The Parable Of The Ten Virgins And The End Times

The parable of the ten virgins is about being prepared for the return of Jesus.

It’s a parable that describes the state of Christians in the Last Days, and how they will navigate through them. It’s a story that concerns the Tribulation and spiritual warfare. A story that describes Christians who will stand firm with Jesus, and those who will fall away.

We are going to learn, the distinguishing difference between five of the ten virgins was the fact their lamps continued to burn, as they brought extra oil with them. This signifies a genuine and true intent to not only watch for the coming of the bridegroom, but to remain faithful to Him.

Before we begin, let’s identify the symbology within this parable.

  • The bridegroom represents Jesus.
  • The ten virgins represent Christians.
  • The lamps represent God’s Word.
  • The oil represents the Holy Spirit.
  • The flame represents our faith.

With that, let’s dive in.

The Ten Virgins

Matthew 25:1
Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.

Jesus was telling us, the state of Christianity in the Last Days, and even during the Tribulation would be just like the parable of the ten virgins.

In fact, this parable provides yet another answer to the question the Disciples asked Jesus in Matthew 24:3, “What shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?”

Don’t lose sight of the fact, “virgins” indicate spiritual cleanliness.

  • In 1 Corinthians 11:2, we are told to remain pure so we can be ‘presented as a virgin to Christ.’
  • In Revelation 14:4, symbolic ‘virgins follow the Lamb wherever He goes.’

The point, Christians are to remain pure, holy, and continually display our light before the world.

Matthew 25:2
And five of them were wise, and five were foolish.

The ten virgins represent Christians, while the wise and foolish compare the spiritually faithful to the spiritually weak. We are being told, there is strong division between the two groups. This verse truly echoes the sentiment found in the Parable of the Sower, (Matthew 13:1-9).

As Jesus revealed in Matthew 24:37-44, His return will be as the “days of Noah,” “two in the field,” “two women grinding at the mill,” and the “goodman of the house” on watch. In turn, His coming is also likened to these ten virgins, and the actions they take while waiting for the bridegroom.

Jesus did not “Come to give peace on earth… but rather division,” (Luke 12:51). There is already much division in the world, and it will only escalate as the days wear on. Today, there are thousands of Christian denominations that divide us, they tell us what to think and believe, and what to accept from the world.

Plainly stated, Jesus is telling us there will be massive division within Christianity in the Last Days. There will be some Christians who never waiver in their belief of God, and there will be many who cave into the world’s demands.

We should now ask ourselves, what caused the five virgins to become foolish?

Let’s keep reading to find out.

The Five Foolish

Matthew 25:3
They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them.

That is the defining factor as to why the five virgins were foolish.

They failed to spiritually prepare for the coming of Jesus. The five foolish did not bring enough oil to sustain their flame, so their flame expired. The flame signifies our Christian faith, how we hold onto it, and how we proclaim it from the hilltops, (Matthew 5:14-16).

The oil symbolizes the Holy Spirit, and Jesus told us to “ask,” “seek,” and “knock,” on God’s Door, then we will “find.” Only then will our “Heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him,” (Luke 11:9-13).

The five foolish did not do that.

Instead, they became “lukewarm” as the church of Laodicea, without true faith, without oil, without the Holy Spirit, (Revelation 3:15-16).

Even at this hour, many within Christianity are fading away. They appease the world by relinquishing their faith. During the Tribulation, this lack of spiritual focus and preparation will amount to the Great Apostasy, when Christians unknowingly accept and serve the Antichrist.

Your takeaway from this verse, without the oil, without the Holy Spirit present within us, we cannot bring forward God’s righteous Light, and we will lose our way in this dark world.

The Five Wise

Matthew 25:4
But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.

The five wise virgins represent Christians who patiently wait for the return of Jesus, and they are unwavering in their faith. They continue to bring forward a bright Christian flame to the world. No matter the leaning of the world and its awry moral compass.

These Christians represent the seeds that “Fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold,” (Matthew 13:8). The five wise virgins are essentially the Saints who are Sealed in Revelation 7.

Throughout their daily life, throughout the Tribulation, these Saints will remain true to Jesus. They will remain spiritual virgins by following the Lamb, and being filled with the Holy Spirit.

Now that we understand these concepts, let’s see what this means during the Tribulation. The time when this parable truly comes to life.

The Bridegroom

Matthew 25:5
While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.

This doesn’t indicate slothfulness in watching for Christ’s return.

The five wise virgins were clearly prepared as their lamps continued to burn throughout the night with oil to spare. They continued to let their Christian light shine, just as a city on a hill, (Matthew 5:14). They were spiritually prepared in advance, prepared for the onslaught of the Antichrist.

We cannot enter a spiritual war unless we are hardened for it. That’s why we are to be suited with the Gospel Armor of Ephesians 6.

Matthew 25:6
And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.

We do not know the day or hour when Jesus will return, only our Heavenly Father knows.

That’s exactly why we are to remain vigilant, and never relinquish an inch of our Christian faith. This will be critical during the Tribulation. The entire world will worship and serve the Antichrist, perceiving him to be God, (2 Thessalonians 2).

Yet, the Saints will remain true to the end, with an unrelenting flame of faith, powered by the Holy Spirit.

This sixth verse is reminiscent of the “shout” at the Seventh Trumpet. When Jesus sends His Angels to “Gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other,” (Matthew 24:31, 1 Thessalonians 4:16).

Matthew 25:7
Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.

When you trim the wick of an oil lamp, it allows the flame to burn brighter!

This tells us, the faith of the five wise virgins will continue to grow throughout the Tribulation. The Saints will continually stand against the Antichrist, even joining the Two Witnesses in prophesying against him.

It will be at this time, more than ever before when God will,

“…pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:”

Joel 2:28

As the End Times come to a close, God will abundantly pour out His Holy Spirit on the world. This will warm the hearts of many with truth, and burn the hearts of many who hate our Father.

As Revelation 16:2 explains, once the first vial is poured out, it only harms those who have accepted the Mark of the Beast.

Just as in Egypt, God’s Wrath only harms those who do not love Him.

Unfortunately, the five foolish virgins will find themselves lost in darkness at the most critical point in world history. On the other hand, the faith of the five wise virgins will be strengthened by God’s Holy Spirit. This ‘causes their lamps to burn continually,’ just as God told Moses long ago, (Leviticus 24:2).

Your takeaway from this verse, our relationship with God should be constant if we expect to keep our vessels full of oil, full of the Holy Spirit.

Matthew 25:8
And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.

The five foolish virgins didn’t trim their lamps, as their flame had been extinguished. They didn’t possess enough truth from God’s Word. They were not prepared to work throughout the Tribulation to the coming of Jesus Christ.

That’s exactly the point Jesus made when He discussed the “days of Noah,” “two in the field,” and the “two women grinding at the mill.” Some will continue to work for Jesus during the Tribulation, and some will not, as their faith becomes exhausted.

Never forget, without God’s Light, we are always left in darkness.

Unfortunately, some Christians have and will accept false doctrines, this has and will sweep them away in a flood of lies, and then some will be persuaded away from Jesus by the pressures of the world.

As Christians, our spiritual lamps should never go out. Just as God is the “Light and in Him there is no darkness,” we are the children “of the light, we are not of the darkness,” so our light should never diminish or fail, (1 John 1:5, 1 Thessalonians 5:5).

Matthew 25:9
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.

The wise virgins couldn’t give away their oil. The Holy Spirit is not ours to give. Instead, it’s obtained by seeking and then knocking on our Father’s door.

The Marriage

Matthew 25:10
And 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.

I can guarantee, you do not want to be shut out of the wedding. The bridegroom which is Jesus appeared at “midnight,” an hour when He was least expected. Darkness had now filled the land, and the five foolish could no longer find their way.

It was too late to seek out oil, the foolish virgins will miss the grand wedding of the ages.

Matthew 25:11-12
11 Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.

12 But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.

Such disheartening words, but words we have read many times in Scripture.

When Jesus returns, He will say these heartbreaking words to Christians that are like the five foolish. They are equivalent to those who didn’t understand God’s plan, and they brought no light to the people of the world. All during the most critical moment in world history, when Christians were expected to shine their light like never before.

In essence, the five foolish failed to equip themselves with the truth of God’s Word. They did possess some faith, some truth, some oil, but not enough to continue to put forward a flame throughout the Tribulation.

Some of these Christians will have truly loved Jesus, but they lacked oil as they failed to hold firm to His Word. Instead, they became as the ones taken by the flood during the days of Noah. They became as the ones in the field and mill who were taken away. Taken, instead of continuing to work for Jesus.

The verses we just read tie right into the children of the kingdom who are cast out. They were also Christians, but either those that left their first love like the church of Ephesus, or those who waivered and fell away, (Revelation 2:4). During the Tribulation, there will be no room for weakness or a lack of faith.

Interestingly enough, the very next parable in Matthew 13 explains, unprofitable servants will be cast into outer darkness. The five foolish are servants of Jesus, but once their lamps went out, they became unprofitable, and they no longer provided any value for Jesus.

How can such a statement be made?

If you love Jesus, but don’t live according to His Word, you’re not living up to His expectations.

Matthew 25:13
Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.

This is why we watch.

This is why we practice our Christian faith each and every day. This is why we continue to build our knowledge in the Word, so our flame does not become extinguished and leave us in darkness.

Summary

The parable of the ten virgins reminds us that our belief in Jesus must be real. It must be rooted and bring forward fruit, or it’s simply a temporary flame that will go out. Possessing a lamp and vessel full of oil is likened to wearing the entire Gospel Armor of Ephesians 6.

When we possess all of the oil,

  • We have the truthwisdomcertainty, and knowledge of and in God’s Word.
  • We have the understandingbelieftrusthope, and faith in God and all of His promises.

These words help us define what it means to have our lamps and vessels full of oil.

Upon the return of Jesus, the segment of Christians who symbolize the five wise virgins will have overcome the Tribulation, and they will obtain a Crown of Righteousness. They will take part in the “first resurrection,” and reign with Jesus, for a thousand years, (Revelation 20:6).

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