The Rapture Series
Why Do you Believe? What Do you Believe? How Do You Believe? Who Do You Believe?
“Reason to Believe”
Prepare
(1c)
THE PARABLE OF THE TEN VIRGINS.
The parable of the ten virgins in Matthew 25 is one of the most enigmatic and intriguing in all of scripture. It seems to be a story of great drama and romance. In it we also see a warning, and some information for the saints of great prophetic significance, It is also a wooing, and a calling into a devotion in God. The Spirit of God is speaking to us in the storyline. We find ourselves being drawn beyond our comfort zone. Deep calls out unto deep ...... - Ps.42:7
The facts of the story are straightforward. Five of the virgins were wise and five were foolish. Just who are these 5 wise and 5 foolish virgins? If they are believers then why the division? Are there two different groups of people within the beloved Congregation of God? And if so, what is it that distinguishes them from each other?
THE SYMBOL OF THE LAMP IN SCRIPTURE.
As we look deeper into the story and survey the poetic imagery we observe that all of the ten virgins carried lamps.
The lamp is often pictured in scripture and in our literature as a symbol of the spirit of a person. 
PROVERBS 20:27 NKJV
The spirit of a man is the lamp of the Lord,
Searching all the inner depths of his heart."
PROVERBS 20:27 KJV
"The spirit of a man is the candle of the Lord,
Searching all the inward parts of the belly."
("Inward parts of the belly" relates to our deepest feelings.
It is a reference to the origin of our true thoughts and motivations.)
So the lamp, or candle, of the Lord is the spirit of man.
There is a flame present and visible to others, - if he is alive and awake.
The spirit of man at any given time is showcasing a spiritual presence.
That spiritual presence varies from person to person and from time to time.
The spirit being expressed in a person may be of God,
Or we may have accepted "strange fire" from the enemy of our souls.
There is a 'mystery of iniquity' operating in great deception. (2Thes.2:7)
And there is a 'mystery of godliness'. (1Tim.3:16)
Our ultimate and eternal happiness is not something that comes from human determination or striving.
We were designed and created to function in union and in harmony with God.
And the candle of our spirit was originally designed to be lit by the Holy Spirit.
As children in Sunday School we learned the song,
"Jesus bids us shine with a pure clear light,
Like a little candle, burning in the night.
In this world of darkness, so we must shine.
You in your small corner, and I in mine. "
So the lamp, or candle, is the spirit of man.
The Westminster Catechism asks this question.
What is the chief end or purpose of man?
The answer is, "to know God and to enjoy Him forever."
Man was created to live and walk in God. He was created and saved not just for a mansion in heaven but to showcase the works and fruits of His Holy Spirit here on earth. The indwelling Holy Spirit of YHVH-God manifests the Christian graces. They are, in fact, the fruit of the Holy Spirit. Our Apostle Paul lays them out for us in Gal.5:22&23. These aspects of Godly character are evidence of the indwelling Christ. And they are increasingly evident in a human being as he grows in God.
The nine fruits of the Holy Spirit are,
love, joy, peace,
patience, kindness, goodness,
faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
THE QUESTION OF THE OIL.
What does the oil represent?
In scripture the meaning of the oil is not a difficult matter to elucidate. A quick word study through the Bible will suffice. The oil quite quite typically represents the Holy Spirit. The scriptures tell of the oil of gladness and the oil of anointing of God's Presence. The Old Testament scriptures showcase the oil of anointing for priests and kings. Throughout the Bible we also see the oil for the lamps which brings the Light of God's illumination. Poetically the Word and Light of God is there as "a lamp unto our feet" to help guide us along the pathway when darkness comes.
If the oil is a picture of the Holy Spirit then what does that extra jar of oil represent? As we see in the parable, an extra cruse of oil was carried by each of the five wise virgins. Apparently this extra oil supply was the essential difference between the five wise and five foolish virgins. As the party began in the early hours of the evening the difference between the wise and the foolish virgins was not noticeable. All of them slumbered. All of them were approaching burnout as the night wore on. But as the midnight hour came the presence or absence of that extra oil became a critical issue. The wise virgins carried an extra supply of oil with them on their person. The foolish virgins did not.
This matter of the extra oil is exceedingly important. Here we see a reserve oil supply that went along with the wise virgins as a matter of course. This extra resource was quite separate from the oil that was in their lamps. The oil the wise carried in their lamps was no greater in supply than the oil in the lamps of the foolish. All ten of them were seeing their lamps beginning to burn out as midnight the midnight hour approached. So this extra oil supply was not a superabundance poured inside the lamps of the wise. The wise virgins had extra oil with them. But it was not in their lamps. The extra oil came from another companion vessel that was with them.
This is a very important point. In the symbolism we see that the extra oil was not to be found within the spirit being of the wise virgins. The extra oil came from an external source. It was a supply and a Providence that was outside and beyond them. It was a personal resource to be sure. And it was a resource they obviously had access to. But this extra energy supply was separate from the oil they had within the lamp of their own spirit. This was the critical difference between those who were wise and those who were foolish. What is God trying to tell us here?
Surely the extra cruse of oil is a picture of our Paraclete.
The Comforter/Strengthener, our Eternal Supply.
He is always with us on our pilgrimage,
...... even the fullness of the Holy Spirit.
THE EXTRA JAR OF OIL.
OUR SPIRITUAL PREPARATION IN GOD.
This matter of the oil and extra provision beyond ourselves is a hugely important issue. The question of the extra oil is still wondered about and discussed in devotional circles. Many Christians admit that this haunting parable of the ten virgins involves them. Deep down in their hearts they also know that God is in some way giving them a warning. It is a call to an important spiritual preparation in God. Is God calling His people to prepare themselves for a journey through the darkness? Biblical Christians know that there certainly is a great darkness up ahead, at the end of this age. So in this parable is our God giving us a 'heads up"?
We are told "A word to the wise is sufficient".
There is still time for us to act on this information.
So shall we take the message to heart?
Shall we make it a priority in our busy world to draw aside and to make that spiritual preparation?
If this parable is a prophecy, (and it probably is), then the answer is all too apparent.
Some of us will take the warning to heart.
We shall seek the face of God and make the needful preparation.
And some of us won't.
RUNNING LOW ON OIL.
AND THE TROUBLING ISSUE OF "BURNOUT".
Art by Spencer Williams. |
We also see that all of the virgins were in the same predicament.
As the midnight hour approached they had all come to a moment of crisis.
Both the wise and the foolish were running low on oil.
All of them were approaching "burnout".
The fact that the virgins came to a time when their lamps were sputtering and burning low is not the main issue at all. This happened to all ten of the virgins, including the five wise virgins. Burnout happens to all of us from time to time as we come to low points and times of crisis in our lives. There is nothing wrong with this. It is a common human experience. But it is how we respond to the challenges of life that seems to be the issue. Do we fear God? Do we seek His face when our world comes into a crisis? Have we come to know God more intimately in our passage through life? Have we taken time to address the spiritual issues of our life in God?
It is our spiritual attentiveness that appears to be the critical issue. We see it alluded to in Proverbs chapter 1. Here we see the woman of wisdom crying out in the streets. But few are listening. The foolish are going their own way no matter what. Only the wise stop to listen and are drawn in to the God who is calling them.
So what was the difference then? Those who were wise had seen the darkness coming. They had made previous preparation for the coming night. They were not trusting and depending on the oil that was in the lamps of their own personal spirit. They knew that this would fail them somewhere down the line. So they had made their priority to obtain a spiritual supply outside of themselves. They had that extra jar of oil. It was the 'midnight oil'. With that extra supply of oil the the wise virgins were prepared. They were ready for the great drama that would unfold at the midnight hour. When the hour of burnout came they were equipped to recharge their lamps with a fresh supply of oil. The wise virgins arose from their beds of ease. The foolish virgins had not prepared for events at the midnight hour. They were in a state of high anxiety because their lamps were fading and approaching burnout. They were unable to go on. But the lamps of the wise had been recharged and were burning brightly. The wise virgins were all set. They were ready to go out to meet the Bridegroom.
THE EXTRA JAR OF OIL AND ETERNAL,
ABUNDANT, NEVER-ENDING SUPPLY.
THE LESSON FROM THE HANUKKAH OIL.
As we look into the parable of the ten virgins we see that the wise carried the extra jar of oil. What is this all about? This is an interesting question and the answer is one that we can piece together as we meditate in the Holy Scriptures and listen to what the Holy Spirit is showing us. It seems that the Holy Spirit is our true and faithful outside supply. He is the ultimate Source of the oil of anointing for salvation and empowerment of the saints. Apparently Christian believers can have God's Holy Spirit and His Presence with them. He is not always evident in their spirit. But when the saints come into times of darkness they cry out to God. And He answers. He is available to those who truly know Him.
The Hanukkah story is another wonderful demonstration of this abundant external supply in God. Here after the desolations of the temple by Antiochus Epiphanes we see a time of deep darkness for the Jewish nation. They had found a supply of oil for the candelabra in the temple. The oil they had prepared was just enough for one day. But God intervened. He miraculously supplied enough oil to keep the light shining for eight days.
The oil is a picture of God's Eternal Spirit. The oil that did not run out is a representation of God's Eternal Light. It is a picture of the ever faithful Presence of the Holy Spirit. It is a demonstration of the Spirit of God at work in His covenant people.
In that Hanukkah oil we see God-YHVH as our Eternal Providence. He is our never-ending supply. He is there with us filling our lamps as our spirits begin to fail us. He supplies the oil throughout all the 7 days of the week. Then He takes us on beyond into the 8th day and into the beginning of a new week. In Him we have a Supply that never ends. He is the One who fills the lamps of our human spirits. His provision is eternal. In Him we shall never come to a place where our spirits burn out and deliver us into outer darkness. Even when faced by physical death in the day of tribulation and adversity we shall never die. Our Savior is also the God of Providence. And He will provide the oil of His Spirit for His saints, come what may. He is there with us to cheer us on even as darkness falls and we face the coming night. This is the wooing in God that leads to the infilling of the Holy Spirit. As we abide in Him we find ourselves being drawn ever closer into His Presence. Let us seek the infilling of His Holy Spirit with all diligence. Because our inspiration and our empowerment is not to be found in ourselves. Our Providence from God. It is divine, and a bountiful supply. And that outside supply is only to be found in Him.
Jesus also specifically promised that the Holy Spirit would be there to light our way.
He would be there and to guide us into the pathways of Truth in the times to come.
He said,
"When he, the Spirit of Truth is come He will guide you into all truth.
For He shall not speak of Himself;
But whatsoever He shall hear, that shall He speak:
And he will show you things to come".
- John 16:13
The Old Testament Hebrew poetry brings us the very same message. There is no difference qualitatively between the workings of the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament times and His New Testament workings we see today.
"Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet, |
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