A story was told by Jesus in the book of Matthew 25 vs 1- 13 where he gave an illustration using the 10 Virgins to paint the picture of how his return will be like. In that story Jesus created a divide using 2 main character groups. One being the foolish virgins and others being the wise ones. Both groups were expecting the same thing, both groups had the same masters, both groups were virgins. Putting it in perspective, both groups had everything in common except the sense of urgency. Sense of urgency separates those you really need to get to where they desire to go in time from those who are also going in the same direction without looking at time as a major factor. Jesus actually said that 5 were foolish and 5 were wise. The one factor that separates the 5 virgins from the other 5 virgins, was not beauty or decency, it was not intelligence or glamour and clout. It was simply common sense. Knowing the time they were in and having a sense of urgency about it.
The story of the 10 Virgins has a lot of meaning but we are looking at it from the position of our expectation of Jesus. Whether we believe it or not we fall in one of these virgin groups either wise or foolish. Denying this fact is actually denying that choice exists. What makes the christian live unique and different in a good manner from other religions is the power to choose. That also is the reason most christians do not take the matter of urgency and preparation seriously, especially when it has to do with expecting the return of the master.
In the story the 10 virgins were preparing for marriage to a groom coming from afar off and would be with them any time soon with no specific time appointed . The 10 virgins were required to be prepared and wait for the master to come and take them into marriage and then them home. On the part of the virgins they need to be in the room waiting when the groom comes. In the room, not at work, classroom or club but in the room appointed. But because no specific time was given and day and night shall not cease, there is need for lamps and oil to keep the fire burning during the night.
The parable like every other parable was a pointer to something. A particular time in history when everything will come to an end, when the curtains will close and time shall be no more. A lot of scriptures talked about the end of the world and the return of our Lord and savior. Reading through the book of Daniel and Revelation you will find a relationship in the way Daniel describes the happening in the world from the days of nebuchadnezzar and the establishment of the everlasting kingdom. The signs we now see in the world, the rise and fall of various world powers from the days of Babylon till these days of tussle between America and China is nothing but a pointer that the everlasting kingdom will be established soon because according to the analysis of Daniel. After all the rise and fall of various empires, They will arise a kingdom that will last forever. Some of the quotes in this article are taken from the books of Daniel, Revelation and the accounts of Jesus in the bible. What these books have in common are the events and prophecies that describe the future of the world. They also tell us the relationship of the heavenly kingdom with the earthly kingdom and how the Government of Heaven affects that of the earth. If one reads the story of creation through to the death and resurrection of Jesus, one will understand that there was a beginning, and like everything here on earth whatever has a beginning will most definitely have an end. Today we face this harsh reality, our darling world is coming to an end.
Most of us have stopped believing because just as the bible has said, since our fathers slept, we have been hearing this story about the coming of the lord yet has he not returned. Not believing something doesn’t make it true. When one puts the pieces of the series of events happening around the world together and links it with the prophecies in the bible you will see a pattern emerging.
After the destruction of the world by God in the book of Genesis, God began a unique journey with man starting with Noah then Abraham. In his relationship with Abraham he stated that through Abraham all people on earth will come to him. As the relationship proceeded which now included Isaac the only son of Abraham and Jacob his grandson who was later renamed as Israel God declared his intentions that a savior will be born through which his intention of bringing all the nations to himself will come to pass. At some point the people anticipated the fulfilment of that prophecy but as human beings will be humans, the new generations began to question the old, where is the promise of a savior. Some of the reasons for the questioning was the suffering they underwent in the hands of captors who took them to captivity at different times in different places Babylon included. This made the Israelites then who were expecting a messiah doubt.
It is not strange for human beings to doubt prophecies as that has always been the nature of man. The first coming of Jesus Christ was fulfilled right before the eyes of those who do not believe the same way the flood in the days of Noah happened in the very eyes of those who mocked Noah thinking God who made the earth will not just destroy it. Most jews today still don’t believe that the first coming of the saviour has already happened and we await the second coming which is why most jews do not believe in Jesus as the son of God. The drum of the end time is rolling drawing to a close this age.
All over the world today you still see people even christians doubting the end of the world will even happen. They refuse to look at the pattern and the scriptures. To them the happenings around the world are natural and are bound to happen. The earthquakes that happen repeatedly across the globe is not a pointer, neither are the hurricanes, wars and rumors of war, the terrorism, the initiation of a one world Government that is currently in progress, the locust and the terrible diseases. All these to most people is not a pointer to the signs that Jesus spoke about in the book of Matthew chapter 24 where he described the terror that will be unleashed upon the earth before his return. We even ignore the most common sign, _false Jesus will arise claiming they are the Christ and deceive many”. This is obviously one of the most commonly seen signs these days yet to most people they are all normal and not pointers to the end. No wonder the bible says in the end, many shall be deceived and if the time is not shortened, even the very elect shall be deceived. Amazing even believers today who once preached the end is near now no longer do so because of doubt that it will eventually happen. Christians around the world are focus on mundane things than the warnings of Jesus about the time we are in. No wonder people are falling off the faith. Lots of people are not even informed about the events that are happening around the world in connection with the bible so they draw their conclusions from scientific thesis.
Jesus in the story of the 10 virgins was trying to warn us of the lackadaisical Attitude we now show towards the prophecies written in the bible that are supposed to prepare us and get us equipped for his return. Without proper preparation, one will be caught unaware like in the days of Noah when men were given to marriages and parties not knowing a flood was on the way. God being merciful always makes a way of escape. In the days of Noah he prepared an ark which was later inhabited by only Noah and his family with lots of animals. Today he has prepared Jesus as the Way the Truth and the Life. For the sake of his love he has sent him to die for us and has given us enough time to come to the knowledge of Jesus.
There are still lots of people out there who have not accepted Jesus as lord, however there are also lots of people who have, but are not prepared with all the signs around the globe. Some of them have heard the story of the 10 virgins repeatedly but have not drawn the lesson from it. They may have also heard about the coming of Jesus over and over again but have not come to terms with the fact that this event will actually come to pass.
Five of the 10 virgins had their lamps full with oil to carry them for a while expecting that no matter what happens, before the oil is exhausted, the groom would have arrived. The other 5 virgins understood that unexpected events can occur and may cause a delay in appearance of the groom, also the oil will be required during the celebration, so they took extra oil for when their light runs out.
Like most of us, the foolish virgins took just enough oil to carry them to the point they are willing to wait. We take in enough faith to carry us to the point we think that what we expect will happen. just enough patience to when we are willing to wait. A second longer and our faith is dead, our light is off, because we just have enough to carry us to that point not further. Like the foolish virgins who when they noticed that their light is going off and the groom is near went out to get more oil we run around looking for the scriptures to hold unto to either renew our faith or sustain it. Because we are not prepared, the coming of Christ and the end of the world will hit us unexpectedly just when that little faith you gathered to take us for a while has run out. The worst thing that can happen to a christian is to run out of faith at the moment when faith is required for his libration. One of the reasons why it is important to be prepared for the end is, no one really knows when the end will come. The bible tells us the event will be like a thief in the night taking us unaware. So one cannot afford to be distracted building faith to carry us through the time we are into when the lord shall return.
The wise virgins on the other hand had enough oil and carried extra for when the coming of the groom was delayed. Faith to carry them through and even when the trials persist the light will keep on till the day expected. Jesus said, in the night, they heard a cry that the groom is around. The 5 foolish virgins suddenly realized that the oil they carried is exhausted and oil is still needed to go forward. They went out to refill while the wise ones stayed back to enjoy the dividience of their extra faith.
When the foolish virgins returned, it was terribly late and they couldn’t partake in the ceremony. Are you surprised that there was no provision for excuses at that point? are you shocked that the groom did not say, let’s wait for them since they made some effort and had some oil that eventually ran out? Do you wonder why it is important they had that extra oil that kept the other wise 5 virgins? Well it is important to really understand that they is a timeline in play begining and end. We know this scripture by heart; For God so love the world that he gave his only begotten son, that who so ever believes in him will not perish but have an everlasting life but we don’t see the timeline embeded in this verse.They will be a time fo believing, accepting and holding onto Jesus but they will also be a time for judgement for not believing and that not holding unto the believe even if you do.
We are at the end of things. The signs we see can only point to the fact that the world will come to an end and Jesus will return as he promised his disciples in the bible.
The most important question is how ready are ready we as the drums of the end time roll?
