Are you ready?

Matthew 25: 1, 2, 3 & 4; ''Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.  And five of them were wise, and five were foolish.  They that were foolish took their lamps, and they took no oil with them: But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.''

In this 'Parable of the ten virgins''  Jesus is the bridegroom, and his bride is his church; but today we will use the story in it's most literal sense to challenge our own individual preparedness for the return of Jesus.

The ''ten virgins'' (or maidens), tired after a long day, would be waiting in excited anticipation to join the bridegroom in the festive procession, as rejoicing, he brings his bride home for the celebratory wedding feast.

The reserve of fuel for the lamps would need to be constantly monitored and skillfully administered  to avoid it's bearer being pitched into darkness. As we have read five maidens took additional oil - just in case the bride groom was held up; but five maidens didn't take the trouble to plan ahead and lazily risked having enough.

And, sure enough, being a wedding, there were the inevitable delays:

Matthew 24: 5; ''While the bridegroom tarried [delayed], they all slumbered and slept.''

It is likely the delay was caused by the final protracted negotiations over the financial settlement!

Matthew 25: 6, 7, 8, 9 & 10; ''And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.  Then all the virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.  And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us your oil; for our lamps are gone [going] out.  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 [wedding]: and the door was shut.''

'' ... trimmed their lamps'' means literally put their torches is order; they were lighting for the festive procession.  A well soaked torch would burn for about quarter of an hour!

'' ... but go ye rather to them that sell'' the rebuff given by the wise to the foolish is not a charter for selfish unconcern; but it reminds us that no one can ultimately rely on another's preparedness when its comes to being ready to join Jesus on his return.  Spiritual preparedness is not something which can be distributed in a crisis!

'' ... and the door was shut'' makes the point that there is a too late in Gods time table.

So when we reflect upon how we are progressing and managing our own growth in our relationship with God, and Jesus his son, remember let's not be lazy, take risks and hope it will look after itself because in the words of Jesus himself:-

Matthew 25: 13. ''Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.''

 

One last thought from the preceding chapter in Matthew:

 

Matthew 24: 37, 38 & 39; ''But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.  For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, And knew not until the flood came, and took them all way; so shall the coming of the Son of man be.''

The last generation, like the one of Noah's day, is pleasure seeking and self-gratifying (''eating'' and drinking'').  The reference to ''marrying and being given in marriage'' may refer to carrying on the normal course of life without heeding the impending judgement. 

 

The observation that the people of Noah's day ''knew not'' the severity and suddenness of the coming destruction indicates that this last generation will also be totally unprepared for the ''coming of the Son on man'', the return of Jesus, the Christ, to judge the world.