"Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet their bridegroom. And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. They that were foolish took their lamps, AND TOOK NO OIL WITH THEM: but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps". Matt 25:1-4
So there are a group of would be brides waiting for the groom. We are told that they wait differently. Five wait with oil for their lamps, while five disregard the need for the oil. The outcome is what grabs our attention. When the cry is heard that the groom is approaching, the five with oil are ready, trimming their lamps with the oil the carried. The other five are not prepared and must go to find oil.
"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. Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, L-rd, L-rd, open to us. But He answered and said Verily I say unto you, I KNOW YOU NOT". Matt 25
IDENTIFICATION PLEASE
To understand the necessity for identification, we need only look at our own society.
Beginning at birth, there are precautions taken to "identify" correctly each newborn babe. Matching name bracelets are placed on mother and child to insure that a family goes home with the right baby. As we grow into adulthood, there are hundreds of pieces of information that "identify" us. Social security numbers, drivers license, library card, credit cards, passports, etc, ... all these and more tell who we are.
G-d tells us in scripture that He identifies His citizens.
"Therefore impress these words of Mine upon your very heart: bind them as a sign on your hand and let them serve as a symbol on your forehead..." Deuteronomy 11:18
"Bind up the testimony and seal the law among my disciples." Isaiah 8:16
"This observance (Passover) will be for you like a sign on your hand and a reminder on your forehead that the law of the LORD is to be on your lips." Exodus 13:9
"Say to the Israelites, ‘You must observe my Sabbaths. This will be a sign between me and you for the generations to come, so that you may know that I am the LORD who makes you holy.'" Exodus 31:13
"Moreover also I gave them my Sabbaths, to be a SIGN between me and them, that they might know that I am the L-RD that sanctify them. Ezk 20:12
"And hallow my Sabbaths; and they shall be a SIGN between me and you, that you may know that I am the
L-RD your G-d". Ezk 20:20
According to the dictionary, the words sign, seal, signature, mark, and inscription are synonyms. They are different words with similar meaning. What they do is "identify" authority. HaShem’s seal is His sign, His signature and His Name. His seal indicates His authority. Whatever or whoever His seal rests on, belongs to Him.
With a look at the verses above, we see that according to scripture, the identifying seal or sign or mark of G-d is His Word / Torah. Does this apply only to Jews?
"Make the Israelites celebrate the Passover at the appointed time. ......A foreigner living among you who wants to celebrate the LORD's Passover must do so in accordance with its rules and regulations. You must have the same regulations for the foreigner and the native-born." Numbers 9: 2, 14
So despite what the church has been passing off as doctrine, there are not different sets of rules and observances for Jews and Gentiles. G-d's Laws are the same. Any, who would seek to be called by His name, bear this seal. The Sabbath days in G-d's calander are His signature of ownership. These feasts set apart His people from all other people. They "identify" the citizens of the Kingdom.
Look at the scriptures again. Make sure you understand what this means. Remember this is not a man made teaching. You can see it for yourself in the written Word of G-d.
WHERE DOES THE L-RD SET HIS SEAL
"These are the commands, decrees and laws the LORD your God directed me to teach you... Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads..." Deut 6:1& 8
"I will put my laws in their minds, and write them on their hearts." Hebrews 8:10
Since G-d's law expressly forbids us from making or receiving any marks on our bodies (Lev.19: 28) we can conclude that this seal of the Sabbath and feasts is more than "skin deep".
The forehead speaks of the mind or thought life, while the heart is the seat of our faith. These two together, the forehead and the heart, represent complete allegiance to G-d. His followers will accept willingly and joyfully His ways defined for them in scripture.
When a person belongs to G-d and keeps Torah, particularly His Sabbaths, they declare to the world that Elohim, the Almighty God of Israel, is their Father. Remember, Yeshua said,
"Sanctify them through thy truth, thy Word is truth". John 17:17
SET APART BY THE WORD
The feasts and weekly Sabbath of Saturday, are not Jewish Feasts or a Jewish Sabbath. They are G-d's feasts and Sabbaths given to the Jewish people so that all might know HaShem. These Appointed Times not only teach His people about their G-d, but they are an identifying mark on all believers.
When we truly bow the knee to His lordship of our lives, we will embrace His commandments walking in OBEDIENCE, with HOLINESS. How do these appointed holy times important insight of the emptive work of Messiah? Because each designated appointment is an illustration of Yeshua. From Passover to Sukkot, the work of the L-rd is demonstrated and declared.
Scripture tells us that the enemy of G-d has a mark as well.
"He forced everyone, small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on his hand or on his forehead..." Revelation 13:16
Is this a coincidence? No, not at all. Just as G-d seals His servants, the anti-messiah through the control of satan will do the same. Here is something else that we should consider carefully. In Daniel chapter 7, we are told that in the last days the anti-messiah will seek to change the times and laws. Man's times and laws? I think not. Why would he bother with that. It is G-d that he opposes. Therefore, it is G-d's times and laws that he has purposed to change. By destroying the set times and laws of Elohim, the enemy can deceive the would be heirs of salvation into receiving "another gospel".
"Fallen, fallen is Babylon the Great, which made all the nations drink the maddening wine of her adulteries... There is no rest day or night for those who worship the beast and his image, or for anyone who receives the mark of his name." Revelation 14:8 & 11
Be aware that idolatry is often the mingling of the true with the false. This is unacceptable to G-d. If you doubt this, read chapter 2 and 3 of the Book of the Revelation. Then turn to chapter 17, where a stern warning is given to "come out" of the false apostate system. How can you identify this system? Well, whose seal does it bear? Look for G-d's Sabbath, look for His feasts. Look for His Torah ... IF IT IS NOT THERE, it does not belong to Elohim, IT IS THE APOSTATE SYSTEM.
BACK TO THE START
Replacing G-d's festivals with a counterfeit is not new. When the 12 tribes were divided after the reign of Solomon, Jeroboam, king of Israel, did exactly this.
"What share do we have in David, what part in Jesse's son? To your tents O Israel! Look after your own house, O David!" 1 Kings 12:16
First Jeroboam had the people remove themselves from the rest of the household of faith. Then he instituted festivals similar to G-d's, in a month he choose (read verses 26-33). this is what the Church did.
I recently found an article on line that pictured a jar that had been discovered in Israel. The jar had the word "Shabbat" on it. It was used in ancient times to contain the oil needed to keep the lamp burning on Sabbath. The everyday lamp was quite small and could hold only enough oil for ONE day. Adding oil to a lamp, on the Sabbath, was forbidden. The lamp was placed in the center with a wick extending down into the extra jar thereby allowing the lamp to remain lit. This extra jar of oil represented the light of Sabbath.
Now look at those verses in Matthew again.
"Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet their bridegroom? And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. They that were foolish took their lamps, AND TOOK NO OIL WITH THEM: but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps". Matt 25:1-4
Notice how the wise have their lamps AND a vessel with oil. This is the Sabbath jar. It was this jar the foolish did not have. The jar that represented G-d's Sabbaths! Remember;
"Say to the Israelites, ‘You must observe my Sabbaths. This will be a sign between me and you for the generations to come, so that you may know that I am the LORD who makes you holy.'" Exodus 31:13
"Moreover also I gave them my Sabbaths, to be a SIGN between me and them, that they might know that I am the L-RD that sanctify them". Ezk 20:12
This sign or identifying mark is missing with the foolish virgins. This is why Yeshua replies;
Sabbaths! Remember;
"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. Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, L-rd, L-rd, open to us. But He answered and said Verily I say unto you, I KNOW YOU NOT".
This is the same statement that He makes to the foolish who do not build on the Word of G-d in Matthew 7:23.
"Many will say to me in that day, L-rd, L-rd, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name cst out devils? and in thy name done many wonders? And then I will profess unto them, I NEVER KNEW YOU: depart from me, ye that work iniquity".
They think their the bride. But their not. He does not know them because the practice or work iniquity which means lawlessness or lack of law or NO TORAH. Another words, they have no Sabbath oil.
REPENT: GET THE OIL
"Go your way, Daniel, because the words are closed up and sealed until the time of the end. Many will be purified, made spotless and refined, but the wicked will continue to be wicked. None of the wicked will understand, but those who are wise will understand." Daniel 12:9,10.
G-d is getting oil to any that would "hear". By the Spirit, those seeking Him are hearing a call to return unto the L-rd and cleave unto His Word. If we have been foolish, we don't have to be any longer. We can wake up, purify ourselves, and bear the seal of the family of G-d.
Right now G-d is doing a mighty work concerning the "olive tree".
“If some of the branches have been broken off, and you, though a wild olive shoot, have been grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing sap from the olive root.” Rom11:17
“And if they do not persist in unbelief, they will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again.” Rom11:23
“After all, if you were cut out of an olive tree that is wild by nature, and contrary to nature were grafted into a cultivated olive tree, how much more readily will these, the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree!” Rom11:24
"Moreover, thou son of man, take the one stick ..... Judah, ...... then take another stick .....
Ephraim, .... And join them one to another into ONE STICK". Ezk 37:16-17
"Neither shall they defile themselves any more with their idols, nor with their detestable things, nor with any of their transgressions: but I will save them out of all their dwellingplaces, wherein they have sinned, and will cleanse them: so shall they be my people, and I will be their G-d. ....
and they shall have one shepherd: they also shall walk in my judgments, and observe my statutes and do them". Ezk 37:23-24
In the last days the house of Israel, the Olive Tree, will be restored. No longer to be divided. In Messiah the wall of partition removed. Right now the tree is being shaken. What does not belong will be removed. The result will be a virgin bride, lamp trimmed, vessel filled with extra oil.
"Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision! For the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision. The sun and moon will be darkened and the stars will no longer shine. The Lord will roar from Zion and thunder from Jerusalem; the earth and the sky will tremble. But the LORD will have a refuge for his people, a stronghold for the people of Israel." Joel 3:14-16
For years people claiming to be the bride have festivals and customs of "other gods". These "substitutes" can not ever be made holy. Their roots are in the soil of paganism. Their author is satan. No matter how sincere the person is, these were not instituted by G-d, they have no scriptural foundation, they are therefore unacceptable. Like Cain , the one bearing these "fruits" are being told to “repent” and do what is right.
"And hallow my Sabbaths; and they shall be a SIGN between me and you, that you may know that I am the L-RD your G-d". Ezk 20:20
His Sabbaths are a sign. They distinguish the people of the covenant from the rest of the world. They remind us that He is our G-d and we have no other. And they declare our allegiance.
