TEN VIRGINS

Two classes of watchers, both professing they are waiting for their Lord.

So named virgins (not based upon their natural nature or to do with sex per se) professing to have a pure faith (of a spiritual nature). The lamp representing the word/law of God.

Psalm 119:105 (King James Version) – Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.

Psalm 119:105 (James Moffatt Translation) – Thy law is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.

Oil symbolizes the Holy Spirit.

Zechariah 4:1-14 (King James Version) – And the angel that talked with me came again, and waked me, as a man that is wakened out of his sleep, And said unto me, What seest thou? And I said, I have looked, and behold a candlestick all of gold, with a bowl upon the top of it, and seven pipes to the seven lamps, which are upon the top thereof: And two olive trees by it, one upon the right side of the bowl, the other upon the left side thereof. So I answered and spake to the angel that talked with me, saying What are these, my lord? Then the angel that talked with me answered and said unto me, Knowest thou not what these be? And I said, No, my lord. Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the Lord unto Ze-rub-ba-bel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts. Who art thou, O great mountain? Before Ze-rub-ba-bel thou shalt become a plain: and he shall bring forth the headstone thereof with shouting, crying, Grace, grace unto it. More over the word of the Lord came unto me, saying, The hands of Ze-rub-ba-bel have laid the foundation of this house; his hands shall also finish it; and thou shalt know that the Lord of host hath sent me unto you. For who hath despised the day of small things? For they shall rejoice, and shall see the plummet in the hand of Ze-rub-ba-bel with those seven; they are the eyes of the Lord, which run to and fro through the whole earth. Then answered I, and said unto him, What are these two olive trees upon the right side of the candlestick and upon the left side thereof? And I answered again, and said unto him, What be these two olive branches which through the two golden pipes empty the golden oil out of themselves? And he answered me and said, Knowest thou not what these be? And I said, No, my lord. Then said he, These are the two anointed ones, that stand by the Lord of the whole earth.

Zechariah 4:1-14 (James Moffatt Translation) – Once more the angel who talked to me roused me, like a man roused from sleep. He asked me, "What do you see?" I said, "I see a lampstand there, all of gold, with a bowl on the top of it and seven lamps around it, and seven pipes to the lamps on top of it; also two olive-trees beside it, one to the right of the bowl and the other to the left." Then I asked the angel who talked to me, "What are these, sir?" The angel answered, "Do you not know what these are?" I said, "No sir." Then he replied, "These seven are the eyes of the Eternal; they sweep all over the earth." I asked him, "What are these two olive-trees on the right and the left of the lampstand?" [[I asked him a second time, "What are these two olive-branches, held by the two golden spouts that empty oil into the golden bowel?]] He answered, "Do you not know what these are?" I said, "No, sir." Then he replied, "These are the sources of oil of bliss, the two men who stand before the Lord of all the earth."

The holy ones who stand in God's presence His Spirit is imparted to human instrumentalilies who are consecrated to His service.

It is a privilege of every soul, a channel through which God can communicate His grace, whereby the holy oil can be poured as a joy and blessing to human hearts.

The ten virgins for a time with no obvious difference seen between them, with the natural eye. All ten having 'knowledge' of the Scriptures (a theory of the truth) but five were without oil, the 'Spirit' of God (Holy Spirit), therefore making their knowledge of no avail. Without the Spirit of God knowledge of His word is of no avail, without the enlightenment of the Spirit, men will not be able to distinguish truth from error and are likely to stumble and fall under the temptations of Satan.

Second Timothy 3:1-5 (King James Version) - This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof.

Second Timothy 3:1-5 (James Moffatt Translation) – Mark this, there are hard times coming in the last days. For men will be selfish, fond of money, boastful, haughty, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, irreverent, callous, relentless, scurrilous, dissolute, and savage; they willhate goodness, they will be treacherous, reckless and conceited, preferring pleasure to God—for though they keep up a form of religion, they will have nothing to do with it as a force. Avoid all such.

The class represented by five of these virgins are a class having regard for truth, advocating truth, being attracted to those who believe in truth; but yet have not themselves yielded to the Holy Spirit's working, have not permitted their own old nature to be broken up. Though they receive the word with readiness, they fail assimilating its principles. Its influence is not abiding. The Spirit works upon man's heart, according to his desire and consent implanting in him a new nature; of the ten, five virgins have been content with a superficial work. Their service to God had degenerated into a mere form of godliness.

Ezekiel 33:31(King James Version) - And they come unto thee as the people cometh, and they sit before thee as my people, and they hear thy words, but they will not do them: for with their mouth they shew much love, but their heart goeth after covetousness.

Ezekiel 33:31-33 (James Moffatt Translation) – They come to you as usual, they sit in front of you, they hear your words, but they will not obey them; their lips are full of lies, their minds are set upon their selfish ends, and they heed you as they would a love-song beautifully rendered and well played—they hear your words, but they will not obey them. Yet when the hour comes—and it is coming—they shall realize that there was a prophet among them!

It goes without saying (even in times of peril) no man can possibly make up for another's spiritual deficiency. No man can believe for another. No man can receive the Spirit for another. No man can impart to another the character which is the fruit of the Spirit's working.

Ezekiel 14:20 (King James Version) - Though Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it [the land] as I live, sayeth the Lord God, they shall deliver neither son nor daughter; they shall but deliver their own souls by their righteousness.

Ezekiel 14:20 (James Moffatt Translation) – Even were Noah, Daniel, and Eyob within it—by my life! declares the Lord the Eternal—they would not save their sons and daughters, they would save only themselves by their goodness.

Like with the ten virgins, by their experience illustrates the experience of many churches that shall live just before Christ's second coming, all claiming to be Christians, all having a call, a name, a lamp, and professing to be doing God's service. All apparently expecting/waiting for Christ's appearance while some prove not to be ready.

Christ, the outshining of the Father's glory came 'representing' God to men.

Acts 10:38 (King James Version) – How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.

Acts 10:38 (James Moffatt Translation) – How God consecrated Jesus of Nazaret with the holy Spirit and power, and how he went about doing good and curing all who were harassed by the devil; for God was with him.

Practical work will have far more effect than just mere sermonizing.

Whosoever will, may reach forth and take hold of God's strength and make peace with Him, and he shall make peace.

No man can impart that which he himself has not received. In the work of God, humanity can originate nothing. No man can by his own effort make himself a light-bearer for God. It is the love of God transferred to a man that enables him to impart light. Into the hearts of all who are united to God by faith golden oil of this love flows freely, shining out in good works, in real heartfelt service for God.

It is not because of any restriction on the part of God that His riches of grace do not flow earthward to men. If all were willing to receive, all would become filled with His Spirit.

Religion of Christ, more than forgiveness of sin; it means taking away sins, and filling the vacuum with the graces of the Holy Spirit. It means illumination, rejoicing in God. It means a heart emptied of self, and blessed with the abiding presence of Christ. When Christ reigns in the soul, there is purity (virginity), freedom from sin but we often times confuse it with meaning having freedom from sex (a desire, of our fleshful nature which has to do with 'self' ). All I can say about 'self' is,

"No man can of himself understand his errors."

Jeremiah 17:9 (King James Version) - The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?