Ten Virgins Fast Asleep

TRANSCRIPT

In the final days before the crucifixion, just after prophesying the signs before His return in what we call the Olivet discourse, Jesus tells a profound parable:

“…the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom” (Mt 25:1).

The virgins represent the church or at least the professing church. The bridegroom is Jesus who is returning from heaven. This is still a future event for us.

He continues, “Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps” (Mt 25:2-4).

At this point we stop to recognise ourselves as the wise virgins. But keep reading: “As the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and slept ”(Mt 25:5). All ten virgins were asleep! Jesus is saying that because he tarried away for a couple of thousand years, the professing church, the bride of Christ was asleep and unexpectant of his return. All ten!

“But at midnight there was a cry, ‘Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps” (Mt 25:6-7). All of them trimmed their lamps – they all wanted to be part the bridal procession to meet the bridegroom. “And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ But the wise answered, saying, ‘Since there will not be enough for us and for you, go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves’” (Mt 25:8-9).  Jesus is making a distinction in the church that having all been asleep, all wanting to meet the bridegroom for the marriage supper, half will be prepared and ready, yet the foolish half will be busy in the world rather than the Word.

“And while they were going to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut. Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, lord, open to us.’ But he answered, ‘Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour” (Mt 25:10-13).

A sobering warning. Is Jesus saying that half the professing church will not enter the Kingdom of God? I think so. Look around at your fellow Christians. Half were busy shopping the world and were too late. They had no batteries in their torch to see in the dark.

“You may say: ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’” (Mt 7:22). When was the last time you cast out a demon? And Jesus will declare “I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness” (Mt 7:23).

Jesus is asking us to Watch… “for you know neither the day nor the hour”. Why would we watch if we’re not to know the day nor the hour? Jesus tells us shortly before the parable that we can and should discern the signs of times, and the seasons.

“From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts out its leaves, you know that summer is near. So also, when you see all these things, you know that he is near, at the very gates” (Mt 24:32-33).

So, we’re warned to keep watch and prepare for the season, as Paul too encouraged:

“Now concerning the times and the seasons… you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief. For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness. So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober” (1 Thes 5:1-6).

A couple of days after Jesus spoke this parable, we see a similar pattern when he leads the disciples to a place called Gethsemane. He says to them:

“Sit here, while I go over there and pray” (Mt 26:36).

Then when he returned,

“he came to the disciples and found them sleeping. And he said to Peter, "So, could you not watch with me one hour? Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak." Again, for the second time, he went away and prayed” (Mt 26:40-41).

When he returned a second time “again he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy” (Mt 26:43).

This time he lets them sleep and “he went away and prayed for the third time” (Mt 26:44).

Then he came to the disciples and said to them, “Sleep and take your rest later on. See, the hour is at hand” (Mt 26:45). And he says, “Rise, let us be going” (Mt 26:46).

Now of course this is just before Jesus betrayal by Judas, but notice the pattern of how Jesus is asking his disciples to keep watch, and they all fall asleep at his return. In fact he allows all of them to remain asleep until they must rise when the hour is at hand. Jesus is prophesying that the professing church will be asleep when he returns as King.

The first coming of Jesus was a stumbling block to the Jews, but the second coming of Jesus is now a stumbling block for the gentile church. Today the clear majority are fast asleep, burnt out by false prophets crying wolf in date setting, or sold on erroneous doctrines such as realised eschatology, where ultimate judgment and blessing - namely the lake of fire or the Messianic Kingdom - have been brought forward to the present, loosing focus on the return of Christ as our biblical hope.

Whatever the reason, fear or falsehood, we’re asleep. And when you’re asleep, “the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night” (1 Thes 5:2).

Jesus says: “Stay dressed for action and keep your lamps burning, and be like men who are waiting for their master to come home from the wedding feast, so that they may open the door to him at once when he comes and knocks. Blessed are those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes. Truly, I say to you, he will dress himself for service and have them recline at table, and he will come and serve them. If he comes in the second watch, or in the third, and finds them awake, blessed are those servants!” (Luke 12:35-38).

We are not waiting for Jesus to return. He is waiting for the bride to be dressed and ready.

Jesus says: “stay awake at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are going to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man” (Luke 21:36).

And then, we may enter the Lord's rest.