Who
are the Wise and Foolish
virgins in our day?
Our Messiah Yahushua has told us
who they
are.
In many ways, in many Scripture passages,
Yahushua has given us many illustrations and direct statements that
reveal who is Wise, and who is Foolish.
In this
brief writing we will look at Scripture passages where Yahushua tells
us, in clear and simple terms, who is Wise, and who is Foolish. We will
then look at a passage in which Yahushua gives us a contrast between
the Wise and the Foolish. Let’s look at the first example.
Here
are the Wise:Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings
of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a
wise<5429> (”having understanding”)
man, which built his house upon a rock: (Matthew 7:24)
Here
are the Foolish:And every one that heareth these sayings
of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a
foolish<3474>(”hidden, not obvious to the
understanding”) man, which built his house upon the sand:
(Matthew 7:26)
In
the above pair of verses we see the simplest and clearest definitions
of the Wise and the Foolish. We see that the wise is a
“DO-er” of Yahushua’s words; the Foolish,
on the other hand, hears Yahushua’s words, but is not a
“DO-er” of His Words. Now let’s look at
another passage giving us fresh insight, as well as contrast between
the Wise and Foolish.
Here again are
the Foolish:Then he said unto them, O
fools<453> (”without understanding”),
and slow (”dull, sluggish”) of heart to believe all
that the prophets have spoken: (Luke 24:25)
Here
the foolish are said to be slow of heart to believe all that the
prophets have spoken. Let’s look closely at what is being
said.
Notice the word “believe”
used above does not refer to the Greek understanding of the word, which
is only mental, and as thoughts within the mind. Instead, the word
“believe” as used here, and throughout much of
Scripture, refers to the Hebrew understanding of the word, which means
“faithful to do,” as illustrated by Abraham and
many others mentioned for their faith.
Thus we know
that to “believe” all that the prophets have
spoken, is to be a “DO-er” of all that the prophets
have spoken.
So here we are told that the foolish
are those who are slow to be “DO-ers” of all that
the Prophets have spoken. Now let’s see the wise in contrast.
Here
again are the Wise:
In the above passage,
the wise can be seen as just the opposite of the foolish: where the
foolish were slow to believe all the prophets have spoken, the wise
were quick.
We might say that the foolish were slow
to become “DO-ers” of all that the prophets have
spoken; the wise were quick to become “DO-ers” of
all that the prophets have spoken.
Notice in Matt
7:24 above, that Yahushua tells us the wise are those that are
“DO-ers” of ‘His sayings’
— and then in Luke 24:25 He tells us the wise are those who
are quick to be “DO-ers” of ‘all the
Prophets have spoken.’
So, which one are
we to be — “DO-ers” of
Yahushua’s sayings — or
“DO-ers” of all that the Prophets have spoken?
Which
is it? Is Yahushua giving us a contradiction?
No
— Yahushua is simply reminding us that ‘His
Sayings’ are the words He gave to Moses, and to the Prophets!
Have we forgotten so soon who He really is? Think about it!
For had
ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of
me. But if ye believe not (are not a "DO-er" of) his
writings, how shall ye believe (become a "DO-er" of) my words?
(John 5:46-47)
The
obvious answer to Yahushua’s question in John 5:47 is, that
it is impossible for someone to be a “DO-er” of
Yahushua’s Words, unless he is also a
“DO-er” of Moses’ words —
because Moses’ words are Yahushua’s words
— Yahushua gave them to Moses!
Once again,
we see that to be a “DO-er” of Yahushua’s
sayings, is to be a “DO-er” of Torah, and a
“DO-er” of all the words of the Prophets. But what
does it mean to be a “DO-er” of all the words of
the prophets?
All the Words of the ProphetsLet’s
look at a sampling of the words of the Prophets, to see some examples
of what the Prophets have spoken regarding the disobedient among
Yahuweh’s people, and then draw from this what the obedient
— the Wise — will be found doing when the
Bridegroom returns:
Isaiah:
Therefore
as the fire devoureth the
stubble, and the flame consumeth the chaff, so their root shall be as
rottenness, and their blossom shall go up as dust: because they have
cast away the law ("Torah") of the LORD of hosts, and despised the word
of the Holy One of Israel. (Isaiah 5:24)
Bind up the
testimony, seal the law ("Torah") among my disciples. (Isaiah 8:16)
To
the law ("Torah") and to the testimony: if they speak not according to
this word, it is because there is no light in them. (Isaiah 8:20)
The
earth also is defiled under the inhabitants thereof; because they have
transgressed the laws ("Torah"), changed the ordinance, broken the
everlasting covenant. (Isaiah 24:5)
That this is a
rebellious people, lying children, children that will not hear the law
("Torah") of the LORD: (Isaiah 30:9)
The LORD is
well pleased for his righteousness' sake; he will magnify the law
("Torah"), and make it honourable. (Isaiah 42:21)
[This verse speaks of Messiah, and this is happening now, in our day!]
Jeremiah:
Hear,
O earth: behold, I will bring evil upon this people, even the fruit of
their thoughts, because they have not hearkened unto my words, nor to
my law ("Torah"), but rejected it. (Jeremiah 6:19) [This
verse is about
to be fulfilled among all the Believers in the earth, who continue to
reject His Law, His "Torah."]
And
the LORD saith, Because they have forsaken my law ("Torah") which I set
before them, and have not obeyed my voice, neither walked therein;
(Jeremiah 9:13)
They
are not humbled even unto this day, neither have they feared, nor
walked in my law ("Torah"), nor in my statutes, that I set before you
and before your fathers. (Jeremiah 44:10)
Because
ye have burned incense, and because ye have sinned against the LORD,
and have not obeyed the voice of the LORD, nor walked in his law
("Torah"), nor in his statutes, nor in his testimonies; therefore this
evil is happened unto you, as at this day. (Jeremiah 44:23)
Ezekiel:
But
if the wicked will turn from all his sins that he hath committed, and
keep all my statutes, and do that which is lawful and right, he shall
surely live, he shall not die. (Ezekiel 18:21)
Moreover
also I gave them my sabbaths, to be a sign between me and them, that
they might know that I am the LORD that sanctify them. (Ezekiel 20:12)
Yet
also I lifted up my hand unto them in the wilderness, that I would not
bring them into the land which I had given them, flowing with milk and
honey, which is the glory of all lands; 16 Because they despised my
judgments, and walked not in my statutes, but polluted my sabbaths: for
their heart went after their idols. (Ezekiel 20:15-16)
And
hallow my sabbaths; and they shall be a sign between me and you, that
ye may know that I am the LORD your God. (Ezekiel 20:20)
Thou
hast despised mine holy things, and hast profaned my sabbaths. (Ezekiel
22:8)
Her
priests have violated my law ("Torah"), and have profaned mine holy
things: they have put no difference between the holy and profane,
neither have they shewed difference between the unclean and the clean,
and have hid their eyes from my sabbaths, and I am profaned among them.
(Ezekiel 22:26)
And
in controversy they shall stand in judgment; and they shall judge it
according to my judgments: and they shall keep my laws ("Torah") and my
statutes in all mine assemblies; and they shall hallow my sabbaths.
(Ezekiel 44:24)
Amos:
Thus
saith the LORD; For three transgressions of Judah, and for four, I will
not turn away the punishment thereof; because they have despised the
law ("Torah") of the LORD, and have not kept his commandments, and
their lies caused them to err, after the which their fathers have
walked: (Amos 2:4)
Malachi:
Remember
ye the law ("Torah") of Moses my servant, which I commanded unto him in
Horeb for all Israel, with the statutes and judgments. (Malachi 4:4)
Can we
notice the common theme in the above verses? As this small sampling of
Scripture shows, all of Yahuweh’s Prophets continue
to call His people back to obedience to His Law — the Torah.
The Great
Divide
It is here at this point that the great
divide between the Wise and the Foolish
takes place. Most Believers today have imagined that the Prophets are
speaking only to our Jewish brethren, or perhaps only to the Old
Testament Saints. We have seen above, however, that Yahushua is
speaking to the Wise. In fact, all the New
Testament writers continue to explain in great detail how
Yahuweh’s people include all of His people, both
‘natural’ branches and ‘wild’
branches, grafted-in as one, to become included in Yahuweh’s
people Israel!
Yahushua and the Prophets are simply
calling all of Yahuweh’s people
— calling them all back to being “DO-ers”
of the Law (the “Torah”), which are none other than
Yahushua’s sayings — “these
sayings of mine” of Matt 7:24-25 — all
the words Yahushua gave to Moses and the Prophets!
So
we see that the Wise are those who become
“DO-ers” of all the Words that Yahushua gave to
Moses and the Prophets — all the words of Torah, confirmed to
us by the Prophets. The Wise today are those Born-Again Believers who
allow “Messiah-in-us” (Col 1:27) to keep the Law,
by His Grace supplied from within, just as the apostle Paul did with
great delight:
For I delight in the law of God after the
inward man: (Romans 7:22)
The
apostle Paul learned from all the words of the Prophets, and from the
living example he saw in Yahushua.
Yahushua kept,
and obeyed the Torah while living on the earth in his
own body 2,000 years ago — and He simply
wants to continue to keep, and
obey the Torah, while living in your body
today!
It is only when His Born-Again people keep
His Torah, by His Grace, that His obedience (in us)
becomes our wisdom (Deut 4:5-6). It is when we allow Him to keep His
Torah in us, that He is made to
be our wisdom (1Cor 1:30) through His works of obedience to Torah while
living in us.
Notice that in Yahushua’s
definition of the wise man in Matt 7:24, the word ‘wisdom’
appears as an action word, revealed in the action of building an
undefiled house, a proper habitation in which Yahushua will live within
us.
Sin, on the other hand, is defined as disobedience
of Torah (1John 3:4), and is thus the opposite of wisdom. All disobedience
of Torah is called iniquity,
Strong’s number <458>, and is again seen as the
realm of the Foolish in Matt 7:23 and Matt 13:41.
But
how do we gain obedience, and wisdom?
The
Beginning of Wisdom
How is
wisdom gained? Anyone who desires wisdom need only cry out to Yahuweh,
and ask Him for wisdom:
If any of you lack wisdom, let
him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and
upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. (James
1:5)
When a
man asks for wisdom, he is then enrolled in Yahuweh’s school
of wisdom. That man is then expected to be diligent to study, and to
learn the principles of wisdom, the first of which is the fear of
Yahuweh:
Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I
will teach you the fear of the LORD. (Psalms 34:11)
The fear of the LORD is the
beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that
do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever. (Psalms 111:10)
The fear of the LORD is the
instruction of wisdom; and before honour is humility.
(Proverbs 15:33)
The
result of growth in wisdom can then be seen in ones works:
Who is a wise man and
endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out
of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom.
(James 3:13)
As a man
grows in wisdom, he will become a “DO-er” of
Yahushua’s Torah, by allowing Yahushua-in-him to produce the
fruit of doing the works of keeping Torah, thus revealing the wisdom of
being a “DO-er” of His word.
The
apostle Paul, for example, as we saw above in Romans 7:22, delighted in
Yahuweh’s Torah in the inward man. The outward life of
obedience to Torah was then easily seen, as Paul continued to keep all
of Yahushua’s Sabbaths and Festivals, including Passover and
Pentecost. Paul’s example is likewise our example (Php 3:17).
We
have seen that Yahushua and the Prophets have revealed in great detail
who the wise and foolish virgins will be, simply by telling us who is
wise, and who is foolish.
Which group holds our
desire, and our affections — the Wise, or
the Foolish?
A few will make
great effort to be among the Wise.
A great majority
of the Redeemed will remain neutral by default, and so by default these
will be counted among the Foolish. They have rejected the Torah of
Yahuweh, and so they will see the soon-coming fulfillment of the first
passage of the Prophets mentioned above in Isaiah 5:24.
Those
counted among the Wise will be those who become
“DO-ers” of Yahushua’s sayings
— “DO-ers” of the words of Moses
— “DO-ers” of the example of the apostle
Paul.
They will be “DO-ers” of
of all that the Prophets have spoken.
These are the
Wise and Foolish — according to Yahushua!
—