Today’s Scripture:
Matthew 25:5-6 NIV
The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep. “At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’
Jesus tells his disciples that while the virgins were waiting for the bridegroom, he took a long time to come. Because of this, the virgins became drowsy, sleepy, tired, and weary, they fell asleep. Family and life can be hard, challenging, and downright tiring.
Jesus knew this because he was in the flesh and he's teaching them here to stay ready. At all times, life will swing at you and throw everything at you, but there's an end goal, which is to meet the bridegroom; for us, that is to be with the Lord. As we wait for him, we must have a contingency plan and a backup plan to ensure that we are always ready.
The reason for this parable is that in the Jewish tradition or culture, there were 3 statues of a Jewish wedding at that time. First was the engagement, the formal agreement made by the fathers. Second was the betrothal, which is a ceremony where mutual promises are made, and the third was the marriage, which took place approximately one year later when the bridegroom came at an unexpected time for his bride.
In this tradition, the bridesmaids who were attending the bride would go and meet the bridegroom with lamps lighted to bring him and his companion into the house and to the bride. Based on Talmudic authorities, usually, there were ten lamps in a bridal procession. This was the common size of a wedding party. Thus, in this parable, the disciples would understand what Jesus was referencing because it was in their traditions. Now, it is important to note that the first two stages that I listed earlier have already taken place. Now, they are waiting for the bridegroom to come.
The difference between the wise and the foolish is that the foolish had their lamps but took no oil, while the wise had their lamps and took the oil. In other words, the wise stayed ready, while the foolish had not prepared for the bridegroom's delay. The announcement rang out, and they were told to come out to meet him.
Jesus intentionally told them this parable because he knew of the long wait that would take place before his return. He wanted them to know you will have troubles and issues in this life, but stay ready. Do not sleep on my return. Stay ready. Have a contingency plan, put things in place to ensure that there's enough in you to endure to the end.
Family, it will take prayer, it will take fasting, it will take reading God's word, it will take stamina, it will take tenacity, it will take consistency, and it will take readiness. Stay ready family, because the Lord is soon to return. Will he find you sleeping without any oil, or ready with your lamps trimmed and burning?
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