The Wise and Foolish Virgins

Jesus told a story about the kingdom of heaven that relates to His second coming when He is to return for His bride which is known as His Church.

There were ten young women whom Jesus described as virgins, or pure, undefiled young ladies, who took oil lanterns into the night to await the coming of the bridegroom. They all were to participate in the wedding ceremonies and were very happy to be included in the wonderful festivities that were about to occur. They had heard about the wedding which was to be the grandest that ever had occurred in the whole world. The splendor of the arrangements would be breathtaking. The ceremony and the feast were to be beyond imagination. This was to be the most magnificant event of all time.

Five of the young ladies, considering that the bridegroom might not come early in the evening, took extra oil in continers so that their lamps would not go out. The other five who were foolish took only the oil that already was in their lamps.

The bridegroom was delayed in his coming and so the ten young ladies fell asleep while they were waiting. At midnight an advance messenger rode up to the ten ladies and called, "Look! The bridegroom is coming, go out to meet him!"

All of the young ladies arose and began to trim the wicks in their lanterns. The five foolish young ladies cried in dismay, "Look! We are running out of oil and our lamps are flickering. Please give us some of your oil so that our lights will not go out."

The five wise young ladies answered, "No. We are sorry, but if we share our oil with you there will not be enough oil for our own lamps. If we share with you we will miss the bridegroom and not be able to join the wedding party ourselves. We cannot give you part of our oil"

The five foolish young ladies ran back into the village to buy oil for their lamps so that they could join the wedding party. While they were gone the Bridegroom came and the five wise young ladies joined him and went to the wedding. After they had entered the wedding pavilion the door was shut so that no more people could enter.

After a while the five foolish young ladies came and pounded on the pavilion door, calling, "Please let us in to the wedding. We are supposed to be in the wedding party!"

Nevertheless the bridegroom answered, "You knew that I was coming and that you were supposed to wait for me with your lamps trimmed and full of oil. I am sorry, no people can enter into the wedding pavilion because the door is closed and locked."

The five foolish young ladies were extremely sorry and went away weeping.

Jesus ended this story with the admonition for all believers at all times to be prepared for His coming.. He urged them at all times to be watching in anticipation for His second coming if we are to enter into His wedding with His bride,from among the Church of believers.

Jesus was pointing out that being part of His church depended not only on living a righteous life in oneself but that it is necessary to have the salvation provided through His sacrifice on calvary through faith in the name of Jesus. It is necessary to be filled with His Holy Spirit, which is equated in the Bible as the oil of the Spirit, I Sam 16:13, Exodus 31:11, Acts 10:38.

Jesus indicated in other Scriptures, such as Matthew 24th chapter, that we could anticipate the general time for His return for His Bride by observing events that had been predicted in the Scriptures as necessary to have occurred before His second coming. He compared that with our ability to predict that summer is near because we observe the changes that happen during springtime. Because of the predictions made in the Scriptures it appears that the season or time for the return of Jesus for His bride could occur in the very near future. Like the five wise virgins, we should be spiritually ready for His return at any time, day or night..To be left behind will be a tragic loss. To be ready we need to confess all of our sins or mistakes to God as we become aware that we have failed to fulfill God's will in our lives and to ask forgiveness because of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. We then need to ask God to lead us by His Holy Spirit in all of our ways.

Matthew 25:1-13.  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 took no oil with them: But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone 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: and the door was shut. Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.

Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.

1 Samuel 16:13  Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the LORD came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah.

Exodus 31:11  And the anointing oil, and sweet incense for the holy [place]: according to all that I have commanded thee shall they do.

Acts 10:38  How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.