Matthew 25:1-13 and 1 Samuel Chapter 25
Hello and welcome to Part 8 in this series.
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I have another series coming in the near future on the “woman” of Revelation Chapter 12.
It will be a rare glimpse of events to unfold in the future, a better understanding and insight about the woman, her child, the dragon, and the living creatures of Revelation.
I hope you’re excited about what’s ahead for the church. There is an epic story unfolding. Mysterious and fascinating (and dangerous) events are ahead for the church.
Over the last 80 years we’ve been saturated with every kind of epic movie you can imagine. You name it, and it’s been made into a blockbuster.
In my opinion, in some ways, we’ve veiled our personal, God-given desire and passion for an epic adventure and journey with the drumbeat of the sounds, images, and plots of others, real or imagined.
The Bible is filled with epics stories.
Noah’s flood, the plagues of Egypt, the Red Sea crossing, Moses on the mountain of God, Israel’s wilderness sojourn, the crossing into Canaan’s land, the destruction of Jericho, etc., to name a few.
The Great War, World War II, the resurrection of Israel (again), are secular and spiritual tales in our generations.
And more importantly, the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at the beginning of the 20th century at Azusa Street, eventually spreading around the globe, seeding the great evangelistic revivals and healing movements through the 20th century.
Each successive move building on the previous, taking the church deeper in God.
But, there’s coming and epic event unlike anything previous. It will be global – the establishment of a new earthly kingdom.
It will be all encompassing, impacting everyone and everything.
The true Millennials will look back with awe at what transpired to usher in their kingdom. The final foundation to Christ’s kingdom will have been accomplished.
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As I noted previously, it took about 4,000 years for the Lord to get everything in place, to present Israel (Eve) to his beloved Son, the second Adam, Jesus Christ.
He even gave the bride an approximation of time when her groom would come, “seventy sevens,” through the prophet Daniel (Daniel Chapter 9).
Daniel’s prophecy gave a time-frame for Christ’s first coming and revelation concerning the events leading up to the Millennium.
But, as you know, Messiah did not come as expected. His outward appearance did not meet their expectations, nor his ancestry.
He was about love, care, and healing. She, Israel, was about appearances and what others thought.
Jesus displayed to her what it is like to be back in the “garden” of God, shameless, exposed, and vulnerable to love and care again.
A healed heart, a cleansed mind, a right spirit, and a body free from the bondage and the hostility of the flesh.
Would she be willing to let him, in true love and grace, lead her into the Father’s care, permit him to reveal his nature to her wounds and sins, and take her into the wilderness to receive his care and healing?
Sadly, she chose to retain her outer garments, and hide her brokenness from him.
He offered her the marketplace of God, the old for the new, and she chose otherwise.
Rejecting wisdom, her kingdom would face destruction some 40 years hence.
The second Adam finished the race, gained the throne, but Eve, Israel, sought other lovers.
The New Covenant Church
Fast forward 2,000 years and we find Jesus searching in new generations those who will be his bride.
Those who will expose their brokenness to him in the garden of his love and care.
Those who will exchange their outer garments for inner holiness – redeeming the broken places of your life and mine.
Like Nabal, the Lord has placed a wall of protection, opportunities to hearken to his call and respond, and exchange outer garments for the cleansing and healing oil of the Lord Jesus Christ.
The Lord is laboring in the Church today, going to great lengths to convince the unbelieving in his church of his love and care; pulling out all stops to woo and call a bride among his sleepy sons and daughters – those whose oil is low.
He’s created a marketplace of resources to help the wounded, broken, and lost.
As in days of old, once again, we find a people group, the Church at large, slow to respond to the new things of God, weary, heavy laden, and unprepared for Christ’s call to go deep with him in the wilderness.
But Jesus does not give up on her. He is committed to the Church. He will birth a bride within her. And use his Bride to appeal to the hearts and minds of his Church.
Christ will conceive and father sons and daughters unto himself. And they in turn will minister to the Church in its closing season. See Note (A).
Something special is coming to the Church.
Something so peculiar, unusual, unexpected, many will be surprised and captured by the wave of God’s love, and seize the day. Jesus will do a quick work and bring many to repentance and care.
How deep Jesus will take new babes, and those awaken from sleep, in a short period of time, is unknown.
Some who are foolish will experience wisdom again. They will replenish their supply of oil before it is too late.
Those who are experienced in the wilderness, who are receiving care for their sins and wounds – sensitive to the moving of God’s Spirit – an “Abigail” heart – will hearken to the wave of God and go deeper in him.
They will recognize his protection, footprint (his “work”), and voice, and accept his call to yet again forge new paths in the wilderness.
A new move of the Spirit is coming to the Church. It may be one of the final moves to usher the “wise” into the wilderness of Christ.
To be prepared by him, for him.
Take heart, an epic story is about to unfold.
History
It is interesting that if each day of creation was about 1,000 years (whether there are generation gaps, or not, in the Genesis account), there would be about 10,000 years of time from the creation (as it relates to God’s work on each day) to Christ.
And then another 2,000 years to us, for a total of about 12,000 years.
If we understand the “church ages” correctly, the typology in creation to the events of corresponding millenniums, the reformation, and moves of the Holy Spirit in the last century, and key Old and New Testament prophecies, it appears we’re nearing the threshold of Christ’s millennial rule.
This would put us at about 12,000 years since the beginning of creation. The number 12 is a type of “completion.”
Christ would rule the “13th,” millennial period.
In the whole of Scripture, God has set “times and seasons” and “allotted times” for man to choose who he will follow.
Our entire life revolves around time.
No Man Knows the Day or Hour
How often do you encounter someone saying, well, Jesus said, “But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.”? (NIV, Matthew 24:36)
The truth is the Father delights to reveal the hidden mystery of Christ to his sons and daughters.
They may be revealed in a number of ways.
Peter knew by the Spirit, the revelation of the Father, Jesus was the Messiah.
Elijah knew he would be taken to heaven.
King Hezekiah knew his life would be extended 15 more years.
Noah knew the flood would come when the Ark was completed.
Jesus knew he had only so much time, as prophesied by Daniel, and revealed to him by his father.
Paul knew he would be putting off this life, and Peter as well.
Jewish Christians knew Israel’s time was up in the face of Rome’s wrath.
John the Baptist knew to prepare the way of the Lord.
Mary knew the Messiah was in her womb.
The magi from the east knew the new king of Israel was born.
And so too it shall be in the last days.
The Church will know Eve is in her womb, a bride for Jesus.
Timing or Coincidence?
I feel there is a sense in the church at large that things kind of just happen, or the other extreme, God controls everything; leaving us with having little, or no impact on history.
Also, that God does not have a specific redemptive plan for you and me, other than general salvation. That all of our needs for “salvation” can be met at the wholesale level – like buying commodities, basic supplies.
It will not be sufficient, nor is it the Scripture.
There is a specific plan of “Christ likeness” for each and every believer. Every believer is unique, and uniquely wounded and broken.
Every believer requires the services of the Great Physician to determine the individual’s diagnosis and treatment plan.
My treatment plan is not yours, and vice versa. Christ has a specific plan just for you. Only he knows the deep wounds and sins keeping you from him.
You may pick the low hanging fruit, but the deep issues remain his sovereign.
He still makes house calls. Maybe it’s time to personally contact him and request an appointment?
The Bride
Though the bride of Christ may come from all eras, there is something unique and special that happens in the Church in its last season, specifically reserved in Scripture – the child birthed from the womb of the church. (Revelation Chapter 12)
The child and the woman, like Noah, and Christ the first Christians, will transcend two eras/dispensations.
The pressure and weight of darkness will require a deep work by the Lord to protect, prepare, and mature his sons and daughters. (1 Peter 1:13; John 21:18; Romans Chapter 6)
There will be a generation that sees this from beginning to end.
Is it among us today?
There is a plan and a purpose to what God is doing “deep” in the church today. Are you a part of it?
By entering into each new move of God, you and I will keep pace with the Lord, obey his command to keep watch, and, in doing so, receive his care and love for ourselves and others.
Blessings, Drake
(A) As I noted previously, it is quite possible the foolish virgins are represented by the woman of Revelation 12, the last day church, who flees into the wilderness under the assault and persecution of the last world system.
And it is quite possible the wise virgins are those Christ conceives himself in, the baby in the womb of the visible church, and is preparing them for marriage – when they mature and come to the fullness and stature of Christ.
(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.™