Daily Word

The third group who hears the words that the Lord “does not know” them consists of the five “foolish virgins.”

They took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom, but they did not take any oil with them.

When the bridegroom was delaying, their lamps began to go out, and while they went to buy oil, he came.

Only the “five wise virgins” who were ready went in to the wedding feast, and then the door was shut.

The virgins who go out to meet the bridegroom symbolize the Church.

Why were the five wise virgins ready when the bridegroom came?

They not only had their lamps, but also oil in their vessels.

Oil in the Bible is a symbol of the Holy Spirit.

We have the precious treasure, the Holy Spirit, in earthen vessels, says Paul.

Having oil in the vessels thus stands for being filled with the Spirit of God and living one's life by the guidance of the Spirit.

This is what makes us ready for the coming of the Lord.

The lamps symbolize the inner light that is naturally present in all people according to John 1:4-5: "In Him (the Word) was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend (or “overcome”) it."

One could call this ‘natural religiosity’, a natural belief in God, which is present in everyone if it has not been suffocated by the darkness.

But this natural faith in God does not lead to a living, spiritual relationship with the Bridegroom Jesus Christ and therefore He does not “know” these as His own.

They are still people with a “carnal” nature who want to “do good” but are unable to, because they are ruled by the “law of sin and death”.

We must be born again and invaded, filled with the Holy Spirit, so that we receive a new, spiritual nature and are ruled by a completely new law of life: “the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus.” Then we can live a life that the Lord acknowledges.

But the oil must be “bought”!

It is free, but not cheap!

It costs everything – to gain Christ we must give up our own life – that is the price.

When He has become our life, we know Jesus and He knows us.

When His name is written on our foreheads, the door to the wedding hall is open to us!