From
the Parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins, we can easily see how the
Bride is to prepare for the Bridegroom. Let's first make a few
observations.
The 'Wise' Virgins were wise. They had
Wisdom. The Foolish virgins were not so. They did not have Wisdom.
Where did this Wisdom come from? And why did the Foolish virgins lack
wisdom? Let's find out.
What is Wisdom?
We
all desire to obtain this Wisdom. But what is it? And where does it
originate? It is apparent that Wisdom is not intelligence, but is a
quality far beyond man's own abilities. The Scriptures describe this
Wisdom in detail, so let's look there to find the answers.
Scriptures
show us that Wisdom is both given by Yahuweh, and developed by the
recipient. To have
Wisdom, one must develop the Scriptural characteristics of Wisdom.
Therefore we will first look at the
characteristics of Wisdom, as our goal, and then notice the steps we
may take to
obtain Biblical Wisdom.
Some
Characteristics of the Wise
Scripture reveals some of the
characteristics of those who are wise. These characteristics include:
a)
They have the Fear of Yahuweh (Pr 9:10; Prov 15:33)
b)
They keep ("take, fetch, buy") the Bridegroom's Commandments (Prov
10:8;
Eccl 8:5)
c) They keep the Law ("Torah")
(Prov 28:7).
d) They hearken — they hear,
and obey (Prov 1:5).
e)
They love those who rebuke (reprove, correct, chasten) them
(Prov 9:8).
How can we attain
these characteristics of the Wise? We might begin with the following
response:
a) Pray -
Let us ask Father to give us Wisdom. Father gives Wisdom to those who
ask Him for Wisdom (James 1:5).
b) Read - The
Proverbs are a
daily-dose of instruction in Wisdom, which will cause us to grow in
Grace (Prov 1:1-9; Prov 4:9).
After
we ask Yahuweh for Wisdom, let us
then understand that the 'beginning' of having Wisdom is for us to have
the 'Fear of
Yahuweh' (Prov 9:10). But knowing this reveals a choice that we must
make — we must 'choose' the Fear
of Yahuweh (Prov 1:29).
The Fear
of Yahuweh
If we desire to have the
Fear of Yahuweh, we must turn (repent) from our own way, and begin to
walk in His way. When
we first turn (repent), we become Born-Again, and we begin to "see"
spiritually (John
3:3). Being Born-Again is a one-time event, just as our natural
birth.
After we become Born-Again, we are
able to
allow the Life of Yahushua-in-us to provide His Grace – His ability
within us – to walk in obedience. Without His Grace, we are nothing,
and we can do nothing. Through His ability, His
Grace, by our willingness and obedience to Torah, we are then able go
on to develop and nurture the Scriptural characteristics of the 'Fear
of Yahuweh.' Let's look at some of these characteristics.
Some
of the characteristics of those who have the 'Fear of Yahuweh' include:
a)
They receive the Bridegroom's Words,
and hide (treasure-up) His Commandments (Prov 2:1,5).
b)
They hear, obey, and Keep the Bridegroom's Commandments (Deu 5:29; Deu
8:6;
Psalms 34:11).
c) They delight greatly in
the
Bridegroom's Torah (Ps 112:1; Rom 7:22).
d)
They fear
their Heavenly Father — they keep HIS Sabbaths (Lev 19:3).
e)
The Fear of Yahuweh is their 'Treasure' (Isa 33:6).
Those
who desire to have the Fear of Yahuweh will read, and meditate in, His
Torah day and night (Ps 1:1-2). They have a hunger and thirst after
Yahushua and His Righteousness (Mat 5:6; Mat 6:33). They will commit to
walk in His Ways, by keeping His Commandments (Deu 8:6; Deu 11.22), and
by walking in His Torah, from
'The Beginning' — from the Book of
Genesis onward (Ps 119:1-3; 2John 1:6). They will come to 'delight' in
His "Torah" (Romans 7:22; Ps 40:8; Ps 119:77,92,174).
Those
who truly desire the Fear of Yahuweh will grow in the understanding of
Yahuweh's Word. They will come to know and love Him who is Truth. They
will, out of Love for their Bridegroom, begin to abandon all the
Doctrines of Men that prevent full obedience to Torah.
They
will abandon man-made religious celebrations and practices. Instead,
they will begin to keep
Yahuweh's Sabbath Days and Feast Days (Lev
23:2-44), just as Yahushua did 2,000 years ago, as our example. They
will not allow anyone to intimidate them regarding their obedience in
this matter (Col 2:16), but instead they will 'overcome' in this Eternal Covenant
matter (Ex 31:16; Heb 13;20), and as a result will be granted entry
into the City of the King (Rev 21:7; Rev 22:14)!
How can we acquire the Fear of Yahuweh? We might begin with the following response:
a) Pray - Let us ask Father to give us the Fear of
Yahuweh, the starting point of Wisdom. Let us tell Him, out loud, 'I
choose the Fear of Yahuweh!' As we continue to ask Father for Wisdom
(Jas 1:5), let us then begin to obey the Scriptures as the Holy Spirit
opens our understanding.
b) Obey
- The first step to
growing in the Fear of Yahuweh is for us to 'hearken' — to hear and
obey the
Scriptures. This means "keep Yahushua's Commandments." For example, if
we already
keep 9 of the 10 commandments, let's try something new:
commit to keeping the Biblical 4th Commandment — of remembering, and
keeping, HIS Sabbath Day! (The Biblical Sabbath Day is Saturday-as
attested to by Jewish synagogues everywhere). Let us do what
Yahushua did!
As
we take baby-steps of obedience, Father will then open our eyes
further to the
Scriptures, to see the Truths of this obedience. For now, let us commit
ourselves to keep those things Yahushua kept! We may lose friends over
this, but that is another issue.
Hindrances to
Obtaining the Fear of Yahuweh
There are many
stumblingblocks and hindrances that would prevent us from gaining the
Fear of Yahuweh, and from gaining Wisdom. These hindrances are given to
Blind Leaders by Yahuweh Himself, as a deception and a delusion to those
who 'have not the love of the Truth.' These hindrances are in turn
given out to others who do not yet have the love of the Truth. (2Thess
2:10; Jer 6:21; Eze 3:20).
We
will not be able to
overcome these hindrances if we are half-hearted Believers. The true
overcomer must fight with all his might to overcome all the hindrances
and opposition he will face, while yet maintaining respect, honour and
submission to Yahuweh's delegated leaders, whether Blind or not.
Most of these
hindrances are seen in the following forms:
a) Doctrines
and Commandments of Men - These actually turn men away from
the Truth (Titus 1:14). This Doctrinal baggage, learned and accumulated
perhaps over many years of church-going, is the Born-Again Believer's
greatest hindrance to gaining further Scriptural Truth.
b)
Peer Pressure - This comes from friends and family, and from
well-meaning but deceived Pastors and spiritual Leaders. Once a
Believer sets out to grow beyond being 'Born-Again,' he will meet
resistance from all quarters!
c) Our own Eyes - Our
spiritual eyes of understanding are still 'mostly' closed, because most
of us want to 'figure it out,' and want to 'understand' the Scriptures before
we obey them. However, Father opens the eyes of our
understanding only as we begin to walk in a Truth!
How can we avoid these hindrances? How can we remove the stumblingblocks? We might begin with the following response:
a) Pray - Let us ask Father to give us a Love
for the Truth!
b) Pray - Let us ask Father to open our eyes to the
Truth of Scripture. Let's pray out loud to Yahuweh, the prayer in (Psalms
119:18); then cry out to Yahuweh, and ask Him for what (Jeremiah 33:3)
promises!
c) Decide - Let us decide to no longer
remain "carnal," and therefore an enemy of Yahuweh. The apostle Paul
tells us that one who is of a 'carnal' mind is an enemy of Yahuweh,
because he is not subject to the Law (the 'Torah')(Romans 8:7). Let us then act on our decision.
d)
Pray - Let us ask Father to give us a Love for, and Delight in, His Torah —
like King David, and like the apostle Paul! (Psalms 119:97; Romans
7:22).
These
on-going prayers, along with the daily reading of His Word, will be
daily reminders to us, and will help us to avoid the hindrances.
Yahuweh Opens our Eyes - that we
may Know Him
Many
have a hunger to follow Yahushua, and to walk
in His way, but don't know how. While on the road to Emmaus, Yahushua's
disciples were walking along with Yahushua. But even though they were
walking
with Him, their eyes were held closed, so that they did not really
'know' Him (Luke 24:16). It was not until later, that their eyes were
opened, and they knew Him (Luke 24:31). Yahuweh holds our eyes closed,
and He also opens our eyes. It is in the opening of our eyes that we
'know' Him.
We may be
walking with Yahushua today, just as the early Disciples of Yahushua. But
our eyes will remain closed, until Yahuweh opens them. The first step in
truly knowing Him comes when He opens our eyes, so that we would know
Him.
How can we have our eyes opened more? Our response might begin with:
a) Pray -
Ask Father to open our eyes, to see the wondrous things that come forth from His Torah (Psalms 119:18).
b)
Search the Scriptures - For the 'Covenant' issues that tell us how to
'know' Him.
c) Hearken - Begin to 'Believe' (become a "DO-er" of) what we read in the 'Torah' (John 5:47).
As
we become "DO-ers" of Torah, Yahuweh opens our eyes to such an extent
that it is comparable to the Blind receiving sight! But there is another choice to be made. We must choose to know Him.
Choosing to Know Him
The
Foolish virgins were told, "I never 'knew' you." The Wise virgins,
however, must have been 'known' by the Bridegroom, because those words
were not spoken to the Wise.
Notice
that Yahuweh gives all of us
a choice — either to serve Him, and know Him, or not to serve Him,
and know Him (Josh 24:15; Prov 1:29). He has given to His People
the
Everlasting Covenant 'sign' ("token, ensign, or banner") to those who
have chosen to 'know'
Him. These tokens or signs can be seen in (Ex 31:13; Eze 20:12; Eze
20:20). But notice
this 'sign' is not given to everyone, but only to
His People, including
those who are grafted-in to the
commonwealth of His People (Matt 2:6;
Rom 11:17-22; Eph 2:12-13).
Again we see our
choosing is a vital part of the picture, when we see that choosing the Fear of Yahuweh is
not only the beginning of Wisdom, but also the Beginning of knowledge — of the knowledge of Yahuweh (Prov 1:7; Prov 1:29).
How can we choose to serve Yahuweh, and to know him more? Our response might begin with:
a) Pray - Let us ask Father to identify all
hindrances that would prevent us from truly 'knowing' Him in accordance with His New Covenant.
b) Pray - Let us ask Father for His
Grace (His ability within us) to remove all those hindrances He
identifies. (We may have to remove ourselves from the hindrances, if
they are in the form of Doctrines of Men in a particular congregation.)
As
we continue to ask Yahuweh for Wisdom, and for the Fear of Yahuweh, and for open eyes, what is our
next step? Yahuweh gives us the following answer:
"Come, ye children, and hearken unto me (Yahuweh) [hear and obey]: and I (Yahuweh)
will teach you the Fear of Yahuweh" (Psalms 34:11). Conclusion
These
are the first baby-steps we must take, if we would be among those who desire to obtain Biblical
Wisdom. For those of us who have begun to take even these little steps
of obedience, the Bridegroom will perhaps recognise, maybe even
'know'
us when he knocks on the door!