Scripture:
Matthew 25:1-13 NKJV
[1] “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. [5] But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept. [6] “And at midnight a cry was heard: ‘Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!’ [7] 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. [11] “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.’ [13] “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.
Observation:
I was listening to someone speak last night, and he brought up a few different verses that I thought would be interesting to dive into. These verses in Matthew chapter 25 were among them, and honestly, I had been thinking about the ten virgins for the past week or so. I love how the Holy Spirit will confirm what needs to be said. So, let’s dive in. Jesus is speaking to a crowd of people and teaching about the kingdom of heaven. HE refers to it as being much like an anticipated wedding. One that had not only the bride had been waiting for, but also her bridesmaids, or in the Jewish culture, ten virgins. In this particular case, however, only 5 of these virgins came prepared to wait any length of time, bringing extra oil for their lamps, and it’s a good thing they did, because the groom was slow in his arrival. As time went on and the virgins grew tired, they fell asleep in their waiting. Some time in the middle of their slumber, the groom arrived, and the bridesmaids woke up, and trimmed their lamps, but those who had not prepared for the waiting did not have any oil for their lamps. So they turned to those who had some and asked if they could get a little of theirs. But the oil that they had brought was only enough for the ones who had brought it. The 5 wise virgins suggested that they go buy some and enter into the wedding feast. While the 5 who did not prepare for the waiting went to the merchants when they got back with the oil they had neglected to bring in the first place they found the door locked and the festival already had begun. So they knocked on the door to gain entry, and to their surprise, they were denied. I’m sure the response was rather depressing when the groom said I have no idea who you are. In the Jewish culture, once a wedding was started, the door was locked, and no one came in or left the celebration. You were there for the duration of the ceremony. That’s why it was such a big deal when they ran out of wine. You had to be prepared. Either bring way more than you thought you needed or make sure you know exactly how much, but either way, don’t run out, and the way that Jesus explains this event. There is no real way to calculate exactly how much you will need. HE says the bridegroom was delayed in HIS arrival. How could anyone have known that and been prepared with exactly how much it would take. The last verse in this particular set of scriptures is the one that honestly needs to be paid attention to, “Watch therefore, for you neither know the time, nor the hour in which the son of man is coming.
Application:
Over and over in the Bible, this warning is given. No one will know. I have heard of people who have studied the bible for years trying to figure out this one thing, and honestly, some of them believed at the time that they had it figured out. Does everyone remember Y2k, or what about Mayans whose calendar ending in 2012. It would be nice if this time could be figured out, but no one will be able to. The Bible says that not even Jesus knows the time and date of HIS return. Only GOD the Father. The purpose of this is simple in my eyes. Stay ready… because there won’t be time to get ready. Have you ever noticed what happens when the world takes a big horrifying event. I have, I have honestly been watching it for a number of years. 9-11 was when it really caught my eye. Everyone ran to the church, and I’m not saying that’s a bad thing… but what if that was the day that Jesus returned and we were not ready. Not having time to love our neighbors or taking time to just worship GOD. What if our light started to flicker, and when we trimmed our wick, we realized we didn’t have enough oil? What I’m saying is this. When we first start our walk with GOD, it’s easy to burn bright, but as the years go by and time takes its toll, that light can start to grow dim and it’s our responsibility to make sure it does not go out. The Bible tells us to fan into flames the gifts and callings. It’s easy to want to sit back on what has already been done and think we have accomplished something… and we have, but the work is not done… it’s not done until we see the bridegroom, and no one knows when that will happen. If you find yourself just going through the motions. Going to church out of obligation rather than a desire. I want to encourage you to find a way to get more oil before it’s too late. Some think that GOD is slack in HIS promises, but I see HIM as patiently waiting for all to come to repentance. If you feel like you are one of the ones that your light is shining bright… reach out to those around you to help them fan the flame in their life, and if you feel like your light is growing dim, trim your wick and get some oil. Jesus is coming back, and no one knows when. But this much we do know, there will be no time to prepare after the fact. So stay ready. Let your light shine that others can see and bring glory to the Father.
Prayer:
Father, we want to be found ready. We do not want to slip off to sleep, not having enough to get to the day of your return. Help us to keep our fire bright and radiant for all to see so that our lives bring you glory. Fill us with your Holy Spirit. Give us fresh anointing. Fill our cups to overflowing. We want more of you. We want our desire for you to burn brighter and brighter until the whole world can see that we have been in your presence. Let us desire personal time with you. Time spent tucked up tightly under your wings. Help us to stay ready. It’s in the mighty name of Jesus I pray amen