The Coronavirus Helps The Foolish Become Wise
Yahshua (Jesus), in giving “the Parable of the Ten Virgins”, was instructing and warning us to make wise choices in everyday life, by making every effort to be found righteous, ready, and waiting as a pure bride for her coming holy bridegroom (Matthew 25:1-13). The foolish virgins in this parable represent the many professing believers, who have spent very little time seeking to cultivate an intimate personal relationship with their Savior and neglected to purchase the oil of the Holy Spirit to fill their lives. Until the Coronavirus, most have been too busy, self-serving, people pleasing, and consumed with the things of this temporary world. Yahshua (Jesus), our eternal Bridegroom, speaks of the foolish virgins as adulteresses, it is written, “You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God” (James 4:4). So many “believers” have been on a destructive path. They have been deceived and distracted by the many pulls and preoccupations with this world and its enticements and pleasures. Consequently, many Christians have become double minded, superficial, and worst of all they are seen as an adulteress enemy in the sight of our Savior, because they have “left their first love” (Revelation 2:4).
“Do not be deceived and tempted by Satan with the temporary pleasures and riches of this passing world”
The Holy Spirit says, “… I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy; for I betrothed you to one husband, so that to Messiah I might present you as a pure virgin. But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Messiah [Christ]” (2 Corinthians 11:2-3). Apostle Paul is cautioning the believers that they not be deceived and tempted by Satan with the temporary pleasures and riches of this passing world. He grieved knowing that many would be led astray and would forget to purchase the necessary oil of the Spirit in order to be ready for the Bridegroom and the long awaited marriage supper of the Lamb” (Revelation 9:6-9). In the parable, when the foolish virgins awoke and realized the bridegroom arrived, it was far too late to purchase the oil of the Spirit to fill their empty, “lukewarm”, self-pleasing lives. It is written, “while the [foolish virgins] were going away to make the purchase [of the oil], the bridegroom came, and the [spiritually prepared wise virgins who] were ready went in with Him to the wedding feast; and the door was shut. Later the other virgins [the unprepared foolish] also came, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open up for us.’ But he answered, ‘Truly I say to you, I do not know you.’ Be on the alert then, for you do not know the day nor the hour” (Matthew 25:6-8,10-13). Let us be motivated and take to heart, that our Savior was magnifying the reality that all ten virgins professed to know and love the bridegroom, but only five were wise with foresight to be prepared and ready. The other five were foolish and had only a shallow confession of faith; they were distracted and preoccupied, greatly lacking the oil of the Holy Spirit, and due to their hindsight they were not ready for His return and missed the wedding and the eternal kingdom.
“In the last days difficult times will come”, the Coronavirus is being used as a powerful warning and discipline to stop His people from continuing on a reckless “broad path” that has taken many of His children far away from the righteous “narrow path that leads to eternal life”
At this late hour, this terrorizing pandemic is a sobering merciful wake up call and count down to the end of the age. It is time for the many who profess to love our God and Savior to be shaken and awakened in order to become part of the remnant of wise virgins, consumed as a bride to be ready for the eternal union with her bridegroom. The Almighty says, “I am a jealous God” (Exodus 20:5). Our Savior’s passionate love compelled Him to sacrifice His life to “purchase” a holy bride to spend eternity with Him (1 Corinthians 6:20, Revelation 9:6-9). Our Creator is mercifully allowing the world to be shaken and derailed off its track, alerting humanity that life will not go on as usual. Yahveh Almighty said, “I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens … so that those things which cannot be shaken [in and by the Spirit] may remain” (Hebrews 12:26-27). It is written that, “In the last days difficult times will come”, the Coronavirus is being used as a powerful warning and discipline to stop His people from continuing on a reckless “broad path” that has taken many of His children far away from the righteous “narrow path that leads to eternal life” (2 Timothy 3:1, Matthew 7:13-14). Through this time of global quarantine, our Heavenly Father is giving us added time and mercy to reassess and reprioritize our lives in order to prayerfully obtain the wisdom to fill up with the oil of the Spirit. Apostle Paul’s words encourage us, he said, “We know that Yahveh God causes all things to work together for good to those who love [Him], to those who are called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28).
““Do not call conspiracy everything this people calls a conspiracy; You are not to fear what they fear or be in dread of it. It is Yahveh of hosts whom you should regard as holy. And He shall be your fear, and He shall be your dread””
The source of this looming pandemic is irrelevant because ultimately our holy God is sovereignly in control. Through out biblical and world history the Almighty uses His enemies to judge and destroy the heathen nations and as a refiner’s fire to purge His own people for the prideful sin of rebellion and idolatry continually flaunted in His holy face. It is written, “… It is time for judgment to begin with the household of God” (1 Peter 4:17). Yahshua (Jesus) in omnipotent mercy allows judgment to purify His people to become the holy virginal bride that His sacrificial blood redeemed us to be (Malachi 3:2). The Coronavirus is destroying many idols of this world that have kept His redeemed people preoccupied and spiritually far away from Him. “Yahveh God knows who are His” and He is calling them to wholehearted “godly sorrow leading to repentance” because “death has climbed in our windows” (2Timothy 2:19, 2 Corinthians 7:10, Jeremiah 9:21). Although there is terror on the earth, it is written, “Do not call conspiracy everything this people calls a conspiracy; You are not to fear what they fear or be in dread of it. It is Yahveh of hosts whom you should regard as holy. And He shall be your fear, and He shall be your dread”. “The fear of the Lord Yahveh is the beginning of wisdom”. Our Heavenly Father is teaching us to “number our days to gain a heart of wisdom” by which to “redeem the time for the days are evil” (Isaiah 8:12-13, Psalm 90:10,12, Ephesians 5:16).
“Although the walls of quarantine are closing in on multitudes, those who are seeking the Savior with all their hearts will find an open heaven to draw closer to Him”
During this perilous Coronavirus, as the walls of quarantine are closing in on multitudes, many freedoms are being taken away to go out and about into the world, but Yahshua (Jesus) is saying to us, “come up higher” ascend upward spiritually into His presence (Revelation 11:12). The Holy Spirit says, “Come, my people, enter into your rooms And close your doors behind you; Hide for a little while until indignation runs its course” (Isaiah 26:20). Those who are seeking the Savior with all their hearts will find an open heaven to draw closer to Him. It is written, “You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart” and “He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him” (Jeremiah 29:13, Hebrews 11:6). We must purchase the oil of the Spirit by studying and obeying His holy Word, and learning to intimately communicate through loving prayer, praise, and worship with Yahshua (Jesus). It is vital that we cultivate a personal, one on one, relationship with our Savior, in order to obediently follow Him on that “narrow path that leads to eternal life” (Matthew 7:14). With the doors of many congregations closed, let us open our hearts to Yahshua (Jesus) who is “standing at the door knocking” (Revelation 3:20). He wants to come into our hearts, before it is too late, to build an eternal spiritual relationship with His redeemed bride.
Our Savior said that judgments will come suddenly like the “beginning of birth pains”. There would be a break between them, but as they progress these prophesied birth pains will become closer and closer together (Matthew 24:8). In the book of Revelation, we are continually warned of the coming judgments, and the required faith to overcome. Our Savior’s words are repeated several times for our fortification, saying, “This calls for patient endurance on the part of the people of God who keep His commandments and remain faithful to Yahshua [Jesus]”, and loving obey Him with all their hearts, even if it costs them their lives (Revelation 6:9, 12:17, 14:12, 20:4). Apostle Paul is a true example of faith, courage, and perseverance in the face of diverse trials, sufferings, and imprisonments. He gives us these exhortations to “triumph” through intensely perilous times. He said, "we must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God” “fixing our eyes on Yahshua (Jesus), the author and perfecter of our faith” who said, “… My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful” “These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world” (2 Corinthians 2:14, Acts 14:22, Hebrews 12:2, John14:27,16:33).
Times are challenging and will become increasingly more treacherous as we move toward the end of the age. The redeemed righteous must be building up their treasures in heaven with saving faith compelling them to “straighten up and lift up their heads, because their redemption is drawing near" (Luke 21:28). It’s midnight, there is little time left; any investments on this shaking earth are foolish. We have watched the stock market crash, the economy plummet, and the world is in terror and shut down. Yahveh Almighty is trying to get our focus and treasures wisely invested above in His eternal kingdom where it will never shake or be destroyed. Let us not be dismayed but understand that the sovereign God is holy and in lovingkindness our jealous God is sobering us up from the idolatrous and adulteress preoccupations with the things of this earth that have provoked His righteous indignation and judgments. In the midst of the Coronavirus and the forthcoming birth pains of judgment, our Savior says, “Tell the righteous, (His betrothed) that it will be well with them” (Isaiah 3:10). Regardless of what happens, our faith in His faithfulness, will keep us from fear and terror, established on the unshakable rock of our salvation, Yahshua (Jesus), who will see the redeemed righteous remnant safely into His kingdom.
“Truly, in the midst of this dark quarantined earth the light of our God and Savior is arising upon those who are surrendering their lives on His holy altar”
“Light arises in the darkness for the upright”, it is written, “gross darkness shall cover the earth, but arise and shine for thy light has come and the glory of Yahveh Almighty has risen upon us” (Psalm 112:4, see Isaiah 60:2). Truly, in the midst of this dark quarantined earth the light of our God and Savior is arising upon those who are surrendering their lives on His holy altar. We must view this unprecedented time on earth as a divinely given opportunity for building faith and endurance. It is written, “Without faith it is impossible to please God.” Yahshua (Jesus) proclaimed, “only those who endure [with faith] to the end will be saved” (Hebrews 11:6, Matthew 24:13). The accruing of faithful endurance is the oil of the Spirit that fills the lamps of our lives; this ensures that we will be amply prepared and eagerly ready as we wait for the midnight cry, ‘Here’s Yahshua (Jesus) the bridegroom! Come out and meet Him!’ (Matthew 25:6)
