Introduction
A. We have read Matthew 25:1 - 13
1. In this is Jesus’ parable of the ten virgins
a. As I studied this parable I found many interpretations
b. The first interpretation to consider is that these ten virgins are Christians
(1) The ten are waiting for the second coming of Christ
(a) The lamps are the gospel of Christ
(b) The oil in the lams is the Holy Spirit
(c) The bridegroom they are waiting for is Christ
(2) Jesus says they are virgins, this means that all ten are pure
(a) But five are filled with the Holy Spirit
(b) And five have burned all the oil they had and no longer had the Holy Spirit
(c) These five have in some way lost their salvation
(3) It is easy to see why I rejected this interpretation
c. Several other interpretations are very similar to the first interpretation
d. Another interpretation is that the five who brought their oil are true Christians
(1) But the other five are just church goers, not really Christians
(2) When the bridegroom comes they are without oil, the Holy Spirit, and they are left out of the wedding celebration
2. I believe that the proper interpretation of this parable is critical
a. The time of the parable is at the end of the tribulation period
(1) The ten virgins are First Jews
(a) The five wise virgins are true believers
(b) The five foolish virgins are religious people
(2) The bridegroom, of course, is Jesus Christ, the Messiah
(a) The lamps may represent the lives of the wise and the foolish
i) Or the lamps may represent the gospel of Christ
(3) The oil is the Holy Spirit
(a) So let us begin by turning to Matthew 25:1
II. Body
A. The kingdom of heaven
Matthew 25:1 (NKJV)
"Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.
1. The Jewish wedding rituals are unique in the world
a. Many are arranged
b. But, many are joined into my mutual consent of the boy and girl
(1) As one man put it the God of Israel is not so cruel as to place strangers into a marriage
(2) A boy might see a young woman in the market place or passing along the street and she might tickle his fancy
(3) The girl would have seen the young man and perhaps fancy him as well
(a) People have a way of letting the other know
(4) When stricken the young man goes to the young lady’s home and presents a marriage contract
(a) If the young fellow is acceptable to the family, they call the young lady to join them
(b) The guy offers the gal a glass of wine
i) The young lady has as long as she needs to make up her mind
ii) If she refuses to drink the wine, she has rejected the young fellow and he leaves, never to approach her again
iii) If she accepts the young fellow she will take the glass and drink the wine, they are now engaged
iv) We drink of the wine the first Sunday of every month, we accept the young man, the bridegroom, the messiah, Jesus Christ
a) Please turn to John 14:2-3
2. In this passage in John, Jesus makes a wonderful promise, but He also tells us of a delay
John 14:2-3 (NKJV)
"In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. {3} "And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.
a. The young bridegroom left the girl’s home and went home to begin building a bridal chamber
(1) Turn to Matthew 24:36
(2) The young man’s father would judge the young man’s work and the father would say when the chamber was completed
Matthew 24:36 (NKJV)
"But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only.
(3) A comment was made that Mary, the mother of Jesus, was very fortunate in that she was engaged to a carpenter, the day of the consummation of the marriage would be closer, because Joseph knew how to build a bridal chamber
b. The building of the bridal chamber was the reason for the delay between the engagement and the wedding feast
c. The bride and her ladies would have to wait until the groom had finished his work and it was approved by his father
(1) We have taken the cup and drunk the wine, we only wait until the Father approves the bridal chamber
d. Jesus’ promise is “I will come again to receive you to Myself.”
(1) One presentation pictured the bridegroom waiting until midnight just to make the wedding feast a surprise and very special
(a) Is the Lord waiting to make the wedding feast a surprise and very special?
(2) Lets turn again the Matthew 25:1 and read to verse 4
B. Waiting for the bridegroom
Matthew 25:1-4 (NKJV)
"Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. {2} "Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. {3} "Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, {4} "but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.
1. The virgins represent Jewish religious people at the end of the tribulation period
a. The church is gone
b. But, even if the church is gone, God will not allow the world to go without a witness
(1) Books will remain, the Bible and Bible commentaries
(2) Films will remain, the left behind series and many others
(3) 144 thousand Jewish evangelists
(4) Wailing angels
c. There will be many converts during the tribulation
(1) Some will die a horrible death
(2) Some will survive
d. The five wise virgins will be indwelt by the Holy Spirit
(1) They will be true Christians, waiting for the return of Christ
(2) Their lamps trimmed, the vessels filled with oil
e. The five foolish virgins, can only compare with the Pharisees
(1) The strictest sect of the Jewish religion
(2) They look good, but inwardly filled with dead men’s bones
(3) In other words, they look good, but have not truly received the Holy Spirit
(a) Lets turn to Matthew 25:5
C. The virgins slept
Matthew 25:5 (NKJV)
"But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept.
1. Although many would make something of this verse, that they slept
2. I believe that Jesus simply meant that things proceeded as usual
a. Lets face it, people get tired
b. People need sleep
c. Waiting is one of the tiredest things we do
d. I don’t think that there is anything meant to be wrong
e. It is simply saying that the Bridegroom, the Christ seems to be taking a long time, longer then we anticipated
(1) Turn to 2 Peter 3:1-4
3. Peter clarifies this for us in 2 Peter
2 Peter 3:1-4 (NKJV)
Beloved, I now write to you this second epistle (in both of which I stir up your pure minds by way of reminder), {2} that you may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us, the apostles of the Lord and Savior, {3} knowing this first: that scoffers will come in the last days, walking according to their own lusts, {4} and saying, "Where is the promise of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of creation."
a. The Lord Jesus, Himself, has told us that the time of His second coming is in the hands of the Father and only the Father
(1) Peter also reminds us in verses 8-9 of that very same chapter that our timing is not God’s timing
2 Peter 3:8-9 (NKJV)
But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. {9} The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.
(2) To us, a year is a year, a day is a day
(3) But, to God, well, He is outside time
(4) Days, years, seasons mean absolutely nothing to God
(a) Lets turn to Matthew 25:6
4. Behold, the bridegroom is coming
Matthew 25:6 (NKJV)
"And at midnight a cry was heard: 'Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!'
a. Eventually, Jesus will come
b. We will already be in the wedding chamber
c. Those converted after the rapture will see Him coming
d. Jesus will come again
(1) Turn to Matthew 25:7 - 10
5. Getting ready
Matthew 25:7-10 (NKJV)
"Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. {8} "And the foolish said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.' {9} "But the wise answered, saying, 'No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.' {10} "And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut.
a. Behold Jesus is coming
(1) And the ten awake and prepare to go out and meet Him
(2) The foolish find that their lamps have no oil
(a) Their lives are empty
(b) Their gospel message has no power
(3) The wise refuse to give away their lives, their gospel message
(a) They go out to meet the bridegroom
(b) They attend Him
(c) They are admitted to the wedding feast
i) Turn to Matthew 25:11 - 12
6. The fate of the unprepared
Matthew 25:11-13 (NKJV)
"Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, 'Lord, Lord, open to us!' {12} "But he answered and said, 'Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.'
a. Sad, sad, waiting unprepared for the coming of the Lord
(1) Lets turn to Matthew 7:21-23
7. Those who were not ready
Matthew 7:21-23 (NKJV)
"Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. {22} "Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' {23} "And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!'
a. Take a look at these words of Jesus
(1) While you contemplate these words turn to Matthew 25:2 - 4
b. The five foolish virgins will have been doing the very same as the wise virgins
Matthew 25:2-4 (NKJV)
Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. {3} "Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, {4} "but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.
(1) Notice these words in verse 3
Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them
c. This says that they took no oil with them
(1) It seems that they took no oil
(a) I can’t say what they had in their lamps
(b) But, it seems obvious that the Holy Spirit was completely devoid in their lives
i) The were, it seems, identical to the other 5 virgins
ii) Perhaps those who saw that the Messiah was coming and put up an appearance of being a convert
iii) Much like the Pharisees in Jesus time
d. Notice verse 4 of Matthew 25
(1) The wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps
(a) You know that their lamps were filled with oil, but they also had sufficient oil besides what was in the lamp
(2) They were filled with the Holy Spirit, waiting
(a) Lets turn to Matthew 25:13
D. The End of it all
Matthew 25:13 (NKJV)
"Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.
1. Now remember that the virgins are Jewish
2. This admonition, this warning, this caution is spoken to the Jews
a. This is the end of the tribulation period
b. The church as we know it has been in heaven for 7 years
(1) We have undergone our judgment, the judgment for rewards
(2) We have been with the Lord
(3) And when the bridegroom comes we will be part of His entourage
c. The warning is the same warning Jesus gave us
d. Watch
(1) We will close with Hebrews 10:23-25
3. It seems that this passage is appropriate in most cases
Hebrews 10:23-25 (NKJV)
Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. {24} And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, {25} not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.
a. Watch as you see the day approaching
