‘“Then the Kingdom of Heaven will be like ten bridesmaids who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. The five who were foolish didn’t take enough olive oil for their lamps, but the other five were wise enough to take along extra oil. When the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep. “At midnight they were roused by the shout, ‘Look, the bridegroom is coming! Come out and meet him!’ “All the bridesmaids got up and prepared their lamps. Then the five foolish ones asked the others, ‘Please give us some of your oil because our lamps are going out.’ “But the others replied, ‘We don’t have enough for all of us. Go to a shop and buy some for yourselves.’ “But while they were gone to buy oil, the bridegroom came. Then those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was locked. Later, when the other five bridesmaids returned, they stood outside, calling, ‘Lord! Lord! Open the door for us!’ “But he called back, ‘Believe me, I don’t know you!’ “So you, too, must keep watch! For you do not know the day or hour of my return.’ Matthew 25:1-13(NLT)
‘“Collect choice spices—12 1 / 2 pounds of pure myrrh, 6 1 / 4 pounds of fragrant cinnamon, 6 1 / 4 pounds of fragrant calamus, and 12 1 / 2 pounds of cassia —as measured by the weight of the sanctuary shekel. Also get one gallon of olive oil. Like a skilled incense maker, blend these ingredients to make a holy anointing oil. ‘ Exodus 30:23-25(NLT)
‘Then anoint him by pouring the anointing oil over his head. ‘ Exodus 29:7(NLT)
‘The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is upon me, for the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to comfort the brokenhearted and to proclaim that captives will be released and prisoners will be freed.’ Isaiah 61:1(NLT)
Jesus often taught in parables, which are stories with a moral or spiritual truth behind them. Over the next few days, we’re going to talk about the parable of the 10 virgins. It sounds kind of weird, but trust me—after we look into it, you’ll have a new perspective.
In this parable, Jesus is referring to the rapture, the final assumption of Christians into heaven during the end times. This is when Jesus will return as our bridegroom to take His bride, the universal church, out of this world to meet Him in the air. The procession of the Jewish bride we learned about before is a picture of what this event might look like.
The reason Jesus explains that the girls are virgins in this parable is to clarify that they were not yet married. They were most likely in the betrothal period, waiting for their bridegroom to come and get them.
It is NOT saying that you have to be a virgin in the sexual sense for Jesus to approve of you as His bride. It’s also NOT saying that you’re unqualified to be His bride if you’ve sinned, lusted, or fallen short in the sexual category.
This parable has nothing to do with our sexual status; rather, Jesus is using a physical example to explain a deeper spiritual truth. The fact that these girls are virgins mirrors how we’re all spiritually in the “virgin” stage, awaiting a future marriage to Christ. Once He fetches us for our wedding, we’ll become one with Him in our glorified spiritual state and celebrate perfect unity in Christ.
Remember how five of these virgins were considered wise and five were not? Why is that?
In the passage, we learn that the five who were considered wise took extra oil with their lamps. The foolish five didn’t take enough oil for their lamps.
In the rest of today’s reading, we learn the context that oil was used in the Old Testament to anoint or set something apart, to make someone holy, and to consecrate a person or object to God. The oil is symbolic of the Holy Spirit.
When we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, the Holy Spirit anoints us with His oil—and like the lamps in this parable, we have an oil that never runs dry. Our lamps (our bodies) are lit up for God. We’re wise, rightfully betrothed to Christ our bridegroom, and ready for His return.
Here’s the bottom line: The virgins who have no oil are considered foolish and unprepared for His return. As a result, they’re left behind. They represent those here on earth who have not received the Holy Spirit and are not yet betrothed to Christ.
The virgins who have oil represent the betrothed believers who are bound to Christ in this life. These believers have received the gift of His Holy Spirit and will be ready and considered pure when Jesus comes back for them.
Let’s not forget our oil!
from Will You Marry Me?