Prepare to Meet the Bridegroom!

Like the stirring up of a wasp’s nest, believers all over the world are observing the “signs of the times”, feeling the urgency to prepare for the return of our Lord Jesus Christ as prophesied throughout the Holy Bible.

In Mat 24:3-8 we read:

"As He was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, 'Tell us, when will these things happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?' And Jesus answered and said to them, 'See to it that no one misleads you. For many will come in My name, saying, 'I am the Christ,' and will mislead many. You will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not frightened, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and in various places there will be famines and earthquakes, but all these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs."

Jesus taught in Mat 25:1-10 the following parable:

“Then the kingdom of heaven will be comparable to ten virgins, who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, but the wise took oil in flasks along with their lamps. Now while the bridegroom was delaying, they all got drowsy and began to sleep. But at midnight there was a shout, 'Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.' Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. The foolish said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.' But the wise answered, 'No, there will not be enough for us and you too; go instead to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.' And while they were going away to make the purchase, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding feast; and the door was shut.”

Based on a study of the wisdom of God I would like to share a “taste” of the revelation through His Word to those who desire to be assured of what it means to be ready for the return of the Bridgegroom!

Let’s first observe the words and definitions used for “wise/wisdom” throughout the New Testament of our Lord:

wise 5429 phronimos (fron’-ee-mos); thoughtful, i.e. sagacious (adj. wise or shrewd, having or based on a profound knowledge and understanding of the world combined with intelligence and good judgment) or discreet (implying a cautious character; practical skill or acumen; intelligence or mental acquirement); in a bad sense conceited.

From this root come other derivations: wisdom 4678 sophia (sof-ee’-ah); wisdom (higher or lower, worldly or spiritual); wise 4679 sophizo (sof-id’-zo); to render wise; in a sinister acceptation, to form “sophisms”, i.e. continue plausible error:-cunningly devised, make wise; and wise 4680 sophos (sof-os’); akin to saphes (clear); wise (in a most general application):-wise.

(I think the Bride of Christ should be named Sophia, don’t you?)

Anyhow, what you will notice is that wisdom consists of both heavenly or higher wisdom and earthly or lower wisdom. Each is the antithesis of the other. Worldly wisdom views godly wisdom as foolish, yet God views those with worldly wisdom as foolish.

Understand that the wisdom of the wise virgins comes from God Himself, through the Bridegroom, Jesus Christ. God hid His wisdom from the wise of the world in a mystery revealed only to those who love Him. The fact that God chooses the ones the worldly wise call “foolish” is a strategic part of His plan. Prior to His death on the cross, God revealed the mystery to His disciples, but they were told to keep it a secret, so that His purpose would be fulfilled. However, after His death and resurrection, the Apostles were told to reveal the mystery to the world…only those who are called would understand.

Did you know wisdom isn’t found in the wise of this world, the strong of this world, and/or the “religious” leaders of this world? Wisdom is found in the child-like, the weak, the humble; those who know they are poor, wretched, naked and blind. Children rely on the wisdom of their parents; they turn to their parents for teaching, instruction, guidance, protection, provision, discipline, all rooted in pure love for the parent and trust in the parent’s love for them. They know that whatever they truly learn comes from the ones who birthed them. Know that the wisdom of God is spiritual, mirrored in the physical.

God is our Creator, our Father, and only His true children are those who love Him.

The unwise don’t know where to find God. They think He’s in the organized church, so they go there to receive their “oil”. They are caught up in the “purchase of oil” through tithing or religious works. They entrust their spiritual well-being to their pastors, teachers and priests, even above what is written in the Word of God. Therefore, because they don’t do what the wise of God do, which is to “test the spirits” (1 John 4:1), to “study to show themselves approved unto God” (2 Tim 2:15) and “search the scriptures daily to see whether what they’re told is true” (Acts 17:11), they are like sheep without the Shepherd, subjecting themselves to “wolves in sheep’s clothing” (Mat 7:15), who are “false apostles” (2 Cor 11:13). They are “tossed to and fro by every wind of doctrine” (Eph 4:14), while the wise are as the “wind that blows where it wishes and others hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from or where it is going” (John 3:8).

The foolish virgins will not humble themselves to correction or admonishment, which comes from the wisdom of God. They remain in confusion, of which God is not the author (1 Cor 14:33). Jesus said anyone who hears His word and acts upon it is a wise man who builds his house on the rock. Likewise, anyone who hears His Word and does not act upon it is a foolish man who builds his house on the sand (Mat 7:24-27).

Likewise, the Jews (Israel) prior to and during the days of Jesus Christ relied upon the fact that the Bible calls them His chosen people (Is 65:9). Earthly wisdom does not understand that this in itself is a mystery. As I said before, God hid the mystery of His wisdom from them (and all the “earthly wise”) in order for His Word to be fulfilled. The true meaning of “all Israel will be saved” (Rom 11:26) has been made known to and is embraced by spiritual Israel.

I plan to post further hubs, breaking down the various elements of this “wisdom tasting”, to help us build upon the solid rock and the foundation stones of the Apostles, so that in the day His building is tried by “fire” it will be found to be made of “gold”. Here’s a hint: “Unless the LORD build the house, they labor in vain that build it (Ps 127:1).” Amen.