Got Oil?

“For when the foolish took their lamps, they did not take any (extra) oil with them;”

 (Matthew 25:3 AMPC) 

The parables and everything in the bible is written basically according to Jewish customs and idioms. Even though we try to teach and preach it on a gentile level and understanding, the fact remains it’s still Jewish. This parable of the ten virgins (brides) is exactly how a Jewish marriage takes place.  They are already married and have signed what is called the Ketubah, which is a contract signed by both parties and an agreed upon endowment for the bride.  The husband then goes and prepares a place for her and after the father approves the prepared place then he (father) alone gives the son permission to go get her. The whole time he is gone the bride is packed and ready to go because she doesn’t know when or what time he will return. Sometimes when the groom comes it could be in the midnight hour and that’s why these brides had lamps.

When Jesus died on the cross and shed His blood; that was His endowment price for us.  When we accept Him as Lord and Savior we then become His bride and have signed the Ketubah agreement for both parties. He said He was going to also prepare a place for us and now He is just waiting for the Father’s approval to go and get His bride and bring her home (John 14:2-3). The oil represents the Holy Spirit.  What part of the anointing oil representing the Holy Spirit had these brides run out of before the Groom arrived? Was it the Oil of Gladness (Isaiah 51:3), knowledge of the Word and they lost spiritual illumination, wisdom, lethargy which caused them to get drowsy and fall asleep?  It is said that there need be at least ten people to start a synagogue, since five were foolish could Jesus have used this number in His parable to state half of the church would not be ready?  Woe to those who are asleep in Zion (Amos 6:1)!  Paul even advised the believer to wake up “Since anything revealed is a light. This is why it says, “Get up, sleeper! Arise from the dead, and the Messiah will shine on you!” (Ephesians 5:14).  We want to be one of the “wise” brides prepared and ready for His coming. Wake up! Wake up!

Virgin brides of Christ, who are waiting on our soon coming Messiah, check your lamps, GOT OIL?