Be Vigilant and Be Diligent - Be Vigilant, as the Five Virgins Were!

You may wish to reread the parable of the virgins, found at  Matthew 25:1-13. The setting is a grand Jewish wedding in which the groom goes to the house of the bride's father to escort her to the groom's home (or to his father's). Such a procession might include musicians and singers, and the time of its arrival would not be known precisely. In the parable, ten virgins waited into the night for the groom's arrival. Five had foolishly not brought enough lamp oil and thus had to go buy more.  The other five had wise brought extra oil in receptacles so that they could refill their lamps if necessary during the wait. Only these five were on hand and ready when the groom arrived. Hence, only they were allowed to enter the feast. When the five foolish virgins  returned, it was too late for them to enter.

Many aspects of this parable can be understood as being symbolic. For example, the Scriptures speak of Jesus as the bridegroom.  (John 3:28-30) Jesus likened himself to a king's son for who a marriage feast was prepared. (Matthew 22:1-14) And the Bible compares Christ to a husband. (Ephesians 5:23)  Interestingly, while anointed Christians are elsewhere described as the "bride" of Christ, the parable does not   mention a bride. (John 3:29; Revelation 19:7; 21:2, 9) It does, though, speak of ten virgins, and the anointed are elsewhere likened to a virgin promised in marriage to Christ. - 2 CORINTHIANS 11:2.

Aside from such details and any prophetic applications, there certainly are fine principles that we can learn from this parable.  For instance, note that Jesus closed it with the words: "Keep on the watch, therefore, because  you know neither the day nor the hour.   So the parable conveys the need for each of us to be vigilant, to be alert to the approaching end of this wicked system.  This end is unquestionably coming, even though we cannot pinpoint a date. In this regard, note the attitudes manifested  by the two groups of virgins.

Jesus said: "Five of them were foolish." What that because  they did not belive that the groom was coming? Were they off  pursuing pleasures?  Or were they deceived?  None of those.  Jesus said that these five "went out to meet the bridegroom." They knew that he was coming, and they wanted to be involved, even to share in the "marriage feast."  Yet, were sufficiently prepared?  They waited a while for him, until "the middle of the night," but they were not prepared for his arrival whenever that would be-whether earlier or later than they initially expected. 

Next time: Be Vigilant and Be Diligent -Conclusion of Be Vigilant, as the Five Virgins Were!

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