"In looking forward, it is good to prepare for the worst, to lay in for a long siege." - Matthew Henry
Believe it or not! Character is revealed by crisis or by emergency.
You can see this concept confirmed in the following two (2) comments from the Biblical Illustrator -
"A man has only as much religion (Christianity) as he can command in the hour of trial. The minor surprises of life are to prepare us for the last emergency."
"It is in moments of surprise that a man's true self comes out to view... Nothing will more correctly reveal what is in a man, than the coming upon him of some crushing and unlooked-for crisis."
And this is especially brought out in the parable of the ten (10) virgins found in Matthew 25.
In verse 1, Jesus stated - "Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom."
Here we find ten (10) virgins who - from the start - appeared as a united band. They shared in the same expectations and were interested in the same great event - the coming of the Bridegroom. They had many features in common - having the same name...wearing the same dress...being on the same errand...and all having lamps.
They had the same regard for the Bridegroom...desired to honor Him by going to meet Him... and, in the beginning, had lamps that were burning.
However, even though they were alike in all outward things, they did share a marked difference. Jesus brought that difference out in verse 2 when He said - "And five of them were wise, and five were foolish."
Notice that He did not say that "five" were good, and "five" were bad.
No, He distinguished them by using the descriptive words - "wise" and "foolish."
It is imperative at this point to consider this - In what way were "five" "wise" and "five" "foolish"?
The answer? It all had to do with prudent forethought or the lack thereof.
The "wise" were the ones who had prudent forethought, while the "foolish" lacked it.
How do we know this?
Jesus brought this out in verses 3-4 when He said - "They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps."
It all had to do with preparation for the future.
The "wise" were provident. They knew that the time of the Bridegroom's coming was uncertain. Hence, they took care to make proper provision beforehand. They left nothing to be done in the last moment.
Supposing that He might tarry, they furnished themselves with "oil" - carrying it in their vessels so that it could easily be poured on their torch ("lamp") - when needed.
The "foolish" - on the other hand - were negligent and careless. They didn't "see" what was proper or necessary. They most likely expected the Bridegroom to come immediately. Hence, they saw no need for any provision in case of a delay. They only carried enough "oil" to make their "lamps" burn for the present.
These "five foolish virgins" made no provision for what was to come. They didn't prepare for the hereafter. They had no store of "oil" for the future.
Interestingly enough - The real difference between these two classes of "virgins" was not detected until the approach of the Bridegroom - actually, after a long delay when "all slumbered and slept" and the time reached the "midnight" hour.
In verses 5-6, Jesus depicted it in this way - "While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet Him."
The "foolish" thought that they would escape any hard times to come. Consequently, they didn't see the need for daily (spiritual) preparation and constant watchfulness.
The Bridegroom's delay proved to be fatal for them. They honestly believed that He would soon appear. This supposition betrayed them into carelessness.
They acted as if the "oil" in their lamps would burn forever. They never anticipated going through a "long delay"...a time of seemingly "universal" "slumber and sleep"...or "midnight" darkness - when they would especially need a great store of "oil" to keep their "lamps" burning brightly.
At the "midnight cry" is when they realized that they were in trouble.
Verse 8 described their predicament - "And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out."
What a horrible situation to be found in! Just when light was needed the most - at the "midnight hour" - their "oil" was exhausted. They were unprepared to meet the Bridegroom!
The Biblical Illustrator offered this comment - "Sad for the heart to be without grace in seasons of perplexity and peril."
At this point, to run to a big-named Evangelist and beg for him to lay hands on them and "impart" some "oil" into their "lamp" would have been a foolish venture and costly mistake - for each man must answer for himself in that hour as to whether or not he is truly prepared for the coming of the Bridegroom with "oil in his vessel with his lamp." (And, besides, character cannot be transferred from one to another.)
Verses 9-10 detailed their horrible predicament - "But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut."
Stop and think!
What is Jesus saying to you in this message?
For one, He is saying - "Prepare for the future. Prepare for what is to come - for all delay, deception, dormancy, and darkness. Be ready for all circumstances."
He is saying - "It is not a time to slack off on Bible Study, prayer, fellowship with likeminded Christians, etc. It is not a time to be caught up with compromise or sin...loosen your morals...walk in the counsel of the ungodly...or see how close you can get to the world and still call yourself a Christian. It is a time to get on fire for Me - be 'a burning and a shining light' (John 5:35) - 'in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation.'" (Philippians 2:15)
In other words, He is saying that it is not enough to just be saved. As a Christian, you need to be "growing in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ - which entails hungering and thirsting for "more and more grace"...crying out for the power of His Holy Spirit...and maintaining your "first love" for Jesus until the end.
In 1 Peter 1:13, Peter confirmed the need for "grace" or "oil" in your life until the very "end" when he said - "Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ."
Don't be fooled like the "five foolish virgins!" Besides keeping your "lamp" continually burning for Jesus, always carry "oil" in your "vessel" as well.
Let your testimony be - "...My cup runneth over." (Psalm 23:5)
On a scale of 1 - 10, be a 10 for Jesus! This way you will be ready when He comes - no matter what happens leading up to that event!
May it never be said of you - "My lamp is gone out" - especially at a future time when you will need its light to be brilliant in the thick "darkness" of the
"midnight hour."
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No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. (Isaiah 54:17)
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