Parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins: Christians who miss the Coming Rapture (Part 1)

Medium ^ | 01/31/2021 | Jamie Northrup

[Jan_Sobieski]

Matthew 25:1 Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. 2 And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. 3 They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them...

Jesus Christ gave us His Olivet Discourse to explain the signs signalling his immanent return. He warned that we will not know the day or the hour of His return, however we will know the general time (Matt 24:33). He likens those who hear him to young brides waiting for their bridegroom. Jesus being he bridegroom and his believers being the ladies in waiting. This exclusive group is made up only of those who have confessed Christ and go out expectantly to meet him. [...] We are the virgins…

2 Corinthians 11:2 "…for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ."

Who are these believers in Jesus Christ? Muslims, who reject the biblical Jesus as God in the flesh, and relegate him to a prophet who exchanged places with Judas on the cross? Hindus, who believe Jesus is one of many gods? Buddhists, who believe Jesus is one of many prophets of Nirvana, or Nothingness? Atheists, who claim that Jesus Christ is either fictional or a lunatic? Heavens no! Most of the world rejects Jesus Christ and his words, except Christians.

Something happens as the Christians wait for the Bridegroom. He delays his coming. So much so that the night comes. What is the night? The “night” in Biblical Typology represents the Great Tribulation (1 Thessalonians 5:2, Isaiah 60:2, John 9, etc.) This is the last 3.5 to 7 years before Jesus Christ returns physically to rule and reign from Jerusalem...

[aMorePerfectUnion]

Yeah, none of that is true dear cronos.

I only reject your (Rome’s) interpretation.

And despite claiming all that you wrote is necessary for salvation, and believing it...

You aren’t saved, are you?????

[Cronos]

Darby invented the 19th century rapture philosophy

In 1830 Darby met fifteen-year-old Mararet MacDonald, who claimed to have had a private revelation of a secret rapture that would occur shortly

flash alert -- the "secret rapture" didn't occur in 1830 nor in 1870 nor in 1914 nor in 2012 -- but the gullible who persist in believing in the 19thc century creation of secret pre-Trib rapture keep falling for it

Let's go through all of the hilarious rapture fails

• Even the great Billy Graham fell for it
  • In a 1950 issue of US News and World reportGraham stated "Two years and it's all going to be over." Flash alert: we're past 1952 and still going
    
    
  • April 1984 Graham proclaimed, "Anybody who's anybody believes that global war is imminent"
    
    
  • 1995 "When will the end be?.... Every indication is that it will be sooner than we think
• Hal lindsey in 1970 The late great planet earth -- with the Rapture idea that the rapture was due before the end of the 1980s - FAIL
  
  
• 1978 Chuck Smith, Evangelical pastor wrote "The Lord is coming before the end of 1981" -- errr.. another fail
  
  
• Gary Wilburn in Christianity todayin 1979 wrote "The world must end within one generation from the birth of the state of Israel. Any opinion of world affairs that does not dovetail with this prophecy is dismissed" -- Rapturists claim that this means the rapture must occur within forty years of the founding of Israel in 1948 -- FAIL. The year 1988 came and went
  
  
• in 1988, Edgar Whisenat published and distributed his pamphlet 88 reasons why the rapture will be in 1988 -- He specified September as the month in which Christ would return -- bzzz. RAPTURE-FAIL again.
  
  
• But the rapture didn't occur in 1988 so Whisenant wrote 89 reasons why the rapture will be in 1989
  
  
• Then rapture-fails sorry rapturists claim that this 40 year should be counted from 1967 - RAPTURE-FAIL again as 2007 came and went.
  
  
• Jerry Falwell in 1989 sent out a mass mailing In just a few days we will enter what will be the final decade!
  
  
• On december 19, 1994, US News and world report stated that 1 in 5 Americans believed the world would end within a few years!
  
  RAPTURE-FAIL once more
  
  
• Pat Robertson on May 12, 1994 We are talking about the final age of humankind right now... Please call and make a pledge... your dollars may not do any good in give years or so"
  
  Then you got the Rapture-fails of the Left Behind series
  
  
• the Rapture fail of the "The Bible Code" that all life would be wiped out when a comet crashed into the earth in 2012 -- err.. that didn't happen, another rapture fail

Net - net, this fake 19th century philosophy has been shown to be continuously failing and still rapturists follow it - adding on a few more years each time they fail

[Cronos]

Dear aMPU, it is true - you hold to the rapture philosophy which denies what Jesus Himself said.

And

1 John 1:8-9: “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just, and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Do you repent your sins? the Bible is very clear that no sin can enter into heaven (see Hb 1:13; Rv 21:8-9, 27). Remember

“Let what you heard from the beginning abide in you. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, then you will abide in the Son and in the Father. And this is what he has promised us, eternal life” (1 Jn 2:24-25).

Since you don't abide in Him (as you deny His very words when He said "to THIS generation") - well..

[Cronos]

Read it - have you?

Tommy makes up his own inference from Ephraim's text which is clearly When the Roman Empire begins to be consumed by the sword, the coming of the Evil One is at hand. It is necessary that the world come to an end at the completion of the Roman Empire.

you really believe this as your pre-trib rapture?

In those days two brothers will come to the Roman Empire who will rule with one mind; but because one will surpass the other, there will be a schism between them. And so the Adversary will be loosed and will stir up hatred between the Persian and Roman empires. In those days many will rise up against Rome; the Jewish people will be her adversaries

Woah, MHG's pre-Trib rapture consists of "Jewish people as the adversaries" - really?

[aMorePerfectUnion]

You’re being silly now, attempting to interpret scripture.

As an unsaved person (by your own testimony), you can’t understand things that are spiritually discerned.

I certainly wouldn’t give any credibility to any statement you make about what scripture teaches.

Now you could be justified and have eternal security and assurance of salvation right this moment..,

But you do not.

[MHGinTN]

You evidence even more who your father is, the father of lies, by twisting and mischaracterizing in your deceits.

Here is the link to the Thomas Ice essay. Folks can read it for themselves and avoid your father's manipulations and lies.

Here is the significant passage from Ephraim's sermon:
All the saints and elect of God are gathered together before the tribulation, which is to come, and are taken to the Lord, in order that they may not see at any time the confusion which overwhelms the world because of our sins.

The issue is whether that passage refers to pre-tribulation departure, which it does. The issue is not whether I or Thomas Ice believes everything else in the sermon. But that was a typical deceitful effort to divert from the truth which refutes your father's lies you keep spewing for effect.

[campaignPete R-CT]

Toe to toe
Dancing very close
Barely breathing
Almost comatose
Wall to wall
People hypnotized
And they’re stepping lightly
Hang each night in Rapture !!!

-Debbie Harry

1981

Fail ...

[Ezekiel]

>>>Ezeki — you don't believe that Jesus was the Messiah, right? <<<

Sadly, some might get that idea if they read your post, see the part that says “right?”, and draw a conclusion about EzekiEL.

Meanwhile,

The Jesus of the Bible was and is the Messiah.

The Jesus of the Bible was and is hated by the religious Establishment, because...

The Jesus of the Bible was and is the Maverick solution to business — he cuts all the red tape, goes straight to the people to love and heal them directly.

Simple. Straightforward. Open. Honest. Sincere. Without any slippery, ulterior motives which rely on complicated doctrines for cover.

IOW, the Jesus of the Bible shows the way up and out.

Establishment Jesus is as fake as a three dollar bill. He exists to keep the ginormous machinery alive and the big names in lights.

It's like with any entrenched “too big to fail” system - the system encourages dysfunction, corruption, and inefficiency, rewarding drones for being drones. These drones are always on alert to accuse non-drones of all manner of blasphemy, heresy, confusion, and subterfuge. Same thing that Jesus had to suffer.

Similarly, Elijah was tagged as the lone nut of his day. Maybe he was accused of “private interpretation” by the 450 prophets of Baal and/or the 400 prophets of the groves. With consensus like that bearing down 24/7, who was Elijah to have other ideas?

Anyway,

Most of what is accomplished correctly and efficiently within a bureaucracy is a result of those who are *in* the system but not *of* the system. They are minded to do the right thing and give their best effort, while slackers engage in idle talk about how bad things are and that they are entitled to more bennies. Their eyeballs fixate on the clock, their feet at the ready to make a beeline for the exit.

Union boss establishment Jesus therefore has a huge following, while Jesus is persona non grata because he gets stuff done. He's a real “Can Do” man who can accomplish whatever he sets his mind to do, however long it takes.

The irony is that Christ — being the head of the church — is a fine Christian man. Obviously he has a lot of patience. 2000 years round about..

At least he can go about his work incognito. That's the plan anyway, otherwise the worshipers of Establishment Jesus would be gunning for him, or at least be out slashing his tires to send a message about his unwelcome, rogue work ethic and rejection of how things are supposed to be.

What a great guy! A chip off the old block, full of grace and mercy, and bursting at the seams with all of his detailed plans for building a Temple, like his father David.

Unfortunately he's been confused with a doormat for laying down his life.

For some reason, many people got the idea that becoming compliant galley slaves was the sure way to row to freedom.

A big surprise is on the horizon.

It would be sort of funny if the Messiah makes his official arrival at 5 PM on a Friday. Welp, no problem finding a parking spot. The place will be empty.

TGIF

***

Glad I could clarify with basic, real world examples of how it is out there, and what's been recorded in the Gospel accounts. The disciples of the Jesus of the Bible know they'll get “the treatment” from the drones.

Here is a simple message on its face, wherever it should appear:

“In the beginning, Go-”

(And then came Amalek.. Deu 25:17-19; Exo 17)

[SkyDancer]

And then Rapturists say that 144,000 Jewish evangelists without the Holy Spirit (supposedly removed when the church is Raptured) are going to do in seven years that all of Christianity couldn’t do with the Holy Spirit in 2,000 years of evangelizing.

[aMorePerfectUnion]

“ Regardless of what else the writer of this sermon believed, he did believe that all believers would be removed before the tribulation–a pre- trib rapture view. Thus, we have seen that those who have said that there was no one before 1830 who taught the pre-trib rapture position will have to revise their statements by well over 1,000 years. This statement does not prove the pre-trib position, only the Bible can do that, but it should change many people’s historical views on the matter.”

[SkyDancer]

Rapture scatology worse since it’s blinding Christians with a false doctrine.

[aMorePerfectUnion]

“ And then Rapturists say that 144,000 Jewish evangelists without the Holy Spirit

Safe bet that when God sends them forth, He will give them all they need to accomplish His pla.

Before the Pentecost, Old Testament saints came to faith and the disciples accomplished God’s will.

So shall it be when God turns back to Israel.

“ I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers and sisters, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in, and in this way all Israel will be saved...

“As far as the gospel is concerned, they are enemies for your sake; but as far as election is concerned, they are loved on account of the patriarchs,

“ for God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable.

[Roman_War_Criminal]

All of those who twist, lie, and mischaracterize words somebody says as a false witness is going to be called into account - publicly even more so. God is watching this rest assured.

These evil people have no shame!

[SkyDancer]

No one can say they believe that Jesus is Lord, the Son of God except by the power of the Holy Spirit that dwells within you. What would God send with them unless they go out with the power of the Holy Spirit and since, according to the Rapture theory, the church is removed and along with the church, the Holy Spirit. He’s gone.

[MHGinTN]

AND the guy who found this Ephraim sermon says he has more than thirty other early references to a pre-trib rapture spoken of from historical manuscripts. There are some noisy Christians denying the Rapture comes before the antichrist rides upon the scene on planet Earth. They have ignored what God said through the vision of John (see chptr 5, The Revelation, where the Redeemed are identified as the Lamb takes the seven sealed scroll, even before opening it). And Rev 3:10 can help awaken to the coming events which JESUS has Promised to keep The Redeemed from even the time of the testiny seven years. Those negative naybobs are in for a huge surprise ... but we'll splain it to them on the way up.

Are you still planning on grabbing Ebb on the way up? I'll aim for Sky Dancer and Elsie. Although, Mark might get Elsie in tow at the event.

[MHGinTN]

BTW, according to the Promise of GOD poor Jamie (the author of this foolishness) should know there will be NO CHRISTIANS who miss the Rapture. That event is strictly for Christians, all Christians, for all Christians are in The Body of Christ and have God’s seed abiding in them ... that’s an eternal life seed.

[MHGinTN]

You tried to float: “And then Rapturists say that 144,000 Jewish evangelists without the Holy Spirit” ... Shirley you’re not that dumbed down!

[SkyDancer]

So you tell me how people are going to be saved during the "Tribulation" without the Holy Spirit?

As it's said: Nothing happens until it happens.

My folks lived through the Rapture frenzy of the late Sixties early Seventies with such people as Hal Lindsey, Tim LaHaye, etc., and the One Way movement.

Prepare! The Rapture can happen at any moment; meanwhile folks became so Heavenly minded they were no Earthly good.

I've not heard the same frenzy today with these televangelists and not even in church, just a mere mention every now and then.

[MHGinTN]

Janey, this is beneath you to ask such an empty question: "So you tell me how people are going to be saved during the "Tribulation" without the Holy Spirit?"

Who has deceived you such that you believe the Holy Spirit is no longer here after the Body of Christ Believers are removed? Such a foolish notion reels of short-changing the Holy Spirit of God!

During this current 'Church Age of Grace' the Holy Spirit woos an individual to believe in Whom God has sent for their redemption, their salvation, their new birth. When that happens, that new birth, the Bible tells us that God's seed of eternal life is then present forever more with that born again Believer, in their spirit, ABIDING. [For it is God Who is in you, both to will and do of His good pleasure, sanctifying that which He has Justified by faith alone in Christ alone.]

Removing The Body of Christ Believers does not take The Holy Spirit of God away from the Earth, it takes the vessels in which the Holy Spirit has been working to restrain lawlessness.

Not one human being will end up in Heaven except by the shed blood of Jesus The Christ. Even two individuals who were taken to Heaven without dying (Enoch and Elijah) can be there only through faith in The Messiah. Those two have already received Glorified Bodies or will receive Glorified bodies at the Rapture of ALL of the Body of Christ Believers, dead and alive. It is Belief (pistis in the Greek) that God rewards with His life in their spirit because that Grace gives ALL the glory to Jesus and none to you or me.

1 John 3:9 tells us that once God births us from above, He then abides in our born again spirit. He is not so limited that He is only in our born again spirit.

[SkyDancer]

Lot of people who believe in the Rapture say the Holy Spirit will be taken out along with the church. There are Fundamentalist groups who have varying opinions on how this Rapture is going to take place; I'm just wondering, say, suppose the Rapture is real - are Christians who don't believe in this Rapture going to be Raptured?

Also, why is it only a small group of fundamental churches believe in this where the mainline ones don't?

I spent four hours in a lecture on the pro/con belief in this Rapture and given the evidence against it which is why I don't believe in it.

So again, if the Holy Spirit is gone or held back, how are people going to be able to acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Savior?