Daily Devotional in Matthew 25

Daily Nugget:
As usual, to understand Scripture, one must always keep in mind the context of what has been written. To grasp Matthew 25 fully, one must go back to what was previously discussed. Matthew 24 is a good starting point to understand this chapter more clearly.

In Mat. 24:3, Jesus was answering the query of his disciples: “…Tell us, when shall these things (the disciples were referring to Jesus’ prophecy of what would happen to the temple — Mat. 24:3) be? And what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?” Jesus then went on to tell them about the deception that would be faced, catastrophes, wars, false prophets and worship, the “great tribulation” (Mat. 24:21), and the Lord’s return (Mat. 24:27). Jesus gave a summation of what would happen in the days of which his followers were asking.

After Jesus’ answer, Matthew 25 starts with the word “Then,” which makes it clear that what is to follow in this chapter is a continuation of Matthew 24. Matthew 25:1 uses another phrase that dates to when what is written in this chapter will occur. It is during the future “kingdom of heaven.”

The Kingdom of Heaven starts after Christ returns to Earth and His 1,000-year reign (See the explanation in the Mat. 5 devotion.) begins. Despite that many believe the Parable of Ten Virgins in Matthew 25:1-13 is about the rapture, it appears it is not and is about Christ’s future time of ruling the Earth.

The parable talks of ten virgins awaiting the bridegroom. In Jewish weddings, the bridegroom came at night, so five were prepared with ready-to-light lamps. The other five were foolish and did not have their lights oiled up and ready to go.

They all went to sleep and awoke when the bridegroom approached (Mat. 25:6). Five were ready for the bridegroom and those that were not equipped scurried to get oil for their lamps. By the time the unprepared five had their lamps lit, the door of the marriage was closed, and they could not enter in.

It is this part of the account that many believe points to the rapture because some were accepted, and some were left out. However, the calling away of the saved to Heaven happens before the tribulation. This parable is clearly after that event.

Christ always refers to His Bride, the Church, as singular. All believers called up to Heaven before the seven-year Tribulation is considered one body – not multiple. Jesus’ relationship with His church-“bride” is monogamous, not polygamous as marrying multiple “virgins” would indicate. The “church” was referred to as one “chaste” virgin in II Cor. 11:2
“For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.” II Cor. 11:2

If Luke 12:35-37 are the companion verses to this Matthew 25 parable, we see there that the people awaiting the Lord were servants. In Luke 12, we find the servants were watching and waiting just like the Mat. 25 ”virgins.” These workers were waiting to do their master’s bidding not to marry Him.
“Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning; 36 And ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding; that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately. 37 Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them. 38 And if he shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants.” Luke 12:35-38

The question quickly arises, if the parable is not referring to raptured saints, but millennial-age servants, who are the five unprepared virgins? Since it is referencing a time after the Great Tribulation and most likely during the millennial reign of Christ, it is addressing people living during those 1,000 years. Some of them are ready to serve, and some are not and are not even His!

Five in the Bible often refers to God’s grace. Five, by God’s grace, were servants during that time. Five were not, as the five virgins in the parable that begged to be allowed to enter, but were denied. They were told, “I know ye not.” The number five in the Bible also can refer to “death,” and those five received the same denial given to the unrighteous in I Cor: 6:9 “Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? ….” The unprepared five most likely were not Jesus’ and would face the White Throne judgment after Christ’s Reign on the Earth. They will face the “second death (Rev. 20:14).

We see from the Parable of the Ten Virgins that are some during the 1,000-year reign of Christ that are not His. The second parable in this chapter (vss. 14-30) is also during the Kingdom of Heaven and portrays some that were good servants during that time (vss. 20,22), Those two invested their time wisely during that time. However, like the five unwise virgins, there was one in this parable that was a foolish and wicked servant (vs. 26). He, too, would face punishment (vs. 30).

The sinful nature of man will also be alive and destructive even when Christ rules on this Earth. It will eventually be weeded out, and those that are not His will be judged. No one ever gets away with sin, not now or then!

Today’s Thought:
Bridegroom: a recently married man or one that will be married
Talents: a coin or weight
Trimmed: prepared; wick in lamp that has the burnt part cut off, and is ready to be re-lit

Today’s Reading:
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:
4 But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.
5 While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.
6 And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.
7 Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.
8 And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.
9 But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.
10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.
11 Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.
12 But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.
13 Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.
14 ¶ For the kingdom of heaven is as a man travelling into a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods.
15 And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey.
16 Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made them other five talents.
17 And likewise he that had received two, he also gained other two.
18 But he that had received one went and digged in the earth, and hid his lord's money.
19 After a long time the lord of those servants cometh, and reckoneth with them.
20 And so he that had received five talents came and brought other five talents, saying, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me five talents: behold, I have gained beside them five talents more.
21 His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
22 He also that had received two talents came and said, Lord, thou deliveredst unto me two talents: behold, I have gained two other talents beside them.
23 His lord said unto him, Well done, good and faithful servant; thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord.
24 Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed:
25 And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine.
26 His lord answered and said unto him, Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed:
27 Thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury.
28 Take therefore the talent from him, and give it unto him which hath ten talents.
29 For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath.
30 And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
31 ¶ When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:
32 And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:
33 And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.
34 Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
35 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:
36 Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.
37 Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?
38 When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?
39 Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?
40 And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
41 Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
42 For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:
43 I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.
44 Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?
45 Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.
46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.