Jesus is Essential
Matthew 25:1–6: “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!’
So here in the parable of the ten virgins, Christ, pictured as the bridegroom, is bringing the bride with Him, and the believers on earth are waiting for Him to come. While the Great Tribulation has been going on upon the earth, Christ has been yonder in heaven with His bride, the church. Then at the conclusion of the seven years of Tribulation, He comes back to earth with the church.
This, now, is the attitude toward His coming on the part of those on the earth—Oil is symbolic of the Spirit of God. In that day I think there will be phonies as there were at His first coming. Jesus called them hypocrites. They will have lamps but no oil. Notice that both the wise and the foolish virgins slept. The difference in them was that some had the Holy Spirit (represented by the oil) and some did not—because they were not genuine believers. 1
Walking with Jesus
If you do not possess the Holy Spirit, then you have not been born again. The evidence of a new life in Christ is the indwelling Spirit, and the outflowing of the Holy Spirit’s love from your life. How is the love of God being manifested from your life? What sin is preventing His love from flowing from your life?
You love righteousness and hate wickedness; Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You With the oil of gladness more than Your companions. Psalm 45:7
Without the Holy Spirit, there is nothing holy, and there is nothing spiritual.
Praying
Lord, keep me in a place of always being filled with Your Holy Spirit.
1. McGee, J. V. (1991). Thru the Bible commentary: The Gospels (Matthew 14-28) (electronic ed., Vol. 35). Nashville.
