Matthew 25
The Parable of the Ten Virgins
1“At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.
Jesus told the parable of the ten virgins. The virgins are the believers and unbelievers on the earth before the Rapture. The bridegroom is Jesus.
2Five of the virgins were foolish, and five were wise.
Five were unbelievers and five were believers.
3When the foolish ones took their lamps, they did not take extra olive oil with them.
The lamp is the physical body of the unbelievers. The oil is the Holy Spirit. The five foolish virgins are unbelievers, so they do not have the Holy Spirit inside their body.
4But the wise ones took flasks of olive oil with their lamps.
The wise ones are believers filled with the Holy Spirit.
5When the bridegroom was delayed a long time, they all became drowsy and fell asleep.
The wise ones were waiting for Jesus to return at his Second Coming. They have been waiting a long time.
6But at midnight there was a shout, ‘Look, the bridegroom is here! Come out to meet him.’
The wise ones meet Jesus at the Rapture.
7Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps.
All of the virgins wake up and trim their lamps.
8The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, because our lamps are going out.’
The foolish ones are unbelievers. They are blind and cannot recognize the prophetic event.
9‘No,’ they replied. ‘There won’t be enough for you and for us. Go instead to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’
The unwise unbelievers will have to go through the Great Tribulation and hope that someone else teaches them the gospel.
10But while they had gone to buy it, the bridegroom arrived, and those who were ready went inside with him to the wedding banquet. Then the door was shut.
The Rapture occurs. The door is shut. The foolish virgins cannot get into heaven.
11Later, the other virgins came too, saying, ‘Lord, lord! Let us in!’
The foolish virgins missed the Rapture. They do not like the Great Tribulation.
12But he replied, ‘I tell you the truth, I do not know you!’
Jesus does not know them. They are not a part of the elect which were chosen before the foundations of the world.
13Therefore stay alert, because you do not know the day or the hour.
Believers are told to stay alert. Although the Second Coming has prophetic signs to precede it, the Rapture does not require any signs. The Rapture is imminent and can come at anytime.
The Parable of the Talents
14“For it is like a man going on a journey, who summoned his slaves and entrusted his property to them.
Jesus told the parable of the talents. Jesus is going on a journey. His servants are to take care of His house.
15To one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey.
Jesus wants His servants to turn a profit while He is gone. The profit represents the labor for the Lord for the kingdom of God.
16The one who had received five talents went off right away and put his money to work and gained five more. 17In the same way, the one who had two gained two more.
These believers labored for the Lord and doubled their talents.
18But the one who had received one talent went out and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master’s money in it.
The unbeliever did no work for the Lord.
19After a long time, the master of those slaves came and settled his accounts with them.
Jesus returns at the Rapture to reward His servants for their labor.
20The one who had received the five talents came and brought five more, saying, ‘Sir, you entrusted me with five talents. See, I have gained five more.’ 21His master answered, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave! You have been faithful in a few things. I will put you in charge of many things.
Enter into the joy of your master.’ 22The one with the two talents also came and said, ‘Sir, you entrusted two talents to me. See, I have gained two more.’ 23His master answered, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave! You have been faithful with a few things. I will put you in charge of many things. Enter into the joy of your master.’
These two believers will enter into the Millennial Kingdom with nice rewards and a high political office.
24Then the one who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Sir, I knew that you were a hard man, harvesting where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not scatter seed, 25so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. See, you have what is yours.’ 26But his master answered, ‘Evil and lazy slave! So you knew that I harvest where I didn’t sow and gather where I didn’t scatter? 27Then you should have deposited my money with the bankers, and on my return I would have received my money back with interest! 28Therefore take the talent from him and give it to the one who has ten. 29For the one who has will be given more, and he will have more than enough. But the one who does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. 30And throw that worthless slave into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’
The unbeliever was given much by the Lord, but he did nothing with it. He spent his life on earth on selfish and ungodly labor. He will be sent to the Lake of Fire to burn forever.
The Judgment
31“When the Son of Man comes in his glory and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne.
The Son of Man was the messianic title given to Jesus by the prophet Daniel. When Christ returns at His Second Coming, all of the angels will come with him. Jesus will sit on a literal throne in literal Jerusalem during a literal 1000 year Millennial Kingdom.
32All the nations will be assembled before him, and he will separate people one from another like a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.
Jesus is choosing those who will enter the Millennial Kingdom. The sheep and goats are the Gentiles who were living upon the earth during the Great Tribulation.
33He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.
He separates the Gentiles into two different groups.
34Then the king will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.
The sheep are the Gentile believers who were chosen by God before the foundations of the world were created.
35For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, 36I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.’ 37Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or naked and clothe you? 39When did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ 40And the king will answer them, ‘I tell you the truth, just as you did it for one of the least of these brothers or sisters of mine, you did it for me.’
During the Great Tribulation, the messianic Jews will be hunted down by the Antichrist. He will attempt to exterminate them. The messianic Jews will not have the mark of the beast, so they will not be able to buy or sell. The sheep gentiles will help to hide, clothe, feed, and shelter the messianic Jews.
41“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you accursed, into the eternal fire that has been prepared for the devil and his angels! 42For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink. 43I was a stranger and you did not receive me as a guest, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ 44Then they too will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not give you whatever you needed?’ 45Then he will answer them, ‘I tell you the truth, just as you did not do it for one of the least of these, you did not do it for me.’ 46And these will depart into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
The goat Gentiles will all take the mark of the beast. They will refuse to protect, clothe, feed, and shelter the Jews. In fact, they will betray the Jews and turn them over to the Antichrist for execution. The goat Gentiles are unbelievers. They will not be sent into the Millennial Kingdom. Instead, they will be sent to hell and then later transported to the Lake of Fire.