Do not Hesitate, Eternity is at Stake!

Matthew 25:1-13

The Parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins

1 "Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. 2 Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. 3 Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, 4 but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. 5 But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept.

6 "And at midnight a cry was heard: 'Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!' 7 Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. 8 And the foolish said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.' 9 But the wise answered, saying, 'No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.' 10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut.

11 "Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, 'Lord, Lord, open to us!' 12 But he answered and said, 'Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.'

13 "Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.

Watch and be ready!  This parable of the Jewish wedding describes the virgins who were the bridesmaids invited to be a part of the wedding ceremony and needed to be ready for the ceremony as soon as the groom arrived late at night, therefore they needed to be always prepared with lamps ready to light the way for entrance when he came.  The wise ones had thought ahead and intentionally brought enough oil to last when he arrived, while the foolish ones (μωρός mōros, from which we derive our word “moron” for dull, inattentive, unthinking) did not look ahead and prepare for his coming.  This is akin to people either being about their Father’s business in living for Christ and the gospel or unprepared without a wedding garment as the other parable shows us in Matthew 22:11-12 also.  These foolish ones slept alongside the wise but were not ready when the bridegroom was announced at the midnight hour.   It is interesting that the bridegroom had been delayed so they all slept to be ready for when he did arrive, yet still the foolish felt entitled to take the good work of oil from the wise when suddenly awakened.  The wise sent them out to obtain their own oil as they should have before coming to be ready for his coming, but ended up coming back late and missed entering into the marriage ceremony.  This is paralleled in those who do not follow Christ and do not prepare for the wedding of the Bride who is the church with the Bridegroom who is Christ (John 3:29, 2 Corinthians 11:2, Ephesians 5:32, Revelation 21:9).  If we are not prepared to be with Christ in being saved from sin’s penalty by grace as our works (John 6:29) to be ready at a moment’s notice for His return, we also will be shut out from entering into His presence.  Are we ready for His unannounced and imminent return at a moment’s notice?  If we are not in Christ now and He returns before we answer His call as He draws us to Himself, if we hesitate or postpone, we will be shut out as these foolish ones were.  It would be a tragedy to hear those words, 'Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.'  Matthew 7:23 also says something quite similar to this for those with religious works but not made right with God in Christ alone by faith alone through repentance that trusts His word and work for us which we actively receive and believe (John 1:12).  Remember, we cannot put off what we know to do because like the bridesmaids, we also do not know the exact time of Christ’s return and cannot prepare after He comes like lightning flashing across the sky (Matthew 24:27, Luke 17:24).  Make your calling and election certain now, do not wait or hesitate!  Eternity is at stake.