I never tire of reading and hearing this parable. It is so interesting and so rich in meaning. There is so much to share and learn from the story of the 10 virgins.
"Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom" - Matt 25:1
The ten virgins represent believers who are waiting for the Lord's return. Our bridegroom is the Lord Jesus Christ who has promised to return for us.
Who are virgins? Spiritual virgins are those who have kept their hearts only for Jesus and Jesus alone. Forsaking all they have chosen to follow Jesus. They have made a decision to keep themselves pure only for Jesus.
1 Cor 7:32 describes the spiritual 'virgin'.
He is one who cares for the things of the Lord and how he may please the Lord. The married person cares about how he may please his wife.
"But I want you to be without care. He who is unmarried cares for the things of the Lord, how he may please the Lord" - 1 Cor 7:32
"There is a difference between a wife and a virgin. The unmarried woman cares about the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in spirit. But she who is married cares about the things of the world - how she may please her husband" - 1 Cor 7:34
I believe that all of us started our spiritual life as virgins unto the Lord. We promised to give our attention to Him and Him alone, to love Him and Him alone.
The second thing to learn is that the parable tells us that there are only 2 categories of virgins. The ones who were wise (5 of them) and the ones who were foolish (5 of them also). Why were they foolish/wise?
"Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them" - Matt 25:3
"But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps" - Matthew 25:4
The lamps or vessels symbolize our spirit man. The oil symbolize the Holy Spirit.
The foolish virgins did not take care to ensure that they were full of the Holy Spirit but the wise virgins ensured that they had oil in their spirits.
The third thing to learn in the parable is that all the virgins were normal. They did normal things. They partake of the normal cycle in life. They slumbered and slept. Sleeping is normal, slumbering is normal. They are just like us engaged in activities that were part of our usual daily living.
"But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept" - Matt 25:5
The 4th thing to learn is that the Lord Jesus will return at the time we do not expect.
I was sharing Jesus with a young lady in my office and telling her that Jesus will return some day for those who believe in Him. When He returned everyone will know about it as He will appear in the sky just like on a huge computer screen that will be beamed throughout the whole world. She said that she had never heard of such a thing.
God willed that I met her again 2 weeks after. I shared with her the Gospel and she accepted Christ!
"And at midnight, a cry was heard: "Behold the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!" - Matt 25:6
The 5th thing about this was that all the virgins trimmed their lamps. What is the act of trimming? To trim the lamp is to make the light burn brighter. To trim the lamp is to cut away the blackened part of the wick and to cut off the candle-stub if a candle is used in the lamp.
In this case, all the virgins knew that they had to keep trimming their lamps. After trimming they had to pour in more oil to ensure that the light continue to shine in their vessels. Trimming without more oil is rather useless.
However 5 foolish virgins were short of oil! 5 wise virgins had spare oil but only for themselves!
The 'foolish 5' asked of the 5 who had the oil to give them some of their oil for their lamps were going out:
"And the foolish said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out' - Matt 25:8
I often wondered, how does one keep the oil from going out. What should I do to be counted among the 5 wise virgins? I believe that the wisest thing I can ever do in my short life on earth is to keep my heart full of the Holy Spirit and my mind full of His word.
Its so simple but seem so difficult because the battle is with the flesh! While the spirit wants to pray, the flesh wants to sleep. While the spirit wants to eat the bread of life (word of God) the flesh wants to eat the physical food! Fasting and praying is like a constant battle with the flesh!
Derek Prince preaching on the end-time shared that the virgins who had spare oil were those who paid the price to buy the oil and kept them in reserves. How did they pay the price? Even before the Lord's return the virgins were fasting and praying, meditating on God's Word and spending time with the Holy Spirit. In paying the price of constantly ensuring that their hearts were on fire for God, they had reserves to sustain them till the coming of the Lord! Unlike the 5 other virgins who did not want to pay the price until the very last minute....by that time it was too late....
The 6th thing I learn from this parable is that I cannot depend on someone's faith to take me to heaven. I need to keep my own oil full and the fire in my heart burning all the time.
"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" - Matt 25:9
LORD HAVE MERCY ON ME AND MY FAMILY. MAY WE BE COUNTED AMONG THE 5 WISE VIRGINS WHEN YOU RETURN. AMEN
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