The Bridegroom is Coming

Then the Kingdom of Heaven will be like ten bridesmaids who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. The five who were foolish didn't take enough olive oil for their lamps, but the other five were wise enough to take along extra oil. When the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and fell asleep. "At midnight they were roused by the shout, 'Look, the bridegroom is coming! Come out and meet him!' "All the bridesmaids got up and prepared their lamps. Then the five foolish ones asked the others, 'Please give us some of your oil because our lamps are going out.' "But the others replied, 'We don't have enough for all of us. Go to a shop and buy some for yourselves.' "But while they were gone to buy oil, the bridegroom came. Then those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was locked. Later, when the other five bridesmaids returned, they stood outside, calling, 'Lord! Lord! Open the door for us!' "But he called back, 'Believe me, I don't know you!' "So you, too, must keep watch! For you do not know the day or hour of my return. Matthew 25:1-13

I love this parable that Jesus told His disciples about the kingdom of heaven. Only found in the book of Matthew, it gives us Protestants a view into the Jewish customs. The Jewish couple is betrothed—promised in marriage to each other, but their wedding doesn’t take place until their home is prepared. The bridegroom goes to his father’s house and adds on a room—or rooms depending on his wealth. When his father says that the home is ready for the bride, he sends the bridegroom to get her. Meanwhile the wedding party, including those ten virgins, have been preparing for the wedding at the bride’s home—helping her get ready.

I just imagine these ten girls all curled up, sleeping while they are waiting for the bridegroom’s procession. "He is coming!" They are awakened suddenly, excited, jumping up and down, bumping into each other, and some discover they don’t have enough oil. The important point is that the five wise girls who planned ahead had enough “oil” to light their lamps and the others didn’t.

The bridegroom arrives at the bride’s home and after observing some religious ceremonies he wisks her away to their new home, at his father’s house—where the wedding ceremony and the festivities take place. The bride’s maids in waiting would come out with oil lamps to light up the entrance as the groom and his guests arrived. After the bridegroom procession entered his father’s house, the doors were shut and no other guests were received. Then the bride and groom would be seated under a colorful canopy and for the next three to five days the father of the groom hosted an elaborate and elegant banquet. The wedding feast. Those who are ready go with the bride and groom—those who aren’t ready miss out altogether. Moral of the story—be ready. The unprepared girls had to go buy more oil—and when they arrived at the wedding feast the door was locked and they were not allowed to enter. Thus they were left out in the cold—the Lord didn’t know them. 

The bride symbolically represents the church, the bridegroom is Christ, and the ten virgins are said to be representative of the professing Jewish remnant on earth at Christ’s return. The oil is symbolic for the Holy Spirit—so be wise… keep yourself filled. Be ready—again, BE PREPARED! We don’t know the hour or the day that Christ, the bridegroom, will return and take us to His feast. That is The Banquet we don’t want to miss!

Read the passage in John 14:1-3…Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father's house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also. This is Jesus’ promise to us that He is preparing a place for us in heaven—in His Father’s house—just like the Jewish bridegroom in this scripture in Matthew. 

Prayer ~ Lord God, thank you for your plan to have Your Son prepare a place just for us. We so look forward to the great wedding feast in Your Heavenly home one day.

Daily Bible Reading: 2 Chronicles 10-12

Happy Anniversary to my hunny husband. Forty-five years - happy together.

© 2017 by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.

All scripture quoted from the New Living Translation (NLT) unless otherwise noted.

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