The Really Cool Truth of the Parable of the Ten Virgins

THEN THE kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Matthew 25:1

The Parable of the Ten Virgins is such a great illustration of our Kingdom and the victory of our Father. The first thing that always gets me excited when I read this parable is that five of the ten virgins were prepared. How cool is that? Jesus tells us that (50%) of the virgins were saved and filled with the Holy Spirit, Matthew 25:4. That should just make you shout for joy, half of those who will see the Bridegroom come will be the Bride!

There is going to be a ton of people who are chosen to be the Bride of Christ during the end times. Look at what Revelation 7:9 teaches us.

After this I looked and a vast host appeared which no one could count, [gathered out] of every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages. These stood before the throne and before the Lamb; they were attired in white robes, with palm branches in their hands.

When John asked an Elder of Heaven who all of these people were, he was told that these are those who came out of the Great Tribulation as the Bride, Revelation 7:14. This parable is so often used to talk about the five foolish virgins, but what gets lost in all of that kind of teaching is that half of the people around who see Jesus return will be born again and be the Bride. This is such an awesome Truth about how many of us have been chosen by our Father to be one with Jesus.

Death Is Really Weak

He personally bore our sins in His [own] body on the tree [as on an altar and offered Himself on it], that we might die (cease to exist) to sin and live to righteousness. By His wounds you have been healed. 1 Peter 2:24

For Christ [the Messiah Himself] died for sins once for all, the Righteous for the unrighteous (the Just for the unjust, the Innocent for the guilty), that He might bring us to God. In His human body He was put to death, but He was made alive in the spirit, 1 Peter 3:18

Therefore will I divide Him a portion with the great [kings and rulers], and He shall divide the spoil with the mighty, because He poured out His life unto death, and [He let Himself] be regarded as a criminal and be numbered with the transgressors; yet He bore [and took away] the sin of many and made intercession for the transgressors (the rebellious). Isaiah 53:12

Christ purchased our freedom [redeeming us] from the curse (doom) of the Law [and its condemnation] by [Himself] becoming a curse for us, for it is written [in the Scriptures], Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree (is crucified); Galatians 3:13

On the Cross our Father allowed every sin, except Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit, to be placed upon Jesus. Jesus bore the sins of the many. He bore Murder, Rape, Lying, Adultery, Stealing, Unbelief, Kidnapping, and every other act that is sin was placed upon our Lord. Jesus took them all, right along with every sickness and disease. He was the Just and He took it all for the unjust and His soul was thrown into Hades carrying all of that sin. Jesus allowed Himself to be counted as a sinner and man did He take on the sin.

Now here is the Truth of this that should bring us all peace that passes understanding, Death and Hades still couldn’t hold Jesus soul, even though He was carrying all of that sin. Jesus just didn’t take on a little sin, He bore every sin, meaning He allowed every sin, other than Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit, to be placed upon His Soul.

So why couldn’t death hold Jesus? The answer is grace, our Father would not let Jesus’ soul see corruption. Love, the Love of our Father brought Jesus back. Our Father showed us that death is not strong enough or powerful enough to stop Him from having eternal fellowship with His children. Our Father showed us that His love for us is stronger than sin. Our Father showed us that He is unwilling to be without us and that His power is the strength that sets us free. It’s not our works, our faith, our righteousness, our love, or our hope, it’s all our Father’s. If God wouldn’t let Jesus stay dead and in Hades when He was filled with so much sin, He sure won’t let any others stay there either. Our sin doesn’t even begin to measure up to the sin that Jesus allowed to be placed on Himself.

The glorious Truth is that some of us will be saved by marriage, we will be the Bride of Christ, and some of us will be saved by being summoned and brought to the Marriage Supper as guests of the Bride. But wether as a Bride or as a guest, our Father will not let His beloved creation see eternal corruption.

Great Gifts For The Guests Of The Bride

For many are called (invited and summoned), but few are chosen. Matthew 22:14

The Bible tells us that when our Father comes and judgment happens that everyone who has ever lived, both good and bad, Matthew 22:10, will be there. Everyone who has ever been born will be there at the Wedding Feast, some of us as the Bride and the rest as guests, most of the guest will stay, at least one will be cast out, but everyone will be there when our Father enters the room. So this part of the parable of The Marriage Supper has to stand for something else, because Jesus tells us that many, not all are called. Jesus has to be speaking of those who have been called to be part of the Bride of Christ before His Millennial Reign. Not everyone will be called to be part of the Bride and out of the many who are called, only a few are chosen to be the Bride.

Think of the parts of the world that for centuries have never heard of Jesus. Think of the billions of people who have died that never heard the Gospel preached to them. Think of all the people who have heard it and rejected it. When you consider all of these people, it only makes sense that only a few of us, out of these billions of people, will be chosen. But the glorious Truth is that does not mean for a second that those who weren’t ever called or chosen to be the Bride of Christ, will be thrown into the Lake of Fire. There will be many guests who are allowed to stay with the Bride and Groom for all of eternity. These people will be served night and day by us and it will be a glorious life for them. It will not be a life as one with Jesus, but it will be a glorious life none the less.

Then I heard a mighty voice from the throne and I perceived its distinct words, saying, See! The abode of God is with men, and He will live (encamp, tent) among them; and they shall be His people, and God shall personally be with them and be their God. God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and death shall be no more, neither shall there be anguish (sorrow and mourning) nor grief nor pain any more, for the old conditions and the former order of things have passed away. Revelation 21:3-4

Those who are called and chosen will be the Bride, we will be one with Jesus, we will no longer be men, we will be as Jesus is, 1 John 3:2. These verses in Revelation are not talking about the Bride of Christ, but they are talking about the gifts that the guests of the wedding receive from the Father of Groom. So not a bad way to spend eternity is it? There will be no death for the guests who are allowed to stay, no fear, no anguish, no sorrow, and no mourning and everything will be provided by God as He is living right there with them.

The Holy Spirit tells us that we rule and reign with Jesus, our Groom, for all of eternity. The body does not rule and reign over itself. The arm does not rule the lungs and the lungs do not rule the feet. Body parts are all one and we are now and forevermore the one Body of Christ. So there has to be people that we rule and reign over, these people are the guests that Jesus talks about in this parable.

The guests that are allowed to stay and live forever in the Marriage Supper are those who did not commit the only unforgivable sin, blasphemy of the Holy Spirit. Isn’t this parable great?

There Is A Hell

Then the king said to the attendants, Tie him hand and foot, and throw him into the darkness outside; there will be weeping and grinding of teeth. Matthew 22:13

There will be those whose names will not be in the Book of Life and they will be cast into the Lake of Fire. Lately I have heard a lot of people saying and teaching that there is not a Hell. The Bible teaches us that there is a Hell. But remember in this parable of the Wedding Feast, Jesus only mentions a very small amount of people will be cast out of the very, very, full Wedding Supper of the Lamb. The glorious Truth is that far more people will be left on the earth as guests of the Bride, then will be cast into Hell. There is also another glorious Truth, those who are cast into Hell will consume away as smoke and there will not even be a coal of fire to warm yourself by, Psalm 37:20, Malachi 4:1, and Isaiah 47:14.

And if anyone's [name] was not found recorded in the Book of Life, he was hurled into the lake of fire. Revelation 20:15

The people who are cast into the Lake of Fire will simply cease to be, they will not suffer eternally as I was taught as a child. Look at 1 Thessalonians 1:9. The Holy Spirit teaches us that these people will be cast out of the presence, glory, and power of the Lord. Think about that, isn't our Father omnipotent? So the only way to be out of His presence is to not be at all. There is a Hell and we know for sure that at least one person will be cast into it and when he is, he will simply cease to be. Just like death and Hades will cease to be, so will those who are cast into the Lake of Fire.

I hope that it is just one person as Jesus taught in this parable of the Marriage Supper. It is my earnest prayer that only one person will ever commit Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit and that the rest of humanity will be able to be forgiven. We may not all be Jesus' Bride, but amen, let's have a huge wedding and have billions upon billions of guests!

Who Get's Thrown Into The Lake of Fire?

And he said, Friend, how did you come in here without putting on the [appropriate] wedding garment? And he was speechless ([muzzled, gagged). Matthew 22:12

When our Father comes to the Wedding Supper He judges the guests of the wedding. Everyone who has ever lived is at the Wedding Feast at this time and Jesus tells us that all of the guests are judged by the King. Notice that God does not judge the Bride when He comes, He judges the guests. Also notice that out of a room full of guests, our Father only finds one person that is not worthy to be there. If it were such a given that so many people are to be thrown into the Lake of Fire, why wouldn’t Jesus have said the King found many who were not appropriately dressed? We are shown in Revelation that when God comes to the earth, everyone who has ever lived is here and yet Jesus only says that God found one who was not worthy to stay.

This is a great topic to study. I have always been taught that far more of us will be thrown into the Lake of Fire than won’t be thrown into it. Yet Jesus doesn’t allude to that in this parable at all and Jesus used this parable to tell us what the kingdom of Heaven is like. Jesus tells us here that a very small amount of people are thrown out of the Wedding Feast. Jesus does tell us that there are people who will be thrown into the Lake of Fire, but He doesn’t tell us that it is a majority of the guests at the Wedding Feast or even many of the guests at the Wedding Supper.

There is only one unforgivable sin according the Bible and that sin is blasphemy of the Holy Spirit. The people who commit this sin will have no defense and they will be unable to defend their actions that took the attention away from the Holy Spirit and directed it towards themselves and man. This is why Jesus tells us in the parable that the man was speechless.

And so I tell you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. Matthew 12:31

If anyone sees his brother commit a sin that does not lead to death, he should pray and God will give him life. I refer to those whose sin does not lead to death. There is a sin that leads to death. I am not saying that he should pray about that. All wrongdoing is sin, and there is sin that does not lead to death. 1 John 5:16-17

There is only one sin that leads to death and that sin is blasphemy of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit has John write that there are sins that do not lead to death and those sins are every other sin other than blasphemy of the Holy Spirit. Every sin can be forgiven except blasphemy of the Holy Spirit. So what is blasphemy of the Holy Spirit? This sin is when people in positions of power over the people try to have the people rely on themselves and not on God. It is the sin of anti-christ. It is the sin of people believing and persuading others to believe and put their trust in man and not in God. It is the sin that puts trust in the works of man. Look at who is guilty of it in Matthew 7:22-24

Many will say to Me on that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name and driven out demons in Your name and done many mighty works in Your name? And then I will say to them openly (publicly), I never knew you; depart from Me, you who act wickedly [disregarding My commands].

These people all took the credit for what they did. They did the works in Jesus’ name, but they are anti-christ. They proclaim what they did, not what Christ did through them. They credited the works of our Father to man and themselves and not to the Holy Spirit; they blasphemed the Holy Spirit. This sin is unforgivable. Yet this sin is also very, and I do mean very difficult, to commit. Look at the Jewish Leaders who lied about Jesus, tried to discredit His works, they tried to say satan was doing the works that the Holy Spirit was doing through the Disciples, and had Jesus killed, and Jesus still forgave them. So this is an incredibly rare sin and while Jesus tells us that it will be committed, in this parable Jesus only refers to one who has.

All other sin does not lead to being thrown into the Lake of Fire, or death. I know how that sounds, believe me, I know how that sounds. But look at what happens at the end of the Millennial Reign, every human that has ever lived will be raised up to be a the Wedding Feast. The books are opened, it is plain for us to see what every one has ever done. As we see these things, we will ask for their forgiveness and they will be forgiven. We will ask for everyone who has not committed blasphemy of the Holy Spirit to be forgiven and they will be and they will eternally be alive for us to serve and rule and reign over. These people will never be the Bride of Christ, but they will be eternally the guests of the Bride. This Truth should bring you great peace and joy!

To help you grasp the reality of how many are permitted to be the eternal guests of the Bride and Groom of Christ, I want you to think about Jesus and His life here on the earth. The Word teaches us that He is the same yesterday, today, and forever, Hebrews 13:8. When Jesus was here who did He sternly rebuke? Was it the adulterous woman, the tax collectors, the notable sinners, the prostitute, or was it the Pharisees and Scribes? Who does Jesus tell us to beware of, the sinners or the wolves in sheep’s clothing, who are false religious leaders, Matthew 7:15? Jesus provided for and constantly forgave and had compassion for the sinners, yet He openly rebuked and went after those religious people who were close to committing blasphemy of the Holy Spirit. Jesus will not change, these are the same people who will be thrown out of the Wedding Supper into the Lake of Fire. The people who are thrown out of the Wedding Supper are the people who complained that Jesus was with the notable sinners.

When Jesus was being crucified what did He do? He forgave those who were doing it, right? When the disciples asked Jesus, how often do we forgive, Jesus said to them seventy times seven times. Jesus never changes and He will not change when the books are opened to judge the guests. Jesus plainly tells us us in this parable that only one was found by our Father who could not stay at the Wedding Supper. And the one found unworthy is the ones who committed blasphemy of the Holy Spirit, we know this because every other sin does not lead to death. We will intercede and forgive every sin, other than blasphemy of the Holy Spirit, so that a majority of the guests will be allowed to stay.

So how can the Word say that there will be no murderers, or sorcerers, or witches, or adulterers in the Kingdom of Heaven?

But as for the cowards and the ignoble and the contemptible and the cravenly lacking in courage and the cowardly submissive, and as for the unbelieving and faithless, and as for the depraved and defiled with abominations, and as for murderers and the lewd and adulterous and the practicers of magic arts and the idolaters (those who give supreme devotion to anyone or anything other than God) and all liars (those who knowingly convey untruth by word or deed)--[all of these shall have] their part in the lake that blazes with fire and brimstone. This is the second death. Revelation 21:8

There will be none of these people in the Kingdom because all of these sins will be forgiven. Yet for those who committed blasphemy of the Holy Spirit, they will have their part in the Lake of Fire. Those who commit blasphemy of the Holy Spirit are cowards and ignoble. They are unbelieving and faithless. They are defiled with abominations and lewd and practicers of magic arts, the trust in man and not in God. They are liars and they knowingly convey untruth. Look at the Pharisees and Scribes. They were cowards of the Romans. They saw marvelous things and yet did not believe and they had no faith. They were murderers and practiced things that were definitely not of God and they knowingly conveyed untruths. Those who commit blasphemy of the Holy Spirit will have their part in the Lake of Fire, but as for the rest of the sinners, their sin does not lead to death. So they are permitted to stay eternally at the Wedding Feast because their sins will be forgiven.

When Our Father Comes There Will Be A Ton Of Forgiveness!

But when the king came in to view the guests, he looked intently at a man there who had on no wedding garment. Matthew 22:11

Remember in this parable that the King is God. Revelation 20:11 shows us our Father coming to the Marriage Supper of the Bride.

Then I saw a great white throne and the One Who was seated upon it, from Whose presence and from the sight of Whose face earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them.

When our Father comes to the Marriage Supper, every human that was ever born will be there. The dead are raised up to be here with Him and all of us who are alive are with Him. This is why Jesus told us that the room was filled with both good and bad.

I [also] saw the dead, great and small; they stood before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is [the Book] of Life. And the dead were judged (sentenced) by what they had done [their whole way of feeling and acting, their aims and endeavors] in accordance with what was recorded in the books. And the sea delivered up the dead who were in it, death and Hades (the state of death or disembodied existence) surrendered the dead in them, and all were tried and their cases determined by what they had done [according to their motives, aims, and works]. Revelation 20:12-13

Notice here in Revelation that we are told that only the dead are judged, not that the living are judged. We are also shown that that the Bride is not judged here; we are only shown that the dead are judged. I want you to ask yourself this question, why does our Father raise up the dead souls and reunite them with their bodies? Ask yourself this as well, is our Father the same yesterday, today, and forever? How many times does Jesus teach us to forgive? Did Jesus set the captives free from Hades when He went there for the 3 days following His crucifixion?

The answers all have to deal with the guests. Jesus forgave those in Hades when He went there and He set them free, 1 Peter 3. These souls that we are shown in Revelation 20 are raised and reunited to be with their bodies to be our guests for eternity. Our Father never changes and He tells us to forgive 70 times 7 times. We pray in the Lord's prayer to forgive and that is what is done here when these people are raised up. All of peoples sin's shall be forgiven them except one, blasphemy of the Holy Spirit, Matthew 12:31.

There is a Lake of Fire, a Hell, and we will be shown in the next verses that at least one person will be thrown into it. So at least one person will commit this unforgivable sin of Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit. But for the rest of the guests who don't commit the only unforgivable sin, their sins shall be forgiven them and they will be blessed for eternity as our Wedding guests!

1000 Years Of Everyone Being Blessed

And those servants went out on the crossroads and got together as many as they found, both bad and good, so [the room in which] the wedding feast [was held] was filled with guests. Matthew 22:10

In this verse we are shown that Jesus is now ruling the world and the wicked who sided with the anti-christ have been destroyed. The unworthy who took the mark of the beast have been removed and yet there are still people for us to go and bring to the Marriage Supper. Notice that Jesus does not tell us that at this time people are allowed to not come to the celebration: as many as are found, both good and bad, are brought to feast and all are blessed! During this 1,000 years Jesus is in total control of the earth. It is a time of prosperity, peace, and health as has never been experienced before by man.

Jesus and His Bride will rule for these 1,000 years with a rod of iron. There will be no ability for people to descent the invitation to be blessed super abundantly by our Father.

And He shall rule them with a sceptre (rod) of iron, as when earthen pots are broken in pieces, and [his power over them shall be] like that which I Myself have received from My Father; Revelation 2:27

From His mouth goes forth a sharp sword with which He can smite (afflict, strike) the nations; and He will shepherd and control them with a staff (scepter, rod) of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fierceness of the wrath and indignation of God the All-Ruler (the Almighty, the Omnipotent). Revelation 19:15

There will be bad people here during this time. They just wont be allowed to do anything bad, Jesus and His Bride will not allow it. We know that there will be bad people here for the Millennial Reign, because millions of wicked people will rise up at the end of the 1,000 years and rebel against Jesus when satan is released from the abyss. Our Father allows this to happen because He is the One Who release satan.

So we see here that when Jesus returns there will still be people around. The Bride of Christ will have been transformed to be like Him and we will rule and serve with Him. The glorious Truth is that there are millions of people around being served. Our Father shows His grace and favor without any sin, war, famine, economic downturns, or any other distraction. Everyone good and bad will be blessed by Jesus and us who are His Bride.

I was always taught that when Jesus returns there wouldn't be any body left but the saved, but here we clearly see that both good and bad are around to be served at the Wedding Feast. Remember that Revelation taught us that the Wedding Feast does not begin until the 7th Trumpet, or the last trumpet, sounds. When it does sound, Jesus immediately returns to the earth and the Feast begins. And here we see that the earth is filled with both good and bad people and they are all blessed.

And when the thousand years are completed, Satan will be released from his place of confinement. And he will go forth to deceive and seduce and lead astray the nations which are in the four quarters of the earth--Gog and Magog--to muster them for war; their number is like the sand of the sea. And they swarmed up over the broad plain of the earth and encircled the fortress (camp) of God's people (the saints) and the beloved city; but fire descended from heaven and consumed them. Revelation 20:7-9

The Wedding Feast Is For More Than The Bride And Groom

So go to the thoroughfares where they leave the city [where the main roads and those from the country end] and invite to the wedding feast as many as you find. Matthew 22:9

The Marriage Supper begins right after the wicked and unworthy have been removed from the earth and Jesus returns to rule. Now this is the really cool thing, the Marriage Supper never ends after that!

After that I heard what sounded like the shout of a vast throng, like the boom of many pounding waves, and like the roar of terrific and mighty peals of thunder, exclaiming, Hallelujah (praise the Lord)! For now the Lord our God the Omnipotent (the All-Ruler) reigns! Let us rejoice and shout for joy [exulting and triumphant]! Let us celebrate and ascribe to Him glory and honor, for the marriage of the Lamb [at last] has come, and His bride has prepared herself. She has been permitted to dress in fine (radiant) linen, dazzling and white--for the fine linen is (signifies, represents) the righteousness (the upright, just, and godly living, deeds, and conduct, and right standing with God) of the saints (God's holy people). Then [the angel] said to me, Write this down: Blessed (happy, to be envied) are those who are summoned (invited, called) to the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he said to me [further], These are the true words (the genuine and exact declarations) of God. Revelation 19:6-9

We are told that all who are summoned to the Marriage Supper are blessed. This means that all who are allowed to be here during the Millennial Reign of Christ and beyond will be blessed. A wedding feast has more than just the Bride and Groom, it has guests, and all who are here for the celebration are blessed!

That is a really easy Truth to grasp, of course we will be blessed, but the Truth that there are going to be people there that are not the Bride is something else. The next couple of verses that we will study are going to show us that there are others and this Truth should bring us all great peace and joy. The fear of everyone who is not saved, or the Bride, or born again, whatever term we use, goes away when the Truth is revealed that there are guests at the Wedding Feast, which is eternity. Get ready because over the next couple of days the Truth of this is going to be shown!

Untold Millions Survive The Great Tribulation

Then he said to his servants, The wedding [feast] is prepared, but those invited were not worthy. Matthew 22:8

Let’s talk about the Great Tribulation for a minute. When our Father comes to pour His wrath out on man, a great percentage of humanity will not survive the events of God’s wrath. Jesus tells us that the wicked who tormented and killed the messengers will be killed themselves. This is referred to in the Book of Revelation as those who took the mark of the beast.

And the beast was seized and overpowered, and with him the false prophet who in his presence had worked wonders and performed miracles by which he led astray those who had accepted or permitted to be placed upon them the stamp (mark) of the beast and those who paid homage and gave divine honors to his statue. Both of them were hurled alive into the fiery lake that burns and blazes with brimstone. And the rest were killed with the sword that issues from the mouth of Him Who is mounted on the horse, and all the birds fed ravenously and glutted themselves with their flesh. Revelation 19:20

And the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever; and they have no respite (no pause, no intermission, no rest, no peace) day or night--these who pay homage to the beast and to his image and whoever receives the stamp of his name upon him. Revelation 14:11

Yet not all of mankind will be killed off during the last 3 1/2 years of this earth age. Jesus tells us this Truth in Matthew 24:22.

And if those days had not been shortened, no human being would endure and survive, but for the sake of the elect (God's chosen ones) those days will be shortened.

These days are shortened for our sakes. Yet it is not so that we won’t be killed by our Father’s wrath. The elect have not been appointed unto God’s wrath, 1 Thessalonians 5:9. The Truth for the Bride is that even if we are killed during or die before the Great Tribulation, we will be raised up to enjoy the Marriage Supper.

For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a loud cry of summons, with the shout of an archangel, and with the blast of the trumpet of God. And those who have departed this life in Christ will rise first. Then we, the living ones who remain [on the earth], shall simultaneously be caught up along with [the resurrected dead] in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air; and so always (through the eternity of the eternities) we shall be with the Lord! 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17

Every one of us who is part of the Bride will rule and serve with Jesus for the Millennial Reign of Christ.

Blessed (happy, to be envied) and holy (spiritually whole, of unimpaired innocence and proved virtue) is the person who takes part (shares) in the first resurrection! Over them the second death exerts no power or authority, but they shall be ministers of God and of Christ (the Messiah), and they shall rule along with Him a thousand years. Revelation 20:6

The Truth is that these last days are shortened, so that we will have someone to serve during Christ’s Millennial Reign. Not all of the unsaved, or guests, will be killed during the Great Tribulation. There will be a great number of non-saved people who do not take the mark of the beast during the Great Tribulation Everyone will not side with the anti-christ and false prophet during these last 3 1/2 years. There are actually going to be millions of people who do not side with them and who also are not called to be part of the Bride. These are going to be the guests at the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. This will be shown to us over the next two verses.

Jesus Shows Us The Great Tribulation

[Hearing this] the king was infuriated; and he sent his soldiers and put those murderers to death and burned their city. Matthew 22:7

Jesus tells us here of the Great Tribulation. The time when our Father pours His wrath out on the wicked of this world.

And [how you] look forward to and await the coming of His Son from heaven, Whom He raised from the dead--Jesus, Who personally rescues and delivers us out of and from the wrath [bringing punishment] which is coming [upon the impenitent] and draws us to Himself [investing us with all the privileges and rewards of the new life in Christ, the Messiah]. 1 Thessalonians 1:10

But by your callous stubbornness and impenitence of heart you are storing up wrath and indignation for yourself on the day of wrath and indignation, when God's righteous judgment (just doom) will be revealed. Romans 2:5

There is coming a time when our Father will come and punish those who have mistreated the Bride. We have always been used to tell the Truth and we have always been mistreated for it. There will come a time when our Father says enough and comes and takes care of business and puts and end to the mistreatment of His Son’s Bride.

That being said let me ask you a question here, what did Jesus do to those who mistreated Him? He asked for their forgiveness as they were killing Him. What does Jesus tell us to do to those who mistreat us? He tells us to forgive them, to pray for them, and to bless them. Jesus tells us to continually do these things to those who mistreat us and who even kill us. The guests will reap what they sow, yet the glorious Truth is that they will be forgiven and summoned to the Wedding Feast of the Bride. They may not be part of the Bride, but they will be guests, just wait to see what Jesus tells us later in this parable.

Our Father is the same yesterday, today, and forever, He never changes. Jesus forgave the unworthy guests when He was on the Cross and He will forgive the unworthy guests who followed those who killed Him. Only those who commit Blasphemy of the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. This is such a great topic of study and I pray that the Holy Spirit will lead you into it. The Truth is that the Kingdom of Heaven will be filled with an uncountable number of guests who have been forgiven.

The Bride Will Be Mistreated

While the others seized his servants, treated them shamefully, and put them to death. Matthew 22:6

Jesus shows us that His Bride, God’s servants, will be mistreated and even put to death in this world until He returns and the Marriage Supper actually begins. Right now in the parable people are being called to be part of the Bride. The Wedding is taking place during this time.

There is coming a time when the Bride as a whole will be violently mistreated. Right now we see bits and peaces of what is to come. With all that is happening over the last couple of years in the world I have been asked a lot is this the end times? The Holy Spirit always has me answer the same way, no, this is just the beginning birth pains. When we see the Bride empowered with the power of the Kingdom, when we see the works that Jesus did and greater works happening through us, and when we see the Gospel of the Kingdom being preached to every nation, then will the end come.

Also, no one is crying out peace and safety right now. They will be saying that before Jesus returns and there will be peace and safety at that time. There will be peace and safety because the Bride will be empowered as we never have before to be used by our Father in the full strength of His might. The world will take credit for it and brag about how they have done it and then sudden destruction will come on them. So no this is not the end times.

The Bride Is Called To Serve The Guests

And sent his servants to summon those who had been invited to the wedding banquet, but they refused to come. Again he sent other servants, saying, Tell those who are invited, Behold, I have prepared my banquet; my bullocks and my fat calves are killed, and everything is prepared; come to the wedding feast. But they were not concerned and paid no attention [they ignored and made light of the summons, treating it with contempt] and they went away--one to his farm, another to his business, Matthew 22:3-5

These three verses show us the Truth that we will be used by the Holy Spirit to call many to be part of the Bride. We will be empowered by the Holy Spirit to do so until the day that Jesus returns to set up His Millennial Reign. Many from Israel and many from the rest of the world will be called and told about the Truth, but only a few will be chosen to be Jesus' Bride, or another name for the Bride: God’s servants. An interesting note here: the Bible never teaches us that all will be called, but only that many will be called. The world cannot receive salvation, which is the privilege of becoming one with our Father and being used by Him serve the Kingdom, unless they are first chosen and empowered by the Holy Spirit to accept the calling. Jesus came to serve and we are one with Him, so we will be as He is, even while we are in this earth, 1 John 4:17.

Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking under the power and influence of the [Holy] Spirit of God can [ever] say, Jesus be cursed! And no one can [really] say, Jesus is [my] Lord, except by and under the power and influence of the Holy Spirit. 1 Corinthians 12:3

Jesus refers to the Kingdom of Heaven as being like a Wedding Feast. At the Wedding Feast the Bride and Groom serve the Guests. The Bride and Groom make all of the arrangements so that the guests will have a great time and receive the best of things. Look at the wine that Jesus made from water for the wedding that He attended, it was the best that the people had ever tasted, John 2:8-10. Also remember that this parable is about the Wedding Feast, not the actual Wedding. The Wedding, when we were actually joined with Jesus was before the world ever was. We were chosen before we ever were. When we are born again is when we finally are made aware of the Truth that we are joined with Christ and married to Him. What Jesus is talking about here in this parable is the feast, the celebration of the wedding.

Think about this now, did any of the guests at the Wedding Jesus attended in John acknowledge Him as Lord? Or did they all know that He was the One that turned the water to wine? No one acknowledged Him as Lord at the Wedding Feast and not everyone there knew what He had done, yet they all were served by Jesus. This should begin to show you the Truth about who the guest are in eternity. This parable is a Truth about the Kingdom of Heaven and the Truth is that there are guests in Heaven, not everyone is the Bride!

Who Is The Bride of Christ?

The kingdom of heaven is like a king who gave a wedding banquet for his son. Matthew 22:2

The King here in this parable is God and the King’s Son is Jesus. Jesus tells us that our Father is going to throw a party for Him and His Bride. The question here for us is: who is Jesus’ Bride?

Neither for these alone do I pray [it is not for their sake only that I make this request], but also for all those who will ever come to believe in (trust in, cling to, rely on) Me through their word and teaching, That they all may be one, [just] as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be one in Us, so that the world may believe and be convinced that You have sent Me. I have given to them the glory and honor which You have given Me, that they may be one [even] as We are one: I in them and You in Me, in order that they may become one and perfectly united, that the world may know and [definitely] recognize that You sent Me and that You have loved them [even] as You have loved Me. John 17:20-23

Let us rejoice and shout for joy [exulting and triumphant]! Let us celebrate and ascribe to Him glory and honor, for the marriage of the Lamb [at last] has come, and His bride has prepared herself. She has been permitted to dress in fine (radiant) linen, dazzling and white--for the fine linen is (signifies, represents) the righteousness (the upright, just, and godly living, deeds, and conduct, and right standing with God) of the saints (God's holy people). Revelation 19:7-8

The Bride of Christ is all of us who have been chosen by God to be one with Jesus. The important thing to remember as we study about the Marriage Supper of the Lamb is that those of us who are the Bride, were chosen by God to be the Bride. Just as our Father chose Jesus to be the Groom, we have been chosen by God to be the Bride.

And this is the will of Him Who sent Me, that I should not lose any of all that He has given Me, but that I should give new life and raise [them all] up at the last day. John 6:39

No one is able to come to Me unless the Father Who sent Me attracts and draws him and gives him the desire to come to Me, and [then] I will raise him up [from the dead] at the last day. John 6:44

For many are called (invited and summoned), but few are chosen. Matthew 22:14

And He said, This is why I told you that no one can come to Me unless it is granted him [unless he is enabled to do so] by the Father. John 6:65

And Peter answered them, Repent (change your views and purpose to accept the will of God in your inner selves instead of rejecting it) and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of and release from your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise [of the Holy Spirit] is to and for you and your children, and to and for all that are far away, [even] to and for as many as the Lord our God invites and bids to come to Himself. Acts 2:38-39

And the children were yet unborn and had so far done nothing either good or evil. Even so, in order further to carry out God's purpose of selection (election, choice), which depends not on works or what men can do, but on Him Who calls [them], It was said to her that the elder [son] should serve the younger [son]. As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated (held in relative disregard in comparison with My feeling for Jacob). Romans 9:11-13

When Jesus spoke this parable the tradition was that the father of the groom chose the bride for his son. The glorious Truth for us is that we do not first call on Jesus to be our Lord, our Father first calls and chooses us to be saved. We were called and chosen to be the Bride before the world ever was created.

But when He, Who had chosen and set me apart [even] before I was born and had called me by His grace (His undeserved favor and blessing), saw fit and was pleased Galatians 1:15

This is so glorious, because it means that our Father knew all of our faults and weaknesses before He ever chose us. None of that matters, only the grace of God matters, and we have been given God’s free grace as He has called and chosen us to be His Son’s Bride.