There are several obvious messages from the parable of the 10 virgins.
First off, Jesus is the bridegroom and the virgins are the members of his church. The message is that they need to prepared for his coming at all times.
My guess is that the wedding represents heaven. That is the goal that everyone is trying to reach.
I understand some of the basic symbolism, but not all. The more I think about the more worried I am.
What is the oil in the lamps? It can seen by others but not shared. The oil in the lamps is required for entry into the wedding. The virgins are not able to enter the wedding without it.
The simple answer is that the oil represents faith or testimony or spiritual strength. That analogy presents a problem for the members of the church. Half of the virgins did not have enough oil to last the night. They knew they needed it and half of them made sure that they had extra. The five virgins called foolish had oil and I am sure that they intended to have enough. They didn't head out to the wedding without a full lamp. The problem was that the waiting was longer than they expected. The five foolish virgins knew that oil was needed for entry to the wedding and hurried to get more when theirs was gone.
The faith or testimony or spiritual strength was not something that could be shared. Even as they went to get more the bridegroom arrived and it was too late. They were left out.
What is the long night? I think it must represent the trials in our lives as we wait for the return of the Savior. I think the endurance required will necessitate preparation.
Can faith be used up by waiting? Certainly in terms of rescue, one's hope diminishes as time goes by. So I wonder - how long will the night be and how much oil do I have? Where is the sensor and gauge? Apparently half the people think they had enough and will come up short.
The conclusion of this parable makes me wonder -
What trials do I face that burn up or use up faith? I realize intellectually that people face trials and temptation in order to grow. People need to learn to choose. In detail it becomes very difficult.
We are required to endure to the end. But we never know how long that will be.
4 years ago
