THE PARABLE OF THE TEN VIRGINS

The other day He went out with his friends for evangelism in a city full of highly deluded and proud people who always boast of their relationship with God in the name of ‘’their father is God’s friend and a righteous man’’. They have no idea what it takes to have right standing with God apart from keeping self-imposed rules and regulations and the believe that they are children of a man God declared as man after His heart.

He always speaks in parables when he comes to these people. On one faithful day His friends asked him, ‘’why do you use parable when you talk to the people’’? and He said unto them ‘’the knowledge about the hidden treasures of the Kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. The reason I use parables in talking to them is that they look, but do not see, and they listen, but do not hear or understand’’.

‘’Wait a time Albright, is like you’re talking about Jesus, his disciples and the Jews of His days, right?" Haaa... You are a smart guy but  Why can’t you just keep your mouth shut? Lol. Ok, Since you’ve let the cat of out the bag, let me just move straight forward.

From time to time people ask me to write and explain the parables of Jesus. Honestly speaking I love the parables of Jesus because they are clusters of revelation and if we have ears to hear and understand they reveal the hidden treasures of God in Christ to us.

Jesus said that He speaks in parables to hide meaning from the self-righteous but to make known to his own. Especially this one:

'’Once there were ten young women who took their oil lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and the other five were wise.  The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any extra oil with them, while the wise ones took containers full of oil for their lamps. The bridegroom was late in coming, so they began to nod and fall asleep. "It was already midnight when the cry rang out, 'Here is the bridegroom! Come and meet him!' The ten young women woke up and trimmed their lamps.  Then the foolish ones said to the wise ones, 'Let us have some of your oil, because our lamps are going out.' 'No, indeed,' the wise ones answered, 'there is not enough for you and for us. Go to the store and buy some for yourselves.' So the foolish ones went off to buy some oil; and while they were gone, the bridegroom arrived. The five who were ready went in with him to the wedding feast, and the door was closed. "Later the others arrived. 'Sir, sir! Let us in!' they cried out. ‘Certainly not! I don't know you,' the bridegroom answered. “And Jesus concluded, "Watch out, then, because you do not know the day or the hour’’. (Matt 25:1-13).

I've heard someone said a few days ago that, " In the kingdom of heaven, there is outer darkness. Some believers will stay in outer darkness and learn what they refuse to learn on earth". He added " the outer darkness is not hell please. Typology is the ten virgins". But this is total ignorance.

"Albright, then explain the parable to us".

I am going to be very speedy because of time. Understand that am not writing this article to condemn anyone but to help us all to learn and know the truth because it only the truth we know that can set us free.

Points To Note For Better Understanding Of The Parable.

In the above parable;

√ Jesus Christ, the visible image of the invisible God is the BRIDEGROOM, re-echoing the Old testament image of God as the BRIDEGROOM (Jeremiah 2:2). And the waiting event in the parable as His final appearance on the last day.

√ The Ten Virgins were those who (the Jews) have a form of relationship  with God based on a covenant that is fading away ( Heb 8:13). Understand that these virgins were not born again.

√ The Lamp is the The spirit of man ( Proverbs 20:27).

√ The Extral Oil represent the Holy Spirit; Christ, the anointed, dwelling in the believer.

With the above points in each and everyone's mind, I believe we can now begin to explain the parable. So seat down and put on you seatbelt, let begin the journey.

The 5 foolish virgin,  represent the morally sound and self righteous Jews that rejected Christ because they claimed they already have a kind of special relationship with God because they are Abraham's Children.

The Jews;  “Abraham is our father.”

Jesus: “If you were Abraham’s children, you would be doing the works Abraham (John 8:39). And do not think you can say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham” (Matt 3:9). Making them even angrier Jesus said “You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires” (John 8:44).

The creator of heaven and earth come down to his own and they that were his own received him not. (John:1:11) because they are foolish and blind. Their hearts were harden by their father the devil. Making them ignorant Of God's righteousness hence trying to established their own righteousness through self effort:

For being ignorant of Gods righteousness, and seeking to establish their own, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God. (Roms:10:3)

They are not yet saved and they have no relationship with God but
they are deceiving themselves  they have fellowship with God ( 1John 1:6). So Apostle Paul prayed for them;

"..my heart’s desire and my prayer to God is for Israel, that they may be saved. For I testify about them that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. For being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and seeking to establish their own righteousness, they didn’t subject themselves to the righteousness of God."(Roms 10: 1-3).

The people that Paul prayed for are the clear and true picture of  the five foolish virgins.  Paul prayed for them to be saved. Because of their ignorance and foolishness they have rejected the holy spirit ( the extral oil). If they remain in this ignorance without changing their mind, their lamb will go off one day and that will be the end of their journey.

The 5 Wise Virgins

A true and a wise virgin is not someone one who doesn't have sex before. Its someone that believe in Jesus and have received the holy spirit( extral oil). If you have receive Christ you are a true and a wise virgin.

The parable is not meant for praising virginity (someone who doesn't have sex before). True virginity come from receiving the holy spirit. Physical Virginty is not righteousness. Though it is good.

Life without the holy spirit is like a frame without a picture. Because the wise virgins are wise they know that the initial oil  (self effort) in their lamp can't take them through, They've went in for the real oil- HOLY SPIRIT, that which will take them to the end.

Jesus is the giver of the free gift Extral oil to everyman, He gives the Extral oil freely.  We all have to receive this gift by believe in Him. Anyone that does not believe in him receive not the extral oil ( the holy spirit) but anyone that believe in him  receives the holy spirit as a seal. The seal by the holy spirit is what make a person a virgin.

In whom ye also, having heard the word of the truth, the gospel of your salvation,-- in whom, having also believed, ye were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, (Eph:1:13)

As I've stated earlier on, the parable was not to praise physical virginity, though its not bad. A true virgin is the one who is in Union with Christ.  Keeping ones Virginity does not make a person righteous before God. Understand that am not against keeping ones virginity, it's good to keep your virginity but it doesn't give you salvation. The self-righteous after observing the great counsel of virginity, rejected the gift of life in the name of they being Abraham's children.

Salvation is not about belonging to a race, its not a family property. salvation is Jesus personified. You must receive it by grace through faith.

The Extral Oil Is Not Sharable

The difference between the wise and the foolish virgin is the Extral oil. Someone once told me the wise virgins were very wicked for not sharing their oil with the foolish ones. But they are not. This is not selfishness or unkindness. How can you share the holy spirit? How can one share faith? its impossible. Each must obtain his own Extral oil through faith in Christ. How can you have what you have what you have rejected. Christ is the anointing, He is the Extral oil- the holy spirit.

In the parable the five foolish virgins went out to buy the Extral oil but in reality the extralboil is not for sale. You can not get the holy spirit to buy in the market. Nobody sells holy spirit in the market.

"Its the wish of God that that none should perish, but that all should come to repentance." (2 Peter:3:9) in that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.(John 3:16). So believe if you are an unbeliever.

You Are A New Creation

If we should be ready for Christ’s return, we must be born again through saving faith in Jesus Christ…His death, burial and literal resurrection from the dead ( John 3:16 ; 14:6; Roms 10:9 & 10; 1Cor 15:1-4; Eph 2:2-10)

If you are already born again then you have nothing to loose, so  do not let any one make you feel insecure with this parable. Understand you are a new creation in Christ. You have been sealed with the promised Holy Spirit. (Eph:1:13) and you are a true virgin in the sight of God.

Summary:

The five virgins who have the extra oil represent the truly born again who are looking with eagerness to the coming of Christ. They have saving faith and have determined that, whatever occurs, be it lengthy time or adverse circumstances, when Jesus returns, they will be looking with eagerness. The five virgins without the oil represent false believers who enjoy the benefits of the Christian community without true love for Christ.

"They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they all are not of us." (1John:2:19)

They are more concerned about the party than about longing to see the bridegroom. Their hope is that their association with true believers (“give us some of your oil” of verse 8) will bring them into the kingdom at the end. This, of course, is never the case.

One person’s faith in Jesus cannot save another. You must have faith in Christ to be save.

We have arrived, so remove your seatbelts and get down.

Shalom.