FEAR OF THE LORD
The five foolish virgins had no oil with their lamps; so their lamps went out when Bridegroom come. (Mat. 25:1...13) And afterwards when the door had already been shut they came to apply: “Lord, Lord open to us! But He answered and said, Assuredly, 'I say to you, I do not know you‘. I have heard and read, that this parable concerns only Jews.
However; the story starts: “Then the KINGDOM OF HEAVEN will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.” By my understanding the Kingdom consists of the inhabitants of it. In this case of us Christians who were expecting and waiting for Christ to come back.
This allegoric tale is consistent with John 15:2. “Every branch IN ME that doesn't bear fruit he takes away”. Love is the most prominent ingredient in the oil poured for us. The highlighted point in this parable is not the lack of love but foolishness (which is the reason of anemic situation): “FIVE WERE FOOLISH.” These Christians were foolish because they hadn't seeked and knock to get filled: “Whoever will call (cries after)on the name (=PERSONALITY) of the Lord shall be saved.” (Act 2:21 & Room 10:13) These virgins were foolish as well because they had only eaten unbalanced food leading them to lukewarm condition having no need to look after the Lord's face. “A false (DECEPTIVE) balance is an abomination to Yahweh, But accurate weights are his delights”. (Prov. l 1 : 1) Don't add or remove words from the bible to preserve your name in the book of the life. (Rev. 22:1 8) “See then the goodness and (AS WELL AS) severity of God.” (Room 11:22) Honey is usually depicting goodness of the Lord. “Go to the land flowing with milk and honey.” (Ex 33:3) To eat only honey is not healthy. Prov. 25:l6:Have you found honey? Eat as much as is suffiset for you, lest you eat too much and vomit it.” To exclude all warnings and scare sayings from one's diet is a mark that person is concentrated mainly for his own honor. (Prov. 25:27) Salt is connected to the fear and it's positive meaning is the fear of the Lord. Lot's wife looked back to Sodom and Gomorrah when Lord did destroy them. She come stiff with fear and become pillar of salt. (Gen. 19:27) Sodium and chlorine are both poisonous separately; but together as sodium chloride they are necessary for our diet.
Salt prevents food from going bad. Have you ever read Jonathan Edward's sermon: “Sinners in the hand of angry God”. (Preached at Enfield/U SA 1741 at the peak of great awakenings)
What we eat that is what we are. We should be the salt of the oceans who spread the fear of the Lord to prevent them from becoming rotten with violence and pornography. “Fear the One who has authority (power) to cast (you) into hell.” (Luke 12:5) Devil has not that power as “all authority in heaven and on earth was given to me (Jesus Christ)”. (Mat. 28:18)
Even when we evangelise fear of the Lord should be the essential part of our message. Aaron's rod represents the evangelical word with which the shepherd catch the sheep. “ Aaron cast down his rod before Pharaoh and before his servants, and it became a serpent”. (Ex.7: I 0) It wasn't any more sweet invitation to get saved and heed to the promised land. Jude23: “And some save with fear.” Practically it means: “You end up in hell if you don't receive Jesus Christ as your saviour.” Pharaoh's serpents represent something like: “You just came to scare people. It is workplace harassment and not legal. You end up to be sacked if you continue like that.” We Christians should not care about the little serpents; as we know that all is in the Lord's hand. It is anyway small thing compared to the everlasting hell. If hell and uncompromising justness of God do not exist, there is no meaning of Christ's crucifixion and suffering. No wonder that devil likes to introduce “positive” fear free message into churches.
I have personally experienced interruption in the middle of teaching: “You just came here to scare the people.” So obviously there was too much salt in the soup. The problem is that many Christians don't suffer any salt at all. So no wonder if salt (= Christians) is going to be saltless (= half-hearted and without the fear of God) and Laodicean church model is the most prevalent one.
Lucifer in heaven and Adam in paradise did experience God's goodness only; and they did fall. But we luckily can experience God's severity and fear as well. So our chances not to make shipwreck are bigger.
Yes, God's goodness pulls us into repentance; but it is better to have all the help that is available. So eat the whole Word instead of the nice part only. Fear of the Lord is given to us for our safety.
“By mercy and truth (Jesus) iniquity is atoned for; and by the FEAR OF THE LORD men depart from evil.” (Prov.16:6) Hebr.5:7 “...He (Jesus) in the days of his flesh having offered up prayers and petitions with strong crying and tears to Him who was able to save Him from death and WAS HEARD BECOUSE OF HIS GODLY FEAR.” (Finnish translation: Because of the “FEAR OF THE GOD”.) Are you better than your Master and don't need fear to be heard? Psalm 119:38 “Establish Your word to Your servant, who is DEVOTED to YOUR FEAR.” Luke 1:50 : “ His mercy is for generations of generations on those who FEAR HIM.”
Erno Miettinen
Unless stated otherwise the verses in this bible are referenced from a public domain bible.