Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. [2] And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. [3] They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: [4] But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. [5] While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. [6] And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.
Matthew 25:1-6 KJV
The parable of the 10 virgins is one to particularly consider at these times. It is a continuation of Jesus’ answer to the disciples after being asked when the end of the world shall come, Matthew 24:3. Jesus started saying that the Kingdom of heaven shall be “likened” unto 10 virgins. This means that this story is a simile and a parable and not to be taken literally. In a typical wedding, the bridegroom is not absent and there aren’t 10 brides for one bridegroom. Jesus in answering the disciple’s question sought to give us key insights into the times we are in.
The story speaks of 10 virgins who had lamps and were on their way to meet their bridegroom. However, there was a scheduled delay and they all slept. God is not one who will tarry unless there was a need for it. Habakkuk 2:3 speaks of a vision received by God that shall not tarry and encourages waiting for it. Though it seems the vision tarried in the eye of the one waiting, in God’s calendar, it was always on time. God intentionally delays His coming to test what is in the heart of the people, Deuteronomy 8:2. One example of this scheduled delay was when God asked Moses in Exodus 25-32 to come up to the mountain and be there. Moses spent days in the mountain waiting to receive the law. We know it was an intentional delay because God was the one who saw the Israelites and asked Moses to go down to them because they sinned.
The warning of Exodus 32 to us is that whenever there is a delay, people have the tendency to look to other things besides God for solutions, compromising their bridal fidelity. Saul missed out on his right to rule Israel forever when he went against the Lord’s command to wait for Samuel’s sacrifice because of lack of patience during an assumed delay, 1 Samuel 13. Back to Matthew 25, the delay was actually meant to test both virgins and their readiness for their bridegroom. There were two classes of Virgins clearly listed out: the wise and the foolish. Both of them slept during the delay, but the difference was the oil. Luke 12:34-35 admonishes us to always have our lamps burning and a readiness to meet the Lord when He comes. Both of them had the word of God, which was the lamp and a light to their feet, Psalm 119:105. They had the Word as a lamp in the midnight hour, however, there was no light in their lamp. Light in the lamp is produced by the oil, which is symbolic of the Holy Spirit, Zechariah 4:1-5. One set of virgins had been trained to walk with the leading of the Holy Spirit, the proceeding word of God. Since this is personal to each virgin, it could not be shared.
We are in a time where there seems to be a delay. Jesus has promised his return but seems to tarry. However, he that will come will come. This truth also applies to those who are waiting on God for a promise in their personal lives. Those who are wise now will use this time to amass oil. Pure oil is made from the crushing of olives, which signify different life experiences God will take us through to learn of Him. The time of the delay is not a time to lose focus. More than ever, it is a time to sharpen our spiritual senses to discern good and evil, by prayer and the Word. This is a time to recall all the experiences God has led you through and write them if need be. These will be an anchor during dark times. The more oil a person has in midnight, the more light the individual will have. This will be the difference between the watchmen who made the midnight cry and never slept, those who are wise, and those who are foolish.
Prayer for today: Lord Jesus thank you for coming to me through the medium of your Word and Your Spirit. Help me to be your diligent student and not to forget all the experiences you take me through. Deliver me from slothfulness and help me to exercise my spiritual senses by praying in the Holy Spirit. May my light always burn that I will be awake with a readiness to meet You when You return.
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