Key Verse: "Therefore
keep watch, because you do not know the day or hour."
Matthew 25:13
It is a bit unclear
exactly when these next teachings actually took place. Were they a continuation
of Jesus' conversation with His disciples on the Mount of Olives? Did these
conversations spill into the next day? This may be the case since much of what
Jesus had to say was aimed, once again, at the religious leadership. But what
he says is more important than when he said it. Jesus is continuing His theme
of the importance of being ready, no matter when, for His return. Again, He
wisely draws from a common experience of everyday life, to convey truths.
Jesus draws
on the practices of the day, of the marriage ceremony, to once again illustrate
how it will be when He returns. This is not the last time Jesus will use the
wedding and the betrothal practices of the day to relate the kingdom of God to
His listeners. This would actually make sense since He is the bridegroom and
the church is His bride.
In our day, a
couple announces their engagement, works together to select the right date for
the wedding to take place, and works together in great detail, to provide the
perfect, matrimonial experience. Everyone is made aware of the date and given
invitations. Friends give parties in the couple's honor. Everything is focused
on a one day experience and then, the couple enjoys a small vacation, or
honeymoon, together.
In Jesus'
day, the groom, accompanied by his parents, would go to the maiden's house to
talk with her parents, especially her father, to ask for her hand in marriage.
We will discuss this more during the Lord's Supper. For now, let's just say
that if she accepts, they are considered officially betrothed. The groom then
returns to his father's house to prepare a place for the wedding week to take
place.
He may work
on the accommodations for up to a year and he will not come for his bride until
it is ready. No one knows in advance when that will be. It is necessary for the
bride, and her friends, to be vigilant because the groom could come any night
to bring his bride home. They will know he is coming when the groomsmen begin
shouting and announcing his approach.
For the sake of making the point about some who are ready and some who are not, in the parable the ten virgins are not the bride herself. Who knows how many nights they had waited together for the big day? They are the attendants who will accompany her to the groom's home. However, in reality the bride of Christ is made up of all believers who are part of the Church, and some will be watching and waiting, while others fall asleep.
Obviously,
however, five of the virgins in the parable grew careless in their vigilance.
"Aww, he hasn't come up to now. He probably won't come tonight either so
I'm sure I can sleep. I'll pick up more oil tomorrow." It's like so many
of us who begin to get lax in our own spiritual journey. "Jesus hasn't
come for 2,000 years! Why should He come today? I'm sure that I can give in to
this distraction or temptation and it won't hurt." Sound familiar?
Jesus is
warning us here that we can't give in to thinking that way. The five virgins
who grew careless lost out on the big celebration. Jesus doesn't want that to
happen to us. His return for us is a certainty! It is as much a certainty as
the bridegroom returning for His bride. He wants us to be dressed and ready to
go. "For the Lord Himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command,
with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead
in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will
be caught up together with Him in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And
so we will be with the Lord forever. (1
Thessalonians 4:16-17) Be assured, He is coming!
Hymn:
Traditional: “Rejoice, Rejoice, Believer”
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