THE TEN VIRGINS
[p. 500] THE TEN VIRGINS
We have just heard how the true christian is characterised by waiting for the Son of God from heaven. There are other characteristics, but this is one of the most important and most defined. The believer is called to await the Son of God from heaven — Jesus who saves him from the coming wrath. It is, as we have already heard, an exceedingly serious fact that the wrath of God comes. The patience of God continues still, but God cannot always go on thus with the world and therefore we hear of the wrath to come. Believers know too in what way they will be saved from the wrath which is coming upon the world. Before the wrath comes, the Lord Jesus will take them to Himself in heaven. They do not await the wrath, but the Lord Jesus Christ as Saviour from heaven, “who shall transform our body of humiliation into conformity to his body of glory”. If the wrath were to come whilst we were still in the world, it would reach us also; we could not save ourselves, or transfer ourselves, so to speak, to heaven, but Jesus is our Saviour or Deliverer from the coming wrath.
In continuance of what has been said, I would like to say a few words about the parable of the ten virgins. That refers to the present time, as is apparent from the last part of the previous chapter, as well as from the first verse of our chapter. The parable does not set before us the kingdom of the heavens as it was at the time when the Lord spoke these words, but as it exists at the end. He said: “Then shall the kingdom ... be made like”. We see here therefore a picture of the present time, when, as we know, the call: “Behold, the bridegroom” is already sounded out.
We must not confuse the kingdom of heaven with heaven itself, just as we must not confuse the Emperor [p. 501] of Germany and the German Empire, the sphere of his lordship. The kingdom of heaven is here below and is the sphere of the rule of heaven. It includes in a certain sense the so-called christian countries, the heads of which recognise themselves as kings by the grace of God.
The Lord used this parable of ten virgins who all went out to meet the bridegroom, but five of them were prudent and five foolish. So the kingdom of heaven exhibits a great mixture; it is made up of foolish and prudent virgins, to use the language of the parable. Christendom is in one sense the kingdom of heaven, but what a mixture we see among the millions who, at least according to their position or according to their profession, have gone out of the world to meet the bridegroom. We see from the parable that all those who bear the name of Christ are included in the thought of the ten virgins. The most important and serious question, however, for each one is, Am I prepared for the coming of the bridegroom? The touch-stone for the virgins was the bridegroom himself. In view of the coming of the bridegroom they were all put to the test, whether they had the necessary preparation or not.
As we have heard, the Lord Jesus is a living Man in heaven, but that would mean little for us if He were not coming again. Who could be so foolish as to believe that He-who here was lifted up upon the cross, whom God has raised from among the dead and who now lives in heaven, had nothing more to say to the world? Heaven and earth, all belong to Him who is the Bridegroom. The thought of the bridegroom is a very important one. John the baptist recognised the Lord in this character (John 3: 28, 29), and the Lord repeatedly spoke of Himself as the Bridegroom. He has the bride, and as the Bridegroom He must come again to take up all on behalf of God. We do not know indeed the exact time, but there is no doubt that He will and must come, and those who have not been mindful of His coming resemble the foolish virgins. For those who know Him as Bridegroom, the word applies: “Let your loins be girded about and lamps burning; and ye like men who wait their own lord whenever he may leave the wedding”. It is not sufficient to have a lamp: but it must be burning. The preparation lies in the fact that the lamps are burning. The foolish virgins also had light for a little while, but their lamps went out. The power to keep the light was missing. It is indeed good to have a lamp, but when it does not burn in the night it has little value. It is necessary that we have a burning lamp, a light that is maintained, to which indeed the oil belongs, but it is important to consider that we as believers only give light in the measure in which we are in the light of Christ, the Bridegroom, the Sun of righteousness (see Ephesians 5: 14).
Have we oil in our vessels with our lamps? If anyone asks: ‘How can one get oil?’ we can only answer ‘It must be bought’. Each one must buy it for themselves, but without paying anything for it. The wise virgins said: “Go rather to those that sell, and buy for yourselves”. The oil is a figure of the Holy Spirit, and only the Lord Jesus Christ Himself can give this gift to anyone. Each must have to do with Him about it for himself. All of us here, who know the Lord Jesus, must go to Him and buy from Him. We find a wonderful word in the Revelation, which the Lord directed to indifferent nominal christians. It says there in the third chapter: “I counsel thee to buy of me gold purified by fire, that thou mayest be rich”. It is wonderful that the Lord gives counsel to you and me. He says: “I counsel thee”. One can buy nothing without gold, but the Lord Jesus sells gold purified by fire, and indeed for nothing. He counsels you urgently: “Buy of me”. He is the only seller, and He is available for all. Jesus gives the oil, the Holy Spirit, and indeed to anyone, whether rich or poor, who desires it. He is the Giver of living water. He has died for all, so that He might give the living water to each one who desires it.
[p. 503] But each one must have to do with him personally; each one for himself must come to Him.
The Bridegroom has still something to say to this earth, and, as already said, He will also come to take up everything on behalf of God, and to come into relationship with everything which is on earth for God. He will stand in relationship to Israel and the nations, but even now, although for the moment He is hidden in the heavens, He has something to say to earth; for He is the Head of every man. It is important now to buy oil from Him. He gives living water, which indeed is equivalent to the oil in our parable; but each one must ask Him for it. If indeed we have oil, it is available for the maintenance of the light, and we can move in the light of a living Christ in order to go in with Him to the marriage when He comes as the Bridegroom.
It is only wisdom if you prepare yourself for the coming of the bridegroom. Those who are not prepared when the bridegroom comes will have no part in the marriage. The bridegroom then has nothing further to say to them, only to judge them. Therefore do not forget His word: “I counsel thee to buy of me gold”.