Re: The Three Questions Of Matt. 24. After reading your article I’m wondering, can the parable of the 10 Virgins refer to Israel and not to the rapture of the church?
From Matt. 24:29,30,36 we can see that the opening phrase of Matt. 25:1, “At that time” refers to the time just after the 2nd Coming. The 10 virgins represent survivors of the Great Tribulation, five of whom had been believers and then fell away, and five of whom had remained faithful.
This parable is one of several in Matt. 24-25 that describe conditions on Earth after the 2nd Coming. It conveys the warning that the doctrine of eternal security will expire with the rapture of the Church which will have taken place at least 7 years previously. We know this because Romans 5:9, 1 Thes. 1:10, and Rev. 3:10 all contain promises that the Church will be kept out of the time of God’s wrath, which begins in Rev. 6 and covers all of Daniel’s 70th Week (Daniel 9:27).
Rev. 14:12 and Rev. 16:15 tell us that those who become believers during that time will be responsible for maintaining their own salvation by remaining faithful to Jesus and obeying God’s commandments.