1 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.
Christians are so used to not reading their bibles that they quickly fill up their heads with many versions of this parable yet it talks about the Lords church. It talks about you and me. Note that the Kingdom of heaven has to do with us. This is not talking about muslims or those who are not saved at all. Saints it is a dire warning and we are on either side of the definition.
Lets take a look.
FACTS
1. It was likening or comparing the Kingdom of heaven of which we are members
2. Every virgin had a lamp (Your Word is a lamp unto my feet)
3. Every virgin went to meet the bridegroom (we are all waiting to meet Jesus)
4. Five of the virgins were wise meaning this comparison teaches us the definition of wise ones
5. Five of them are foolish, meaning there are fools right now in Gods kingdom.
6. The wise take oil in their vessels.
7. The bridegroom tarries. Its obvious we are waiting for Jesus but as he tarries what are we doing to fill our vessels? Getting saved is just the first step in our salvation.
How we behave after that carries a lot of weight. We are either filling our vessels with oil or not. But we are all waiting for Jesus the bridegroom to return.
8. Note that while Jesus the bridegroom tarried all the virgins/saved people slumbered and slept.
9. But when Jesus came it was at midnight when they least expect it and all the wise and the foolish went out to meet Him.
10. Notice that in verse 7 it says that all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. So everyone had a lamp that God gave us. We are indeed the light of the Word. The Word of God says Your word is a lamp unto my feet.
Verse 3 They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them:
God helped us with the definition of fools here. I could be a fool and you could too. The definition is fools have lamps but take no oil with them.
Verse 4 But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.
Wise virgins take oil in their vessels with their lamps. A vessel is the container that carries the oil. You need to carry oil in your vessel plus your lamp.
Verse 5 While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.
May people today see as if Jesus has taken long. And indeed we are waiting for Him but personally I consider his delay a blessing because I don’t want to be turned away. While Jesus tarries Christians all over have been slumbering and sleeping.
Verse 6 And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.
Verse 7 Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.
Remember we shall all hear the voice of the Lord when He comes,We shall all arise with excitement top receive Him and go into the marriage of the Lamb with Him.
Verse 8 And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.
Here is the notable part that will define us.I always say that if you find yourself relying on another person to know God every single day and hour then you have a problem. Seek to know and find God for yourself.
The foolish asked the wise virgins to give them their oil. Notice they say “Give us your oil”. If its mine and enough for me to gain entry how then did we start the journey with equal measure yet now you ask me to give you what has cost me to get, more oil. You will always definitely discover eventually that its not our oil but that i got my own oil!!!!
To make matters worse the foolish give the wise reasons why they asked for the wise one to give them their oil. The reason they gave was “FOR OUR LAMPS HAVE GONE OUT”.
It really means that the wise ones continued adding oil in their lamps and made sure it was sufficient enough to keep their lamps alight while the foolish ones did not add any oil in their lamps at all. Many people are at this point in christianity.
Verse 9 But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.
Here the wise virgins teach us something in the way they replied. They said they couldn’t i.e “Not so!”
Then they give a reason for refusing by saying “Lest there be not enough for us and you”
Dear saved friends God gives you enough oil for yourself. It is not for you and your family and is not for you and your friends or your choir members. Its enough for you. This oil is important to have and must be sought for otherwise your lamp goes off. Yet how is it that even when all of them slumbered and slept there were 5 who had not enough oil while there were 5 who had enough oil for themselves such that even when they slumbered and slept and even woke up their oil was still enough and they had more but that couldn’t be shared but was just enough for themselves.
Foolishness is having gotten no extra oil for your lamp. Remember when God gave you the lamp is was lit and burning but its your duty to get enough oil for youself so that even when you slumber and sleep and eventually wake up you will have enough oil for yourself.
: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.
The wise virgins said something that teaches us about what they did different from the foolish ones. They told them to go to those that sell the oil, which means it comes at a cost, and then it is bought at that cost. Its not free. You have to spend something to gain the oil. SO that means that even though they all slept and slumbered there were those that just didn’t spend to get the extra oil. This is the difference between being foolish and being wise. And each one of us that waits for Jesu should judge ourselves at this point using this. If you don’t know which one you are just ask the Holy Spirit and he will show you wether you have enough oil or if you haven’t even paid the price ad bought more.
Notice that it say “buy for yourselves”. It’s a personal responsibility. Don’t even think that your pastors oil is yours. Your pastor is also either a wise or a foolish virgin. Remember the description is about the Kingdom of heaven.
Verse 10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came;
It means that the place where the oil was sold was there all along and those who were wise took the effort to go to the sellers before slumbering and sleeping. But there is a group of people who today don’t bother to do so but still rely on the lamp and oil that they were first given at salvation. Notice that they went to buy, meaning every single born again christian has the potential to get more oil, but are you buying oil for yourself right now or are you spending the limited time you have focusing greatly on other things and simply expecting to enter heaven? They have never grown in maturity in God and when Jesus returns they will want to rely on what the wise ones did to grow in their Christian faith. The above verse seems to suggest that we should buy right now before Jesus returns.
10b….and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.
This is the defining verse. Wise virgins are they that are ready. Of course being ready is having enough oil for your lamp, having bought it from the sellers who sell it. And according to this part of the verse only those who have enough oil for their lamps will go with Jesus to the marriage.
Notice that the door will be shut. God is not going to give another day or minute to allow you to get oil for your lamp. Even though you go to buy it that’s not wrong but there is a time for going to buy the oil. When Jesus comes the time will be up and there will be no more time for even those who attempt to go and buy the oil. In other words DO IT NOW!
Verse 11 Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.
Verse 12 But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.
You see when these foolish ones went to buy they came back having bought it, which means its possible to buy the oil right now but Christians just don’t do it at all. Most are lazy and waiting to rely on others. DO IT NOW not later! Its very evident that those who are wise got their oil before slumbering while the foolish ones slumbered and slept without enough oil.
“I know you not” is the scariest words that a Christian will hear on that day.
It seems that having enough oil at the right time is what makes you known by the Lord and what makes you a wise virgin while having not enough oil makes one unknown to the Lord.
It’s a scary thing not to be known of the Lord at all because there is no way you will gain access to the marriage. This is actually a prophecy of what is happening and will happen on the last day.
Verse 13 Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.
My question is
1. Does the Lord know you? Add oil to your lamp and He will definitely know you. Everyone that adds oil to their lamp even though they sleep and slumber shall be given entry to the marriage by Jesus . Don’t just be saved and then go on as if nothing needs to be done. Even Jesus at 12 was found in the temple and he was not doing miracles but learning. Todays Christian wants to attend concerts and jump around but never studies the Word of God, never feeds their spirit. But always thinks God is coming for an empty vessel.
So in short each one of us is either practicing foolishness or wisdom every single day of our salvation.
That’s what will determine wether you enter or not. Which virgin are you Christian?
Get oil for your lamp! Because the fact remains that even if God gave you a car or not, a degree or not, a wife or husband or not. It still remains that if you are not building a relationship with the Lord today then on that day he will not know You and it is not the Lord to blame but you. And you will be left behind i assure you.
