We turn tonight in our thinking to the subject ‘Behold the Bridegroom Cometh’ because there is a symbolism to mystery here which reaches back to the knowledge of our race, to its relationship with God over a long period of time. The very understanding of the knowledge which God restored unto the Patriarchs and the Prophets sometimes is not discerned in the areas of contemporary theologians. As one goes back into this knowledge of the ancients, the writings of the patriarchs, the volumes of Enoch, the testimonies made known unto us from the book of Seth, as Seth the author, records these facts, the vast number of these ancient and sacred records became a symbolism of Mystery that is the relationship of God to His Household, His people.
In the teachings of Jesus there is then a multitude of parables which are illustrations of the Mystery, but which were not intended to be easily understood because of the KEY which is therein contained. ‘Unto you it is given to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven, unto ‘them’ it is not given.’ Almost all these parables are directly related to the purpose, the development the plan of the Kingdom, and God’s own personal relationship to it. All are therefore vital for a Christian to understand.
In the ancient writings of these Patriarchs, the great mystery and wisdom of symbolism were discussed. This symbolism was in the higher orders of their race. And here the symbolism was a part of their wisdom and understanding. In fact, in the Assemblies, where they met together to discuss these revelations and these patterns of significance, there were many things that they understood in these measures of symbolism in the days that proceeded the Ministry of Christ.