Are There Foolish Virgins in Every Age? If Yes, Which Tribulation Do They Pass Through in the 1st to 6th Ages?
1) Direct Answer
Yes. In every church age there were clean‑living professors without the Oil. But the prophetic company called “the foolish virgins” who knock after the door is shut belongs to the generation at the coming of the Bridegroom. Those alive in the last age who lack the Oil miss the Rapture and go into the Great Tribulation. In the 1st–6th ages, those in that condition died in their times; they did not enter the end‑time Great Tribulation, but will rise at the White Throne as the “sheep,” not the Bride and not in the Millennium.
2) Scriptural Explanation
- Matthew 25:1–13 shows two virgin classes and a single door‑shut event tied to the Bridegroom’s coming. Those ready go in; the others come after and are shut out.
- Luke 13:25 speaks of a once‑for‑all door being shut—this matches the end‑time separation when He comes.
- Revelation 3:14–22 describes the last age (Laodicea): professing, yet blind and naked—many without the Spirit’s Oil.
- Revelation 3:10 promises the true, kept ones will be kept from the hour of trial that comes on all the world—implying the unkept face that hour.
- Matthew 24:21 identifies that unparalleled “Great Tribulation” as an end‑time event.
- Revelation 20:4 shows the Bride reigning in the Millennium; Revelation 20:5 and 20:11–15 show the rest rising after the thousand years at the White Throne. Matthew 25:31–34 shows the “sheep” inheriting life there.
3) Simple Clarifying Logic
- The condition (virgin yet without Oil) has existed in every age; but the door‑shut crisis happens once—at His coming. Therefore only the last‑age foolish go into the Great Tribulation after missing the Rapture.
- In the 1st–6th ages, those lacking the Oil died under ordinary persecutions and pressures of their times (Acts 14:22), but not the end‑time Great Tribulation of Matthew 24:21. They do not reign in the Millennium (Revelation 20:4); they appear later at the White Throne as the “sheep” (Matthew 25:31–34; Revelation 20:11–15).
4) Reinforcing statement
Now notice, the Bride is kept from that final hour and goes in; the last‑age foolish face the Great Tribulation; the earlier‑age foolish died before it and await the White Throne—saved as “sheep,” but not the Bride and not in the Millennium.
Ask a Follow-up Question
What did the Laodicean Church Age (our age) Angel (- messenger) Say about this?
Ranked passages from the local William Branham sermon and Church Age Book database. Relevance is relative, not a statement of doctrinal certainty.
An Exposition Of The Seven Church Ages
CAB 4:E-15
The key to this age is most evidently tribulation. If there was tribulation in the first age, there is now predicted an intensified tribulation throughout the second age. There is no doubt but what the following words of Paul applied to the mass of Christians wherever they were in the world and in every age. Hebrews 10:32-38, "But call to remembrance the former days, in which, after ye were illuminated, ye endured a great fight of afflictions; Partly, whilst ye were made a gazingstock both by reproaches and afflict...
Church Ages, part 9: The ten virgins, and the 144,000
60-1211M §80
All the way down through, all died---slumbered and slept, see---as they went down through. Now, they're not lost, but they just slumbered and slept. They're waiting, see. It didn't say they was dead, but they're slumbering and sleeping, see. And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. And all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out. But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest the...
Church Ages, part 9: The ten virgins, and the 144,000
60-1211M §95
That's your frog. You take an old frog and throw him up on the bank ... just "skwop, skwop," right back to the water. And the old crawfish sitting there, say, "Ah, that's a bunch of holy rollers." There he goes back, "Ah-ah-ah! Oh, no!" Right back to the mud, just as hard as he can go. That's right. The ol' snake a-hissing along a little bit, "I believe the days of miracles is past. Dr. So-and-so, and So-and-so told me." Said, "Ah-ah-ah, you can't fool me." There she goes, right over again, you see. Snake to begin...
Church Ages, part 9: The ten virgins, and the 144,000
60-1211M §14
Did you ever think of Nahum, when he saw Outer Drive in Chicago, four thousand years ago? He did. He said they would jostle through the broad ways. Now, I've been in the old countries where they had their streets, like in Oslo, and different places. There hardly is room to walk. It's just big enough for a chariot to go through in their cities. Probably the distance would be about from here to that wall, is all the wider their streets was---just wide enough for a chariot to go through the street. Well, see, Nahum sa...
Church Ages, part 9: The ten virgins, and the 144,000
60-1211M §65
What does your wife do? She serves you in the house. You sit down, she gives you your food, she fixes the clothing, see. She serves you day and night in the house, see. And this one, these of all nations, the Gentiles which is the bride, are before the throne of God, with Him day and night. Remember what we said last night and talked on it? ...and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them. They shall hunger no more, neither shall they thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, or any heat. For...