BY: Alero Nanna
Hello Yoke fellow,
This morning, after my quiet time before the Lord, I had this impression to share with you an insight the Lord has given me about the parable of the ten virgins.
Before we look into this message, let me first say that the kingdom to which we belong operates by keys. Until you locate the right key for your particular challenge by the leading of the Holy Spirit, the struggle continues. When the Lord told His disciples that He would give them the keys of the kingdom to enable them bind and loose in Matthew 16, what He was telling them in other words, was that without receiving the keys of the kingdom, you cannot exercise kingdom authority here on earth. What are these keys? In Lk.11:52, Jesus said: “Woe unto you, lawyers! for ye have taken away the key of knowledge: …” This tells us clearly that the keys of the kingdom are knowledge of the mysteries of the kingdom. This knowledge is however, only assessable to those within – Mark . Who are those within? The spiritual minded Christians. In Rm.8, we see two sets of Christian namely the carnal minded and the spiritual minded Christians. The former operate under the law of sin and death as they walk after the flesh by living for themselves instead of God; are enemies of God and cannot please God because they mind earthly things like the unbelievers and behave like dogs that go back to their vomits and they are therefore without – see Rev.22:15. The spiritual minded Christian on the other hand, mind heavenly things, walk after the spirit, is a friend of God and pleased God. They are those without condemnation because they operate under the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus. This law places them above sin and death.
In this kingdom to which we belong, people suffer needlessly due to a lack of knowledge. Hosea 4:6 says: “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children.” From this text of scripture, we gather that from God’s perspective, the absence of knowledge in your life only means one thing: ‘you have rejected knowledge!’ This has far reaching consequences as it results in God rejecting us when we approach Him and forgetting our children as well. None of us want this to happen to us. Now to the parable of the ten virgins: The text is Mat.25:1-13 –
“Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.
And five of them were wise, and five were foolish.
They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them:
But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.
While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.
And at there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.
And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.
But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.
And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut.
Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.
But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.
Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.”
From this parable, we learn the following lessons in light of our divine visitation:
1. God has declared His prophetic program for this month that He wants to visit us, just like He promised the ten virgins. So, we like the ten virgins have light in our lamp. Note that the lamp here stands for your whole spirit soul and body while the ignited wick of the lamp stands for your spirit enlightened by God with the knowledge of His intended visitation. The bible says the spirit of man is the candle of the lord in Prov.20:27 and in Ps.18:28, we are told that the Lord God will light our candles and enlighten our darkness.
2. The virgins are divided into two sets namely wise and foolish. Why? The wise took oil in their lamps and the foolish did not. What is the implication of this? We get back to knowledge again. The bible says it is given unto us to know the mysteries of the kingdom – these mysteries are the keys for unlocking life issues brought upon us by the darkness of ignorance. You and I know that the only solution to darkness is to carry light. When light arrives in a dark place, the darkness automatically disappears. Darkness has never been known to contend with light. In Jn.1:1-5, we read: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
The same was in the beginning with God.
All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.” From this text, we understand that knowledge is synonymous with light because the word translated light in verses 4 and 5 has the same meaning as knowledge. The knowledge referred to here is knowledge of the mysteries of the kingdom. This knowledge is mysterious for our glory. According to Apostle Paul in 1Cor.2:7, God has kept these truths hidden for us and not from us so that when we discover them, we shall be glorified over darkness. In Prov.25:2, we are told that it is the glory of God to conceal a matter, but the honor of kings to search them out. The bible also says in Rev.1:6 that the Lord has washed us in His own blood to make us kings and priests unto our God. So any how you look at it, we have a legal right to knowledge of the mysteries of God if we will take the side of the wise virgins.
3. What sets the wise apart from the foolish in the kingdom is that while both are aware that they had to carry oil in their lamps, the wise took theirs early enough, but the foolish procrastinated until it was too late. Now, what is this oil? As we saw in the preceding paragraph, we are ignited in our spirits with the knowledge that God is going to visit us this month. That single knowledge alone is not enough to sustain us till He comes. We must keep the fire burning by adding more knowledge about His visitation. Just like the fire in the lamp cannot be sustained without the fuel of the oil, our knowledge of divine visitation also, cannot be sustained without more knowledge added to us on this matter. Thus depending on just one sermon in a week in Church to sustain our faith – the fire in the wick, for our divine visitation is like eating one cold light snack a week to sustain our bodies. We would be malnourished if we do so and like the foolish virgins, realize it when it is too late.
4. What are we supposed to do to be termed ‘wise’ for our divine visitation? We must be willing to go the extra mile to pay the price for more knowledge to keep our spiritual lamps burning for the Lord so that when He comes, He would find us ready. Let me also say here that those who are always looking for a convenient time to pay the learning price always realize too late that they will never get it. Don’t forget that we are up against forces of darkness who we do not see and who are also very crafty acting behind the physical scenes to keep us from learning so that they can continue to prey on us due to our ignorance. They know that they have no power over you except the one you let them have through your ignorance. Every ignorance you get rid of through knowledge provides light that takes you to your next level in life.
5. The learning price is a non transferable responsibility. It is a cup you must prepare for yourself and drink. When the foolish requested oil of the wise, the wise could not transfer their oil, instead they told the foolish to go and buy their own. Talking about oil, the bible says in Isa.55:1-3: “Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.
Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness.
Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; …” The key in this scripture is to hearken diligently to the Lord. Jesus said to come to Him and learn of Him – see Mat.11:28-30. This is how the wise were able to carry oil in their lamps. Are you carrying oil in yours, if not you can start today as the month is not yet over. Your visitation from God will bring you promotion in Jesus’ name!
6. Finally, both sets of virgins slept. This means that both were not in a state of sinless perfection. However, the wise had acquired enough light to get them back on course and set them up for divine recognition. The question I want to close with here is: What side would you rather be in? If your answer is – on the wise side, then I counsel you to pay the learning price because as we can see, there is no future with God for one who has stopped learning.
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