Jesus’ Parable of the Ten Virgins and the Marriage Feast
Preface: What is a Parable? and What Purpose Does it Serve?
Before going into the details of the Parables of the Ten Virgins and the Marriage Feast, we must come to terms with 1) the meaning of parables and 2) the purpose behind Jesus’ employment of them when speaking to the multitudes.
Definition of the Word “Parable”
A parable is an earthly temporal story with a heavenly eternal meaning. It is essentially something that is not obvious, and hence hidden from open view, or is concealed. The word parable as found in the original Hebrew is חִידָה (ḥîḏâ) H2420 (also used as dark sentences or speech) meaning “hard question, riddle, enigma, or puzzle,” and is synonymous with the word “proverb” or “parable”. But “parable” itself is derived from Hebrew word מָשָׁל (māšāl)H4912 which has the meaning of a “metaphorical adage requiring mental action.” Ezekiel 17:2 tells us that a parable and a riddle are essentially the same, “Son of man, put forth a riddle (חִידָה (ḥîḏâ)), and speak a parable (מָשָׁל (māšāl)) unto the house of Israel;“
In the New Testament in the original Greek the word “parable” is παραβολή (parabolē). The word is a composite of “pará“, meaning “alongside”, and “bállō“, meaning “to cast“. A parable is, by interpretation, a familiar thing which is cast, or put alongside, that which is unknown or concealed. and is essentially the same as “similitude” or “likeness” and a “thing serving as a figure of something else“.
The Purpose of Parables
The Bible makes it clear that Jesus always spoke in “parables”to the multitudes. Jesus deliberately spoke in parables, so that those who only had carnal ears and eyes, would hear, and not understand and see, and not perceive. In Matthew 13:34 we read that:”All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables; and without a parable spake he not unto them: That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world.” (and this is a reference back to the prophetic statement we find in Psalm 78:2, “I will open my mouth in a parable: I will utter dark sayings of old:” and which we also find in Psalm 49:3&4 we read, “My mouth shall speak of wisdom; and the meditation of my heart [shall be] of understanding. I will incline mine ear to a parable: I will open my dark saying upon the harp.”)
But Jesus did expound the parables to His disciples. In Mark 4:34, we read, “But without a parable spake he not unto them: and when they were alone, he expounded all things to his disciples.”
Jesus explained to His disciples WHY He spoke in parables to the multitudes. In Mark 4:11&12, we read: “And he (Jesus Christ speaking to His disciples) said unto them, Unto you (the elect) it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without (the non-elect), all [these] things are done in parables: That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and [their] sins should be forgiven them.“(God reiterates this explanation in Isaiah 6:9&10, John 9:39&40, and Acts 28:26-28… PLEASE read these verses to see the perfect reinforcement that they provide).
The Great Division and Separation to Come
Many of Jesus’ Parables teach us that there will be Great Division and Separation coming on Judgment Day. They make this point by using illustrations, such as in this one with the separation of five wise virgins from the five foolish virgins, or in the next one with the separation of the faithful servants from the unfaithful servant, or later in the separation of the sheep from the goats, or involving the separation of the people bidden to the Marriage Feast who either have a wedding garment or do not, or the separation of the wheat from the tares. In each of these parables, a clear distinction is made between that which is to be saved, versus that which is to be cast out into outer darkness, destroyed, and burned for eternity. These Parables repeatedly make the point that the end result for all of mankind since creation, come Judgment Day, is a Great Eternal Separation…either entering into Heaven with Jesus or being cast into Hell under the wrath of God for sin.
The key takeaway is that Jesus did NOT die to save “everyone” from their sins! Jesus only came to save those whom God has chosen to save, who God counts to be among the elect of God and who are otherwise referred to as “the sheep” of the Flock of The Good Shepherd, Jesus. We must carefully consider what we find in Romans chapter 9, and in particular, Romans 9:13, “As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.“
This study on the hearing ear and seeing eye is helpful as well. For additional information regarding parables please see: “God’s Word is a Mystery“.
Introduction to the Parable of the Ten Virgins
Back in Matthew Chapter 24 (the verses that just precede those which comprise the Parable of the Ten Virgins in Chapter 25), Jesus expounds in great detail upon what we are to expect in the end times leading up to and ending on Judgment Day. Jesus made it very clear the need to be ready against that day (much like in Esther 3:14 and Esther 8:13) where we are told in Matthew 24:42, “Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.” and in Matthew 24:44, “Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.“
Then Jesus made a distinction between the faithful and wise servant who was so doing (e.g., “watching” by sharing the Gospel and being ready for Jesus’s soon return), whom God will bless with eternal life at Jesus’ second coming (Matthew 24:46); versus the evil servant, who says in his heart, “My lord delayeth his coming” (Matthew 24:48) whom God will surprise, and destroy, and send to Hell for eternity on Judgment Day.
And is it not interesting that we are told in 1 Peter 3:15, “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and [be] ready always to [give] an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:”
It is therefore most notable, and quite significant, that the verses immediately following in Matthew chapter 25, which begins with the word “THEN“, that God presents a total of three admonishing discourses in this order:
- the Parable of the Ten Virgins,
- the Parable of the Talents, and
- the Parable of the separation of the Sheep and the Goats (at which time The Lord Jesus Christ Is on His Throne of His Glory and He, as the Shepherd of the saved souls, separates and sets “the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.” And, regarding the last parable, Jesus explains, in more plain language, what determines a “sheep” versus a “goat”, as it is presented in the subsequent verses Matthew 25:34-46.
In all three discourses, Jesus makes very clear what will be a very distinct separation of people of the world on Judgment Day, between those who are saved (the true believers) versus the unsaved (the non- believers), along with their respective eternal destinies, either Heaven or Hell.
As the well-known British theologian of his day (circa 1710), Matthew Henry, said concerning Matthew Chapter 25:
“Now it concerns us to prepare for Christ’s coming; I. That we may then be ready to attend upon him; and this is shown in the parable of the ten virgins (v. 1-13). II. That we may then be ready to give our account to him; and this is shown in the parable of the three servants (Talents) (v. 14-30) III. That we may then be ready to receive from him our final sentence, and that it may be to eternal life; and this is shown in a more plain description of the process of the last judgment (v. 31-46).
Matthew Henry then rightly concluded, regarding the serious implications of this chapter, “These are things of awful consideration, because of everlasting concern to every one of us.”
Exposition of The Parable of the Ten Virgins
Given that context, let us read together the Parable of the Ten Virgins in full:
Matthew 25:1-13, “¶Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. And five of them were wise, and five [were] foolish. They that [were] foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. ¶And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone (going) out. But the wise answered, saying, [Not so]; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut. ¶Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not. ¶Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.“
In order for us to begin to understand this parable, we must consider carefully what each of the various terms mean in the greater Biblical context. We cannot presume that we can understand a Biblical passage on face value, or what we think is the “plain sense”, or allow ourselves to be influenced by modern definitions, or by the writings of false teachers, because the result will simply be nonsense versus God-sense.
God is entirely consistent in His use of words, which we find in God’s Holy Word, the Bible. And we are clearly directed by God to compare scripture with scripture (“spiritual things with spiritual”) as we read in 1 Corinthians 2:13, “Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.” Therefore, we should limit our search for the correct definitions by using the Bible, alone, as its own dictionary, because the Bible is the sole source book of truth.
So then, on the basis of what can be found though a diligent search of the Bible Scriptures:
Then Shall the Kingdom of Heaven Be Likened …
The word “Then” tells us that, as a follow-on to the point in time set forth in preceding verses (found in Matthew Chapter 24), that we are discussing Judgment Day, when the True Eternal Church is revealed to be entering into the Kingdom of Heaven. And Jesus is clearly setting forth a parable, by employing the words “likened“, thus an analogy, via allegory, that, when Judgment Day comes, the Kingdom of Heaven is somehow “likened” to these ten virgins (that are subsequently evenly divided into two groups of five each).
We now need to establish, Who is Who? and What is What? Who is the Bridegroom for Whose marriage the ten virgins are planning to be in attendance? Who do the Five Wise, and the Five Foolish Virgins represent? What are the Lamps? Who, or What, does the Oil represent? Why is having Oil the determining factor in getting inside when the Bridegroom arrives? What about going out to buy the Oil? Let us search out the meaning of each of these illustrations as found in this parable.
1. Jesus Is The Bridegroom
It is clear from the following verses that the Bridegroom in this parable can be none other than the Lord Jesus Christ.
Jesus plainly stated that He is the Bridegroom in Matthew 9:15, “¶And Jesus said unto them, Can the children of the bride chamber mourn, as long as the bridegroom is with them? but the days will come, when the bridegroom shall be taken from them, and then shall they fast.” And we should remember that John the Baptist likened to being the Best Man at the future wedding ceremony of Jesus, Whom John the Baptist confirmed to be The Bridegroom as we read in John 3:27, “¶John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven. Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him. He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled. He must increase, but I [must] decrease.“
Jesus is also the Mighty King in Psalm 45:1-8, which is a song to celebrate the King’s Marriage to His Queen with her attending Virgins described in the immediate subsequent verses: Psalm 45:9-17.
Psalm 45:1-8, “¶[[To the chief Musician upon Shoshannim, for the sons of Korah, Maschil, A Song of loves.]] My heart is inditing a good matter: I speak of the things which I have made touching the king: my tongue [is] the pen of a ready writer. Thou art fairer than the children of men: grace is poured into thy lips: therefore God hath blessed thee for ever. Gird thy sword upon [thy] thigh, O [most] mighty, with thy glory and thy majesty. And in thy majesty ride prosperously because of truth and meekness [and] righteousness; and thy right hand shall teach thee terrible things. Thine arrows [are] sharp in the heart of the king’s enemies; [whereby] the people fall under thee. Thy throne, O God, [is] for ever and ever: the sceptre of thy kingdom [is] a right sceptre. Thou lovest righteousness, and hatest wickedness: therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows. All thy garments [smell] of myrrh, and aloes, [and] cassia, out of the ivory palaces, whereby they have made thee glad.“
2. The True Eternal Church is the Bride
Ephesians 5:25, “¶ Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,”
Psalm 45:9-17, “Kings’ daughters were among thy honourable women: upon thy right hand did stand the queen in gold of Ophir. Hearken, O daughter, and consider, and incline thine ear; forget also thine own people, and thy father’s house; So shall the king greatly desire thy beauty: for he is thy Lord; and worship thou him. And the daughter of Tyre [shall be there] with a gift; [even] the rich among the people shall intreat thy favour. The king’s daughter [is] all glorious within: her clothing [is] of wrought gold. She shall be brought unto the king in raiment of needlework: the virgins her companions that follow her shall be brought unto thee. With gladness and rejoicing shall they be brought: they shall enter into the king’s palace. Instead of thy fathers shall be thy children, whom thou mayest make princes in all the earth. I will make thy name to be remembered in all generations: therefore shall the people praise thee for ever and ever.“
Revelation 19:7-9, “Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. ¶And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed [are] they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.“
Revelation 21:2, “And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.” and Revelation 21:9&10, “¶And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will shew thee the bride, the Lamb’s wife. And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and shewed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,“
Hosea 2:19, “And I will betroth thee unto me for ever; yea, I will betroth thee unto me in righteousness, and in judgment, and in lovingkindness, and in mercies.“
The Ten Virgins: Five Were Wise and Five Were Foolish
The ten virgins represent all of mankind (men and women) who profess to be part of the true Christian church, preparing for Jesus’ Return on the clouds of Glory, who all outwardly appear to be virtuous (like a virgin), but who are clearly soon separated into two groups. How do we know that these virgins are representative of the broader Christian church, the corporate body that includes both those who are saved (the true Eternal Church), and the unsaved (who nonetheless are professing Christians)?
We can look to the Apostle Paul, who, when writing to the church in Corinth, Greece, compared the church to a “chaste virgin” as we read in 2 Corinthians 11:2, “For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present [you as] a chaste virgin to Christ.” But note that in the next verse Paul writes, 2 Corinthians 11:3, “But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.” So then the true church is a virtuous virgin bride but there can be those associated with it that may not be saved and led away by false Gospels.
The Five Wise Virgins “Took Oil in Their Vessels with Their Lamps.”
In attendance with the Queen (The Bride of the King), as we read earlier, were the handmaidens in Psalm 45:9, “Kings’ daughters [were] among thy honourable women: upon thy right hand did stand the queen in gold of Ophir.“
The Apostle Paul, when writing to the church in Corinth, Greece, compared the church as a chaste virgin as we read in 2 Corinthians 11:2, “For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present [you as] a chaste virgin to Christ.”
The Five Foolish Virgins “Took Their Lamps, and Took No Oil with Them:”
The Foolish Virgins are those who profess with their mouths that they are Christians but are really not. They associate with true believers but they themselves are not saved. “Believing” is not just mouthing the words that “I believe”, it is believing with all your heart and soul that Jesus is indeed the Son of God, that Jesus Is The Firstborn from the dead, and He Is The Only Savior for mankind (and for you personally), to Whom all Glory and Honor belongs.
Romans 10:9 says, “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.” but we are also warned in the following:
Matthew 7:22&23, “Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.“
John 3:36, “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.”
“While the Bridegroom Tarried, They All Slumbered and Slept”
What does it mean that the Bridegroom tarried? Given the context that we are dealing with in this parable as well the whole of Matthew Chapter 25 and the preceding verses in Matthew Chapter 24, we know that we are dealing with the issue of Jesus’ Second Coming and Judgment Day. We also know that Jesus’ apparent “tarrying” (referred to as “slackness“) is specifically addressed by God in 2 Peter 3:8-10, “¶But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day [is] with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. ¶But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.“
Being asleep has two meanings in the Bible. It can mean either earthly sleep (unconsciousness), or death. It is used both ways in the following verses, with the first exemplified by being drunken/unconscious as opposed to being sober/conscious: 1 Thessalonians 5:6-11, “Therefore let us not sleep, as [do] others; but let us watch and be sober. For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night. But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation. For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him. ¶Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.”
Again it is clear from this passage that to be “asleep” is to be dead in the grave, 1Thessalonians 4:13, “¶But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.“
The fact is that there has now been almost 2000 years since Jesus’ Atoning Sacrifice, Death, Burial, and Resurrection and His Ascension back into Heaven. Both believers and nonbelievers alike have died over those two millennium. Bodies have decayed in the graves, or have dissolved in the sea, or were consumed by any number of disasters (natural and manmade). However, we know that for the believer, to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. 2 Corinthians 5:8&9, “We are confident, [I say], and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. ¶ Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him.“ and Philippians 1:21, “For to me to live [is] Christ, and to die [is] gain.” Moreover we are told in Psalm 115:17, “The dead praise not the LORD, neither any that go down into silence.“
Jesus reiterates in the following verses how crucial it is for the Believer to be faithful and filled with The Holy Spirit and being steadfast in preaching the Gospel for Jesus (the light shining before men on a hill as Jesus said in Matthew 5:14-16). The fact of the matter is that we are to be constantly “watching”, because we do not know when Jesus will return. We will either see Him immediately upon our death as Lord God and Savior, or as Lord God and Judge…or if Jesus comes before we die then everyone will see Jesus coming suddenly on the clouds of Glory (with His Saints). Either way we must the ready ahead of that time.
In Luke 12:35-40, Jesus said, “¶Let your loins be girded about, and [your] lights burning; And ye yourselves like unto men that wait for their lord, when he will return from the wedding; that when he cometh and knocketh, they may open unto him immediately. Blessed [are] those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them. And if he shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find [them] so, blessed are those servants. And this know, that if the goodman of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched, and not have suffered his house to be broken through. Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not.“
Romans 13:11&12, “¶And that, knowing the time, that now [it is] high time to awake out of sleep: for now [is] our salvation nearer than when we believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.”
We should also bear in mind that God never slumbers or sleeps: Psalm 121:3&4, “He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber. Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.
3. The “Oil” Represents God, The Holy Spirit (and the Vessel Is the Believer’s Heart)
The word for “oil” in the original Hebrew is שֶׁמֶן (sheh’-men)H8081 (a masculine noun) and it is made from the fruit of the olive tree. It is used as the fuel that burns in the lamps to give light. It is also what the manna from Heaven tasted like as we read in Numbers 11:8, “And the people went about, and gathered [it], and ground [it] in mills, or beat [it] in a mortar, and baked [it] in pans, and made cakes of it: and the taste of it was as the taste of fresh oil (שֶׁמֶן (sheh’-men))H8081. It is The Holy Spirit Whom God uses to anoint the Believer Who provides the Light of Jesus Christ and makes it possible to see and share that Light. Psalm 23:5, “Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.” (See also the Psalm 23 study)
Remember how this is entirely consistent with what we read of the “Oil” and its purpose in Exodus 25:6, “Oil for the light, spices for anointing oil, and for sweet incense,“. and also in Exodus 27:20, “And thou shalt command the children of Israel, that they bring thee pure oil olive beaten for the light, to cause the lamp to burn always.”, which is repeated in Leviticus 24:2, “Command the children of Israel, that they bring unto thee pure oil olive beaten for the light, to cause the lamps to burn continually.” and finally Exodus 35:14, “The candlestick also for the light, and his furniture, and his lamps, with the oil for the light,”
We also have this verse in Isaiah 62:1, “¶For Zion’s sake will I not hold my peace, and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest, until the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness, and the salvation thereof as a lamp [that] burneth.“ The word translated for “lamp” here in the original Hebrew is לַפִּיד (lapîḏ)H3940, which is the root word for Lapidoth, the husband of Deborah, who we read about in Judges Chapters 4&5.
And before we go any further we must remember that Jesus Is The Light…John 8:12, “Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.” and
1 Peter 2:9, “¶But ye [are] a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:“
2 Corinthians 4:3-7, tells us plainly, “But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them. For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake. For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to [give] the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.”
Isaiah 8:20, “To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, [it is] because [there is] no light in them.
John 3:19-21, “And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.”
And just as the physical olive oil is the source of physical light in the physical lamps, so too is the Holy Spirit, Who is the One Who Is The Source of the Spiritual Light in the hearts of every believer.
We should take note of 1 Samuel 16:13, “Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the LORD came upon David from that day forward. So Samuel rose up, and went to Ramah.“ together with Daniel 5:14, “I have even heard of thee, that the spirit of the gods [is] in thee, and [that] light and understanding and excellent wisdom is found in thee.“
The vessels represent the believers (and their innermost being), who have the God’s Holy Spirit/ Holy Ghost and, therefore, the Light of Jesus Christ shining brightly in their hearts, which is otherwise hidden from the world of the unsaved.
“We should also take a look at Job 32:8, that reads in the King James English translation as, “But [there is] a spirit in man: and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding.“ Man is a living being with the spirit of life that goes back to Genesis 2:7, “¶And the LORD God formed man [of] the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.“ The original Hebrew word that is translated into English as both “inspiration” and “breath” is the same word, נְשָׁמָה (nᵊšāmâ)H5397. So what Job 32:8 is really saying is that man has the spirit of life as a physical living soul, but, and only if, someone is given The Holy Spirit/Holy Ghost from God Almighty can they then also have “Understanding”, and by implication, “Eternal Life”. This also brings to mind what we read in John 20:21, “¶Then said Jesus to them again, Peace [be] unto you: as [my] Father hath sent me, even so send I you. And when he had said this, he breathed on [them], and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost:“
Remember also Psalm 119:11, “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.“
NOTE: The first time that the word for “olive” is found in the Bible is in Genesis 8:11, “And the dove came in to him in the evening; and, lo, in her mouth [was] an olive leaf pluckt off: so Noah knew that the waters were abated from off the earth.“ The word for “olive” in the original Hebrew is זַיִת (zayiṯ)H2132 (a masculine noun). Among the 17 times that the word is translated “olive” into English we find this verse, Judges 9:9, “But the olive tree said unto them, Should I leave my fatness, wherewith by me they honour God and man, and go to be promoted over the trees? The word translated as “fatness” is from the Hebrew word דֶּשֶׁן (dešen)H1880 (a masculine noun) has, somewhat strangely, also been translated in the Bible as “ashes” (as that from a burnt offering). It can also mean “abundance” or “oil”. Given the context here, it would seem to be more appropriate to translate it as “oil”. It is also important to reflect on Zechariah 4:12-14, “And I answered again, and said unto him, What [be these] two olive זַיִת (zayiṯ)H2132 branches which through the two golden pipes empty the golden [oil] out of themselves? ¶And he answered me and said, Knowest thou not what these [be]? And I said, No, my lord. ¶Then said he, These [are] the two anointed ones, that stand by the Lord of the whole earth.“ In any case, the “olive” is the source by which the olive “oil” for the light is obtained.
“At Midnight There Was a Cry Made, Behold, the Bridegroom Cometh; Go Ye Out to Meet Him.“
“Midnight“
“Midnight” is literally the middle of the night. It is the point at the end of time when every human being who has ever lived will be resurrected from the dead to come before the Great White Throne of God’s Judgment as is so clearly described in Revelation 20:11-15, “¶And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is [the book] of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them:and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.“
We are reminded that God has used “midnight” in relation to bringing both Salvation and Judgment in the Bible, as we read when the LORD killed all the firstborn in Egypt, while “Passing Over” the children of Israel who had the blood of the Passover lamb on their lintels and side doorposts. Exodus 12:23, “For the LORD will pass through to smite the Egyptians; and when he seeth the blood upon the lintel, and on the two side posts, the LORD will pass over the door, and will not suffer the destroyer to come in unto your houses to smite [you]” together with Exodus 12:29, “¶And it came to pass, that at midnight the LORD smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sat on his throne unto the firstborn of the captive that [was] in the dungeon; and all the firstborn of cattle.“
Midnight” is clearly representative of the Last Day, Judgment Day, when the Last Trumpet Sounds and Jesus returns on the clouds of Glory.
“Cry”?
The “cry” pertains to the great wake-up call of Judgment Day! Moreover, in the original Greek, it is the word, κραυγή (kraugē)G2906, which means “an outcry” (in notification, “tumult” or “grief”) or “clamour”. It is used only a few times in the New Testament and in each case is pointing to the judgment and wrath of God for sin, that will most certainly come in the announcement of Judgment Day as we read in Revelation 14:18, “And another angel came out from the altar, which had power over fire; and cried with a loud cry G2906 to him that had the sharp sickle, saying, Thrust in thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth; for her grapes are fully ripe.” We also see this word in Hebrews 5:7, “Who (Jesus) in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying G2906 and tears unto him that was able to save him from death, and was heard in that he feared;” and
Note, also, that the above word for “cry” is a different word from what we find for example in Romans 8:15, “For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, G2896 Abba, Father.” and Galatians 4:6, where we read, “And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, G2896 Abba, Father.” That word for “cry” (also “crying” or “cried”) is, in the original Greek, κράζω (krazō)G2896 meaning to call aloud (shriek, exclaim, intreat), which can be more of a petitionary plea, as is also found in John 7:37, “In the last day, that great [day] of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, G2896 saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.”
1 Thessalonians 4:16, “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive [and ]remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.“
“Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out. But the wise answered, saying, [Not so]; lest there be not enough for us and you: but
“Go Ye Rather to Them That Sell, and Buy for Yourselves“
Isaiah 55:1-3 tells us something that initially sounds at least a bit strange, “Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Wherefore do ye spend money for [that which is] not bread? and your labour for [that which] satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye [that which is] good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness. Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, [even] the sure mercies of David.“
How is it be possible to buy anything, if no exchange of money is involved?, or if there is no price to pay? We must consider that something beyond the physical is really in view, particularly given that the word “soul” is mentioned twice, along with the word “everlasting”. The three food elements (wine, milk and bread) cannot be viewed “literally”, but rather they must be viewed “spiritually” as being representative of “spiritual” food for the soul that will provide the necessary eternal sustenance for eternal life. Moreover, the subsequent words make clear that this sustenance for the soul can be obtained through “hearing” with an “ear”, rather than by exchanging money for it. And what is it that must be “heard” that will make a difference and allow anyone to “buy” this eternally satisfying sustenance? For more on the meaning of Isaiah 55:1-3, please see Are You Buying it?
The problem is that there are not many buyers! It is because, although people are desperately dying in need of salvation, they are not seeking salvation or if they are they are not seeking it the right way. It is because so many in this world do not hunger and thirst after righteousness, in reference to what Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5:6, “Blessed [are] they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.“
There are many in the world who falsely believe they would/could somehow buy salvation (and hence the Holy Spirit/Holy Ghost). Such people are in fact self-willed, who trust in their own works (there own oil) to prepare and ready themselves for Jesus return, by thinking, again falsely, that they have obtained salvation, but who are in fact not saved, and ill prepared, because they do not have God the Holy Spirit indwelling in them.
We must remember that, to become a believer, one must be “quickened”, meaning to be made spiritually alive, through the indwelling of God’s Holy Spirit/Holy Ghost. So likewise, the Holy Spirit/Holy Ghost, and the power to “give” Him, cannot be bought as we learned in Acts 8:18-20, “¶And when Simon saw that through laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Ghost was given, he offered them money, Saying, Give me also this power, that on whomsoever I lay hands, he may receive the Holy Ghost. ¶But Peter said unto him, Thy money perish with thee, because thou hast thought that the gift of God may be purchased with money.“
Salvation Is a Free Gift, Bought and Paid for by Jesus Christ Alone!
So then, to “buy” the Bread (of Everlasting Life) without money and without price is to “hear” the Word of God, Who is Jesus, as He Is found in the Bible. This is the ONLY means of Salvation for eternal life in Heaven in the presence of God. Jonah in the belly of the whale declared in Jonah 2:9, “Salvation [is] of the the Lord“. We must both hear, and heed, the Word of God, if we truly desire to be saved from the just penalty for our sins by the Lord Jesus Christ. Either Jesus paid that price in full, through His Atoning Sacrifice to provide the free gift of eternal life, or unsaved mankind will pay the full price individually, which will be an eternity in Hell. A very high price indeed!
Each person who is truly a child of God (and thus a true believer in the Lord Jesus Christ as The Savior from God’s just penalty for sin) has the Gift of The Holy Spirit/Holy Ghost. The true believer will have been baptized by Jesus with the Holy Spirit/Holy Ghost as we read in Mark 1:8, “I (John the Baptist) indeed have baptized you with water: but he (Jesus) shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost.” and moreover we know this, Acts 2:38, “Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.”
So then, how is it possible to share The Holy Ghost Who Is The Free Gift from God with anyone else? A Believer cannot write someone else into God’s Will. It is also not possible to share The Holy Spirit with someone else. The five foolish virgins did not have The Holy Spirit and were effectively told to obtain it on their own. However, once death comes, it is too late!
Isaiah 55:6, “Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:“
Zephaniah 2:3, “Seek ye the LORD, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his judgment; seek righteousness, seek meekness: it may be ye shall be hid in the day of the LORD’S anger.“
The Glorious Return of Jesus Marks Both the Wedding Day and Judgment Day
Matthew 24:29-31 (and Mark 13:24–27; Luke 21:25–28 ), “¶Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.“
“The Door Was Shut“
In the last three verses of this parable show the result of the differences between the two groups of five virgins. Matthew 25:10-12, “And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut. ¶Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.” Once the five wise virgins entered in (a picture of entering into Heaven with Jesus) “the door was shut.” And when the foolish virgins arrived at the door (picturing those who are unsaved despite their professing to be “Christians”), they could not enter, and then they heard the words of the Bridegroom (a “Figure” of The Lord Jesus Christ) who said that he did not know them. As difficult and horrific it is to realize, for anyone to be shut out of Heaven is the same as being exiled to Hell for eternity!
God reiterates this conclusion in Luke 13:25-29, “When once the master of the house is risen up, and hath shut to the door, and ye begin to stand without, and to knock at the door, saying, Lord, Lord, open unto us; and he shall answer and say unto you, I know you not whence ye are: Then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets. But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all [ye] workers of iniquity. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you [yourselves] thrust out. And they shall come from the east, and [from] the west, and from the north, and [from] the south, and shall sit down in the kingdom of God.“
And is this not reminiscent of what we read of Noah and his family immediately after they and all the animals entered into the Ark? Genesis 7:16, “And they that went in, went in male and female of all flesh, as God had commanded him (Noah): and the LORD shut him in.“
Psalm 5:4, “For thou [art] not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness: neither shall evil dwell with thee. The foolish shall not stand in thy sight: thou hatest all workers of iniquity.“
John 9:31, “Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth.”
In Mark 13:32-37, Jesus raised similar points with regard to Judgment Day, and for the believers (his servants) to stay working, vigilant, and watching, “¶But of that day and [that] hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father. Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is. [For the Son of man is] as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch. Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cock crowing, or in the morning: Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping. And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.“
Similarly, in Luke 21:34-36, Jesus said, “¶And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and [so] that day come upon you unawares. For as a snare shall it come on all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth. Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.”
This is all in accordance with God’s plan. That Light will be kept hidden from the world of unbelievers until Judgement Day, when the Judgment that befalls them comes as a “thief in the night”. This is exactly what we are told in 2 Peter 3:10, “But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.“
The Parable of the Marriage Feast
In Matthew 22:1–14 (See also Luke 14:15–24 ), we find another of Jesus’ Parables regarding the Marriage Feast, “¶And Jesus answered and spake unto them again by parables, and said, The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son, And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come. Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and [my] fatlings [are] killed, and all things [are] ready: come unto the marriage. But they made light of [it], and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise: And the remnant took his servants, and entreated [them] spitefully, and slew [them]. But when the king heard [thereof], he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city. Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy. Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage. So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests. ¶And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment: And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless. Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast [him] into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. ¶For many are called, but few [are] chosen.”
And in Luke 14:24, we read, “For I say unto you, That none of those men which were bidden shall taste of my supper.“
And remember again what we read from the Apostle Paul concerning the church as the Bride of Christ in 2 Corinthians 11:2, “For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present [you as] a chaste virgin to Christ.“
Finally, In Revelation 3:18, God provides us with an interesting correlation between what was the five wise virgins said (to the five foolish virgins) with what we read above regarding the man not having a wedding garment in the warning to the Church in Laodicea: “I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and [that] the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.“
Conclusion
The Bible is clear that there are just two different kinds of people in the world, those who are saved (the sheep) by the blood of the Lamb, the Lord Jesus Christ, and those who are unsaved (the goats, who are the vast majority of mankind) who remain spiritually dead and condemned in their sins.
1 Peter 4:5&6, “Who shall give account to him that is ready to judge the quick (living) and the dead. For for this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.“
However, the key lesson of the Parable of the Ten Virgins (and the Parable of the Marriage Feast) is that there are also two different kinds of people who profess to be followers and worshipers of the Lord Jesus Christ. The larger corporate body, which constitutes the “corporate church”, includes all those who profess to be Christians, both true believers (those who makeup the “eternal Church”) and those who think that they are Christians, but who really are not, because they are deceived.
The distinction between those who are the true believers (typified by the five wise virgins) from those who are not true believers (typified by the five foolish virgins) is whether or not they had “oil” in their lamps. Similarly, The Parable of the Marriage Feast makes clear that to enter into the Marriage Feast (of the Lamb, Jesus Christ) one must have on a “wedding garment“, which is the robe of Jesus Christ’s Righteousness imputed to each saved person.
In both parables God is making clear to us that salvation is only a Gift from God, to the elect of God, who are His Chosen people, the sheep. Matthew 22:14, “For many are called, but few [are] chosen.”…Note the word is “chosen” and NOT that the few “choose”.
Dear reader, may God grant you the “ears to hear and the eyes to see” that you too might be granted eternal life with Jesus in Heaven come Judgment Day.
Explore posts in the same categories: Bible Studies
Bereansearching Bible Studies 
Leave a comment