Then: Waiting in a right way. ,\
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1 “Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom.
“Then” is elsewhere translated,”at that time”. You may ask, “at what time?” . It is at the onset of the consummated Kingdom..... we have been looking at Matthew’s parables, and repeatedly we have heard of this “kingdom” that is coming, that we are to pray for, that we are to build..... well, what happens when it arrives?
The setting is a wedding day. Normal marriage custom would have the bridegroom with some close friends would leave his home to go to the bride’s home where various ceremonies owuld happen with a procession after the sun went down to his home.... the ten virgins might have been bridesmaids assisting the bride. They would ahve expected to meet the groom and return with everyone carrying his or her own torch.
If you did not have a torch, you would have assumed to have been wedding crashers or even outlaws. The wedding festivities would have lasted several days and would formally begin at the groom’s house.
Whatever the candles, torches or lamps were..... a wise person would have brought additional supply of oil
2 Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. 3 For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, 4 but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. 5 As the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and slept.
The wise and the foolish made no differentiation in their drowsiness and sleeping. they all slept.
The distinction is in the bringing of extra oil..... those who were wise brought extra supplies of oil.... the foolish did not.
The time of delay in the groom coming is unknown..... the wise were ready for the delay.... the foolish were not.
6 But at midnight there was a cry, ‘Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ 7 Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. 8 And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ 9 But the wise answered, saying, ‘Since there will not be enough for us and for you, go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves.’
AT midnight- the climax of the evening…the bridegroom comes.
Whether the text reads “there may not be enough” or “there will certainly not be enough” (cf. Notes), the effect is the same: the foresight and preparedness of the wise virgins cannot benefit the foolish virgins when the eschatological crisis dawns (vv. 8–9). Preparedness can neither be transferred nor shared.
There are no coattails to ride on.
10 And while they were going to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut. 11 Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ 12 But he answered, ‘Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.’
There is nothing more here than the rejection of those who, despite all appearances, never made preparation for the coming of the kingdom.
13 Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.
This is not stay awake..... that is not the theme. The theme is be prepared.
Listen to some of the Bibles’ words concerning His return:;;;;
13 And regarding the question, friends, that has come up about what happens to those already dead and buried, we don’t want you in the dark any longer. First off, you must not carry on over them like people who have nothing to look forward to, as if the grave were the last word. 14 Since Jesus died and broke loose from the grave, God will most certainly bring back to life those who died in Jesus. 15 And then this: We can tell you with complete confidence—we have the Master’s word on it—that when the Master comes again to get us, those of us who are still alive will not get a jump on the dead and leave them behind. In actual fact, they’ll be ahead of us. 16 The Master himself will give the command. Archangel thunder! God’s trumpet blast! He’ll come down from heaven and the dead in Christ will rise—they’ll go first. 17 Then the rest of us who are still alive at the time will be caught up with them into the clouds to meet the Master. 18 Oh, we’ll be walking on air! And then there will be one huge family reunion with the Master. So reassure one another with these words.
32 “But concerning that day or that hour, no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.
Jesus told us that we would not have a calendar date or a warning… like a thief in the night… see 1 Thessalonians 5.1-4
1 Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need to have anything written to you. 2 For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. 3 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. 4 But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief.
Be prepared. We should not be asleep we should be looking forward to his coming like we are expecting it, we are ready for it.
See Hebrews 9.28
28 so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.
This verse is so important because our salvation is both an accomplished fact and an ongoing experience until he returns.
We are citizens of a kingdom that is both here and now (without the king) and there and then (when he returns.)
We have known for 2000 years that he is coming again.... and yet, we have become not only drowsy, sleepy, we have allowed ourselves to be unprepared.
No one is excited about the Lord’s return.... we are sleepy. There is no excitement about His return.
When the bridegroom and bride appeared, half of the bridesmaids were unable to light their lamps because they had no oil. “Our lamps are going out!” they cried. The bridesmaids who had oil were able to light their lamps and keep them shining bright. It was they who entered into the wedding feast and not the foolish girls who had no oil. This suggests that not every professing Christian will enter heaven, for some really have not trusted Jesus Christ sincerely. Without the Spirit of God and the Word of God, there can be no true salvation.
Bottom Line;
Until God Is Ready For Me I Must Prepare To Be Ready For Him
Until God Is Ready For Me I Must Prepare To Be Ready For Him
Jesus finished this parable with a simple warning he has said before:”Watch”.
13 Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.
SEe Matthew 24.42
42 Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming.
See Matthew 25.13
13 Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.
Jesus did not mean for us to gaze into heaven… see Acts 1.9-11
9 And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. 10 And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, 11 and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”
Three Things Make Us Prepared- and the order counts.
Accept Christ as Your Savior.
You Must Be Born Again.
Serve Him.
The order matters because service with salvation means service with Him- service without salvation means you are nice.
Stay Awake.
It means to stay awake and be alert. see Matthew 26.38-41
38 Then he said to them, “My soul is very sorrowful, even to death; remain here, and watch with me.” 39 And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.” 40 And he came to the disciples and found them sleeping. And he said to Peter, “So, could you not watch with me one hour? 41 Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
