In the Jewish marriage customs, the groom with a few of his close friends would leave his bride and go prepare a place for them to live. Once ready, they would have various ceremonies, followed by a procession through the streets – after nightfall - to escort his bride to their new home. The ten virgins are likely the bridesmaids that wait and assist the bride and they will go with the bride to meet the bridegroom when he comes. Everyone in the procession was expected to carry his or her own torch. Those without a torch would be assumed to be party crashers. The festivities might last several days. Shouts of “the bridegroom is coming!” would echo through the village as he came for his bride. Excitement would build as people gathered for the wedding festivity and the procession moved through the streets.

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“Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps” (Matthew 25:2-4). By tradition, the bridegroom would come at night, which is why the virgins needed their lamps. A lamp in this ancient setting was a small hand-held clay lamp, which used olive oil as its fuel. Without oil it gave no light. Five of the virgins prepared ahead and had enough oil to light their path, while five were foolish in not having oil.

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Now the virgins represent the church members (keep in mind that a church is filled with true believers and non-believers). The wise virgins are those who lead virtuous lives and are prepared to enter into Heaven. The foolish virgins are those who are unprepared for Christ return and are not allowed to enter. The oil represented the Holy Spirit (in the Bible olive oil is symbolic of the Holy Spirit). Like oil, God’s Holy Spirit comes from a Source apart from the individual.

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In this parable, all 10 virgins fell asleep while waiting. (Wow, I thought, even the wise who had their oil? If, the wise are the true believers – what hope do we have, since the Bible tells us to stay awake, be alert spiritually!?   Ha! That will preach all by itself (LOL!). 1 Thessalonian 5: 2- 6 states “For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. But you are not in darkness, brethren, for that day to surprise you like a thief. For you are all children of life, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness. So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober.”

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This reminds us that we are all susceptible to neglecting our salvation. It does not take much. Just the busyness of life, the constant distraction and pace of our day-to-day activities as my kids say, “life be lifin’”. We get so focused on the cares of this world that we begin to slip spiritually. We lose sight of what is important, our DAILY FUEL, and before we know it, we are running on empty. We can all fall asleep and be caught unaware.

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But Jesus instructed us to “trim our lamp” (v. 6-7). Each oil lamp had a wick that had to be trimmed to work effectively. The wick had to be kept wet and one end in the oil to keep the part in the flame wet with oil so it can burn continuously. The wick will not burn without being wet with oil and continuous supply was needed. The five foolish had their lamps and trimmed the wicks, but they had no oil. This tells me that we have to be fully prepared. Some are sitting in church, saved with no desire to seek for the baptism of the Holy Spirit with fire. We cannot live this life without our guide and definitely not without His Power. A key Part is missing. Francis Chan said, the Holy Spirit has become the Forgotten God.

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Then the foolish virgins had the nerve to say 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” (v. 8-9). Whaaaaat? Are you kidding me? Are you telling me that you sat here all these years, coming to Church – Sunday after Sunday; listening to message after message, going to event after event and you are not ready? And you want me to share my oil, that I toiled over to be prepared for the journey ahead? No, sir!

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“Oil in the ancient world was a valuable commodity. Each person had to ensure his or her supplies were adequate. You could not rely on another for this resource. So it is with the Holy Spirit—the most valuable commodity and power one can have. You cannot rely on your friend, your spouse or anyone else to provide you with the Holy Spirit. It is between you and God” (McNeely, Beyond Today 2016).

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My sister don’t be caught unaware, if you do not have the Holy Spirit – get a hold of Him.  You need power for service to live in these times. If you are baptized with fire from above (like the day of Pentecost) then be sure to trim your wick and have oil in your lamp. If you are not prepared, the doors will be shut while you are away.

 “And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut. Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’ But he answered and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you’” (10-12).

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God will return at an unknown hour, and we must be found ready, doing our Master’s business. We must keep our eyes fixed on Jesus at all times while we eagerly await His coming. Finding all of the virgins asleep when the call came is not the real issue. It doesn’t matter what we are doing when Christ returns. We may be working, eating, sleeping, or pursuing leisure activities. Whatever it is, we must be doing it in such a way that we don’t have to “make things right” (get more oil) when He comes. Have extra oil – be eager for His return. Don’t just show up to enjoy the benefits of the Christian community without developing a true love for Christ.  Don’t be more concerned about the party than about longing and preparing to see the bridegroom. Their (non-believers) hope is that their association with true believers (“give us some of your oil”) will bring them into the kingdom in the end. Faith is not transferable. My Bible tells me – to work out my own salvation with fear and trembling; otherwise I may hear “I never knew you; depart from Me.”