The Parables: Understanding Hidden Mysteries
Yeshua/Jesus often spoke in Parables. A parable is a story told that has hidden value of wisdom, the story on the surface has a lesson in it, but the deeper Truths are concealed so that only people “in the know” can extract the full value of the intended meaning. I have had many people say to me, “The Word of God is simple, it says what it means and means what it says, I don’t need to treat the Bible like it is some encrypted secret code, Jesus made it simple so even a child can understand it”. Let’s hear what the Messiah says on the issue.
Mat 13:10 Then the disciples came and said to Jesus, “Why do you speak to people in parables?”
Mat 13:11 He answered them, “You have been given knowledge about the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but it hasn’t been given to them.
Mat 13:12 For to anyone who has something, more will be given, and he will have more than enough. But from the one who doesn’t have anything, even what he has will be taken away from him.
Mat 13:13 That’s why I speak to them in parables, because ‘they look but don’t see, and they listen but don’t hear or understand.’
Mat 13:14 “With them the prophecy of Isaiah is being fulfilled, which says: ‘You will listen and listen but never understand. You will look and look but never comprehend.
Mat 13:15 For this people’s heart has become dull, and their ears are hard of hearing. They have shut their eyes so that they might not see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them.’
Mat 13:16 “How blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear!
Mat 13:17 For truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see the things you see but did not see them, and to hear the things you hear but did not hear them.”
So, he just said what I said, but it sounded way better – lol. He says that when he is speaking in Parables, he is giving SECRETS OF THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN. So, if I were you, I would rethink the thoughts that there is nothing concealed or hidden in the Word, and start searching for treasures. How can these parables tell us secrets while being plainly stated in the open? Today’s spies and intelligence agents send encrypted messages so that the enemy can not receive the true message, only the one who has the key or cypher can find the message hidden within. So, what we need is the key or cypher to decode the parables. Are there “keys” spoken of in the Bible that a believer is to use to unlock the parables? YES!
Pro 1:1 The proverbs of Solomon, son of David, king of Israel:
Pro 1:2 To know wisdom and instruction, to understand words of insight,
Pro 1:3 to receive instruction in wise dealing, in righteousness, justice, and equity;
Pro 1:4 to give prudence to the simple, knowledge and discretion to the youth–
Pro 1:5 Let the wise hear and increase in learning, and the one who understands obtain guidance,
Pro 1:6 to understand a proverb and a saying, the words of the wise and their riddles.
So, we see here that the Proverbs are specifically for interpreting or “decoding” words of wisdom, instruction in righteousness, riddles and parables. We must use Solomon’s keys to find the deeper Truths Hidden within plain sight to understand the secrets of the Kingdom of Heaven. The Proverbs decode many Parables and give you treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge most PhD Seminary grads never see or understand, as the Messiah Himself proclaimed. What I have found is all the Parables and Prophecies cannot be understood without the entire Word of YHVH, especially His Torah/Law. In it, contains all the light we need to shine on hidden sayings and how to understand them. Let’s apply what we have learned here.
The Parable of the Ten Virgins
Mat 25:1 “Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom.
Mat 25:2 Five of them were foolish, and five were wise.
Mat 25:3 For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them,
Mat 25:4 but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps.
Mat 25:5 As the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and slept.
Mat 25:6 But at midnight there was a cry, ‘Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’
Mat 25:7 Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps.
Mat 25:8 And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’
Mat 25:9 But the wise answered, saying, ‘Since there will not be enough for us and for you, go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves.’
Mat 25:10 And while they were going to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut.
Mat 25:11 Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’
Mat 25:12 But he answered, ‘Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.’
Mat 25:13 Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.
We need to identify the meanings of several key words in this parable to get the deeper Truth from it. The words we need to identify are:
- Wise
- Foolish
- Lamps
- Oil
- The saying, “I do not know you”
Once we get the proper cyphers for these terms and phrases, we can clearly see the depth the Messiah is portraying. It is so much deeper than the literal version. So, let us find these meanings within the Proverbs.
Wise
Pro 10:8 The wise in heart will receive commandments: but a prating fool shall fall.
Pro 9:9 Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser: teach a just man, and he will increase in learning.
Pro 13:1 A wise son heareth his father’s instruction: but a scorner heareth not rebuke.
Pro 13:14 The law of the wise is a fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death.
Pro 19:20 Hear counsel, and receive instruction, that thou mayest be wise in thy latter end.
Foolish
Pro 10:8 The wise in heart will receive commandments: but a prating fool shall fall.
Pro 12:15 The way of a fool is right in his own eyes: but he that hearkeneth unto counsel is wise.
Pro 15:5 A fool despiseth his father’s instruction: but he that regardeth reproof is prudent.
Pro 28:26 He that trusteth in his own heart is a fool: but whoso walketh wisely, he shall be delivered.
Lamps
Pro 6:23 For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life:
Oil
Pro 21:20 There is treasure to be desired and oil in the dwelling of the wise; but a foolish man spendeth it up.
So, with all this, we can now apply the interpretation to the Parable and finally see why he says, “I don’t know you”.
The wise virgins had prepared themselves for the Bridegroom as they had extra oil for their lamps. The lamp represents the commandments of YHVH. The commandment by itself has no power to save, only to bless if kept, or curse if ignored and disobeyed. The Lamp is no good without the oil, as most understand this correctly to represent the Holy Spirit.
Simply keeping a commandment for commandments sake is worthless; just checking the box to say,” I did this” means nothing. But, doing the Commandments in the Spirit of Yeshua fills the commandment/lamp so it will produce light. Without oil, there is no light. Notice here BOTH the wise and foolish had the lamps/commandments, but only the wise had enough oil/Spirit to last.
Moses gave the lamp/commandments, and Messiah gave the oil/Spirit. They work together and are inseparable. There is only ONE way to receive the Spirit of YHVH, and that is to accept Yeshua/Jesus as the Messiah.
Joh 14:12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.
Joh 14:13 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
Joh 14:14 If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.
Joh 14:15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.
Joh 14:16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;
Joh 14:17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
This is what Solomon was portraying with the saying in Pro 21:20 – “There is treasure to be desired and oil in the dwelling of the wise; but a foolish man spendeth it up.”
Also notice here that both the wise and the foolish had the commandments. Many Messianic Scholars make the incorrect interpretation that these foolish virgins were Christians who don’t observe the Torah, but as we see, both virgins have the lamp/commandments, and at the end, we will see exactly why this interpretation is a misguided one.
If we continue in this interpretation, it plants the seed of “as long as I get in what else matters” keeping them blinded, so I will present ONLY Truth here. I am not concerned with who is offended or not. What is interesting to me is that olive oil is used to burn in the lamps in the Temple, and was also used in small lamps to light homes. The only way to get oil out of an olive is to crush the olive. Israelites are likened unto olives as well. So, in order to bring forth oil, you must be crushed by the Vineyard Worker. This is why it is written in Act 14:22 – “Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God.”
Now, at “midnight” the Bridegoom showed up and called the virgins, but only the wise were prepared. The wise had both the lamp/commandments and plenty of oil/Spiri. In other words, they kept the commandments of God and held the Faith of Yeshua, as it is written, Rev 14:12 – “Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.”
We see the foolish have the commandments/Law, but no oil, so this CAN NOT BE LAWLESS CHRISTIANS. They are our Brother Judah, who also have the commandments but do not except the Messiah. You will notice they are told, “I don’t know you”, and were cast into outer darkness. Why does this happen?
Mat 10:32 Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.
Mat 10:33 But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.
Our Brother Judah needs oil for their lamps. The Messiah is the ONLY WAY into the Kingdom as we see in the Parable. The foolish virgins had the commandments/lamp, but had not the oil/Spirit, and they were denied entry. So, we see that without the blood of the Lamb applied, YOU DON’T GET IN, but what of them that say the blood is applied but reject the Torah/Law? What about lawless Christians?
Those that confess with their mouths that Yeshua/Jesus is the Messiah but reject the Torah/Law of YHVH will share the same fate, and are told the exact same words, “I never knew you, depart from me”.
Mat 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
Mat 7:22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
Mat 7:23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work lawlessness.
Mat 7:24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
Mat 7:25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.
Mat 7:26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:
Mat 7:27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.
Again, here we see that the wise DO what the Messiah teaches, and not only profess to know Him. This says that those who profess He is Lord, perform miracles and cast out demons will NOT enter because of lawlessness or the rejecting of YHVH law/Torah. Is there more proof that those who profess to know him, but do not keep the law will be rejected? YES! TONS OF IT!
Tit 1:16 They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.
2Pe 2:19 While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage.
2Pe 2:20 For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.
2Pe 2:21 For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them.
2Pe 2:22 But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.
This says that it was better that they never knew the Way of Righteousness than to reject the Holy Commandments given to them. You see, the process never changed. The Israelites when saved from Egypt, were saved ONLY by the blood of the lamb. But, AFTER they were saved, they were given instructions in Holy Living to keep them set apart from the other Nations as a people Holy and Acceptable to YHVH. However, those that were saved, and later rebelled against His law were destroyed in the Desert.
After receiving the commandments, the very first test they had was keeping the Sabbaths. Those who rebelled were destroyed, and never received their promised inheritance. Jude, the Brother of Yeshua/Jesus warns us of the same fate,
Jud 1:4 For certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.
Jud 1:5 Now I want to remind you, although you once fully knew it, that Jesus, who saved a people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed those who did not believe.
Jud 1:6 And the angels who did not stay within their own position of authority, but left their proper dwelling, he has kept in eternal chains under gloomy darkness until the judgment of the great day–
Jud 1:7 just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities, which likewise indulged in sexual immorality and pursued unnatural desire, serve as an example by undergoing a punishment of eternal fire.
Jud 1:8 Yet in like manner these people also, relying on their dreams, defile the flesh, reject authority, and blaspheme the glorious ones.
Jud 1:9 But when the archangel Michael, contending with the devil, was disputing about the body of Moses, he did not presume to pronounce a blasphemous judgment, but said, “The Lord rebuke you.”
Jud 1:10 But these people blaspheme all that they do not understand, and they are destroyed by all that they, like unreasoning animals, understand instinctively.
Jud 1:11 Woe to them! For they walked in the way of Cain and abandoned themselves for the sake of gain to Balaam’s error and perished in Korah’s rebellion.
Jud 1:12 These are hidden reefs at your love feasts, as they feast with you without fear, shepherds feeding themselves; waterless clouds, swept along by winds; fruitless trees in late autumn, twice dead, uprooted;
Jud 1:13 wild waves of the sea, casting up the foam of their own shame; wandering stars, for whom the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved forever.
Jud 1:14 It was also about these that Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied, saying, “Behold, the Lord comes with ten thousands of his holy ones,
Jud 1:15 to execute judgment on all and to convict all the ungodly of all their deeds of ungodliness that they have committed in such an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things that ungodly sinners have spoken against him.”
Jud 1:16 These are grumblers, malcontents, following their own sinful desires; they are loud-mouthed boasters, showing favoritism to gain advantage.
Jud 1:17 But you must remember, beloved, the predictions of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Jud 1:18 They said to you, “In the last time there will be scoffers, following their own ungodly passions.”
Jud 1:19 It is these who cause divisions, worldly people, devoid of the Spirit.
Jud 1:20 But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit,
Jud 1:21 keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life.
Jud 1:22 And have mercy on those who doubt;
Jud 1:23 save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by the flesh.
Jud 1:24 Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy,
Jud 1:25 to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.
This is a very sobering teaching, but the ONLY thing that can set us free from the bondage of sin and death is the Truth. No matter how much that Truth may hurt, it is the only thing that will set us free. Now on that same subject, Psa 119:142 – “Thy righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and thy law is the truth.”
I pray that you will use this to bring many into the obedience of our Faith, and snatch people from the fire. Time is short and the World is asleep. Blow the Shofar and wake them up, YaShem Yeshua!
Pingback: Breaking God’s Heart | Teshuva Ministries