And I will bring you out from the people, and will gather you out of the countries wherein ye are scattered, with a mighty hand, and with a stretched out arm, and with fury poured out. And I will bring you into the wilderness of the people, and there will I plead with you face to face. Like as I pleaded with your fathers in the wilderness of the land of Egypt, so will I plead with you, saith יהוה Adonay. (Ezekiel 20:34-36 KJVm)
Previously we found that, during the Greater Second Exodus, “the Remnant of Israel” are going to go through a proverbial wilderness.
And I will cause you to pass under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the covenant: And I will purge out from among you the rebels, and them that transgress against me: I will bring them forth out of the country where they sojourn, and they shall not enter into the land of Israel: and ye shall know that I am יהוה. (Ezekiel 20:37-38 KJVm)
Which is also a period of testing, where many that are called are going to be purged even before entering Israel.
…“How much more when I send My four severe judgments against Jerusalem: sword, famine, wild beasts and plague to cut off man and beast from it! Yet, behold, survivors will be left in it who will be brought out, both sons and daughters. Behold, they are going to come forth to you and you will see their conduct and actions; then you will be comforted for the calamity which I have brought against Jerusalem for everything which I have brought upon it. (Ezekiel 14:21-22 NASB)
And for those that do arrive in Jerusalem, a final purge awaits inside the walls of the Old City.
In this article, we are going to examine a purge described in the Parable of the Ten Virgins to help prepare you for this period of refinement which “the Remnant of Israel” must go through.
This is why I speak to them in parables: “Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand. (Matthew 13:13 KJV)
According to the Son of Man, the reason He spoke in parables to the crowds was because His message was not meant to be understood by all that heard them.
He replied, “Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. (Matthew 13:11 NIV)
However, in a private setting, the Son of Man would graciously explain the parables to His disciples.
Unfortunately, His explanation of the Parable of the Ten Virgins was not written in the New Testament. However, that doesn’t mean it was never documented.
JERUSALEM 70 A.D.
Jerusalem fell to the Romans in 70 A.D. after a 143 day siege, where all of it’s inhabitants were killed or enslaved.
According to the historian Josephus 1.1 million Jews were slain and 97 thousand were captured, enslaved and scattered throughout the empire.
However dreadful, this national tragedy provides end time believers with vital insight into the Parable of the Ten Virgins.
THE SIEGE ON JERUSALEM
For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city. Then shall יהוה go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle. (Zechariah 14:2-3 KJVm)
According to the prophet Zechariah, the Old City of Jerusalem is predicted to be in the process of a fortress siege prior to the second advent of HaMoshiach.
Many believe that this prophecy was fulfilled in the 70 A.D. when Jerusalem fell to the Romans. It was not.
For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city. (Zechariah 14:2 KJVm)
According to Zechariah, only half the inhabitants are predicted to be compromised, unlike in 70 A.D. where all the inhabitants were either killed or enslaved.
Behold, the day of יהוה comes, and your spoil shall be divided in the midst of you. (Zechariah 14:1 KJVm)
Also notice that this prophecy is predicted to take place on the Day of יהוה (the Second Coming)…
Then shall יהוה go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle. (Zechariah 14:3 KJVm)
…where the Son of Man will come and fight the nations, at the end of the age.
Many of the 1.1 million Jews which died in 70 A.D. had to be aware of Zechariah’s prediction and probably assumed that the Roman siege on Jerusalem in 70 A.D. was the fulfillment of this prophecy and probably assumed that they would be protected by the advent of The Messiah.
Unfortunately for the 1.1 million which died, the Son of Man did not return then. Their misfortune, however did not negate Zechariah’s prediction, that The Son of Man is going to come and protect half the inhabitants of the Old City while deeply embattled in this predicted fortress siege.
So what is the implication?
Zechariah’s prediction is the written explanation of the Kingdom Parable of the Ten Virgins. Notice that both the parable and Zechariah’s prediction have three things in common:
1. THE SECOND COMING OF THE SON OF MAN
First, both passages are describing an event that takes place during the second coming of the Son of Man and the end of the age.
“But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut. (Matthew 25:10 NIV)
In the Parable of the Ten Virgins, the Son of Man’s return is compared to the arrival of the bridegroom.
Then shall יהוה go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle. And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east… (Zechariah 14:3-4 KJVm)
In Zechariah’s prediction, The Son of Man arrives to fight the nations… eventually setting foot on the Mount of Olives which is East of Jerusalem
2. A GROUP OF BELIEVERS WHICH PHYSICALLY SURVIVE TO GREET THE SON OF MAN AT HIS RETURN
Secondly, both accounts provide details concerning a group of believers which will be alive at the second coming of the Son of Man.
Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man. (Luke 21:36 KJV)
The scriptures mention a group of believers which will physically escape the predicted apocalypse and will be alive at the Son of Man’s return.
“Then the kingdom of heaven will be comparable to ten virgins, who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. (Matthew 25:1 NASB)
And it is this parable of the Ten Virgins which is describing this group of believers which will be alive and waiting to meet the Son of Man (the Bridegroom) at the time of His return.
For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city. (Zechariah 14:2-3 KJVm)
Likewise, Zechariah describes a “residue of the people” which are not going to be “cut off from the city.”
And it is this “residue of the people” which are those believers that will be alive at the end of the age.
3. HALF THE PARTICIPANTS WILL BE PURGED
Thirdly, both the New Testament parable and the Old Testament prophecy predict that half the participants will be purged and prevented from entering the Kingdom.
Five of them were foolish and five were wise. (Matthew 25:2 NIV)
In the parable, half of the ten virgins are not prepared.
“But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut. (Matthew 25:10 NIV)
And as circumstances would have it, only the half that are prepared will join The Son of Man and enter the kingdom. The foolish virgins will be shut out.
For I will gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle; and the city shall be taken, and the houses rifled, and the women ravished; and half of the city shall go forth into captivity, and the residue of the people shall not be cut off from the city. Then shall יהוה go forth, and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle. (Zechariah 14:2-3 KJVm)
Likewise, Zechariah’s account of the siege against Jerusalem is a description where half those in the city will be taken captive. And it is these individuals which go into captivity that are represented by the five Foolish Virgins in the parable.
In that day shall יהוה defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem; and he that is feeble among them at that day shall be as David; and the house of David shall be as the angel of יהוה before them. (Zechariah 12:8 KJVm)
Then after half the city is taken, the Son of Man will enter the battle on behalf of those remaining within the Old City.
And it is these remaining individuals, which the Son of Man fights for, that are represented by the five Wise Virgins in the parable. They are “the Remnant of Israel” and they are those of you that will be found “worthy to escape” and be alive to greet the Son of Man at His return.
So both the Parable of the Ten Virgins and Zechariah’s prophecy concerning the siege of Jerusalem are a description of this final purge.
Next: The Parable of the Wedding Feast
Conversations concerning this and other articles are being discussed on FaceBook. Click this link to enter EXODUS X – THE GREATER SECOND EXODUS AND RETURN OF THE REMNANT OF ISRAEL on FaceBook.
I ENCOURAGE YOU TO SHARE THIS ARTICLE WITH FRIENDS
