The parable of the ten virgins. I always thought this parable was about being faithful as we wait for the end times or the coming back of Jesus Christ, but it’s not (just) that! Reading the Passion Translation of Matthew 25 reveals that this parable is actually about having ‘extra oil’, and it’s interesting why the extra oil can’t be shared!

This parable tells us that there are 10 virgin bridesmaids (ladies-in-waiting) who were waiting for the bridegroom. Five wise bridesmaids had extra oil in their lamp, while the other five didn’t have anything extra for the long wait. When the bridegroom came in the middle of the night, the bridesmaids were wakened up:

“Get up! The bridegroom is here! Come out and have an encounter with him!” (Matthew 25:6) And five virgins asked their girlfriends to share their extra oil with them, but the wise ladies said they can’t! WHY NOT?!

Oil in the Scriptures is a metaphor of the Holy Spirit, who brings us revelation of the Word of God and power for ministry. This parable tells us one lesson: continuing, sustained encounters with the Lord Jesus (the Bridegroom) require having the OIL of the Holy Spirit. This is the OIL OF INTIMACY. And the oil can’t be shared because it’s specifically for your own only.

When we surrender to the Lord at conversion, God supplies the fire of the Holy Spirit to burn out every sin, so that a pleasing aroma rises up to Him as an offering of praise and thanksgiving. The Holy Spirit will not be removed from us, but we can ‘quench’ that fire and grieve Him when we don’t continually seek Him above all else. That’s how we get cold and lose our first love. So we need to keep that fire burning with continued thanksgiving, surrender, worship, obedience. God is gracious, and He intently desires to keep on burning for Him, because He knows that’s the best thing that can happen to us! When we do keep on burning, He rewards us with the Presence of the Holy Spirit that forever changes us.

Prayer:
Father, I surrender my life to you and make a decision to continually keep my fire burning. I offer my body as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to you. I seek you above all else, and worship you with all my heart, soul and mind, daily, everyday.

Give me oil in my lamp, keep me burning
Give me oil in my lamp, I pray
Give me oil in my lamp, keep me burning
Keep me burning till the break of day