, but, lack either the instruction, leadership, or discipline – to be transformed and sanctified, in grace, in the revelation of the Jesus Christ. (Romans Chapters 6 – 8; 1 Peter 1:13)
What hinders them from entering into the heart of the gospel?
For whatever reasons, the message of the gospel, to be made new in the inner man – putting the deeds of the body to death, to walk in newness of life – is not on the radar of the five foolish virgins until it is too late.
And lest we forget, like the situation with Nabal and David, i.e., the virgins and Christ, will the virgins allow the Lord to cultivate a heart of care and love in them, during the allotted time of his protection and care?
That is the question we all face. Let’s be wise virgins and prepare.
The Lord is walking amongst his children, today, looking for those he will “choose” to come to, those who will receive and respond to his training, will cleave to him, holding firm, during the day of their testing and visitation.
Concluding Thoughts
Here are some thoughts and prayers you may consider regarding the parable and how it may apply to your life:
“Lord, is there anything about the five foolish virgins you would like to speak to me about?”
“Lord, is there anything about the five wise virgins I should make note of?”
“Lord, is there a price, a cost, I need to begin moving towards, that I would not be like one of the five foolish virgins and find its too late to do what I should have done earlier?”
“Am I prepared for your personal coming to me?” “Am I unknowingly drinking with the drunken?”
“Am I one you would like to choose for a deeper and specific work?”
“Help me to understand what it is that draws your heart to ‘choose’ someone for a deep work of the Spirit?”
“Lord, I do not want to be found unprepared and ill equipped to weather the coming days, would you begin a new work in my heart to ignite me again for you?”
“Lord, do I need to seek healing prayer, counseling, and other resources you’ve made available in the Church and other ministries?”
“Do I need to be “stolen away in you for a season” to find my compass again?”
And maybe some prayers like this in your own words:
“Lord, please do whatever you need to do in my life to make sure I run the race, and run it well; finishing the journey with everything you desire; joining the hidden treasures in my heart with yours, in intimate union.”
“Lord, cleanse, heal, and take me as deep in you as you can, in the remaining time I have with the life you’ve given me.”
“That I would end my race knowing I had a grand adventure and opportunity in Christ, though falling and failing time and time again, you picked me up, cleaned me off, and gave me a fresh start to apprehend what you apprehended me for.”
Blessings, Drake
(NIV) Scripture quotations marked (NIV) are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright© 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.Zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblical, Inc.™
(A). Just a brief note about “types”. Types are only types in what they represent. For example, Jonah is a type of Christ in the representation of 3 days and 3 nights in the belly of the whale. He did not represent Christ in his disobedience or other things.
Also, the bridegroom coming in The Parable of the Ten Virgins is not the literal second coming of Christ as commonly intimated. Matthew 25 is about the Lord coming to his people in every move of the Spirit, to take his sons and daughters deeper, and to prepare a bride.
The ministry of Christ ushered in the last days, of which, we are in the latter part. The New Testament is replete with Christ appearing, coming, revealing, taking, etc., saints unto himself – preparing a bride. See my “A Peculiar People” series for more.
