Where Then Do the Foolish Virgins Come From, If They Are Not in Mystery Babylon?
Direct Answer
They are a separate, clean-living, professing class who did not receive the Oil of the Holy Spirit. They are “virgins” because they are not part of the harlot system; yet they are “foolish” because, when the midnight cry sounded, they had no Oil and missed the door. They do not remain in Mystery Babylon; they pass into the tribulation, and later appear as the “sheep” at the White Throne—saved, but not the Bride nor in the Millennium.
Scriptural Explanation
- Matthew 25:1–13 shows two virgin groups. Both are virgins (clean), but the foolish lack Oil. When the cry came, the wise entered; the foolish arrived after, and the door was shut.
- “Virgin” stands opposite to “harlot” (Revelation 17–18). Babylon is a harlot; virgins are not her. “Come out of her, my people” (Revelation 18:4) draws the Bride fully out; the foolish respond too late, without Oil.
- The Bride is the called‑out, Spirit‑filled company with the Lamb (Revelation 7:9–17) and reigns with Christ (Revelation 20:4). The foolish virgins are not shown reigning.
- Those who miss the door face trial and witness under pressure (compare Revelation 12:17). They do not sit on thrones, but later stand at the White Throne as the “sheep” who inherit life (Matthew 25:31–34; Revelation 20:11–15). They are granted life, yet not Bride position.
Simple Clarifying Logic
- “Virgin” means not joined to the harlot; “harlot” is Babylon. So foolish virgins are not Babylon’s daughters; they are clean professors who lacked the Holy Spirit.
- When the cry came, the wise had Oil and went in; the foolish went to obtain it and found the door shut. Missing the Rapture, they are proven in the tribulation and come up at the White Throne as the sheep—saved, but not reigning.
Reinforcing statement
Now notice, the Bride hears and goes in; Babylon’s children share her plagues; the foolish virgins are neither—clean, late, and not sealed in time. The Bride reigns; the foolish are saved at the end, but outside the Bride.
Existing Follow-Up Answers
- 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 virgi
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.
Church Ages, part 9: The ten virgins, and the 144,000
60-1211M §56
See, the angel of the Lord is on earth now, see. He's moving around, fixing everything for the coming of the Lord. And it's the same angels that's heard the sin ... when they went down to Sodom, and they said, "We have come down to see if these things are so, what we've heard." You remember that? And one angel went down in... One stayed with Abraham, the elect. Sodom was down here, and Lot was in Sodom. And two angels went down there and preached to them, and brought that little bitty group out---sleeping virgin, s...
Church Ages, part 9: The ten virgins, and the 144,000
60-1211M §63
Now if you look in the 14th chapter, just a moment, here you see: And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on ... mount Sinai, and with him a hundred and forty-four thousand, having his Father's name written in their forehead. Mount Sinai. The Lamb had come back from the rapture, and come back as we took the other night, as Joseph dismissed all the Gentiles, when he stood by his brethren. Said, "I'm Joseph, your brother." And then they were scared. Remember in the church age there where we had it, when He would return b...
Church Ages, part 9: The ten virgins, and the 144,000
60-1211M §84
Now you remember that they every one was on their road to meet the bridegroom. Now, if God only respects that, then He'd have to take them, too. But you remember the same thing, how the parable the other night, when God spoke to us in the church age, and said that Balaam, the doctrine of Balaam...? Now, here stood Balaam, which was a fine, great big, organized nation. And they were believers in God, because look what Balak done when he come down. Balaam, rather. He offered the very same sacrifice to the very same G...
Church Ages, part 9: The ten virgins, and the 144,000
60-1211M §161
Now, here's what to make it. Now to show where this borderline where this... I'm trying to bring this virgin up to you, see, so you'll understand. Now in the borderline believer, watch what taken place. When they come to Kadesh-barnea, the children of Israel... I just took it back and forth in Genesis, and back and forth to Exodus, and everywhere else, trying to type it for you, you see, so that the class won't miss it.
Church Ages, part 9: The ten virgins, and the 144,000
60-1211M §67
...d get them out there, and say, "Here's the truth." The Jews always believe their prophets---we all know that---'cause God told them that the Messiah would be a prophet. And they believe the prophets. And God said, "If there be among you a man who is a prophet, a seer, and if he... I'll deal with him in visions, and so forth. And if what he says comes to pass, then you hear him, for I am with him." See? "But if it don't come to pass, then don't have nothing to do with that prophet, 'cause I ain't with him. But if it...