Matthew 25: 1-13
“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.”
The parable of the ten virgins sounds a wakeup call to all believers across the globe. No other story arouses a greater awakening in the body of Christ than this one. What makes it even more scary is the fact that they were all virgins – which connotes a high level of purity, chastity, or morality.
Initially they all had lamps (which I believe is the Holy Spirit and the fervency required to run the Christian race), and were ready to meet the bridegroom. But the Bible records the bridegroom tarried, and they all slept.
However, the wise ones took extra oil, but the foolish virgins did not – this is the differentiating factor we must all take note of. The oil was required to fuel (or power) the lamps, otherwise there will be no light in the lamps.
An interesting insight here is that the bridegroom came at the midnight hour – which technically represents a time of spiritual slumber, great trial, test, tribulation, pain difficulty, challenges, etc. (potentially sufficient to derail our faith); it is the darkest hour of our lives! Only the wise ones who had extra oil (i.e. the Holy Spirit, being prayed up, ‘Bibled’ up, etc.) could instantly bounce back from the effects of the midnight hour, and were ready to meet the Lord.
The food for thought here is that the foolish ones were still virgins – not lacking in purity and chastity, did not commit any sin; but they missed the bridegroom due to negligence (no oil in their lamps)! A sobering thought is that Christians could miss heaven due to negligence!
Let us therefore take heed to this wakeup call; and daily ask for more oil, more of the Holy Spirit, and more of God’s word (lest our lamps are empty) that we may not be found wanting should the bridegroom return at our midnight hour!