Matthew 25:1-13

“Then the Kingdom of Heaven shall be compared to ten maidens who took their lamps and went to meet the Bridegroom.  Five of them were foolish and fiver were wise. For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them;   but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps.  As the Bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept.   But at midnight there was a cry, Behold the bridegroom!  Come out to meet him!   Then all those maidens rose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the wise, Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.  But the wise replied, Perhaps there will not be enough for us and for you;  go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves.  And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast; and the door was shut.  Afterward the other maidens came also , saying, “Lord, open to us”  But he replied, Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.”  Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.”
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Jesus gave this parable as a warning to Christians of the danger of lukewarmness, taking Jesus for granted, and limiting the Holy Spirit’s annointing in our hearts .  The 10 maidens were those whom God had already saved and who had been called out and set apart by the Holy Spirit to prepare them for the Bridegroom. They did not follow the World’s standards.  All 10 of them heard the silent call to come out and get ready because the Bridegroom was about to return.   The foolish ones were content with the level of love and zeal they had for Jesus so they thought that was good enough to keep them going.  They didnt bother carrying the extra flask of oil-    Oil represents the Holy Spirit.    The 5 Wise maidens did not assume the love and zeal they held in thier hearts would be enough, therefore they made sure to bring extra flasks of oil.      

Being that Jesus tarried,   it ended up that the 5 foolish maidens didnt have enough zeal from the Holy Spirit to keep them during the dark times before Jesus’s return.    When they finally did get extra oil, it was too late-  He already had come and the door was shut to them.  They missed Him.

This is a very real danger- and one I identify with as being one of the 5 Foolish Virgins.   Like the Five foolish Virgins, I too have heard the midnight cry to come out of myself and allow the Holy Spirit to prepare me to meet Jesus.   However, I can see how easy it is to allow luke-warmness to set in by not taking the time to remain in communion with the Holy Spirit on a continual basis.    We tend to think that carrying that extra flask of oil borders on fanatiscm, and it is only necessary to bring with us the oil already in our hearts.    We limit our zeal and love for the Lord and can block the Holy Spirit from giving us even more of  Himself because we are afraid of how we may appear to others , or we may  think it is totally “over the top” to do so.      What we don’t realize is that the Lord WANTS to over-fill us with oil, because that extra oil will spill on others and spread His love and compassion on those around us.   We must never be content with our love for Jesus- but always want an endless supply.     Also, while God isnt requiring us to scream and get all emotional with our love and zeal for Him everywhere  we are – His Spirit overflowing in us will still pour out to others by an increased love we will quietly express– gently and quietly but still overflowing and affecting those around us – spreading His love where He places us in a dark World.

The first commandment God gave Isreal was to love the Lord ,  Our God, with all of our hearts, Souls and Minds.     This is the first and most important commandment and requires that extra flask of Oil from the Holy Spirit so that we can obey that commandment.  We can’t generate spiritual zeal and love/communion for the Lord on our own- it must come from the Holy Spirit being allowed to work within us and pour His Oil in our hearts.Image