OCTOBER 31ST, 1938

OCTOBER 31ST, 1938

BELOVED BROTHER, — It is evident, I think, that Matthew 24 and 25 contemplate two classes which are clearly discriminated when the Lord comes. There is the faithful and prudent bondman in chapter 24, and also the evil bondman; the five prudent virgins in chapter 25, and also the five foolish ones; and in relation to the talents the two good and faithful bondmen, and also the wicked and slothful bondman. It is said particularly of the foolish virgins that they “did not take oil with them”. In a dispensation characterised by the presence of the Spirit they wholly lacked the essential element. It is clearly not a question of receiving the Lord into the midst of His assembly, but of going forth to meet Him, and going in with Him to the wedding feast. And the door being shut shows that the exclusion is final, and there is no response to the cry, “Lord, Lord, open to us”, save that He answers, “Verily I say unto you, I do not know you”. If there were any work of God there the Lord would never say, “I do not know you”.

When it is a question of His coming in to us it is He who knocks, and it is for us to open to Him, as we see in what is written to Laodicea. He is in the attitude of standing at the door and knocking; there is no thought of His shutting the door upon Laodicea; there is a last solemn moment when He will spue her out of His mouth, but that means final and ^[p. 258] eternal rejection by Him. But Laodicea has her door shut upon Him, and He waits in the patience of His love to see if anyone will hear His voice and open the door. If so He will come in to that one and sup with him, and have that one to sup with Him. It does not seem to be in accord with Scripture to think of the Lord shutting out at the present time any of those who are His by redemption, and by a work of God in them. They may keep Him outside, alas! but His love is such that He will never shut the door upon them, or declare that He does not know them. His heart longs for them all, and He waits in the patience of His love for them to open the door to Him.

As a matter of interpretation I believe the five foolish virgins represent those who are in the place of profession, but who have no personal link with the Bridegroom and who have not the Spirit. When the others go in with Him to the marriage they do not go in, and the door is shut, and when they come to knock He tells them that He does not know them. He says this after He and the wise virgins have gone in to the marriage. This present period of going forth to meet Him is then over, and there is no longer any opportunity to do so. This could not possibly be applied to any saints at the present time; however lax and worldly they may be, Jesus would still say, “Let him that hears say, Come. And let him that is athirst come; he that will, let him take the water of life freely”.

I think these few remarks are sufficient to indicate how this matter presents itself to me, and I believe it is in accord with the way that Scripture puts it.

With much love in the Lord,

Yours affectionately in Him,

October 31st, 1938.