The disciples were curious about the end times, so Jesus shared parables to express His desire for them to be ready rather than focusing on the end times.
“Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept.
“And at midnight a cry was heard: ‘Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!’ Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ 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.’ 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. “Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’ But he answered and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hourin which the Son of Man is coming…” Matthew 25:1-13
This parable becomes more clear when we look at the end of chapter 25. In Matthew (25:31-33), Jesus stated that at the end times the sheep and the goats will be separated. His point is that many proclaim that they are followers of Jesus. However, not everyone who professes to be follower of Christ is His sheep.
The above parable describes ten virgins who were all interested in seeing the bridegroom, but the wise ones made preparations to see Him. The wise ones did not just rely on taking a lamp, but they took a jar of oil. The wise virgins represent the sheep. Oil is a representation of the anointing of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit illuminates the lamp. Without it, the lamp will only provide light for a short time. It eventually cannot light a room because it runs out of oil.
The wise virgins took additional oil because they understood that their lamp is useless without the oil. The foolish ones were more self-confident and presumed that it would not take that long, so they did not take any oil with them.
When life is going smoothly, many presume upon the future and assume that things will always be that way. They get busy with life, activities, and distractions, and they forget to nurture their relationship with the Lord.
There are those who profess they are Christians, but they do not have the anointing of the Holy Spirit to illuminate the Word of God to them. Therefore, they have a form of godliness, but they do not have the power to be transformed or to have an influence in seeing others transformed. They are the goats that Jesus spoke about.
I will continue with this subject in the next devotional.
