Gospel of Matthew Chapter 25 Vs. 17

 The Parable of the Talents

Matthew 25:17 “And likewise he that [had received] two, he also gained other two.”

And likewise, he... Talents, or a lesser measure of ministerial gifts: he also gained other two; he worked and labored, and traded, in proportion to the gifts he had received; and his improvements and success, under a divine blessing, were answerable.

The servant with the two talents acted in like manner (Mat. 25:17). The result was that each doubled his capital, and each received the same gracious welcome and high promotion when their lord returned (Mat. 25:20-23). They had been unequally successful; but inasmuch as this was not due to any difference in diligence, but only to difference in ability, they were equal in welcome and reward. It is, however, worthy of remark that while the language is precisely the same in the one case as in the other, it is not such as to determine that their position would be precisely equal in the life to come. There will be differences of ability and of range of service there as well as here. In both cases the verdict on the past was faithful over a few things, though the few things of the one were more than double the few things of the other; and in the same way, though the promise for the future was for the one as well as for the other, I will set thee over many things, it might well be that the many things of the future might vary as the few things of the past had done.

Two of the servants were faithful in caring for the master’s money (Mat. 25:16-17) and were accordingly rewarded for their faithfulness with additional wealth, additional responsibilities, and sharing of the master’s joy (Mat. 25:20-23).

Book of Hosea Chapter 9 Vs. 9

The Lord Will Punish Israel 

They have deeply corrupted themselves, as in the days of Gibeah: therefore, he will remember their iniquity, he will visit their sins. Hos. 9:9

as in the... This means that they were sodomites and protectors of them, as Benjamin in Judges 19-20. Gibeah... (compare 10:9). Israel’s sin is likened to the gross evil of the men of Gibeah. A reference to their heinous rape of the concubine (Jdg. 19:22-25), an infamous and unforgettable crime (Jdg. 19:30).

he will remember... This is speaking of their corruption being as bad, as it had been in the days of Gibeah. There is an account of the terrible thing that happened at Gibeah in the 19th chapter of the book of Judges. It is a very foul blot on Israel's character. Read from verse 10 on, to get the full account. This is terrible that Israel has fallen to this low lifestyle. God must punish them for this evil.

Treachery-they have made it profound in the very house of their God. They have done corruptly, as in the days of Gibeah. Their iniquity is remembered; visitation is made on their sin.

These, then, were the symptoms of the profound political decay which followed on Israel’s immorality. The national spirit and unity of the people had disappeared.

Society-half of it was raw, half of it was baked to a cinder. The nation, broken into fractions, produced no man to lead, no king with the stamp of God upon him. Anarchy prevailed; monarchs were made and murdered. There was no prestige abroad, nothing but contempt among the Gentiles for a people whom they had exhausted. Judgment was inevitable by exile-nay, it had come already in the corruption of the spiritual leaders of the nation.

Hosea now turns to probe a deeper corruption still.

The depth of the people’s sin against God is emphasized by Hosea’s reference to the days of Gibeah (cf. Hos. 10:9). The phrase recalls the events that involved the brutal rape and murder of the Levite’s concubine by some bisexual men of Gibeah (Jdg. 19:1-30). On that occasion it was said, such a thing has never been seen or done, not since the day the Israelites came up out of Egypt (Jdg. 19:30). But Hosea said that black mark on Israel’s history was now rivaled by Israel’s blatant sins against the Lord.

Gospel of Matthew Chapter 25 Vs. 16

 The Parable of the Talents

Matthew 25:16 “Then he that had received the five talents went and traded with the same, and made [them] other five talents.”

Then he that... the largest measure of gifts. An account is first given of him, how he behaved, and conducted in his Lord’s absence, and what use he made of the gifts bestowed upon him. This must be understood, not of a single man, but of that sort of the servants of Christ, who have the greatest ministerial gifts.

Straightway (εὐθέως)

Connected with the beginning of this verse, instead of with the end of Mat. 25:15 Straightway he that had received, etc., indicating promptness on the servant's part.

He went, denotes immediate application to business, and signifies that such servants went according to their commission, preached the Gospel to every creature, and administered the ordinances to proper subjects. They went directly, as soon as they had their talents; they did not stay to consult with flesh and blood.

Whether it would be for their interest and credit or not; they were not stuck at any difficulties and discouragements; nor were they deterred by the cross, reproaches, and persecutions. But went forth with courage and boldness, not in their own name and strength, but in the name and strength of Christ, who sent them, and promised them his presence and assistance, on which they depended.

And by studious meditation on it; by frequent prayer; and continual teaching the Gospel and administering ordinances; and their success.

and made them... That is, increased in spiritual knowledge; gifts were improved and enlarged. A greater stock of divine things were laid in; and many souls gained to Christ: such are they whom Christ has ordained to go forth, and bear and bring forth fruit in their ministry, and whose fruit remain.

Made (ἐποίησεν)

Not made them, as A.V. The word is used in our sense of make money. Wyc. and Tynd., won. Geneva, gained. Some read ἐκέρδησεν, gained, as in Mat. 25:17.

Traded with them (ἠργάσατο ἐν αὐτοῖς)

Lit., wrought with them. The virgins wait, the servants work.

Two of the servants were faithful in caring for the master’s money (Mat. 25:16-17) and were accordingly rewarded for their faithfulness with additional wealth, additional responsibilities, and sharing of the master’s joy (Mat. 25:20-23).

Book of Hosea Chapter 9 Vs. 8

 The Lord Will Punish Israel

The watchman of Ephraim was with my God: but the prophet is a snare of a fowler in all his ways, and hatred in the house of his God. Hos. 9:8

The watchman of... Hosea was a watchman, sounding the alarm for God of coming danger for His people (Jer. 6:17; Ezek. 3:17; 33:7).

We went into great depth on the watchman in the 33rd chapter of Ezekiel. This is speaking of the very same thing. Ephraim should have been the watchman, because he had received the right hand (spiritual), blessing from God. A good watchman informs the people of impending danger.

but the profit... A bad watchman sees no danger coming. The true prophet is always with God. His message is God's message. Those involved in sin hate the true watchman, or true prophet. They do not want to hear of the coming judgment.

For the mass of thy guilt and the multiplied treachery! Ephraim acts the spy with My God. There is probably a play on the name, for with the meaning a watchman for God it is elsewhere used as an honorable title of the prophets. The prophet is a Fowler's snare upon all his ways.

The irony of the situation is that Israel tried to ensnare the prophets God had placed as watchmen over the nation. A watchman was responsible for warning a city of an approaching enemy (cf. Eze. 33:6). In the same way God’s prophets were to warn the people of coming judgment on sin (cf. Jer. 6:17; Eze. 3:17; 33:7-9). The house of his God refers to the land of Israel (cf. Hos. 8:1; 9:15).

Gospel of Matthew Chapter 25 Vs. 15

 The Parable of the Talents

Matthew 25:15 “And unto one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to every man according to his several ability; and straightway took his journey.”

gave five talents... At $600,000 each for talents of gold, 5 would be worth $3 million.

to another two... $1.2 million.

to another one... $600,000.

There are two definitions of Talents. One was a former weight and unit of currency, used especially by the ancient Romans and Greeks. And the other is our general intelligence or mental power and ability in a field or activity.

We’ll begin by saying this parable extends far beyond financial investments, but God has given each person a variety of gifts, and he expects each of us to employ these gifts Talents, in his service. It is not acceptable for us to ignore what we have been given as the man who received one. Like the three servants mentioned, we are not given gifts of the same degree. The return God expects from each of us is equivalent with the gifts we have been given by Him.

several ability (ἰδίαν)

Lit., his own or peculiar capacity for business.

The talents signify ability and opportunity. We must beware of using the word in any limited or conventional sense. In ordinary conversation the word is generally applied to abilities above the average, as, for example, when a man of more than ordinary ability is spoken of as a man of talent, or a talented man. The word ability, indeed, is used in the same way. A man of ability, an able man, means a man able to do more than most people can; whereas, properly speaking, and in the sense of the parable, a man who is able to do anything-to break stones, to write his name, to speak a sentence of sense-is an able man. He is not generally so called, but he really is a talented man, for God has given him, as He has given to everyone, certain ability, and according to that ability is the talent for service with which Christ entrusts him. At first sight this phrase according to his several abilities seems invidious, as if suggesting that Christ was a respecter of persons and dealt more liberally with the strong than with the weak. But the talents are not merely gifts, -they are trusts involving responsibility; and therefore, it is simple justice to graduate them according to ability. As we shall see, there is no respect of persons in appointing the awards. But as respects the talents, involving as they do the burden of responsibility, it is very evident that it would be no kindness to the man of less ability that he should be made responsible for more than he can easily undertake.

The gradations of five, two, one, appropriately correspond to what we speak of as superior, ordinary, and inferior ability. At this point occurs the main distinction between this parable and the similar one of the pounds, spoken at a different time and with a different purpose. Here the servants all differ at first, but the faithful ones are alike in the end, inasmuch as they have done equally well in proportion to their ability. There the servants are all alike at the beginning, out the faithful ones receive different awards, inasmuch as they have differed in the degree of their diligence and faithfulness. The two together bring out with striking clearness and force the great thought that not success, but faithfulness is what the Lord insists on. The weakest is at no disadvantage; he may not only do as well as the strongest, but if the measure of his diligence and faithfulness is higher, he may even excel him.

It is in keeping with the difference in the scope of the two parables that in the one the sums entrusted should be large (talents), in the other, small (pounds). In the parable which has for its main lesson, Make the most of the little you have, the amounts entrusted are small; while the large sums are fitly found in the parable which emphasizes what may be called the other side of the great lesson, To whom much is given, of them much shall be required.

The master went on a journey and gave each servant a specific amount of money, talents.

Book of Hosea Chapter 9 Vs. 7

 The Lord Will Punish Israel

The days of visitation are come, the days of recompence are come; Israel shall know it: the prophet is a fool, the spiritual man is mad, for the multitude of thine iniquity, and the great hatred. Hos. 9:7

are come, the... False prophets had continually predicted that the days of visitation would never come, or that they were in the distant future and there was therefore nothing to worry about. God simply told them that the time was near, it would come, and Israel would be the one to know it.

prophet is a... Five facts about a false prophet:

1.He is a fool (Hos. 9:7).

2. He is mad.

3. He is a snare and a fowler in all his ways (Hos. 9:8).

4. He is the cause of hatred in the house of God.

5.He is deeply corrupted by sex perversion (Hos. 9:9).

The people of Israel ignored and derided Hosea, calling him a fool and insane.

This visitation is speaking of the day of judgment which came upon them. God has judged them and found them guilty of spiritual adultery. The prophet will not have to warn them any further. The prophet, spoken of here, is the false prophet who was still promising good times.

the spiritual man... And the false prophet had been bringing flattering messages to the people, and the people had accepted it for the truth. They were not only full of sin (idolatry), but they were lacking in love, as well. They were an angry, unloving society. It sounds all too familiar, doesn't it? Preachers preaching to itching ears are not warning their people even now.

The days of visitation have come, have come the days of requital. Israel already experiences them! A fool is the prophet, raving mad the man of the spirit. The old ecstasy of Saul’s day has become delirium and fanaticism.

The people’s hostility toward the true prophets of God was one of several reasons for judgment (Hos. 9:7-9). Maniac refers to one who is insane (cf. 1Sam. 21:13-15). The term is used elsewhere by godless men who ridiculed true prophets (cf. 2Kgs. 9:11; Jer. 29:26-27). Hostility (also used in Hos. 9:8) refers to intense animosity, such as Esau felt toward Jacob after Esau had been cheated of the paternal blessing (Gen. 27:41, held a grudge).

Gospel of Matthew Chapter 25 Vs. 14

 The Parable of the Talents

Verses 14-23: The parable of the talents further emphasizes the need for personal preparation and faithful service to the Master (see also Luke 19:11-28). The talents represent units of money and are distributed according to ability (verse 15). Far country indicates the time during which Jesus is in heaven, between His first coming and His final return.

The three servants are typical of three types who are entrusted with various tasks in accordance with their own ability. Not all are expected to produce the same results, but all are to be faithful with what they have had entrusted to them.

The phrase after a long time gives a veiled indication of the length of Christ’s session in heaven during the present age. Each of those producing results is commended by the Master. Well done … good and faithful servant and is promised to be a ruler over many things, with a view to continued service in the millennial kingdom.

Verses 14-30: The parable of the talents illustrates the tragedy of wasted opportunity. The man who goes on the journey represents Christ, and the slaves represent professing believers given different levels of responsibility. Faithfulness is what he demands of them, but the parable suggests that all who are faithful will be fruitful to some degree. The fruitless person is unmasked as a hypocrite and utterly destroyed (verse 30).

Matthew 25:14 “For [the kingdom of heaven is] as a man travelling into a far country, [who] called his own servants, and delivered unto them his goods.”

For the kingdom... Fifth parable in Matthew 24-25, illustrating diligence in view of His coming (Mat. 25:14-30). See Mat. 4:17; 19:24. Our Lord adds another parable to illustrate the Gospel dispensation, or its visible church state; or the state of things respecting the church of Christ, before and at his second coming. And during the interval between his ascension and that the man here, is meant Christ.

Who in the everlasting covenant agreed to become man, was prophesied of as such, frequently appeared in human form, under the Old Testament dispensation; and in the fullness of time, really became man. Though he was not a mere man, but was God as well as man, having all the perfections and fullness of the Godhead dwelling bodily in him.

as a man... This man is said to travel into a far country; by which heaven is designed, and is so called, not only because of its great distance from the earth, and which is very great; indeed, but because the better country and land afar off, is out of sight. And what views we have of it, are very distant ones. And is far off, in respect of our state of pilgrimage in this world, in which, whilst Christ was here.

He was a pilgrim and a stranger too, who might be said to be as a man travelling, whilst he was in it, and when going out of it, and ascending to heaven. He came from thence, and stayed here a while, walking up and down, and doing good. And when he had finished what he came for, He ascended on high, went to His God and Father and entered into heaven, where he is received until the times of the restitution of all things.

Travelling (ἀποδμηῶν)

The sense is more nearly about to travel, like our going abroad.

Who called his own servants before he took his journey, to entrust them with Talents. These were not wicked, slothful, graceless, which is not true of anyone of the elect: but believers of the word are here meant. Who are eminently the servants of Christ, his own, whom he has called, qualified, commissioned, and sent forth.

For the servants of the word, whether faithful or slothful, good or bad, are in a very lively manner described in this parable, which is a distinct one from the former.

and delivered unto... The Gospel, that rich treasure of divine truths, the dispensation of it, and gifts to preach it; all which are Christ’s goods and his gifts, and not man’s. Which in a very eminent manner was done; when Christ ascended on high and received gifts and gave them unto men.

Just before He was ready to go, He gathered his disciples together; and renewed and enlarged their commission to preach the Gospel. And quickly after that, gave them greater and larger gifts of the Spirit than before; and has been ever since giving ministerial gifts to men, to some more, others less, and which are signified by the talents following.

Here, the master is going on a trip and He had called his servants together to take care of the kingdom until he returned. You see, Jesus has gone away into heaven, and is now sitting at the right hand of God. He has left His church in the care of His believers (servants), until He returns.

The Parable of the Talents deals with the same subjects-viz., the professed disciples of Christ; only instead of searching the reality of their inner life, it tests the faithfulness of their service. As in the former parable so in this, stress is laid on the time that must elapse before the Lord’s return. The employer of the servants travels into a far country; and it is after a long time (Mat. 25:19) that He cometh, and reckoneth with them. Similarly, in the cognate parable of the pounds, reported by St. Luke, we. are told that it was spoken, because they thought that the kingdom of God should immediately appear". (Luke 19:11) It would seem, therefore, that both these parables were intended to guard against the temptation to make the anticipation of the Lord’s return an excuse for neglect of present duty.

There is evidence that within a short time some Christians in Thessalonica fell into this very temptation, -so much so as to render it necessary that the apostle Paul should write them a letter, his second epistle, for the express purpose of reproving them and setting them right. His first Epistle to the Thessalonians had laid stress on the suddenness of the Lord’s coming, as Christ Himself does again and again throughout this discourse; but the result was that some of them, confounding suddenness with imminence, gave themselves up to idle waiting or feverish expectancy, to the neglect even of the most ordinary duties. To meet this he had to call attention to the Divine ordinance, that if any would not work, neither should he eat, and to enforce it with all the authority of Christ Himself: Now them that are such (viz., those excited busybodies working not at all) we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread; (2Thes. 3:10-12) following it up with a caution, on the other hand, against allowing the Lord’s delay to discourage them in their activity in His service: But ye, brethren, be not weary in well doing.

All this helps us to see how necessary it was that the parable of waiting should be followed by a summons to work, and to admire the marvelous insight of our Lord into human nature in recognizing beforehand where hidden dangers would lurk in His people’s path. Unhappily, it is not necessary to go back to the case of the Thessalonians to see how needful it is that the parable of work should go along with the parable of waiting; we have painful illustration of it in our own day. Thanks to the clearness and strength of our Lord’s teaching, the great majority of those who in our day look for His almost immediate return are not only diligent in work, but an example and a rebuke to many who do not share their expectations; but on the other hand, there are not a few who have been so far led astray as to give up positions of great usefulness, and discontinue work in which they had been signally blessed, with the idea that the great event being now so near, the sole duty of the believer is to wait for it.

The parable assumes that all disciples are servants of Christ, and that all of them have work for Christ to do. There is no reason, however, for narrowing the field of service to what is in current phrase distinctively spoken of as Christian work. All the work of Christian people should be Christian work, and is Christian work, if it be done as it ought to be done, as to the Lord. There must evidently, however, be the desire and purpose to "serve the Lord Christ," whatever the nature of the service be.

(Luke 19:11-27) In another parable on faithfulness, Jesus told the story of a master with three servants. The master went on a journey and gave each servant a specific amount of money, talents. The talents were of silver (money in Mat. 25:18 is argyrion, which means silver money).

Book of Hosea Chapter 9 Vs. 6

 The Lord Will Punish Israel

For, lo, they are gone because of destruction: Egypt shall gather them up, Memphis shall bury them: the pleasant places for their silver, nettles shall possess them: thorns shall be in their tabernacles. Hos. 9:6

Egypt shall gather... Some fled to Egypt for protection, but there they died (Eze. 29:5).

Memphis shall bury... An ancient capital of Egypt known for its tombs and pyramids.

the pleasant places... Nettles and thorns would grow up in the sure places and homes of Israel, for the destruction was to be complete.

The world is not interested in continuing the worship in the temple. The temple and the temple grounds will grow up with weeds. The captors have no special desire to keep the temple grounds nice and pretty. They did not regard the God of the Israelite's. Those of Israel, themselves, would be carried captive into a foreign land, far away from their temple.

For lo, they shall be gone forth from destruction, the shock and invasion of their land, only "that Egypt may gather them in, Memphis give them sepulcher, nettles inherit their jewels of silver, thorns come up in their tents. The threat of exile still wavers between Assyria and Egypt. And in Egypt Memphis is chosen as the destined grave of Israel; for even then her Pyramids and mausoleums were ancient and renowned, her vaults and sepulchers were countless and spacious.

But what need is there to seek the future for Israel’s doom, when already this is being fulfilled by the corruption of her spiritual leaders?

Destruction would sweep over the land (cf. Hos. 7:13; 10:14). Those who happened to escape the sword of the invading army would face exile. The reference to Egypt probably has the same meaning as in preceding verses (cf. see Hos. 8:13; and see Hos. 9:3). Memphis, about 20 miles south of modern Cairo, was famous as a burial place. Here it symbolizes the ultimate destination of the exiles - a foreign graveyard. Few would ever return to their homeland (cf. Jer. 44:1-14). Meanwhile back in Israel the exiles’ possessions (treasures of silver) and homes (tents) would lie in ruins and would be overgrown by briers and thorns (cf. Hos. 10:8).

Gospel of Matthrew Chapter 25 Vs. 13

 The Parable of the Ten Virgins

Matthew 25:13 “Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.”

Watch therefore, for... This is the point illustrated by this story of an oriental wedding: You people on earth in the kingdom of heaven take a lesson from these virgins and be always watchful in view of My coming. The details must not be interpreted here anymore than if they were used in an illustration outside the Bible. They were necessary in order to make the story to illustrate watchfulness, but to teach various doctrines from them is unscriptural. No less than a dozen false doctrines are based upon the details of this parable.

Twelve False Doctrines:

1. Two kinds of Christians.

2. The oil is the Spirit baptism.

3. Wise are those with this baptism.

4. Foolish are those without it.

5. Born again people do not have the Holy Spirit.

6. Rapture will take place at midnight or middle of the tribulation.

7. One has to have the Spirit baptism to go in the rapture.

8. Only those baptized in the Spirit will be at the marriage of the Lamb.

9. Only those baptized in the Spirit will be in the bride of Christ.

10. One is not saved until he receives the Spirit baptism.

11. The door of mercy will be shut to the Gentiles after the rapture.

12. The bride is the church.

The Truth Is:

1. There is only one kind of Christian, the born-again (Mat. 13:38-49; 18:3; John 3:3-5; 2Cor. 5:17-18; Rom. 6:7, 6:18, 6:22; 8:1-13; Gal. 5:19-24; Eph. 4:24; 1Jhn. 2:29; 3:8-10; 5:1-4, 5:18; Heb. 12:14).

2. The oil here is not the Holy Spirit (see, Mat. 25:8). Lamp oil, not the Holy Spirit, for He cannot be bought and sold or divided between people at their request. This no more refers to the Holy Spirit than oil in Gen. 28:18; 2Kgs. 4:1-6; Luke 7:46; 16:6; etc.

3. Born-again people do receive the Holy Spirit (John 3:5; Rom. 8:9-16), but not always the Spirit baptism which is another experience (Luke 11:13; John 7:37-39; 14:16-17; Acts 1:4-8; 2:38-39; 5:32; 8:15-16; 19:1-6).

4. The rapture will not take place in the middle of the tribulation, but before it.

5. The Spirit baptism is for the endowment of power from on high to do the works of Jesus (Luke 24:49; John 7:37-39; 14:12; Acts 1:4-8), not to save the soul or to qualify one for the rapture.

6. All Christians will be at the marriage supper of the Lamb, for all will go in the rapture.

7. All Christians will be in the bride of Christ, which is the New Jerusalem and not the church (Rev. 21:2, 21:9-10). Even Old Testament saints will be a part of the city (Heb. 11:10-16; cp. Heb. 13:14; John 14:1-3).

8. The door of mercy will never be closed to Jews or Gentiles during the tribulation or any other time. Multitudes will be saved during the tribulation (Acts 2:16-21; Rev. 7:1-17; 12:17; 15:2-4; 20:4-6).

To watch or to employ ourselves chiefly about the business of our salvation. Alas, how few of those who are called Christians are there who do watch, who slumber, who are asleep? How many seized with indifference? How many quite dead?

The coming of the Savior is certain. The precise time when he will come is not certain. As the virgins should all have watched and been ready, so should we. They who are Christians should be ever watchful; and they who are not should lose no time to be ready, for in such an hour as they think not the Son of man shall come.

Watch means to stay on your toes and don’t be caught up with others whose relationship with God has waned away. The Christians will be able to recognize the signs and know that His coming for us is near, but no one knows the exact day or hour. We just need to live in anticipation of His coming.

Let’s take one quicker look at all of this before we go on. All ten of these virgins are symbolic of people who proclaim to be Christians in this world. What is wrong? He (Jesus) is coming back for a church that is without spot or wrinkle. Where is this bride without spot or wrinkle to be found?

There is such irreverence in Church today that if Jesus was to visit, the first thing He would do, is clean house. He did that with the money changers and the dove sellers once before, because they were defaming the temple. Jesus explained to them then that the church is a House of Prayer. First of all, you cannot purchase the Spirit. No one can teach you the things of God.

The Holy things of God are an out-pouring from Him. Some minister can pray, lay hands on you, and you receive from God, the Holy Spirit. If you have to repeat what someone else has received from God, that is their gift from God, not yours. If you desire the Holy Spirit truly, He (God), will give it to you. It will be yours and yours alone.

On the day of Pentecost, each person was filled individually.

Acts 2:1-3 “And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.” “And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.” “And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.”

There were different languages spoken that day, as we read (in Acts 2:6). “Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language.”

You see, God knows every language in the world. Things of God do not have to be taught (just received). One more statement before we close this lesson. Search the Scriptures daily for yourself. Pray and ask the Holy Spirit to teach you. Get in a good Bible believing church, Bible study, and make the study of your Bible part of your daily living.

God is easily found by those who diligently seek Him. Ask God to baptize you in the Holy Spirit and walk in the Light, every day until Jesus appears in the sky to call us to Him.

It is the old familiar lesson, that cannot be taught too often or taken to heart too earnestly: that the only way to die the death of the righteous is to live the life of the righteous.

Israel in the Tribulation will know that Jesus’ coming is near, but not all will be spiritually prepared for it. His second coming here will be sudden, when it is not expected (Mat. 24:27, 24:39, 24:50). Though this passage does not specifically interpret the meaning of the oil, many commentators see it as representing the Holy Spirit and His work in salvation, see explanation above. Salvation is more than mere profession for it involves regeneration by the Holy Spirit. Those who will merely profess to be saved, and do not actually possess the Spirit, will be excluded from the feast, that is, the kingdom. Those who fail to be ready when the King comes, cannot enter His kingdom. Since the day and hour of His return are unknown, believers in the Tribulation should keep watch (grēgoreite), that is, be alert and prepared (cf. Mat. 24:42).

Book of Hosea Chapter 9 Vs. 5

 The Lord Will Punish Israel

What will ye do in the solemn day, and in the day of the feast of the LORD? Hos. 9:5

What will ye... Question 4. Next, Hos. 9:14.

in your captivity... When you shall find yourselves far from your own country, without temple, without prophets, without priests, without sacrifices, and without solemn assemblies; what will be your sentiments? You will doubtless be willing to abstain from labor on those days, as you were accustomed to do; but your masters will not permit that but force you to your customary employments. Though the Israelites of the ten tribes were schismatics (differences in opinion or belief) and did not go up to the temple at Jerusalem, they omitted not to celebrate, in their own manner, the feasts of the Lord in their own country. And as these solemnities were always accompanied with festivity and rejoicing. It must have been a great mortification to them to be no longer able to celebrate them in the land of their captivity.

There will be nothing for them to do on these special days but mourn for the things that could have been. They would be away in a foreign land, away from their temple and their God.

He (God) cannot be worshiped off His own land by the Orthodox Jew. They will have to live like animals, divorced from religion, unable to hold communion with their God. What shall ye do for days of festival, or for a day of pilgrimage to Jehovah?

The rhetorical question in this verse emphasizes the exiles’ plight. Israel would be unable to celebrate the most important festival feasts and days in Hebrew or both to sing on her religious calendar. Perhaps the Feast of Tabernacles is specifically in view (cf. Lev. 23:39).

Gospel of Matthew Chapter 25 Vs. 12

 The Parable of the Ten Virgins

Matthew 25:12 “But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.”

know you not... This was true, for they were friends of the bride, not necessarily the bridegroom who is called Lord in Mat. 25:11. You were not in the company of those who attended me to the marriage-feast, and are unknown to me. These virgins had only a profession of religion, but no real piety. This is saying, I do not know or acknowledge you as Christians. I do not approve of you, or delight in you, or admit that you are my friends.

The word know is often used in the sense of approving, loving, and acknowledging as real friends and followers (see Mat. 7:23; Psm. 1:6; 2Tim. 2:19; 1Thes. 5:12).

This is the same cry that we read about in a few lessons back, when they stood before Jesus and said, Lord, Lord, have I not cast out demons, healed the sick, (etc.). He said depart from me; I never knew you.

You see, it is very dangerous to have a form of religion without having a love relation to the Lord Jesus. He not only wants to be our Savior, but He wants to be our Lord, if we are His. Not some watered-down religion of dos and don'ts, but a true love relation with Him. He must be everything to us. We should be happy as any bride who is waiting for her Groom.

The door cannot be opened. Ponder the solemn words: I know you not. It is a question of the union of the life with Christ. The wise virgins had lived a life that was always, even in sleep, hid with Christ in God; the foolish virgins had not: they had lived a life which had transient shows of devotion in it, but no reality-a mistake too fatal to be in any wise remedied by the spasms of a few minutes at the close of the age.

Again, when they returned and found the wedding feast in progress, they sought admission but were denied (Mat. 25:10-12). For neither the friends of the bride nor those who did not truly know Christ were exempted from the Fiest.

Book of Hosea Chapter 9 Vs. 4

 The Lord Will Punish Israel

They shall not offer wine offerings to the LORD, neither shall they be pleasing unto him: their sacrifices shall be unto them as the bread of mourners; all that eat thereof shall be polluted: for their bread for their soul shall not come into the house of the LORD. Hos. 9:4

the bread of... The bread of mourners was unclean. In fact, everything where the dead were was unclean (Num. 19:11-14; Deut. 16:14). Food eaten on the occasion of mourning was considered unclean, defiling anyone eating it (Deut. 26:12-15).

They shall not pour libations to Jehovah, nor prepare for Him their sacrifices. Like the bread of sorrows shall their bread be; all that eat of it shall be defiled: yea, their bread shall be only for their appetite; they shall not bring it to the temple of Jehovah. He cannot be worshiped off His own land. They will have to live like animals, divorced from religion, unable to hold communion with their God.

In Assyria, they would not be able to keep any of the offerings and sacrifices. As we said, even if they did keep them, God would not accept these offerings of obligation. God has turned His back on them and their offerings. Worship that is done out of obligation only, is unacceptable to God. Even the thought of sacrificing will just bring sadness for their lost fellowship.

Again, in exile, opportunity for legitimate worship to the Lord would end. Again, the punishment was highly appropriate. Israel’s Levitical worship had been corrupted by hypocrisy (cf. Hos. 6:6; 8:11-13). A nation that refused to conduct its formal worship in the proper spirit would be denied its privilege of worship. Wine offerings, which accompanied certain types of sacrifices (cf. Num. 15:1-12), would cease. Sacrifices offered in a foreign land would not be acceptable to the Lord. They would have the same effect on a worshiper as bread eaten by mourners, who made everything they touched ceremonially unclean because they had contacted a dead body (cf. Num. 19:14-15, 19:22). Such bread was not fit for use in worship.

Hos. 9:4 would be better translated, all who eat it (i.e., the mourners’ bread) become unclean; such bread can be used to satisfy one’s appetite, but it may not enter the Lord’s temple. In this way Hos. 9:4 is understood as a general statement about the nature of mourners’ bread rather than an additional prediction about the exilic worshipers and their sacrifices.