“At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’ Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.’ ‘No,’ they replied, ‘there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’” Matthew 25:6-9 (NIV)
Ten virgins sleeping while awaiting the appearance of the Bridegroom… Finally the moment has arrived, even though they’ve all been lackadaisical about it. The wise ones, because they perhaps prided themselves on their own preparation and intelligence, tell the ones foolish enough to have a lack of godliness and piousness, that they cannot possibly spare the one thing needed to join the procession to the wedding feast. Instead, they tell them to go elsewhere and buy it from someone who sells it.
“But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut. Later the others also came. ‘Sir! Sir!’ But he answered and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.” Matthew 25:12-13 (NKJV)
The wise virgins, who had spare oil but perceiving their own lack, sent the foolish away to buy oil – from strangers. And they missed out on the Wedding Feast with the Bridegroom.
When the bridegroom is saying, “I tell you the truth, I do not know you”, he’s not saying “Ooh, too bad. You weren’t ready, you can’t come in.” He’s simply stating the fact; they weren’t present when the others went in. They were off trying to get that which was perceived to be lacking.
Undoubtedly, they were incredulous at this. Did they blame themselves for their poor decision-making and lack of preparation; or their mothers for not raising and teaching them properly; or the wise virgins for not sharing? Did they wonder ‘how could they do this to us?’ when just hours before, they were all together, doing the exact same thing: sleeping. Did they blame the bridegroom for not waiting for them?
The word for watch in the passage above is gregoreo, which means to watch, give strict attention to, be cautious or active, take heed lest through remission and indolence some destructive calamity suddenly overtake one. Remission is exemption from the consequences of an offense, forgiveness, but it is also defined as the act of sending back (Biblehub.com). The wise virgins sent the foolish ones back to the seller of oil, when they themselves could provide it.
We see the disciples doing the same thing right before Jesus does a tremendous miracle:
“As evening approached, the disciples came to Him and said, ‘This is a remote place, and it’s already getting late. Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food.’ Jesus replied, ‘They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat.’” Matthew 14:15-16 (NIV)
Both the wise virgins and the disciples were focused on their own apparent lack.
Father, I repent for focusing on areas that I perceive to be “in lack”. I want to see each of these circumstances as invitations to see Your miraculous provision in my life and the lives of those around me. Give me Your heart, and the faith to believe in Your desire to meet every need with the abundance of heaven. Amen.
— Jodi Packe
Comments