Matt. 25:1-131Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. 2And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. 3They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: 4But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. 5While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. 6And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. 7Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. 8And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out. 9But 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. 10And 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. 11Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. 12But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not. 13Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh. (Matthew 25:1‑13). MAT 25:1-131Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. 2And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. 3They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: 4But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. 5While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. 6And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. 7Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. 8And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out. 9But 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. 10And 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. 11Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. 12But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not. 13Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh. (Matthew 25:1‑13)
THERE is an immense difference between profession and possession, just as much as there is between current and counterfeit coin. A mere professor is like a bad filbert nut, all shell and no kernel; whilst the possessor is like the good filbert nut, kernel as well as shell are there, the shell of profession surrounds and has within it the kernel of possession. Which are you, my reader?
A mere professor of Christianity, or a possessor of Christ?
Religion is earthborn, and occupies its deluded votaries with themselves and the earth;
Christianity is heaven born, and occupies the truly saved with Christ and heaven.
In the chapter given at the head of this paper Christ is looked at in four different characters; first, as Bridegroom, hope and object of His people's hearts; second, as Lord of His servants, who will reckon with them when He cometh; thirdly, as the Son of man, who will as surely "come in His glory" as once He came in humiliation; and lastly, as King who has gone to receive the kingdom from His Father, and who will then return and reign over this demoralized world during the millennium or thousand years (Luke 19:1212He said therefore, A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return. (Luke 19:12); LUK 19:1212He said therefore, A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return. (Luke 19:12)Rev. 20:44And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. (Revelation 20:4) REV 20:44And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. (Revelation 20:4)).
But it is the first thirteen verses of Matt. 25. MAT 25 that I want to say a little to you about.
“Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the Bridegroom" (v. 1).
The only place where the words “the kingdom of heaven” occur is in Matthew's gospel, and there they occur about thirty-two times.
It is called the kingdom of heaven, because the King is in heaven, having been crucified and rejected from the earth.
The ten virgins are a picture of professing Christians, the lamps mean profession, and they all went forth from Judaism or heathendom, professedly to meet the Bridegroom.
Mark you well, it was not death and judgment, the common lot of man, that they were expecting, but the Bridegroom who, as their Substitute, had borne death and judgment for them, so that there might be no hindrance to their constantly and joyfully looking for His return.
“Five of them were wise, and five were foolish. They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them" (vv. 2, 3).
These verses prove that half the profession of the day is false and half real; five of the ten were wise, and five were foolish. Now, the folly of the foolish consisted in this, that they took their lamps, and. took no oil with them; that is, they rested in a mere profession; they had no heart for Christ, and they had not the Holy Spirit, of which oil is the standing type in Scripture.
“But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps" (v. 4).
Which are you, a wise or a foolish virgin?
“While the Bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept " (v. 5).
This verse is a vivid and painful description of the condition of spiritual stupor and supineness that the professing church fell into during what is called "the dark ages," where the hope of the Bridegroom's return was entirely lost sight of.
“And at midnight there was a cry made,. BEHOLD, THE BRIDEGROOM; go ye out to meet Him. Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps" (vv. 6, 7).
These verses show very solemnly the-worldly and selfish ways into which the professing church fell; it gave up seeking Christ's, things, and sought only its own things; but the cry, Behold the Bridegroom," startled them from their slumbers, and produced a genuine revival. Revival refers to sleepy Christians, and to such the word is: “Awake thou that steepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light’ (Eph. 5:1414Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. (Ephesians 5:14)) EPH 5:1414Wherefore he saith, Awake thou that sleepest, and arise from the dead, and Christ shall give thee light. (Ephesians 5:14) Dead sinners do not want reviving; each needs to hear the life-giving voice of the Son of God (John 5:2525Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live. (John 5:25)). JOH 5:2525Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live. (John 5:25)
When the fire has been lighted, and allowed through carelessness to get low, it needs reviving; but when it has never been lighted, it: is not reviving that is required then, but to be lighted: and this was the effect of the midnight cry; it manifested where there was life and where there was none.
“And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out” (or, are going out) (v. 8).
The foolish awake to the discovery that they had "NO OIL." They may trim their beautiful lamps by going to morning and evening prayers, by constant sacramental commemorations, by giving to religious causes, by visiting and helping the sick; but, having no oil, when they thus light their lamps it is only to see them flare up and blaze away for a few moments, and then go out in smoke, leaving their unhappy owners in greater darkness than ever—the sure end of mere profession.
“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" (v. 9).
The terms on which God sells and man buys the Holy Ghost are, “without money and without price “(Isa. 4:11And in that day seven women shall take hold of one man, saying, We will eat our own bread, and wear our own apparel: only let us be called by thy name, to take away our reproach. (Isaiah 4:1)). ISA 4:11And in that day seven women shall take hold of one man, saying, We will eat our own bread, and wear our own apparel: only let us be called by thy name, to take away our reproach. (Isaiah 4:1) God is too rich to sell-and man too poor to buy on any other terms. Paul said to the Galatians, “Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?” (Gal. 3:22This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? (Galatians 3:2)). GAL 3:22This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? (Galatians 3:2) The wise virgins got the Holy Ghost by the hearing of faith; the foolish tried to get it at the religious law workshops, but were unsuccessful, as all must be who go there for it.
“And while they went -to buy, the Bride-groom came; and they that were ready went in with Him to the marriage: and THE DOOR WAS SHUT" (v. 10).
The coming of the Bridegroom will prove who are His and who are not; and that time is very near. Christians have nothing to do with fixing dates, but ought to be always expecting the return of their beloved Bride-groom.
“They that were READY went in with Him.”
It is the Father's work to make His children ready for His own holy presence; and He has done it, and they are entitled to know it, and to praise Him for it.
“The door was shut," and it separated the wise and the foolish forever. The wise are inside with the Bridegroom, and the foolish are forever shut outside from the Bridegroom and the marriage feast. And now what an awful scene takes place on the outside of that shut door!
“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.”
Then eyes that never wept will weep, and lips that never prayed will pray, and hearts that never felt will feel, and knees that never knelt will kneel; but it will be all outside the closed door!
And these were not backsliders. Two things prove it: first, they had "no oil"; and, secondly, Christ says, "I know you not,” and "I never knew you." Now, what characterizes Christians is that they have the Holy Ghost, and that the Lord knows them (1 Cor. 6:1919What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? (1 Corinthians 6:19); 1CO 6:1919What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? (1 Corinthians 6:19) 2 Tim. 2:1919Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity. (2 Timothy 2:19) 2TI 2:1919Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are his. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity. (2 Timothy 2:19)).
What will the end be of those who are left outside the shut door? They have thrown away their last chance; they have forfeited their last opportunity. Not one who has arrived at the years of responsibility, who has heard the gospel preached, and been guilty of rejecting it, will ever have another opportunity of being saved after Christ has been and taken His people home to glory (v. 12; Luke 13:24-2724Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. 25When 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: 26Then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets. 27But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity. (Luke 13:24‑27); LUK 13:24-2724Strive to enter in at the strait gate: for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in, and shall not be able. 25When 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: 26Then shall ye begin to say, We have eaten and drunk in thy presence, and thou hast taught in our streets. 27But he shall say, I tell you, I know you not whence ye are; depart from me, all ye workers of iniquity. (Luke 13:24‑27) 2 Thess. 2:10-1210And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: 12That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. (2 Thessalonians 2:10‑12) 2TH 2:10-1210And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 11And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: 12That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. (2 Thessalonians 2:10‑12)).
The ' Christless religionist may plead, " I have been baptized, confirmed, and have regularly taken the sacrament.”
“I never knew you," is His answer.
“But I have wept, prayed, and done my best.”
Again He repeats, "I NEVER knew you.”
“But I have been regularly to church,
Chapel, or meeting.”
“I NEVER knew you: depart from Me, ye that work iniquity," is the final word (Matt. 7:22, 2322Many 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? 23And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. (Matthew 7:22‑23)). MAT 7:22-2322Many 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? 23And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. (Matthew 7:22‑23)
O ye who are clutching tenaciously as with deathless grip the oil less lamp of a Christless profession, know ye if ye continue as ye are that your lamp will soon go out in the blackness of darkness forever! But now, before it is TOO LATE, come to Jesus for life, for the Holy Ghost, and for fitness for His return, and join the wise virgins at the midnight cry, “BEHOLD, THE BRIDEGROOM.”