Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins, who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish [thoughtless, silly, and careless], and five were wise [far-sighted, practical, and sensible]. For when the foolish took their lamps, they did not take any [extra] oil with them, but the wise took flasks of oil along with their lamps." Read Matthew 25:1-13 for the full story. This is the AMP version.
I feel that I am seeing the story of the ten maidens play out in all of our lives.
On the way from the waiting room to the feast and celebration, was there not a journey?
A note in the AMP Bible says:
Matthew 25:1 In a procession, the bridegroom and his friends brought the bride from her father’s house to his house where the wedding feast was prepared.
And, for that journey, the five needed additional oil because they all knew the journey might take long enough to need it--during the night, where the oil would provide fuel for the lamp that lights their path.
What is the night journey? It seems at present to be our chance to enjoy the reality of walking through the valley of the shadow of death only to fear NO evil hallelujah.
Make no mistake: This is about promises. The children of Israel had been set free but had yet to enjoy the PROMISES of God, all provided fully within a land that was yet occupied by unclean and unworthy rulers with nothing but disdain for God.
“Attacks,” if you will, have mounted and multiplied against all who are standing, and they will, because the Lord has deemed you strong enough to withstand it without losing your faith (you who brought more oil...if you didn't, I BLESS YOU NOW...and stay tuned to the end).
The generation who followed Joshua was taught about this Promised Land for their entire upbringing. Someone apparently taught and raised them in faith because they, unlike their fathers, were not intimidated by giants at the cost of their Promise and promises, nor by highly illogical plans for defeating enemies, such as circling a certain wall for six days and the wall would fall. SELAH
I can clearly see how the ones God removed from my life over the past year or so, the ones who had no surplus of oil — I can see clearly that these were going to do nothing but take, resulting in exhaustion and weakness in me, because taking is all they had practiced. Tearing down was the height of their revelation for peace, which was, sadly, no revelation at all.
Some of my own dearly loved sisters and brothers were going out of their way to put me in fear, believing fear was a better motivator and a better way to obtain compliance from believers who were silly and naive in our childlike trust in God.
With these increased threats, I have needed to make full use of my faith so that fear finds no place in me, and I have needed the “other four maidens,” that is, my fellow brothers and sisters who brought extra oil, to support me and let me support them. SELAH
Often, we rejoice along the way; but also we help light each other’s paths as we share the light in our lanterns to illuminate a path for which one good lantern would prove insufficient.
We did not leave the other five in contempt but love them and know that when we arrive at the wedding feast, our victory becomes theirs, too, and soon many of them will join us because we will be vindicated, and childlike trust will prove itself stronger than fear, as it always was and will always be.
It reminds me of Song of Solomon, as we journey from our place of comfort in the Bridegroom’s chambers to find Him in the mountains, where there are dangers and great exploits but most importantly where we find our Beloved.
