The Parable of the Ten Virgins & Old Covenant “Types,” David, Nabal, and Abigail, Matthew 25:1-13 and 1 Samuel Chapter 25
Greetings.
When I started this series, I planned to write about Nabal, Abigail, and David, and how they may “prefigure,” the move of the Spirit and the wise and foolish virgins.
I covered Nabal in the first couple parts, and have yet much to share on Abigail and David.
But first, more about the latter days.
Seven World Kingdoms
From a biblical perspective, there’s seven world kingdoms, the seventh occurring at the end of the church age.
Certain characteristics of the first six world kingdoms embody the 7th, the Dragon/beast of Revelation. (That’s why the beast is said to have seven heads – six of those coming from previous kingdoms.)
The seven kingdoms are Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Medes/Persians, Greece, Rome, and Antichrist, in that order.
In terms of their relationship to the Hebrews, Israel, and the Church, they span at least 3,500 years; 4,000 or so if you go back to Abraham.
Four of those kingdoms (with the Antichrist veiled in the fourth) are represented in the statue in Daniel Chapter 2.
They are, Babylon (gold), Medes/Persians (silver), Greece (bronze), Rome at the time of Christ (iron legs), and the Antichrist kingdom to come, at the end of the church age, veiled in the “fourth,” as feet of iron and clay.
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(Note: Remember, Christ was cut-off after 3 ½ years of ministry, in the midst of the 70th week; re: Daniel’s prophecy of 70 weeks.
Had the Jews accepted Christ, the mystery of the fifth kingdom, the Antichrist kingdom to come, hidden in the fourth, would have been fulfilled in some manner and fashion, or, the scripture of Christ being cut-off, recanted, like when God changed his mind and added 15 years to Hezekiah’s life.
The Lord did not reveal to Daniel the fifth kingdom hidden in what Daniel saw as only the “fourth,” providing yet another opportunity for the Jews to accept Christ and to veil God’s foreknowledge that they would not.
That knowledge was unveiled in the epistles and Revelation for us to cherish.
Daniel’s dream in Chapter 7 also reveals the last five world kingdoms, the fifth (Antichrist) is again veiled in the fourth (Rome). The first three are revealed as animals in Daniels dream – Babylon, lion; Medes/Persian, bear; and Greece, leopard.
Egypt and Assyria had passed their “height,” of glory, and are not included in Daniel.
Of note is the unveiling of the Antichrist kingdom in the last days, and release of the ruthlessness, wickedness, and horror of the “spirits” of the Grecian (leopard), Persian (bear), and Babylonian (lion) kingdoms, in addition to the terror of the Antichrist kingdom; re: Daniel Chapter 7 and Revelation 13:2.
In a dark way, these Spirits are the transfiguration of the Antichrist world kingdom.)
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There is also an “eighth” world kingdom, for a short season, in the Tribulation. (Revelation Chapters 13 and 17)
It is interesting the first six kingdoms (Egypt – Rome), spanned roughly 1,400 years of Israel’s history (from Moses to Christ).
In relationship to the church, its’ been over 1,500 years since the fall of the sixth kingdom.
Jesus, knowing and quoting Daniel’s writings, dependent on the Father for revelation, undoubtedly knew he was in the “sixth” kingdom, and spoke briefly about the one yet to come, when it was appropriate to do so in the latter part of his ministry.
He probably knew very little about the seventh kingdom other than what is recorded in the Gospels.
There would have been no need for him to know much – and carry the weight of that knowledge – during his earthly ministry.
Fifteen hundred years is a long time without a “world kingdom,” given the precedent to Israel in the old covenant.
So long it may field the belief the prophecies of Daniel and others are out of date and ancient relics.
Some believe the words of Daniel, Christ, the apostle John, and others, regarding the “end times,” are purely spiritual and metaphorical.
On the contrary, the coming of the “seventh” world kingdom is closer than we may think or believe. The signs are all around us, “in” and “out” of the church.
Five Wise and Five Foolish (Matthew 25)
It is interesting Jesus referred to “five” virgins.
Why the number five? It is commonly taught “five” represents grace.
Jesus is not dividing the church in half, saying half are wise, and half are foolish.
Rather, the number five better aligns with the meaning of “virgin” than other numbers, and with the spiritual climate of the church in the latter days.
I believe the Lord is using the number “five” to represent a sense of “going as far as one can go,” in the “early rains” of the Christian’s journey.
There is a measure of grace and faith available in the church at large to bring a measure of cleansing and healing in the “virgin” stage. The wise receive such.
For example, the new birth (Passover), and Holy Spirit baptism (Pentecost), fulfill two Old Testament feasts.
These are the early stages of the Christians’ journey, and open the door to the moving of God’s Spirit in one’s life in a variety of realms, including physical and inner healing.
It appears “five” represents the measure of how far we can go in the “church at large,” in the adventure and journey it offers.
This would include elements of inner healing, deliverance, fathering, and other resources, such as counseling.
It is church centered and focused.
In other words, the level of body ministry and available resources in the church at large, absent the Lord taking someone deep in him (John 21:18; 1 Corinthians 4:5; 1 Peter 1:13).
Jesus did not use the number “four,” because it represents the foundation upon which the church is built, and not the adventure and journey of the church.
Plus, four, in church ages, represents the darkest time of the church – the church of Thyatira.
And Jesus did not use the number “six,” because it represents the number of man and woman, intense fathering by the Lord, which the church at large is not able to provide.
Nor does “six” align with virgin, because six refers more to completion, the final phase(s) of a man and woman’s journey – six being associated with the creation of Adam and Eve – pure and holy.
By using five, the Lord represents a certain readiness, for the “wise,” having gone as far as they can go in the resources and care of the Church, and for the “foolish,” for whatever reason, not pursuing the fullness available to them as virgins.
Usage
You can see the sense “of five,” in its usage – the account of five loaves, 5,000 men, five talents, and other times, to the good or bad (five husbands of the woman at the well).
The “fifth” creation day establishes a certain sense to the number five. Life begins in the seas and in the air on the fifth day. An act of grace birthing the first life.
Five is a sense of beginning fullness, but not connection, intimacy, nor deep relationship – that can only happen on the sixth day, the day of man and woman.
In type, the fifth day of creation prefigures the spreading of the gospel through the nations (seas being a type of the nations and fish a type of those coming to Christ) and the revelation and unveiling of spiritual kingdoms (birds of the air).
Another example is the fifth church age, Sardis.
Sardis is the beginning of the Church coming back to Christ following the depths of sinfulness in Thyatira.
Sardis is typically associated with the reformation beginning with Luther and is still here, among us today.
Some have moved on from Sardis and are experiencing the Philadelphian church age. Others, the Laodicean.
Christ’s Heart, For You and Me
Jesus does not want to leave us in the Sardis church age, i.e., as five wise or foolish virgins, nor does he desire to see us captured by Laodicea, but is moving among you and me to usher us into the fullness of the Philadelphia church.
Together, let’s respond to the call of God to go deeper in him.
Destination
I’m reminded of the Scripture to seek the righteousness of God and everything else will be added to us.
The Lord knows our hearts are slow to respond to him, a journey and a process taking years.
As long as there is day, it is not too late to begin the journey in Christ.
Jesus has a specific plan of redemption for you and me. Specific to our wounds, sins, and the hidden and secret areas of our life we know nothing about.
Yes, the process of being born again, filled with his Spirit, and walking in new life are universal.
Yet, there are deep things God wants to accomplish in your life and mine only Christ can unlock, cleanse, heal, and restore.
Only he knows the timing, process, and methods for our healing and restoration.
Only Jesus can take you deep, into the place of “grace and revelation,” in him. (1 Peter 1:13)
Our destination is Christ and nothing else will satisfy.
The enemy would like nothing better than for you and me to take our eyes off Jesus and devote our time and effort to all sorts of campaigns, and miss the “heart of the Gospel,” Christ likeness.
To know the “heart of the Gospel,” we must have an understanding of the journey of our Savior.
For his journey is our journey.
He is the only man to complete the race the first Adam was commissioned to do, but failed.
He is the only one to make the flesh and the law one – to destroy the partition separating the two – fulfilling the spiritual law of righteousness in his body, soul, and spirit (Romans 6:10; Ephesians 2:14-16, see an interlinear; Hebrews 5:7-10).
His offer, to you and me, is the fullness of his person in grace and mercy to those who take his name.
Eve
When will Christ have his “Eve,” fully restored sons and daughters of God, and complete the story God began in the garden so long ago?
It’s complicated. But rest assured, Jesus has never failed what he set to do. The Father is determined to prepare a bride for his son.
When we see the bride, know the end of the story is not far off – the church age will soon give way to the Millennium.
Wise virgins will be made into the likeness of Christ. That is a certainty.
Eve will be healed, restored, and bring revival. The season of training will be over and the season of bounty will have arrived for those who are prepared.
Sadly, there will be those who are not prepared to feast on the bounty of Christ and will face the fury of the last world kingdom.
Let’s be accounted among those who respond to Christ, and permit him to rewrite the story of our lives in his. Let him take you into his arms and speak love into your life.
Blessings, Drake
Note: Regarding the 70 weeks of Daniel, some contend the vacant 3 ½ years of ministry to complete the 70th week will be the ministry of the bride in the latter time – Christ gathering those who the Father calls in love one last time.
