Bride of Christ – Post #10

Extracted from my handwritten journal for 3/1/2025.

I am grateful for the many reminders in Your word that the “natural” world is not all there is to Your marvelous creation! The visions of Ezekiel (and others) come to mind.

Scripture: Matthew 25:1-13 (the parable of the ten virgins)

Me: Good morning, Holy Spirit!

Holy Spirit: Good morning, Jon!

Me: Holy Spirit, when the five foolish virgins return to the marriage supper, presumably with more oil, they knock on the door and are denied entrance. How is that different than what Jesus is saying in Revelation 3:20?

Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.

Holy Spirit:

To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven.

Ecclesiastes 3:1

First, the purpose of the lamps held by the virgins is not to provide light inside the marriage feast. The householder had lamps of his own to provide light for the house.

“You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

Matthew 5;14-15

These lamps of the Virgins in this parable are symbolic of the spiritual state of the individual, whether the life that is in them persists in affecting the world for God’s glory. The oil represents Me. I Am not a commodity that can be obtained in the market. Remember that it was midnight. Your supposition that they returned with oil is not correct. The wise virgins had “extra” oil, more than they needed. This is symbolic of eternal life that is in Jesus.

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

John 14:6

On the point that the householder did not need their lamps, consider these verses.

“The sun shall no longer be your light by day, nor for brightness shall the moon give light to you; But the LORD will be to you an everlasting light, And your God your glory.

Isaiah 60:19

Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”

John 8:12

The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light.

Revelation 21:32

The virgins had lamps for the customary greeting of the bridegroom’s arrival for the wedding party. When the foolish virgins returned, the time for that welcome procession had passed.

Second, notice that the bridegroom was already arriving when the foolish virgins became painfully aware of their lack. The time had come, and they were unprepared. Also, when they return, knocking and crying, “Lord! Lord!”, the bridegroom answers, “I do not know you.” In Matthew seven, there is a similar statement to those saying “Lord, Lord” without the attendant relationship:

“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’

Matthew 7:21-23

Earlier in Matthew seven are assurances of entry for everyone who comes asking, seeking, and knocking.

“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.

Matthew 7:7-8

Again, to everything there is a season.

Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:

Isaiah 55:6

Proverbs 1:20-33 speaks of the transience of opportunity. Do not think it is only the bridegroom’s rejection. There is a significant risk that the hardness of heart necessary for habitual rejection of the invitation will render one incapable of later acceptance.

If the planting, nurturing and growing and maturing seasons are missed, what will come at the season of harvest?

Me: Thank You Holy Spirit! I love You!

Holy Spirit: You are welcome! I love you!

I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom: Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables. But you be watchful in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

2 Timothy 4:1-5