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| Ten Virgins - Matt. 25:2-5 |
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Lesson # Ten Virgins - Matt. 25:2-5 Study Material - Ten Virgins - Matt. 25:2-5 You must be in fellowship prior to your Bible study, so that the spiritual information you receive can become a source, of blessing to your soul and produce spiritual growth. Ten Virgins Matt. 25:2-5 2 And [de] five [pente] of [ek] them [autos] were [en] wise [phronimos] , and [kai] five [pente] were foolish [moros] . 3 They [hostis] that were foolish [moros] took [lambano] their [autos] [heautou] lamps [lampas] , and took [lambano] no [ou] oil [elaion] with [meta] them [heautou] : 4 But [de] the wise [phronimos] took [lambano] oil [elaion] in [en] their [autos] vessels [aggeion] with [meta] their [autos] lamps [lampas] . 5 While [de] the bridegroom [numphios] tarried [chronizo] , they all [pas] slumbered [nustazo] and [kai] slept [katheudo] . KJV-Interlinear 2 'And 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. NASB In the prior parable unbelievers and those who are negative, lose out on their eternal opportunities. Now we have two categories of believers - the ten virgins. The setting is still the Second Advent, not the Rapture. In this parable Jesus uses the last phase of the wedding ceremonial rituals, to teach the principle of preparedness. The players are the ten virgins or bridesmaids (all believers in Christ), their lamps (their containers of spiritual growth), the oil (the source of spiritual growth - Bible doctrine), the Groom (Jesus Christ), the wedding feast (entrance into the 'earthly' Kingdom of God). By the way the earthly Kingdom is not the heavenly Kingdom. There is a very real difference between the two. Only those who are prepared at the end of the Tribulation will be allowed enter (still physically alive) into the earthly Kingdom. Those who are not prepared will be shut out. They will die and go to heaven and will not live on earth during the Millennium. The fact that there are five prepared and five unprepared is a reference not to the proportions of those who are spiritually advanced and those who are not, but the number five is the number of grace. Grace is Gods policy toward all of mankind. God is fair, and He treats everyone, whether prepared or not, exactly the same. The number ten is the number often used for completion. The numbers of believers in the Tribulation will be complete. There will not be anyone accidentally left out. If the Tribulation had lasted another day, or week, or whatever length of time, there would not be even one additional believer added to their number. In fact we already know that Satan and his ruthless actions would destroy all human life were it not for Christ's return The delay of the Groom is the period of time during which the 'birth pain' signs of His return are taking place. Since the signs are recognized, then this is the period of expectation as to when Christ will return. Though His actual time of return remains unknown. Preparation is the principle being taught here. All have the opportunity to prepare for Christ during their life here on earth. But once He returns, then that time runs out. Those who are prepared will be separated from those who are not, and those who are not will be excluded from the earthly Kingdom of God. This exclusion is tantamount to losing blessings. They go to heaven of course, but in the Old Testament times, the thought of entering into the Kingdom of God here on earth was a prize to be cherished. Five of the bridesmaids were prepared. They studied their Bibles, and they knew the signs. They brought oil (Bible doctrine in their soul) for the moment of the Grooms return. The five foolish bridesmaids brought no oil (no spiritual growth in the soul). They did not study their Bibles, but though they were all dressed exactly the same (they were all saved believers), it is not what is on the outside that counts. It is what is in the lamp (the soul) that gives off light allowing one to see. They all fell asleep. Normal daily routines overpower us all. We all have to eat and sleep, work and play, and do whatever it is we do in life. But, daily routines do not excuse you from preparation in your spiritual life. Some of us have many blessings in life. Others of us have many hardships. Circumstances in life should not be allowed to prevent you from growing up spiritually. If life is relative easy for you, then do not be fooled into thinking that you do not need God in your life. If life is difficult for you, then do not think that God has turned His back on you. In fact these virgins are not the bride herself, though they might each have wished they were. They can not allow bitterness, or jealousy, or resentment to enter into their life and thereby prevent them from growing up spiritually. We all have difficulties in life. Some of us are assaulted by others for many reasons. Some of us have pressures and difficulties that we probably believe that we do not deserve. We can look out into the world and see evil prospering and wonder, 'Why do they prosper and not me?' But God has a plan for each of our lives. God has a plan for history too. We have only to study, learn, and grow up spiritually. We have to apply what we learn to our lives and not get distracted by all the fog of the world, which will only lead us away from our goal of spiritual maturity. So what if others are mean to you. So what if others seem to get away with things. Our life is in Gods hands and His plan for each one of us is far better than anything anyone else might have here on earth. If others do not recognize our efforts, it does not matter. What does matter is what God thinks of us, and God wishes for us not to accomplish some human effort in life, but to advance to spiritual maturity, and live it in fellowship. Do not allow others to shape your life. There are many who will try to get you to comply with their standards. They do not have your best interest at heart, but only their selfish arrogance in controlling you. God does have your best interest at heart and gives us all Bible doctrine so that we can advance to the winners circle and not be just runners up or losers. Be prudent and advance in your spiritual life, and live it. Do not be foolish and waste your life away, stumbling over your arrogant opinions, and thinking that perhaps you'll have plenty of time to study the Bible later, or perhaps you can learn on your own and at your own pace (later), or perhaps that all this Bible stuff is not really for real anyway. In which case you'll have your 'do-gooder' attitudes, your crusader for this or that, campaigns against this person or that person, your beliefs that whatever it is you do in life is good enough to gain Gods acceptance, your stubborn attitude of 'whatever I think is good enough for now,' and to that end you will learn (too late) that you are dead wrong. Were are in the middle of a national campaign. The election is just a day or so away, and the differences are so dramatic between the candidates that if all voters were 'informed' and had some 'spiritual' discernment, then the President would be reelected overwhelmingly. But the polls (if you can believe them) seem to point at a nation which is divided down the middle. Not to worry. I just placed a chart covering the historical 'Interest in Christ' showing the ups and downs that the world goes through throughout history. When interest in Christ is up then prosperity is up and problems are down. When interest in Christ is down, then prosperity declines and problems increase. That is the course of the world and history. This should have not bother you. God is able to sift through the worlds problems and prosper you (if you grow up spiritually) regardless of the state of the world or the nation. Certainly you have a responsibility to get out and vote, and otherwise be a responsible citizen, but remember that the path that the world is currently taking is toward the Rapture and the Tribulation. That means that sooner or later interest in Christ will decline and trouble will be on the rise - expect it. Perhaps it will not occur within our generation. Perhaps the transition will occur over the span of a couple of generations or more. We do not know the date of the Rapture, but that course is certain. Regardless of the path of the world, your path is in your hands and under your own control. Study, learn, be obedient to the Word, and grow up spiritually. You can be prepared for greater things both in this life and the next, from which you will greatly benefit regardless of what is going on in the world. Or, you can throw away your opportunity and have nothing to show for your life - spiritually. That choice is always yours too. 
Now is the time to post a prayer. End Of Lesson Study to show thyself approved (mature) unto God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing (studying/discerning), the Word of truth. |
