I have often wondered what Jesus meant
as He spoke about 5 foolish virgin-maidens
who were to go and buy or purchase oil for
their own vessels.
Matthew 25:2-4 KJV
"Now five of them were wise, and five were
foolish. [3] Those who were foolish took their
lamps and took (taking) no oil with them
[4] but the wise took oil in their vessels
with their lamps."
Ok, I got how the 10 handmaidens were
waiting for the bridegroom. Yes, 5 were
wise and 5 were foolish. What made the
5 maidens foolish?
I have read and reasoned that the oil is the
key. Yes, the 'oil of gladness' is a part of it.
Yes, the oil represents the living Word by
the Spirit of the LORD. Yes, the Anointing
Oil of Healing also must figure into this
parable as well. Obviously, the ones who
failed taking oil with them were foolish.
Yet, in what manner might someone undertake
the act of going out and purchasing the much
needed oil, presumably from merchants which
would remain true to the essence of this parable?
Matthew 25:7-9 NKJV
"Then all those virgins arose and trimmed
their lamps. [8] And the foolish said to the
wise, 'Give us some of your oil for our lamps
are going out.' [9] 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.' "
I have always maintained that the word,
'No' is a holy word straight from the mouth
of God. Here we read how the 'no' from those
considered wise were setting forth a barrier
or boundary line in order to retain their own
integrity without compromising themselves.
Why?
I believe the word 'no' is an absolute truth
about how our Christ-centered faith operates
in the human condition. One person can not
share their overcoming divine-fellowship to
others for the purpose of establishing any
sort of a collective salvation.
No one taking somebody else' oil through
collective redemption will be acceptable in
the Day of The LORD. He will not recognize
it as valid and the Door Will Remain Shut.
Romans 11:17 NKJV
"And if some of the branches were broken
off and you, being a wild olive tree, were
grafted in [G1461] among them, and with
them became a partaker of the root and
fatness of the olive tree ...."
Who did the grafting-in? Was it not those
wild Gentiles, each one of whom both
repented and believed on the LORD for
their own salvation?
That's why Paul taught how believers were
to worship and fellowship in unity without
showing preferences but treating everyone
as equal. He was against factions that caused
divisions between believers when they came
into fellowship together to worship Christ.
1 Corinthians 1:12-13 NASB
Now I mean this, that each one of you is
saying, "I am of Paul," and "I of Apollos,"
and "I of Cephas," and "I of Christ." [13]
Has Christ been divided? Paul was not
crucified for you, was he? Or were you
baptized in the name of Paul?
Paul taught how the foundation was built
on the finished work of the cross and not
by our own labours. The unification of our
faith centers on our personal acceptance
of the cross into our hearts and not in any
way according to our affiliations, associations,
loyalties or denomination.
As children we were taught that there's no
cutting in when waiting in a line. It was
not allowed. In other words, for the purpose
of the Gospel, there's no short-cuts and you
can not beg, borrow or steal someone's oil.
I can not count on my redemption based on
my attendance to a particular church. It must
become personal as a result of my own choices
to bear my own cross in my own heart.
The Strong's G1461 - egkentrizo = to cut
into for the sake of inserting a scion; to
inoculate, ingraft, graft in(to)
While each believer is encouraged to share,
according to their own resources and free will,
such sharing is the result of the fruitfulness
in their life by the Spirit. However, they can
not graft-in others based on their own walk.
While I can shoulder the heavy leaden burdens
that others struggle with, I can not absolve or
eliminate the responsibility of others for their
own journey. They must develop their own
personal devotional walk according to His
blueprint for their lives themselves.
So, how do we, as believers in Christ, buy
or purchase our oil for ourselves?
Proverb 17:16 NKJV
Why is there in the hand of a fool
the purchase price of wisdom since
he has no heart for it?
We must set our hearts with the commitment
to abide in Him through thick and thin, for
better or worse without doubting that He is
worthy, He is able, yes He is willing to make
us complete in Him as we abide and obey.
Strong's G2932 - ktaomai = to acquire, to
purchase, to get; procure a thing for one's
self; to possess, to obtain
James 1:4
But let patience have [her] perfect
work, that ye may be perfect and
entire, wanting nothing.
This sort of changes my perception of the
instructions Jesus gave to His disciples when
He sent them out to minister.
Matthew 10:9
"Provide neither gold nor silver nor copper
in your money belts ..."
I think Jesus wanted His disciples to resist the
temptation to get payments for their ministry
at that time. Instead, He wanted them to learn
how to become completely dependent on the
ministry of the Spirit and not rely on solely on
incoming contributions, donations, supplies and
financial resources. It would become a matter
of the heart and not the wallet.
Luke 21:19
"By your patience possess your souls."
1 Thes 4:4
"... that each of you should know how to
possess his own vessel in sanctification
and honor ..."
If our hearts are filled with stuff, then the oil
that comes from crushing olives will not occur.
The suffering servant who endures to the end
of this process will have abundant oil for their
own walk, their own ministry, yes, their own
acceptable Day of The LORD.
