Matthew 25:1-13 “At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five were wise. The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. The wise ones, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep. “At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’ “Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.’ ‘No,’ they replied, ‘there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’ But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut. Later the others also came. ‘Lord, Lord,’ they said, ‘open the door for us!’ But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I don’t know you.’ Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.”
In this parable Jesus gives another account warning the people to keep watch for the Lord to return to earth, his kingdom. In the first parable He likens his return to a fig tree sprouting leaves, foretelling the coming of summer, producing figs. He tells his disciples when they see the tree sprouting, know that figs are not far behind. The leaves are a telltale sign of the last days when God will harvest his crop of people. He asks them to discern the signs of the last days, taking notice of the many wars and conflicts in the world, unrest even in families. A significant sign of the last days is the desecration of the Temple. The fig tree blossoming indicates the Lord’s soon return. Most people on earth will be too wrapped up in life’s obligatory duties to notice signs of the last days. Jesus also talks about Noah’s time. People will be involved with eating, drinking, being merry, not at all aware of the catastrophe that will take place in their lives. All of a sudden their violent, sinful lives will be taken from them. God’s judgment seat will be their only future. How horrible to meet God in your unrighteousness. Jesus also relates the goodman of the house must be aware of the nature of a thief. He will come to steal when the owner is most unaware of his presence. Jesus will come when people do not expect his return. Therefore, the goodman of the house must always be cognizant that thieves may break in at any time. Unless people are perceptive and wise, they might slumber, unprepared for Jesus’ quick returning. Jesus also says people in important positions should never get tired of the duties the master gives them. They should responsibly implement their assignment to the end of time. If they get tired of taking care of the master’s property and servants and seek their own worldly desires, their master will discipline them harshly. We should not shirk our responsibility to the master because we believe He has delayed too long in coming. Finally, Jesus relates a story about a wedding where ten virgins who because of their purity are asked as the bride’s friends to help prepare for the wedding. As with most Jewish weddings, the ceremony starts after the Sabbath hours when the sun goes down. They should have been prepared to meet the groom when he shows up. The bride who already has been betrothed is waiting for her future husband. The groom and his father have been preparing a room in the father’s house for the newly married couple. Now the room is ready to be occupied. So the groom comes unexpectently to the bride’s house at night with great commotion and fanfare, waking up everyone. The bride and all her household are waiting for this happy occasion. The bridesmaids were all asleep. However, five of them were well prepared for the groom’s return. They had extra oil to put in their lamps so they could attend to the bride’s needs. But the five others were not prepared. They did not have extra oil to fulfill their duties to the bride. When the commotion began, the reality of the groom returning sets in for these ten sleeping bridesmaids. They awake to fulfill their duties. However, the five lethargic bridesmaids lacked oil for the wedding function that night. Five were ready to fulfill their duties, five were not. Because they were not ready, their positions in the ceremony were not fulfilled; therefore, they were strangers to the groom, the Lord of the house. When they begged to enter the feast, the Lord of the house would not let them enter. These five were not ready when the Lord returned for his bride. The theme of all five parables is to keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour when Jesus will return.
Keeping watch in our day is a matter of faith, believing Jesus keeps his promises and miracles do happen today. The ten bridesmaids were the same: good, faithful, upright young ladies. They all wore the same beautiful gowns, and all had the same assignment of preparing the bride for the groom. They were intricately involved in the preparation of the feast. However, five believed the groom would return at any moment and five did not hold this anticipation in their hearts. Therefore, five of them went to bed on every Sabbath’s end with the hope that the groom would return that evening. But five lost faith in the return of the groom, so they went to bed unprepared for his arrival. For them, the ordinary events in life had taken preeminence in their thinking. Every night was the same to them. As Peter tells about the scoffers in the last days before the groom returns: Above all, you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires. They will say, “Where is this ‘coming’ he promised? (2 Peter 3:3-4) These five ill-prepared bridesmaids were like the other five in every sense except they lacked faith that the groom would appear soon. The faithful ones, the enduring bridesmaids, went to bed every night expecting the groom to return. Nothing in life was more important to them than the groom’s return for his bride. The five slothful bridesmaid had reoriented their priorities to such an extent that they no longer believed the groom would soon return. When he did appear, they were caught unprepared, lacking enough oil in their lamps to fulfill their duties to the bride. Being surprised by the event, they wanted the responsible ones to give them some of their oil, give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out. But the diligent ones had only enough for their own lamps. The unprepared had to go and buy oil so that they could fulfill their responsibility to the bride. Because all of that took time, the frivolous, lazy bridesmaids lost their privileged positions that night. Rather than being found in the household of the groom as honored servants to the bride, they were outside of the event, calling for the Lord of the house to open the door to them. Jesus iterates this story to remind those who are called to the last-day festival to be ready for his return. Let nothing interfere with being prepared for his soon return.
Preparing for the Lord’s return requires enduring faith in God’s ability to do something so unexpected that the world cannot imagine it happening. The five unfaithful virgins did not believe it. All five of Jesus’ parables reveal that Jesus’ return will be miraculously quick and unexpected. To accept this reality, Christians must believe all that has been described in the Bible. When we doubt God’s word, we doubt the supernatural return of Jesus. We must not slumber, thinking nothing new will happen in our time. Look at the Bible where we see marvelous acts that confound the reasoning of men. Jesus performed many miracles. The Groom came into many people’s lives: immediately things changed. In just one day, we see Jesus performing two miracles that no man could perform. The lady with an issue of blood touched the hem of Jesus’ garment as He moved through the crowds. As Jesus was on his way, the crowds almost crushed him. And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years, but no one could heal her. She came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak, and immediately her bleeding stopped. “Who touched me?” Jesus asked. When they all denied it, Peter said, “Master, the people are crowding and pressing against you.” But Jesus said, “Someone touched me; I know that power has gone out from me.” (Luke 8:42-46) Jesus knew someone with enduring faith touched him, just as enduring faith kept the faithful virgins prepared every night. This woman was healed immediately. Jesus will come when no one expects him but a few: the Noah’s of the world. We find in that same day, another person of enduring faith, Jairus the synagogue leader. He begs Jesus on his knees to come to his house to heal his daughter. But because Jesus tarries, healing the woman with the issue of blood, Jairus receives news his daughter is dead. Jesus said to Jairus, “Don’t be afraid; just believe, and she will be healed.” (Luke 8:50) When they get to Jairus’ house, they find many people weeping and wailing, mostly a traditional activity for the dead. Jesus tells them, “Stop wailing. She is not dead but asleep.” (Luke 8:52) Be prepared for the groom is coming; He is even here. “My child, get up!” Her spirit returned, and at once she stood up. (54-55) We see Jesus fulfilling the duties of faith, believing when everything seems impossible. These healings are quick and supernatural. Do we believe such things are possible today, or are we slumbering, not prepared for his quick return? This question is necessary, for we are in a time of great unbelief, disbelief that God can or ever did marvelous things, such as create with his Holy Spirit. In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. (Genesis 1:1-2) Jesus was filled with God’s Spirit at his baptism, baptized with fire and power. Jesus said that we can belittle him and even God, but we dare not disparage the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the power to create new things: new life, healings, miracles. To resist God’s power, his Spirit, is unforgivable. Dear friends, Jesus will return, the miracle will happen. Do not waver, do not think God cannot perform miracles unthinkable to mankind, surpassing man’s knowledge and wisdom. Let us be as the five wise handmaidens of God. For sure, Jesus will come with power and fire to judge the world. He did not come the first time to condemn the world, but the next time He will come to separate the sheep from the goats, the prepared and the unprepared. Keep oil in you lamps, faith in God’s word.
No comments:
Post a Comment