Taken from The Oil That Makes Glad by A. B. Saint
Matthew chapter 25 verses 1-13
What happy thoughts fill our hearts when we first begin to read Matthew’s gospel account of that wonderful parable given by our Lord, known as The Parable of the Ten Bridesmaids, or the Parable of the Ten Companions. It is an eastern scene taken from antiquity. Ten young women come into sight, each one of them carries a torch held high in her hand should the day or the occasion require it. Excitement begins filling the air and the chattering grows louder, for they have heard that the bridegroom is coming soon for his bride and when that day arrives they must go forth to meet him.
These ten bridesmaids along with others, are included in the wedding party. In my imagination I look closely at them, they look so fetching in their festal array. Brightly coloured ribbons adorn each head, sateen pompom slippers upon their feet. All seem to be carrying sweet-smelling posies in their hands and perfume quickly fills the air. There is to be a wedding, and what woman does not enjoy a wedding? The bridegroom has declared his love for his bride, and it will not be long before his return.
In the meantime, the bible is quite clear that during this period all the bridesmaid’s slumber and sleep. Night follows day and yet still he does not return, until one day from out of nowhere there is a sudden clarion call, and the women are awakened from their sleep. It is the midnight hour and a cry rings out, “Behold the Bridegroom Cometh, go ye out to meet Him!”
This is the moment they have all been waiting for. The hour has at last arrived! There quickly follows a brief period of activity. Are the ribbons still in place? Are the posies of flowers fading? What about their garments and their footwear? Is everything as it should be? Is everything fit for a wedding? Yes, they all agree, all appears to be well. Hair freshly combed and a splash of water upon their cheeks revives them. A droplet or two of perfume is applied to each maiden and they are ready for the off.
At first sight all seems to be well, it is in the next few moments that all is revealed. Each lady takes her torch and prepares it for the midnight procession. Five torches light up, five are ready to go, but for the other five it turns out to be a night of calamity. A feeling of despair overwhelms them, as the realization dawns upon them that they are woefully unprepared. It would seem they have had all the time in the world to prepare for this moment, but they have been caught out!
What must the five do to retrieve, to make right the situation? Where to get the oil to light their torches? There seems an obvious choice, which is to ask the other five girls if they can borrow some from them. Sadly, this turns out to be an impossible request. Were it for another length or two of ribbon, they could oblige. Were it an ornament for the hair, or an extra string of beads they could accommodate, were it an extra droplet or two of perfume, they would gladly give, but not so the oil, they cannot give their oil, less their lamps go out too.
For the five maidens, tragedy has struck, for how could they go out to meet the bridegroom and light the way for him and his entourage, if they are not in the way themselves? If they are not walking in the light how could they reveal the light to others? Sadly, in the end, the story has it that by the time they had managed to buy some oil and reach the home of the bridegroom, the door to all that was inside was shut to them.
The Scriptures plainly tell, “And the door was shut.” What terrible words are these. They knocked and knocked and cried and cried to gain entrance to that wedding feast, but all was to no avail. How they would have remonstrated with themselves. They had lived carelessly.
What was the use of the torch if there was no oil? No oil means no light. It is like a car without an engine, a sailing ship without sails. With no proper working parts, they become mere ornaments. Both illustrations purport and profess to be something of which they are not. A bit like the five foolish virgins really. A wedding invitation was given in good time to them all but only five were ready. Is it not strange that no-one forgot their posies, bangles or dainty footwear, but the thing, which was most important, the oil for the lamps was forgotten? What use is a torch or a lamp without oil at midnight, it can never lead the way in the Wedding Train. What was it that FB Meyer used to quote? FAN THE FLAME!
Now during the years there have been given many differing interpretations of this particular parable. For instance, some say it was written for Israel alone and has to do only with the Tribulation saints. Others take the view that it is a representation of the differences which exist between the Church and the World; the five with the oil representing those who know Christ and the other five who do not. Then there are some who say it is a portrayal of the Church itself and the two kinds of people who often attend there. They speak of those who truly know the Lord, those who genuinely are ‘possessors of salvation,’ and those who think they know the Lord but are merely ‘professors of religion.’ They have the talk, but they do not walk the walk!
Putting aside everything we know, everything which we have heard and perhaps even believe ourselves, it is clearly seen that the keynote of this parable is that of being READY when the Lord comes again to take us home to be with Himself. We are ever to live in a state of EXPECTANCY. Whether it is the Lord’s Will that we die or go up in the Rapture, we must be ready for that day and ready for that hour. The Word of God may teach us something of the Season in which it will take place, but only God Himself knows the day and the hour.
In the parable the Lord does not see fit to tell us the names of any of these virgins, what they looked like or what they were wearing, we have had to simply use our imagination here. The only thing we know is that there were ten of them which were separated into two groups of five. The Lord does not refer to them as being Good or Bad, but rather Wise or Foolish, much like the two builders who built their houses one on the rock and the other on the sand. When the flood came the house built on the sand was demolished, whereas the one built upon the rock stood firm. These girls may have been dressed alike, like ‘peas in a pod’ we might say, the great distinguishing feature here proved to be the lack of oil. It seems strange to me that this should occur, because many of these eastern weddings were held quite late in the day after the sun had gone down. Why bother with the pole, the lamp and the wick, without the oil?
Of course, the Bridegroom in this parable is a picture of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is true, His Coming will reveal the ‘have’s’ and the ‘have not’s.’ It is indeed a depiction of those who were earnest in their commitment and those who were not. Saving grace is a personal possession. God Himself by the Power of His Holy Spirit indwells redeemed earthen vessels. We cannot borrow the life of faith from another neither can it be sold. The Oil, that which transforms the life, that which is from above, that which is of God, is by way of personal experience. I cannot give you my God-given experiences as you cannot give me yours. You cannot make my testimony your own, you through Christ must have your own testimony. Spiritual life and the vibrancy it brings with it cannot be derived from others. Material things can be borrowed, can indeed be loaned, but spiritual things cannot.
Verse 8 informs us that their lamps had ‘gone out.’ There is something foreboding about a lamp which is going out, or which has gone out, or will be put out by God. Proverbs 24 verse 20 says, “The candle or the Lamp of the wicked shall be put out by God.” At a time of spiritual dearth in the Land of Israel, when the Bible says, “Ere the Lamp of God went out in the Temple,” young Samuel was used to reveal the Will of God. In the Old Testament the lamps of God were to burn continuously, read Leviticus chapter 24 verse 2. They had to maintain a regular supply of oil, read Exodus chapter 25 verse 14. And so, with us today, the oil of the Holy Spirit at work within us is very necessary, is vital!
How does that old chorus ring out?
“Give me oil in my lamp keep me burning, Give me oil in my lamp I pray. Give me oil in my lamp keep me burning, Keep me burning till the break of day!”
Outwardly maybe it would have been difficult to tell the ten damsels apart. It was what they carried, or rather, what they did not carry with them which was all revealing. Five were ready and five were not. An inward possession and an outward profession are two very different things. We must know where we stand. I believe it was Martin Luther who once said that there were only ever two days on his calendar, this day and THAT DAY! Mary, Queen of Orange on her death bed, when asked by her chaplain if he could perhaps give her a reading, answered him with these words: “I have not left this matter till this hour.” She must have felt in her heart and in her mind that she was ready to meet her Creator.
I love the Apostle Paul. Think now of some of the things which he stated. In the book of Acts chapter 21 and verse 13, he said, “I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the Name of the Lord Jesus.” In Romans chapter 1 and verse 15, Paul speaking again said these words, “I am ready to preach the Gospel to you that are in Rome also, For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ.” 2 Timothy chapter 4 and verse 6 reads, “For I am now ready to be offered, poured out as a libation, and the time of my departure is at hand.” He said, “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the Righteous Judge, shall give me at that Day; and not to me only, but unto all them that love His Appearing.”
In God’s eyes, to be unprepared for that day is unacceptable. Do not leave this life unprepared. Do not let a false sense of security let you down.
I close with a verse from an old hymn:
Are you ready friend, to meet Him?
Are your treasures all above?
Are you ready friend, to greet Him
Who is Truth and Life and Love?
Is your lamp all trimmed and burning
With a clear and certain glow?
All around us they are going.
Are you ready, friend, to go?
Are you ready, friend, to meet Him
Should He call for you tonight?
Are you ready, friend, to greet Him
Should He come in morning light?
Have you lived for Christ, the Saviour –
Lived an earnest life and true?
All around us they are going.
Soon He’ll come and call for you.
Are you ready? Are you ready
When He comes to gather all His children home?
Are your lamps all trimmed and burning,
Do you wait your Lord’s returning?
Are you ready for the Bridegroom when He comes?
The Bible says: “Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken and the other left. Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken and the other left. Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of Man cometh.” Matthew 25 verse 13.
Just as in the story of the ten Bridesmaids, that Day will prove to be a Day of Separation. For those who were ready it proved to be a Day of Gladness and for those who were not ready it proved to be a Day of Sadness.
Makes us think doesn’t it? Which group are we in?
LIFE ON THE ALTAR 