Consider the other parables in the Olivet Discourse[1] that provide the context for the teaching of the 10 virgins. There is the lesson of the fig tree, the wise and the wicked servant, the talents, and the sheep and goats. They are all part of Jesus’ response to His disciples when asked for further details about the Last Days.[2] The fig tree, whose branches become tender and put out leaves, is Israel, back in her land and budding since 1948. The relatively recent fulfilment of this sign indicates that we are already in the season of His return. The wicked servant does not take his master’s instructions seriously because he does not truly believe that he to whom he is accountable is returning soon. This attitude of heart leads to his disgraceful behaviour and abusive treatment of his fellow servants. The lazy servant in the parable of the talents has no desire to please his master. Despite being entrusted with his master’s wealth, he fearfully refuses to invest it. The final parable about the sheep and goats is rather different. It concerns caring for the needy in these precarious Last Days and may ultimately refer to how, during the Tribulation, believers treat Jewish people, the brothers of Jesus.
You may like to meditate on the Song of Solomon, thanking the Lord for the passion He has for us, His bride.[3] Accept the depth of love He has for each one of us, however dark we may feel. Take time to express your love for Him, and how you too long to go away with Him. This book of the Bible has a special message for the end-times ecclesia.[4] Some Christians will have a hard time even accepting that others love them, let alone Almighty God. This may be due to a dysfunctional childhood and upbringing, or a result of the hurt of being treated badly in relationships as an adult. Others will not be familiar with relationships based on love and spending time together, rather than on carrying out expected duties and tasks. Such a background inevitably erodes a believer’s sense of self-worth. This in turn causes people to believe the lie that they are neither good enough nor deserving of being loved, especially by Almighty God. Yet others will feel most secure in being loved from their earliest days and throughout adulthood, and do not feel the need to bask in the love of their Heavenly Father and their Saviour. Their emotional tanks are already comfortably full! Whichever camp we are in, there is the same need to ask the Lord to awaken love in our relationship with Him, meditating not on our feelings or inclinations, but on verses like, “In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.”[5] “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”[6] Partaking of communion, or the Lord’s Supper, is a wonderful opportunity to reflect on the depths of love which God has for each one of us, His people.
Some of us need to grow from a mindset of merely singing hymns and Christian choruses, to using them to express our worship and devotion to our heavenly Bridegroom. Others may develop their Bible reading into an opportunity to hear what the Lord has to say to them personally. May we all be among those who grow in demonstrating our love for the Lord, and not being critical or judgemental of believers who express this, remembering God’s punishment of Michal, the wife of David, who sneered at his exuberant dancing before the Lord.[7] Developing our relationship with the Lord is a two-way process, involving both speaking to Him in prayer and worship and listening to Him. The parable of the wise and foolish virgins is a challenge to each one of us to stop focussing on our Christian activities and ministry for the Lord at the expense of our relationship with Him.
Once we are born again into the family of God, the Holy Spirit commences His ongoing role to sanctify us completely so that we may be ready for the second coming of the Messiah.[8] At times this can be a painful process as, like with Israel, God may allow suffering to accomplish His purpose: “Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction.”[9] He already knows all about us, and tests us so that we may become aware of the inward sin lurking in our hearts and then repent. This is the dross that rises to the surface while we are in that furnace. Listen to how the Lord described this process in the book of Isaiah: “I will turn My hand against you, and thoroughly purge away your dross, and take away all your alloy.”[10] He elaborates about the impurities removed during the process of purifying silver to Ezekiel – copper, tin, iron and lead.[11] Let us guard our hearts and, like good soldiers enlisted by the Lord, not get entangled with the concerns of this world, so that we can please the One who called us.[12] May we not complain inwardly that we have been dealt bad cards in life, but instead see such arduous circumstances as our own personal challenge to overcome in order to gain a future reward commensurate with our heart’s attitude to difficulties: “that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.”[13] What motivation this is to “let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you.”[14]
What a privilege wise virgins are offered to be caught up while still alive, to marvel at their instantaneous bodily change, and to not face death! “We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed— in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.”[15] May we, as end-times virgins, take to heart the admonition that we reap what we sow.[16] Let us be lavish in devoting time to worship, prayer, fasting, deliverance from sin and oppression, sanctification and fellowship to make ourselves ready. May we all know what it is to “take time to be holy.”[17] Let each one of us say, like John the Baptist, “He must increase, but I must decrease.”[18] May we hear the heartfelt anguished plea from the Lord to separate ourselves from the Babylonish world system before it is too late, “Come out of her, my people, lest you share in her sins, and lest you receive of her plagues.”[19]
Finally, may we co-labour with God to do our part in preparing the corporate bride of our Messiah. May we all be granted opportunities to share the need to prepare for the Rapture with those He lays on our hearts, so that we may be among those “who are wise [who] shall shine like the brightness of the firmament, and those who turn many to righteousness like the stars forever and ever.”[20] Be inspired by the exhortation of the Apostle Paul to forget that which is behind and press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in our Lord Jesus.[21] May we increasingly perceive our sinful attitudes and actions as ugly stains to be removed from the beautiful wedding gown we aspire to wear one day. And may we be obedient to the Scriptures, praying that we will be counted worthy to escape what is ahead, and willingly embrace the particular process of sanctification which the Lord deems appropriate to our individual circumstances and calling.
Let each of us seek to draw near to God, and He will draw near to us.[22] Our chief joy and focus should be close fellowship with the Lord. “Whom have I in heaven but You? And there is none upon earth that I desire besides You.”[23] The Apostle Paul wrote of his deepest desire: “That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death.”[24] Even if we are among the most devout students of Scripture, the written logos, we need to treasure and build our relationship with the Word who became flesh.[25] We may yearn for heaven, a place where we will sin no more, be with our saved loved ones, and experience what eye has not seen nor ear heard.[26] However, primarily we should be longing for everlasting fellowship with the Lord. He promises to be with us until the end of the age.[27] “Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.”[28] Approaching the soon-coming Rapture and avoiding the appalling seven-year tribulation ahead is deep motivation for us to be diligent to make sure of our calling and election so that we will never stumble.[29] It is time to lift up our heads because our redemption is drawing near![30] The ancient Jewish wedding celebrations lasted seven days, or one week. A pre-tribulation Rapture allows for the marriage supper in heaven during the final week of Daniel. Let us aspire to be there!
[1] Matthew 24-25
[2] Matthew 24:3
[3] Song of Solomon 4:1-15
[4] a called-out assembly or congregation, commonly translated “church” “What is the definition of ekklesia?” Got Questions.org
[5] 1 John 4:10
[6] Romans 5:8
[7] 2 Samuel 6:14-22
[8] 1 Thessalonians 5:23
[9] Isaiah 48:10
[10] Isaiah 1:25
[11] Ezekiel 22:18
[12] 2 Timothy 2:4
[13] Ephesians 2:7, author’s emphasis.
[14] Ephesians 4:31-32
[15] 1 Corinthians 15:51-53
[16] Galatians 6:7
[17] Words from famous hymn “Take Time to be Holy” by William D. Longstaff 1822-1894
[18] John 3:30
[19] Revelation 18:4
[20] Daniel 12:3
[21] Philippians 3:14 (author’s emphasis)
[22] James 4:8
[23] Psalm 73:25
[24] Philippians 3:10, author’s emphasis
[25] John 1:14
[26] 1 Corinthians 2:9
[27] Matthew 28:20
[28] 1 Thessalonians 4:17, author’s emphasis
[29] 2 Peter 1:10
[30] Luke 21:28
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Scripture taken from the New King James Version®.