1 Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom.2 Five of them were foolish, and five were wise.3 For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them,4 but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps.5 As the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and slept.6 But at midnight there was a cry, Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.7 Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps.8 And the foolish said to the wise, Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.9 But the wise answered, saying, Since there will not be enough for us and for you, go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves.10 And while they were going to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut.11 Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, Lord, lord, open to us.12 But he answered, Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.13 Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour. ~ Matthew 25:1-13 (esv)
We need to be found in an intimate love walk with Christ. We must always be aware of the time and prepare our hearts with intimacy. If the foolish brides had been alert and aware of the time, they would have realized their need for the oil, the Oil of Intimacy. We have a direct relationship with Christ Jesus and He has called us into love and romance with Him. Just as in a natural marriage, God desires that we are intimate with Him. The same God who created the heavens and earth, desires our hearts so much that he crushed his own son, Jesus so that we may love Him. The bridegroom, Christ Jesus, willingly died so that we could understand how much God desperately wanted to show us His love. Through His Son’s death, man could understand the Father’s Heart and ultimately be found as the Bride of Christ. Through much pain and suffering, we are called to share in this same idea. The pain and suffering we go through are good because they allow us to KNOW Christ Jesus more intimately. {Philippians 3:9-11}
This “lamp” oil is so crucial to the ceremony that is about to take place. Naturally, it provides light for the dark night that is ahead but spiritually it is a clear sign that we need intimacy to get through the night, the Dark night of the Soul (a desert or wilderness experience). See how in verse 5 it says that as the bridegroom was delayed, speaking of return of Christ. I am reminded of Songs 5:4-8
4 My beloved put his hand By the latch of the door, And my heart yearned for him. 5 I arose to open for my beloved, And my hands dripped with myrrh, My fingers with liquid myrrh, On the handles of the lock. 6 I opened for my beloved, But my beloved had turned away and was gone. My heart leaped up when he spoke. I sought him, but I could not find him; I called him, but he gave me no answer. 7 The watchmen who went about the city found me. They struck me, they wounded me; The keepers of the walls Took my veil away from me. 8 I charge you, O daughters of Jerusalem, If you find my beloved, That you tell him I am lovesick!
The beloved woman was drawn into the night to find her lover, and it was her intimacy and passion that drove her to search for him. Because she desires to share intimacy and passion with her lover, she issues the great charge to the Daughters of Jerusalem, “If you find my lover, tell him I was lovesick!” Please don’t miss out on this oil that is so free given but costly in the manner of you leaning upon Jesus. Remember, in verse 1, all ten virgins went to meet with the bridegroom – all ten had lamps, but only the five wise had prepared their hearts for intimacy. All five of the foolish virgins were plagued with their on own ideas, visions, desires and issues; missing their true purpose. (2 Cor. 11:3) There is a great apostasy that will sweep through land… and we know this from Matthew 24:9-13! We must see that our hearts do not become on cold. The Bible tells us that they’re virgins (spiritually meaning church people, “Christians“ 2 Cor. 11:2) but 5 were foolish and 5 were wised.. Also understand that a lamp represents ministries/churches.
Verse 3 – The foolish virgins (Christians) were foolish because they took a lamp, but not oil. Their priorities were totally wrong. Remember I stated that the lamp represented churches or ministries. Their ministries, vision and own kingdoms were before their intimate relationship with Christ.
Verse 4 – The Wise virgins (Christians) took oil with their lamp. It was the oil that was mention first. They prioritized their connection with Jesus over their ministry. The hearts of the wise were in connection with God’s Heart.
Even if the natural shining of our lamp (ministries) is not bright or goes out [not big/famous](v.8) we who are wise, we still have the OIL (intimacy) to burn in our own hearts. (v.9) So now in today’s time as also in Matthew 25:6, there is a ushering of the Holy Spirit and forerunners who are crying out, “The bridegroom is coming, come out to meet Him!” Lets hear and answer this cry becoming intimate & passionate with Jesus, or we will be found like to five foolish virgins who were deceived and fell away; having the door shut and unable to take part in the marriage feast. We need Intimacy with the Bridegroom, Christ Jesus!
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