Character is not Transferrable
This post is part two of my Watching, Waiting, Ready series. You can find part one here.
We began by looking at Matthew 24:36-51 and there we found two parables.
The first parable taught us that the second coming of Jesus will be unexpected. Matthew 24:42-44
The second parable taught us that we have to be more than merely passively waiting. We have responsibilities, things to do as we wait for Jesus to come again. Matthew 24:45-51
The third parable will be discussed in this post and we will learn that we must be prepared for an unexpected delay. Matthew 25:1-13.
Groundwork
Let’s clarify a few things before jumping into the interpretation of the parable of the 10 virgins.
The Messiah is the Bridegroom - Isaiah 54:4-6; 62:4-5; Ezekiel 16:7-34; Hosea 2:19 (God/YHWH portrayed as Husband)
Jesus refers to Himself as God in His parables - Matthew 13:37-39
Jesus is the Messiah and also the Bridegroom - According to John the Baptist John 3:27-30; according to Jesus Himself - Matthew 9:15; Mark 2:19-20.
The Parable of the Ten Virgins
“Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.
- Matthew 25:1 NKJV
The parable begins by letting us know that this story will teach us something about the Kingdom of heaven. Next, we are introduced to ten ladies, described as virgins. Each one has a lamp and all of them are going out to meet the bridegroom. At this point in the story, there is no distinction between these maidens.
Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish.
- Matthew 25:2 NKJV
We quickly find out that there are two kinds of maidens. Half of them are wise and half are foolish. At this point, we still have no idea what differentiates the wise from the foolish. They are all very much similar at this point in the story, we have no way of telling them apart, but we now know that there is a difference, these ladies can be divided into two groups, some are wise and some are foolish.
Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept.
- Matthew 25:3-5 NKJV
Now we know the difference! The foolish virgins are virgins and look just like the wise virgins, they are also waiting for the bridegroom, just like the wise virgins. The only difference between the two groups of virgins is that some brought a vessel filled with extra oil, while the others did not. This seems like a very small detail. It is difficult to appreciate the difference extra oil would make at this point in the story. Another similarity among these maidens is that they all fell asleep.
So far we have ten virgins that are similar in every way except five of them brought a vessel with extra oil. All ten are virgins awaiting the bridegroom and all ten fell asleep.
The Delay
Something unexpected happened. The bridegroom is late! Well, he can’t really be late, it’s his party, rather he is taking longer than the maidens expected. The maidens wait as long as they can but eventually all of them fall asleep.
The Midnight Cry
“And at midnight a cry was heard: ‘Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!’ Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ But the wise answered, saying, ‘No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.’
- Matthew 25:6-9 NKJV
At midnight, the middle of the night, the darkest part of the night, there is a shout, the bridegroom is coming! The maidens did not expect him to come so late, but they had their lamps with them and they light their lamps to go meet the bridegroom. They had been waiting for him, they all knew he was coming, however, the foolish virgins were not prepared for the delay. At midnight they realized they are not as ready as they had hoped to be. They had hoped that it was enough just to have the lamp, to be a virgin, and to know that the bridegroom was coming. They had not brought any extra oil. It is not that they forgot, it is not that they couldn’t, they just didn’t think they would need it. The wise virgins had brought extra oil, after all, the bridegroom did not have a set time, they knew he was coming, but they did not know when he would come. But they had extra oil on them in case there were any unexpected delays. However, their extra oil could not be transferred or shared with those who were unprepared. The foolish virgins had to go out and try to find oil at midnight.
The Door was Shut!
And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut.
“Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’ But he answered and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.’
- Matthew 25:10-12 NKJV
The bridegroom came and those who were ready joined him in the wedding feast. However, those who were not ready did not go in. After the bridegroom and the five wise virgins went into the feast the door was shut. The other virgins finally return, there is no mention of whether or not they found any oil, but they show up and ask the bridegroom to open the door to them, but he tells them that he does not know them, and there is no room for negotiating here.
How tragic, that these five virgins looked so ready, looked prepared, they knew the bridegroom was coming, they had their lamps, they even came to the door and asked to go in, but it was too late. Once the door was closed it was impossible to go in, just like once the midnight cry was heard and the bridegroom showed up, it was too late to get oil. The preparations had to be made ahead of time.
Watch!
“Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.
- Matthew 25:1e NKJV
Here we have a repetition of the main theme in the three parables we have looked at so far in this series. (read about the first two here) Watching then must involve not only being aware that Jesus is coming but also being prepared for an unexpected delay. If everything had gone according to expectations all ten virgins would have gone into the wedding. The delay is what separated the wise from the foolish. It was the unexpected hardship that revealed the difference among the virgins.
Practical Application
The foolish virgins did not forget to bring the oil. It was the delay of the bridegroom that revealed they did not have enough. The foolish virgins were unprepared for the delay and so shut out in the end. The wise are referred to as wise because they were prepared for the possible delay of the bridegroom. Regardless of when the bridegroom came, they would be ready. The only difference between the wise and foolish is that the wise were prepared for a possible delay and the foolish expected to meet the bridegroom but were unprepared for a delay.
Can your faith handle unexpected challenges?
One application that is evident in this parable is that the faith of some can handle unexpected events while the faith of others cannot. Some, when they experience hardship, cease to believe. Their faith cannot handle unexpected turn of events, cannot survive an unexpected delay. The delay is a time of trial that places their faith under stress. We can interpret this to be a trial that reveals if those who claim to believe in Jesus truly trust Him and His promises.
Like the church, for a while, there is no difference between the virgins. Think of the virgins as church-attending Christians. All of them know scriptures, they all know that Jesus is coming one day, many are even eagerly looking forward to that great day.
But there is a delay, a time of trial, and a time in which their faith is tested. When the midnight cry is heard not everyone is ready. This is when many realize that mere intellectual knowledge of the truth has no noticeable impact on the soul and no power to sanctify the heart. Unless the Holy Spirit is working in us, our character will not be transformed.
The foolish virgins are not hypocrites as we saw in Matthew 24:48-51 (blog post here).
They have regard for the truth.
They have advocated for the truth.
They are attracted to those who believe the truth.
BUT
They have not yielded themselves to the working of the Holy Spirit.
They have not fallen upon the Rock (Jesus Christ) and permitted their old nature to be broken up.
The foolish virgins are “Christians” who are content with superficial work. A superficial faith that has never been tried and tested. Essentially, they don’t know how to trust God when it matters most.
So they come to you as people do, they sit before you as My people, and they hear your words, but they do not do them; for with their mouth they show much love, but their hearts pursue their own gain.
- Ezekiel 33:31 NKJVBut know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!
- 2 Timothy 3:1-5 NKJV
Preparedness cannot be shared nor transferred.
The foresight and preparedness of the wise virgins cannot benefit the foolish virgins when the bridegroom appears. Being surrounded by people who have a solid and vibrant relationship with God will not save you. Though it is beneficial to have people who can be an example for you, you must make your own decision. Your walk with Jesus is a personal matter, you must invite Him into your life and heart, you must learn to trust Him.
Many “Christians” like the foolish virgins are sleeping with a false sense of security, and when they are startled by hardships they become aware of how weak their faith is. They now begin to ask others to supply their lack but this is impossible in spiritual matters. No one can make up for another’s spiritual deficiency.
God’s grace is freely offered to everyone.
And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely.
- Revelation 22:17 NKJV
But no one can believe for another, and no one can receive the Holy Spirit for another.
Character is not transferrable. No one can impart to another character because it is the fruit of the inner work of the Holy Spirit.
“even though Noah, Daniel, and Job were in it, as I live,” says the Lord God, “they would deliver neither son nor daughter; they would deliver only themselves by their righteousness.”
- Ezekiel 14:20 NKJV‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’
Says the Lord of hosts.
- Zechariah 4:6b NKJV
The Door is Shut
It is in a crisis that the character is revealed. The sudden and unexpected calamity that brings you face to face with death will reveal whether your life is sustained by grace. However, at this point, it is too late for the needs of your soul to be supplied. Your character is developed by all the small choices you make over the years.
“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’
- Matthew 7:21-23 NKJV
Some look like they love and serve Jesus, but never made preparations for the coming kingdom. They like Jesus, but they love the world and its comforts. They claim the name of Jesus, but never truly made Him the LORD of their lives. After the door is shut it is too late to try to get serious about your spiritual life.
This reminds me of the story of the flood. After the door of the ark was shut, it was too late to want to get in. Those who waited for it to start flooding before they decided to go into the ark found out it was too late. God had already shut in those who had walked in by faith. Those who were inside the ark would be safe from the floodwaters.
On the very same day Noah and Noah’s sons, Shem, Ham, and Japheth, and Noah’s wife and the three wives of his sons with them, entered the ark— they and every beast after its kind, all cattle after their kind, every creeping thing that creeps on the earth after its kind, and every bird after its kind, every bird of every sort. And they went into the ark to Noah, two by two, of all flesh in which is the breath of life. So those that entered, male and female of all flesh, went in as God had commanded him; and the Lord shut him in.
- Genesis 7:13-16 NKJV
We cannot keep Jesus at arm’s length while here on earth and expect to be fitted to His companionship in heaven.
Call to action
The time to prepare is now. This is not about salvation by works, this is about developing a real and vibrant personal walk with Jesus. This is about being filled with His Holy Spirit and allowing Him to cause us to reflect His character.
People are losing their knowledge of the character of God.
God has been misunderstood and misrepresented.
A message from God must be proclaimed, and this message must be illuminating in its influence and saving in its power.
In our world full of suffering people need a glimpse of God. Does your life reveal what the grace of God had done for you?
How did Jesus live his life?
how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him.
- Acts 10:38 NKJV (bold mine)
And He was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah. And when He had opened the book, He found the place where it was written:
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me,
Because He has anointed Me
To preach the gospel to the poor;
He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to the captives
And recovery of sight to the blind,
To set at liberty those who are oppressed;
To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.”Then He closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all who were in the synagogue were fixed on Him. And He began to say to them, “Today this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”
- Luke 4:17-21 NKJV
What does God as of His people?
Is it not to share your bread with the hungry,
And that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out;
When you see the naked, that you cover him,
And not hide yourself from your own flesh?
Then your light shall break forth like the morning,
Your healing shall spring forth speedily,
And your righteousness shall go before you;
The glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard.
- Isaiah 58:7-8 NKJV
I know that these words are challenging. Where does anyone get the notion that the true Christian life is smooth and easy? Self-denial is hard, helping others is not always easy and straightforward. Caring is extremely difficult and even painful. But my friends, look around. There is so much suffering in the world. So much hate, anger, and fear, and anxiety. Would it not be nice if there was a group of people willing to aid in relieving and softening life’s hardships and misery?
Jesus calls us the light of the world in Matthew 5:14, and then He adds
Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.
-Matthew 5:16 NKJV
Jesus does not tell us to strive to shine. We do not shine because we try so hard. Jesus invites us to LET our lights shine. Just remove whatever obstructions are keeping your light from shining. Even better, invite him to remove them for you. Are you willing to let your light shine? Because if you are in the habit of letting your light shine, you will also be in the habit of carrying extra oil with you. And even if Jesus delays his coming, even if you were to fall asleep, you would have nothing to worry about, because you have been living your life in harmony with Him. Continually relying on Him to fill you with His Holy Spirit so that you might have the wisdom and power to reflect His character in this suffering world.
If you would like to read more about this parable I strongly recommend Christ’s Object Lessons chapter 29 “Meet the Bridegroom” (you can read it online for free)
