The Parable of the Ten Virgins

Matthew 25:1–13 NKJV

“Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 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. But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept. “And at midnight a cry was heard: ‘Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!’ Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said 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.’ 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.’ “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.

A Royal Wedding is Coming!

Marriage: Betrothal and Wedding

The betrothal was like a modern engagement but was regarded as a legal marriage.

The wedding was the formal celebration and consummation of the marriage.

The Preparation of Queen Esther

Esther 2:8–18 NKJV

So it was, when the king’s command and decree were heard, and when many young women were gathered at Shushan the citadel, under the custody of Hegai, that Esther also was taken to the king’s palace, into the care of Hegai the custodian of the women. Now the young woman pleased him, and she obtained his favor; so he readily gave beauty preparations to her, besides her allowance. Then seven choice maidservants were provided for her from the king’s palace, and he moved her and her maidservants to the best place in the house of the women. Esther had not revealed her people or family, for Mordecai had charged her not to reveal it. And every day Mordecai paced in front of the court of the women’s quarters, to learn of Esther’s welfare and what was happening to her. Each young woman’s turn came to go in to King Ahasuerus after she had completed twelve months’ preparation, according to the regulations for the women, for thus were the days of their preparation apportioned: six months with oil of myrrh, and six months with perfumes and preparations for beautifying women. Thus prepared, each young woman went to the king, and she was given whatever she desired to take with her from the women’s quarters to the king’s palace. In the evening she went, and in the morning she returned to the second house of the women, to the custody of Shaashgaz, the king’s eunuch who kept the concubines. She would not go in to the king again unless the king delighted in her and called for her by name. Now when the turn came for Esther the daughter of Abihail the uncle of Mordecai, who had taken her as his daughter, to go in to the king, she requested nothing but what Hegai the king’s eunuch, the custodian of the women, advised. And Esther obtained favor in the sight of all who saw her. So Esther was taken to King Ahasuerus, into his royal palace, in the tenth month, which is the month of Tebeth, in the seventh year of his reign. The king loved Esther more than all the other women, and she obtained grace and favor in his sight more than all the virgins; so he set the royal crown upon her head and made her queen instead of Vashti. Then the king made a great feast, the Feast of Esther, for all his officials and servants; and he proclaimed a holiday in the provinces and gave gifts according to the generosity of a king.

The Betrothal and Wedding of the Bride of Christ

God betrothed the nation of Israel to Himself at Mount Sinai. They broke His covenant.

Ephesians 5:22-33 Marriage is a picture of Christ and His Bride, the Church.

John 3:29 John the Baptist came as the friend of the Bridegroom to prepare a people for Christ’s first coming.

Luke 22:20 Jesus Christ betrothed the church to Himself in the New Covenant.

Acts 20:28 Jesus purchased the church with the dowry price of His own blood.

John 14:1-3 Jesus went away to His Father to prepare a place for His Bride and will come again to receive them.

John 14:26 Jesus sent His Holy Spirit to help prepare His Bride for His Second Coming.

Ephesians 5:26-27 Jesus, as the Husband, is sanctifying His Bride so that He might present her to Himself without spot or blemish.

1 Corinthians 11:2 Believers are spiritual virgins betrothed to one Husband, Christ.

1 Thessalonians 4:15 The coming of the Lord for His Bride will not precede the resurrection of the righteous dead.

Revelation 19:7-9 The Lamb’s wife has made herself ready for the marriage of the Lamb.

Revelation 21:2, 9 Christ’s Bride is described as a Bride City, the New Jerusalem (Revelation 3:12).

Revelation 22:17 The Spirit and the Bride say “Come”!

The Parable of the Ten Virgins

Jesus likened the kingdom of heaven to the return of the Bridegroom for His Bride (King and Queen)

The Ten Virgins

The ten virgins represent all who profess Christ as Savior and Lord.

The Lamps: Lamps signified their persistent readiness to meet the Bridegroom.

All ten virgins began with a commitment.

All had lamps representing light and witness of Jesus Christ.

All went out--holiness ("come out of the world").

All had oil in their lamps (Holy Spirit).

The Five Wise Virgins

These kept a reserve of oil.

These prepared for Christ’s delay.

Five Foolish Virgins

These took no reserve of oil.

These were short-term converts. They did not prepare for Christ’s delay.

Oil

Oil was used for fuel, anointing, and cooking.

Oil represents being filled with the Holy Spirit.

The Bridegroom’s Delay

2 Peter 3:9 God delays His coming because of His mercy for the lost.

The Sleeping Virgins

Sleep represents the lack of vigilance to be awake and watching (1 Peter 5:8).

It is common for people to relax in times of delay: "You can't hold a drawn bowstring forever."

The Midnight Cry

God in His mercy sends out a wake-up call at “midnight” to be prepared.

Midnight speaks of judgment that comes unexpectedly like a thief in the night. The death angel struck at midnight.

The Cry: "The bridegroom is coming!"

The Call to Action: "Go out to meet Him!" This assumes they are prepared.

The Response of the Ten Virgins

They rose to trim their lamps.

The five wise virgins had oil: They simply trimmed their lamps and were ready to go.

The five foolish virgins had no oil: They shrunk back in panic. Trimming their lamps was not enough. They were empty. They were not ready. They were not true.

Matthew 25:10–12 NKJV

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.’

Hebrews 10:35–39 NKJV

Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise: “For yet a little while, And He who is coming will come and will not tarry. Now the just shall live by faith; But if anyone draws back, My soul has no pleasure in him.” But we are not of those who draw back to perdition, but of those who believe to the saving of the soul.

Revelation 3:18 NKJV

I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see.

Response to the Word

Is my faith real?

Is my faith ready?

Am I prepared for Christ’s return?

Am I remaining vigilant in Christ’s delay?

Am I full of oil?

Is my lamp trimmed and burning bright?

Am I pursuing holiness? (Cleansed of spots and blemishes?)

Conclusion: Watch and pray that you may be ready!

Matthew 24:42–44 NKJV

Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming. But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.

Matthew 25:13 NKJV

“Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.