FrankForum (Frankness IS Forum)

I'm having a real problem trying to explain how the virgins (παρθένος) can be identified with the Church/Bride in the literal interpretation of the parable. I find that I don't really understand something until I can explain it in writing, and at this point, I can't. When it comes to the meter, the application seems to work just fine, but the passage doesn't have to be about the Church to comment on the Church's character. We have seen the Matt 24 meter apply 2nd Advent events to the Church in symbolic ways, this might similar.

I'm starting to think that παρθένος was used rather than νύμφη, specifically for the meter. By that I mean, metrically, παρθένος, would apply to the Church as the Bride, but prophetically, it would apply to Tribulation survivors as bridesmaids. So maybe the generic nature of the word was intentional for the purposes of dual application.

Here is my main issue. In the parable, the virgins are waiting for the bridegroom to come and let them into the wedding. Matt 22:1-9 states that the bridegroom comes to earth at the 2nd Advent to let people into the wedding, so how or why would the Church be waiting on earth for the bridegroom to let them into the wedding, when we're supposed to be returning with Him?

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HEB 4:12
The word of God is alive and powerful, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of the soul and the spirit, of the joints and marrow, and is a critic of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

Well, let's parse all that out.
1. They are virgins, not bridesmaids. Presume Scripture uses words precisely.
2. Waiting for the Rapture, not 2nd Advent, if Church. Since He's ID'd as the Bridegroom, it can only mean CHURCH. Not some other group. So it cannot be 2nd Advent, nor does the text ever say it is.
3. In the ancient world, a potentate collected many women, married them all, as a harem, example of the story of Esther. So here, the potential wives HAVE to be virgins to be eligible, but here also they are not rounded up by troops as the virgins in Esther were. Instead, they are voluntary.
4. It cannot be 2nd Advent, cuz they don't know when He will come. Every day of the Trib ending at 2nd Advent is deliberately counted, Daniel 12.

I'll stop here to see if you find the foregoing, helpful.

Ok. The harem does make sense, but at what point does the rapture occur? Only the 5 wise go in with the Lord.

Edit:

I suppose, to a answer my own question, the virgins waking and rising would be the Rapture, and trimming the lamps would be the judgment of works.



If that is true (and I think it might be), then those who are found to have nothing spiritually valuable at the Judgment, will have to "buy more oil", while the rest of the virgins go into the wedding. So is 'buying more oil' equivalent to catching up on doctrine?

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HEB 4:12
The word of God is alive and powerful, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of the soul and the spirit, of the joints and marrow, and is a critic of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

Well, one must distinguish between being IN at the Wedding Feast versus merely saved. Rapture is for all Church, so all the virgins. But who gets to go to the Wedding Feast?

Talk to God about that idea, as it brings us back to the wedding garment and outer darkness threads.

Yeah it seems to tie heavily to the Outer Darkness topic too, when we factor in Talents. It wasn't until talking with God that I took special notice of "buying oil". It also seems that RBT might have been right yet again. Those who fail Bema seem to have to buy oil, to catch up on spiritual growth, maybe thru the duration of the Mil in preparation for reintegration into the Eternal State. Perhaps they'll have to watch and learn from afar as king-priests rule. I'm just speculating for now.

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HEB 4:12
The word of God is alive and powerful, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of the soul and the spirit, of the joints and marrow, and is a critic of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

I don't know how I missed your post, but just found it when changing forum skins to the orange one. Yeah, I see your point. This underscores the idea that we are accumulating DOCTRINAL wealth which will differentiate us in eternity.

The more I think about how hard it must be for folks to live when they have so little doctrine, the more I want to SPEND what I know on them. Maybe, that's the point?

Testing.

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HEB 4:12
The word of God is alive and powerful, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of the soul and the spirit, of the joints and marrow, and is a critic of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

Thanks. I can only access brainout.net now if I use xfinity wifi hotspot; I can no longer access it with my router, wired or via its own wifi. Two days ago, I didn't have that problem. Comcast won't fix it, so I complained loud enough that they are sending a supervisor technician out tomorrow. So now I've lost 3 days.

Yay, I'm in! Turned out the modem was blocking my domain but not telling anyone it did that. All the diagnostics were negative. But the guy yesterday thought that it was the modem anyway, so a higher-level technician came out today, and he JUST NOW replaced and reset with a new modem.

So the meter must be real important, cuz now I'm down to my last 1000, and have 200K to bill. Will it arrive in time? PS that 200K is 3 years' labor, so don't think I'm rich.

Now typing from my Android on my home network, woo-hoo!

Series will resume after October 15th, with a much-more indepth 'Quantum Bible' showing all the related passages for the Constantine-Justinian I period.