The Gospel is preached to all people everywhere. The invitation is for all to come. The world knows of Jesus as loving and that Heaven is a nice place. Most people assume that since they have been invited that that is enough for them to end up in heaven. These would be the five foolish virgins who did nothing to be prepared for the Bridegroom’s return. On the other hand, the five wise virgins are those who respond to the invitation by believing the Gospel, turning in repentance to Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour. They are regenerate. They have saving Faith. They know Jesus and He knows them. These are the ones who are prepared for the return of their Lord.
13 Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour. Matthew 25:13 (ESV)
Just a few days before his crucifixion, our Lord spent some very valuable time with His disciples, pouring Himself into them, preparing them for the time when He would no longer be physically with them. In Matthew 25 we have some of what He gave them. Much of the apostasy we are witnessing in our time in the visible church is a direct result of its mishandling of or forgetting of these things. In fact, any form of what is referring to as “progressive” or “liberal” “Christianity” proves that it is not valid because it does not adhere to the truths found here and the rest of God’s Word. You see, there is no wiggle room. There is no gray area. Why? It is because when we get into these human “rights of choice” forms of “so-called christianity” they are all based on what people do and choose, but when we get to God’s truth and what the real Gospel is and what the nature of the real kingdom of heaven is like, we find our Sovereign God at the center of all things with the elect worshiping Him.
In this post we will look at Matthew 25:1-13.
1 “Then the kingdom of heaven will be comparable to ten virgins, who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 2 Five of them were foolish, and five were prudent. 3 For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, 4 but the prudent took oil in flasks along with their lamps. 5 Now while the bridegroom was delaying, they all got drowsy and began to sleep. 6 But at midnight there was a shout, ‘Behold, the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ 7 Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. 8 The foolish said to the prudent, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ 9 But the prudent answered, ‘No, there will not be enough for us and you too; go instead to the dealers and buy some for yourselves.’ 10 And while they were going away to make the purchase, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding feast; and the door was shut. 11 Later the other virgins also came, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open up for us.’ 12 But he answered, ‘Truly I say to you, I do not know you.’ 13 Be on the alert then, for you do not know the day nor the hour. Matthew 25:1-13 (NASB)
First a little context. The ancient Jewish wedding ceremony was quite a bit more extensive and involved than what we are used to in our time. These celebrations could last for a week or more. In any case, on the night of the wedding, the bridegroom would come to the house of the bride and would go through an elaborate questioning or delaying tactic by the parents that was meant to build anticipation in the bridegroom. After as long a delay as possible he would be allowed to take his bride and then a procession through the village would take place. This is where the lamp bearing virgins role would come in. They were to remain prepared for the cry of the approach of the procession to join in with their lighted lamps and would then they would follow the procession to the house where the banquet would take place.
