In the story Jesus tells us how the 5 wise virgins were deemed "wise" by Him for one reason only, and that was because they prepared themselves for Him "in advance" by making sure that they had a supply of oil for their lamps.
At the same time Jesus tells us that the foolish were foolish for no other reason than because they didn't bother to carry any oil for their lamps. (And this "foolishness" of theirs is going to cost them Big Time!)
This story is "extremely important to understand" because of the outcomes of the 5 wise and the 5 foolish virgins, and where each one of us may fit into the picture.
Therefore, in the context of this parable, it becomes "absolutely important" to identify the "OIL" as well as "WHY" they needed to Trim their lamps, as well as the meaning of "The Midnight Hour", and this we shall do by following the reasons and the logic set down by Jesus...
Note that while the bridegroom tarried they all slept.
(This "sleep" is not to be confused with the world's "sleep" while in la la land, as we too did at one time. We know that we are of the Day and not the Night (see 1 Thes.5:4-8).
So, in other words, the virgins were "biding their time" resting until the call came that the bridegroom was coming and for them to arise and go meet Him.
This is what the Church is doing today: Resting or Sleeping with one eye opened waiting for the Bridegroom to come back for them as He promised them He would.
In the meantime, at the midnight hour (i.e. at the latest and darkest hour) a call goes out: "He is coming, go out and meet Him"!
Then all the virgins woke up and grabbed their lamps to trim them.
Ask yourself, WHY would they be bothering to "Trim their lamps" if the Bridegroom is standing just outside the door? Answer, "Because He is not!" They have to go out and meet Him in the Darkness! No one bothers to Trim a lamp EXCEPT AND UNLESS THEY NEED IT!
Well it was definitely needed because they all arose and, Jesus says, "trimmed their lamps"!
What happened next is what happens when someone finds out that they have been deceived into thinking they didn't need that oil, and so they discarded it along the way, seeing no need for it... "Oh, oh, we have no oil"!
The the foolish upon waking up suddenly realize that they are destitute of something deemed absolutely vital by Jesus: "OIL"! They were carrying no oil for their lamps!
Can you imagine their dilemna? What shall we do? We must have oil! So they turned to the wise and said, "Give us some of your oil, for our lamps have gone out" (i.e. "grown cold". see Matt.24:12).
But the wise said: "No, or else there won't be enough oil for the both of us." (That leaves The Holy Spirit as being the Oil in this parable, out). The wise may have well said to them: "Hey! We told you to carry oil at all times but you wouldn't listen. Sorry we can't help you".
It was when they went out to try and buy some oil (see Prov.23:23) that the Lord came and and took those who were READY - THOSE WHO WERE READY - (Ready by standing on the word of God!) (see Matt.24:40).
The sorriest words that anyone will ever hear are found right here in Jesus' reply to the foolish virgins: "Verily, verily I say unto you, I know you not!" THAT is how important having the Oil is! It's what keeps us attached to the Vine! ( see John 14:23-24, ESPECIALLY Luke 6:46-49)
*** So, WHY did the virgins have to trim their wicks?...
Obviously because by this story Jesus is telling all of us that there is a "time" between the midnight hour when the call went out and His coming - a "time" of darkness (Matt.24:21), yet a time that must and will come to pass (Luke 21:28), a time when only those who are ready (Rev.3:3) will go in with Him.
There is no other reason for wicks to be trimmed and oil to be preciously gaurded UNLESS there's a definite reason for it! And the reason was because they had to go out, travel in the night to the sound of His voice, and meet the bridegroom!
The trimming of their wicks therefore, stands for the "Endurance" they are going to need over the long haul that's going to be necessary in order to Stand upon God's word to the end!
The 5 "Foolish virgins" were willing to trim their wicks (i.e. endure) as well, BUT they had no oil for their lamps. They found this out too late! Too little too late!
*** So what is the OIL?...
The Oil here represents the vessel and lamp filled with "The Truth": Keeping and doing God's word! It's what keeps us from drying up and whithering away!
If the Foolish would have remained in Jesus' words (see Matt.24:25) and not allowed themselves to become deceived and thus gaurded their oil (i.e. their Love of the Truth) for the lamps, which in turn gives Light to their lamp and path (see Ps.119:105), they would have had the endurance and the kind of faith necessary to make it through that time of darkness.
Remember, "The wise virgins prepared themselves for Him well in advance. In advance because they were prepared for His coming by heeding the word of God. They knew what was necessary and held on to it."
When the time came they had the only commodity necessary to endure to the end with: "Oil for their lamps" - The Oil that brought to them their "Unwavering Faith based solidly upon the Truth of God's word: A faith they heard and received and kept unwavering, from the very beginning! A faith they wouldn't treat lightly - A faith they would gaurd with their lives - A faith they would endure in to the end!
http://www.velocity.net/~subi/rightly2.htm#the
At the same time Jesus tells us that the foolish were foolish for no other reason than because they didn't bother to carry any oil for their lamps. (And this "foolishness" of theirs is going to cost them Big Time!)
This story is "extremely important to understand" because of the outcomes of the 5 wise and the 5 foolish virgins, and where each one of us may fit into the picture.
Therefore, in the context of this parable, it becomes "absolutely important" to identify the "OIL" as well as "WHY" they needed to Trim their lamps, as well as the meaning of "The Midnight Hour", and this we shall do by following the reasons and the logic set down by Jesus...
Note that while the bridegroom tarried they all slept.
(This "sleep" is not to be confused with the world's "sleep" while in la la land, as we too did at one time. We know that we are of the Day and not the Night (see 1 Thes.5:4-8).
So, in other words, the virgins were "biding their time" resting until the call came that the bridegroom was coming and for them to arise and go meet Him.
This is what the Church is doing today: Resting or Sleeping with one eye opened waiting for the Bridegroom to come back for them as He promised them He would.
In the meantime, at the midnight hour (i.e. at the latest and darkest hour) a call goes out: "He is coming, go out and meet Him"!
Then all the virgins woke up and grabbed their lamps to trim them.
Ask yourself, WHY would they be bothering to "Trim their lamps" if the Bridegroom is standing just outside the door? Answer, "Because He is not!" They have to go out and meet Him in the Darkness! No one bothers to Trim a lamp EXCEPT AND UNLESS THEY NEED IT!
Well it was definitely needed because they all arose and, Jesus says, "trimmed their lamps"!
What happened next is what happens when someone finds out that they have been deceived into thinking they didn't need that oil, and so they discarded it along the way, seeing no need for it... "Oh, oh, we have no oil"!
The the foolish upon waking up suddenly realize that they are destitute of something deemed absolutely vital by Jesus: "OIL"! They were carrying no oil for their lamps!
Can you imagine their dilemna? What shall we do? We must have oil! So they turned to the wise and said, "Give us some of your oil, for our lamps have gone out" (i.e. "grown cold". see Matt.24:12).
But the wise said: "No, or else there won't be enough oil for the both of us." (That leaves The Holy Spirit as being the Oil in this parable, out). The wise may have well said to them: "Hey! We told you to carry oil at all times but you wouldn't listen. Sorry we can't help you".
It was when they went out to try and buy some oil (see Prov.23:23) that the Lord came and and took those who were READY - THOSE WHO WERE READY - (Ready by standing on the word of God!) (see Matt.24:40).
The sorriest words that anyone will ever hear are found right here in Jesus' reply to the foolish virgins: "Verily, verily I say unto you, I know you not!" THAT is how important having the Oil is! It's what keeps us attached to the Vine! ( see John 14:23-24, ESPECIALLY Luke 6:46-49)
*** So, WHY did the virgins have to trim their wicks?...
Obviously because by this story Jesus is telling all of us that there is a "time" between the midnight hour when the call went out and His coming - a "time" of darkness (Matt.24:21), yet a time that must and will come to pass (Luke 21:28), a time when only those who are ready (Rev.3:3) will go in with Him.
There is no other reason for wicks to be trimmed and oil to be preciously gaurded UNLESS there's a definite reason for it! And the reason was because they had to go out, travel in the night to the sound of His voice, and meet the bridegroom!
The trimming of their wicks therefore, stands for the "Endurance" they are going to need over the long haul that's going to be necessary in order to Stand upon God's word to the end!
The 5 "Foolish virgins" were willing to trim their wicks (i.e. endure) as well, BUT they had no oil for their lamps. They found this out too late! Too little too late!
*** So what is the OIL?...
The Oil here represents the vessel and lamp filled with "The Truth": Keeping and doing God's word! It's what keeps us from drying up and whithering away!
If the Foolish would have remained in Jesus' words (see Matt.24:25) and not allowed themselves to become deceived and thus gaurded their oil (i.e. their Love of the Truth) for the lamps, which in turn gives Light to their lamp and path (see Ps.119:105), they would have had the endurance and the kind of faith necessary to make it through that time of darkness.
Remember, "The wise virgins prepared themselves for Him well in advance. In advance because they were prepared for His coming by heeding the word of God. They knew what was necessary and held on to it."
When the time came they had the only commodity necessary to endure to the end with: "Oil for their lamps" - The Oil that brought to them their "Unwavering Faith based solidly upon the Truth of God's word: A faith they heard and received and kept unwavering, from the very beginning! A faith they wouldn't treat lightly - A faith they would gaurd with their lives - A faith they would endure in to the end!
http://www.velocity.net/~subi/rightly2.htm#the
