Parable of the Ten Virgins

Matthew 25:1 KJVS

Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.

Christ was always trying to teach us about the path to make it to the kingdom of heaven. And giving us parables that may make that understanding easier or often times more complicated. But usually relatable to that time and style of living, which we have only recently detached from. However, I will break this one down precept upon precept.

Why would Christ use women sent to marry a man?

Jeremiah 6:2 KJV

I have likened the daughter of Zion to a comely and delicate woman.

Because the women represent Israel.

Genesis 2:22-24 KJVS

And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man. [23] And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. [24] Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.

And just as when a man marries a woman and becomes one we are to be one with The Most High and Christ.

1 Corinthians 6:17 KJVS

But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit.

Spiritually we should be one with him. We do this through application of his laws and commandments and the abstinence of sin. Which puts us in a place of spiritual fornication. Breaking our marriage vows and covenant with God.

Philippians 1:27 KJV

Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;

We should be of one mind and one spirit in righteousness.

Ezekiel 23:1-4 KJVS

The word of the LORD came again unto me, saying, [2] Son of man, there were two women, the daughters of one mother: [3] And they committed whoredoms in Egypt; they committed whoredoms in their youth: there were their breasts pressed, and there they bruised the teats of their virginity. [4] And the names of them were Aholah the elder, and Aholibah her sister: and they were mine, and they bare sons and daughters. Thus were their names; Samaria is Aholah, and Jerusalem Aholibah.

Virginity is our purity and chastity in righteousness. So that The Most High loved Israel and accepted both the northern and southern kingdom. And found them likened unto him not as his wife but rather as his two wives, that should all be moving in one spirit. But when we sinned we fell into spiritual fornication. Now what was one is now split; divided.

Jeremiah 3:14 KJV

Turn, O backsliding children, saith the LORD; for I am married unto you: and I will take you one of a city, and two of a family, and I will bring you to Zion:

The Most High wants us to understand that we are joined unto him. He is at one with us and wants to be with us. But we do not want to be joined unto him or be with him. But because of the covenant and oath he made with us and our forefathers he will fight for us and give us grace and mercy to repent of our fornications. And because he knows some of us will repent he just wants us to do the right thing. No matter your sin, no matter your error get it right. Sincerely fight to turn away from your sins.

2 Corinthians 11:2 KJVS

For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.

We should only have one spirit we are joined to. That is the Holy Spirit. This is what purifies us and makes us virtuous in the eyes of The Father.

Matthew 25:1 KJVS

Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.

Now why did these ten women have lamps with them to go marry this one man?

Proverbs 6:23 KJV

For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life:

The commandments are supposed to be a lamp and the law being the light. And the application and correction through them is what will guide you and lead you down the path of life. The final destination being the kingdom of heaven. The people of the children of Israel should be holding; keeping the law and applying it in all they do to stay on the righteous path. If you lose that lamp or let go of it you will be in darkness, lost in sin. For more info see the article I wrote on “This little light of mine”.

Matthew 25:2 KJVS

And five of them were wise, and five were foolish.

Why were five considered foolish and five considered wise?

Deuteronomy 4:5-6 KJVS

Behold, I have taught you statutes and judgments, even as the LORD my God commanded me, that ye should do so in the land whither ye go to possess it. [6] Keep therefore and do them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the nations, which shall hear all these statutes, and say, Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.

We (and the other nations) are seen as wise based on our level of application of the laws. The laws and commandments are what deem you to be wise, only in the application of them in your life. Else everything else is just knowledge.

Numbers 12:11 KJVS

And Aaron said unto Moses, Alas, my lord, I beseech thee, lay not the sin upon us, wherein we have done foolishly, and wherein we have sinned.

1 Samuel 13:13 KJV

And Samuel said to Saul, Thou hast done foolishly: thou hast not kept the commandment of the LORD thy God, which he commanded thee: for now would the LORD have established thy kingdom upon Israel for ever.

But anytime we sin, we are now in a place of foolishness. Therefore the five wise virgins were those that were righteous and stayed righteous and fought to be righteous. The five foolish were those who were wicked. May have repented for a time and then fell back into wickedness or fell back into “the world” as we often say.

Matthew 25:3 KJVS

They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them:

Exodus 25:31,37 KJVS

And thou shalt make a candlestick of pure gold: of beaten work shall the candlestick be made: his shaft, and his branches, his bowls, his knops, and his flowers, shall be of the same. [37] And thou shalt make the seven lamps thereof: and they shall light the lamps thereof, that they may give light over against it.

The key lamp being mentioned in scriptures is the menorah; or candlestick. 7 sticks each with seven lamps to represent completion.

Exodus 27:20 KJVS

And thou shalt command the children of Israel, that they bring thee pure oil olive beaten for the light, to cause the lamp to burn always.

The light was supposed to always stay lit; always burning. As a symbolic reminder of always staying completely righteous. The absence of taking oil is a sign that these Israelites were either in a place where they had the law and the commandments but chose not to keep it or did not prepare themselves to continue down the path of righteousness. And so endured for a time or season and then fell away. That fire slowly began to go out.

Matthew 25:4 KJVS

But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.

The wise made sure to take extra oil with them AND put oil in their lamps. What good is a lamp if I have no oil to burn? Imagine a lighter with no fluid in it? Do you say, “oh at least it makes a spark?” No, you say it can’t make a fire, so it is no good! And it is all one to be tossed away. So too are the wicked of the world and those who do not stay on the righteous path. But many deceive themselves, they begin to trim their ways and just like the lamp. “We don’t need that”, “we don’t have to do that anymore” “that’s a carnal thing”, “we got time”.

Matthew 25:5 KJVS

While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.

And while it seemed to them as if the bridegroom was taking a long time to arrive they all decided to relax. Let some of those guards down. I am not as alert, focused or on point. I may even get a little too distracted by things of this life and this world.

Matthew 25:6 KJVS

And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.

Now things are happening. Events are escalating and taking place. It’s high time, he is near. And it can be seen and felt. So everyone is scrambling.

Matthew 25:7 KJVS

Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.

Everyone was getting ready to be able to make the rest of the journey. The last leg of the race so to speak. Preparing themselves and their lamps.

Matthew 25:8 KJVS

And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.

However, the foolish wanted the oil of the wise. Because after all that time their lamps had gone out. And they were not ready. They went too far into the world and were not able to make the long journey of repentance back. In order to be anointed again spiritually with the oil of righteousness; that is the Holy Spirit.

Ezekiel 16:9 KJV

Then washed I thee with water; yea, I throughly washed away thy blood from thee, and I anointed thee with oil.

The Most High thoroughly cleanses us from our sins if we repent. It doesn't mean we know everything but he accepts our sincere desire to be righteous and what we have applied through what we have learned thus far. As a result he anoints us with oil through his spirit if we obey him.

Ephesians 1:13 KJV

In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,

We become sealed through our sincere application of the laws and commandments.

Acts 5:32 KJV

And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey him.

However, you can only receive the Holy Spirit through being obedient to God’s word.

Wisdom 1:5 KJVA

For the holy spirit of discipline will flee deceit, and remove from thoughts that are without understanding, and will not abide when unrighteousness cometh in.

If you are not moving in righteousness the Holy Sprit will not abide with you. You will lose your anointing, you will lose your oil.

Psalm 104:15 KJV

And wine that maketh glad the heart of man, and oil to make his face to shine, and bread which strengtheneth man's heart.

When you have the oil just like with physical oil, you will shine but in the spirit.

Psalm 45:7 KJV

Thou lovest righteousness, and hatest wickedness: therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.

You will know someone who is anointed because there actions will show it. They will love righteousness and hate wickedness. And be accepted of by the Most High and be anointed with his spirit.

Matthew 25:9 KJVS

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.

The wise being the righteous had to tell them that they could not afford to risk time messing around with them and helping them figure things out that they should have had together by now. You had time and you were given the same opportunity to learn, understand and apply the changes. I can’t start back at square one. It’s too late in the game. Lest while I am focused on you and your needs and issues I forget my own and I fall short. Or I get entangled in your foolishness or wicked lifestyle. You have to respectfully go figure it out now. And pray you are doing everything up to standard.

Matthew 25:10 KJVS

And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.

While the foolish are trying to buy fringes and ribbon of blue, learn how to sow. Learn the feast days, what we need to celebrate, how do you keep it. What should we be eating, what shouldn’t we be eating. Etc. the wise that was already ready, already cleaned up and been performing the law as written were accepted and went into the kingdom of heaven. They received salvation.

Matthew 25:11 KJVS

Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.

After the fact, at the last minute the foolish come thinking, “Alright, I should be good now. I should have the right and ability to be accepted by the Father.”

Matthew 25:12 KJVS

But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.

That is a cold line. All this time you think you have been doing good enough when you have only been playing yourself.

Matthew 7:20-23 KJVS

Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. [21] Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. [22] Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? [23] And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

The reality is, is that righteousness is not a light switch. You can’t turn it on when it is convenient and then turn it off when it’s not. And remember that righteousness is a 24/7 operation. No weekend warriors. You can’t act righteous on the sabbath and then every other day of the week be a Pharisee or just living like you’re in the world. You won’t make it. The Most High and his angels see you. They have been watching you. They know what fruit you are producing and if you are faking the funk. And they know who is genuine. And you must be living a sincere and genuine righteous lifestyle, else you will be asked out.

1 John 2:3-4 KJVS

And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. [4] He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.