"I tell you the truth..." Matthew 25:12a

“I tell you the truth… I do not know you.” Matthew 25:12

To further emphasize His point on preparedness, Jesus presented a parable about ten virgins with lamps who were waiting to meet a bridegroom to celebrate his wedding. Weddings in that day had two components: the bridegroom going to the bride’s parents’ home to pick her up, and then the bridegroom would bring the bride back to his home to celebrate the wedding banquet. Those invited to the wedding feast would bring gifts and lamps to help light the occasion, so after the groom’s lamps had burned through their fuel, the guests’ lamps would help continue the celebration.

Each virgin had a lamp to carry to light one’s way in the night. However, only five of the virgins had oil for their lamps. They were prepared because the bridegroom or bride knew them and invited them to the festivities. The five without oil were obviously wedding crashers intending to take advantage of the feast and left to purchase oil for their lamps when the bridegroom unexpectedly showed up. When the remaining five virgins arrived at the door to the banquet hall, the bridegroom turned them away after declaring he did not recognize them.

For understanding this parable, we see Jesus as the Bridegroom Who will return at an hour no-one knows. In the story, He had already claimed His church, the Bride of Christ, and the virgins who had both a lamp and oil are those who are ready for Christ’s return. The virgins who were not prepared are those who do not place any credence in the return of Christ and are not true Believers in His Word… consequently, they will be denied entrance into Heaven. The lamps represent the light of God’s Word, and the oil represents the power of the Holy Spirit Who gives us understanding of the Word.

The eternal truth conveyed in this parable is found in the joy of the wedding feast. Heaven will be a place of perpetual joy and happiness. True Believers will experience the love of the Savior Who will know His own and calls them by name.

Have a blessed day and a safe weekend…