10 wise virgins – Keep your lamps burning
In Jewish custom, when there is a wedding, the ceremony would have taken place at the Bride’s home. But after the ceremony the bridesmaids, which according to Jewish custom, had to be virgins, and guests would travel to the Groom’s home and wait for him and his procession to arrive so everyone could enter his home with him for a huge banquet /party. When he was on his way someone would call out in the streets He’s on His way! Prepare yourselves! This is a picture that represents the Bride of Christ, the True Church and the Bridegroom, who is Jesus the Christ.
Jesus tells us a parable in
Matt 25:1-13: "Then the Kingdom of Heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept. "And at midnight a cry was heard: 'Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!' Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.' But the wise answered, saying, 'No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.' And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut. "Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, 'Lord, Lord, open to us!' But he answered and said, 'Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.' "Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming."
This story would have taken place after the actual wedding of the Bride to her Bridegroom. This is a depiction of the 2nd coming of Christ. When He comes to take us into His Kingdom to be with Him forever.
Now, I have heard it taught that the 5 foolish virgins are unbelievers and the 5 wise are believers but I would like to present to you a bit of a different perspective. We see here in scripture that ALL 10 are virgins- representing PURE- unstained- Believers-unmarried-they were all LOOKING for the Bridegroom, they were Expectant for HIS return. They have remained pure and expectant. What separated the foolish from the wise then?
Let’s look a little deeper.