What Does Jesus Say?
What Does Jesus Say about the Rapture?
Matt. 25:1-13 What does Jesus say about the rapture? “Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins, who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish [thoughtless, silly, and careless], and five were wise [far-sighted, practical, and sensible]. For when the foolish took their lamps, they did not take any [extra] oil with them, but the wise took flasks of oil along with their lamps.
Do we have oil in our lamps?
Now while the bridegroom was delayed, they all began to nod off, and they fell asleep. But at midnight there was a shout, ‘Look! The bridegroom [is coming]! Go out to meet him.’ Then all those virgins got up and put their own lamps in order [trimmed the wicks and added oil and lit them]. But the foolish virgins said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, because our lamps are going out.’ There’s an oil shortage problem here. But the wise replied, ‘No, otherwise there will not be enough for us and for you, too; go instead to the dealers and buy oil for yourselves.’
What does Jesus say about the rapture?
But while they were going away to buy oil, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding feast; [rapture] and the door was shut and locked. Later the others also came, and said, ‘Lord, Lord, open [the door] for us.’ But He replied, ‘I assure you and most solemnly say to you, I do not know you. [We have no relationship].’ Therefore, be on the alert [be prepared and ready], for you do not know the day nor the hour [when the Son of Man will come].
Oil symbolizes relationship
John 6:63 “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.” If we hear His words and apply them, put them into practice, adhere to them, then we have life within us. We have relationship with Him! Our lamps are filled with oil so to speak. Oil holds deep symbolic meaning in the Bible. It represents the presence of the Holy Spirit and the anointing of God’s chosen ones. Oil in the bible symbolizes the spirit and life and relationship.
The people enter into a covenant
In 2 Chronicles 15:12-14 The people enter into a covenant with the Lord to seek and yearn for Him with all their heart and all their soul. They did well but stumbled in verse 14 when they took an oath. [This created an oil shortage.] Oath taking is a stumbling block because it implies that you are able to accomplish the behavior contained in the oath by your own strength.
Don’t make a promise, pledge, or take an oath
Matt. 5:33-37 “Again, you have heard that it was said to the men of old, ‘YOU SHALL NOT MAKE FALSE VOWS, BUT YOU SHALL FULFILL YOUR VOWS TO THE LORD [as a religious duty].’ “But I say to you, do not make an oath at all. Either by heaven, for it is the throne of God; or by the earth, for it is the footstool of His feet; or by Jerusalem, for it is THE CITY OF THE GREAT KING. “Nor shall you make an oath by your head, for you are not able to make a single hair white or black. “But let your statement be, ‘Yes, yes’ or ‘No, no’. [A firm yes or no]; anything more than that comes from the evil one.”
So, instead of promising, making a pledge, or taking an oath let your response be yes I want to do this thing. I want to effectively participate, Lord, in whatever capacity you would have for me. But I need your help in order to accomplish the task. I have learned that I can do nothing without your help. John 15:5 “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; [for without Me you can do nothing].
We need oil in our lamps so that we can be on the alert [prepared and ready], because we do not know the day nor the hour [when the Son of Man will come]. Rapture!
Lord forgive us for pledging, promising, taking an oath and not adhering to your words. Help us to keep your sayings so that we can have lamps and flasks filled with oil and be ready for rapture!