Day 19 – Explain the Parable of the Ten Virgins
MATTHEW 25:1-13 Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. 2 And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. 3 They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: 4 But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. 5 While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. 6 And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. 7 Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. 8 And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out. 9 But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. 10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut. 11 Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. 12 But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not. 13 Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh
When reading Scripture, one needs to remember who God used to write the book, who the book was written for, and the message that God desired to communicate. Matthew was used to write this book and it was written to the Jews. Chapter 25 discusses Christ’s coming and His establishing the kingdom of God in Israel (Matthew 25:31-34).
The virgins were divided into two groups: the foolish virgins and the wise virgins. What differentiates the two? The answer is the oil which was needed for their lanterns. The foolish virgins didn’t have any oil for their lanterns (Matthew 25:3-4) and were caught unawares without oil. As we read the passage, we can see that the foolish virgins were not saved and the wise virgins were saved. The saved virgins had oil for their lamps and, therefore, did not miss the bridegroom’s return.
When oil is spoken of in Scripture, it is known to mean one of the attributes of the Holy Spirit – the anointing of the Holy Spirit.
~Acts 10:38 How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.
Jesus said,
~Luke 4:18-19 The Spirit of the Lord [is] upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, 19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.
~Hebrews 1:8-9 But unto the Son [he saith], Thy throne, O God, [is] for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness [is] the sceptre of thy kingdom. 9 Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, [even] thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.
~1 John 2:20, 27 But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things. 27 But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.
The Holy Spirit, then, is known as the “anointing oil” given to the believers to teach us (1 John 2:20, 27); to heal those who are sick amongst us according to the will of the Father (James 5:14-15); and to be our Comforter (John 14:16-17, John 14:26, John 15:26-27, and John 16:7).
In closing, the foolish virgins did not have the anointing of the Holy Spirit and, therefore, were not saved. The wise virgins, however, did have the anointing oil of the Spirit and were ready when the Bridegroom, Jesus Christ, came. What a beautiful picture of the saints who are alive at the time of the Rapture! 🙂
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