Scripture Reading: Matthew 25:1-13

“The Kingdom of Heaven at that time will be like ten bridesmaids who took their lamps and went out to meet the groom.

“Five of them were foolish and five were sensible. The foolish ones took lamps with them but no oil, whereas the others took flasks of oil with their lamps.

“Now the bridegroom was late, so they all went to sleep. It was the middle of the night when the cry rang out, ‘The bridegroom is here! Go out to meet him!’

“The girls (virgins) all woke up and prepared their lamps for lighting. The foolish ones said to the sensible ones, ‘Give us some of your oil, because our lamps are going out. ‘

“‘No,’ they replied, ‘there may not be enough for both you and us. Go to the oil dealers and buy some for yourselves’ But as they were going off to buy, the bridegroom came. Those who were ready went with him to the wedding feast, and the door was shut.

“Later, the other bridesmaids (virgins) came. ‘Sir! Sir!’ they cried, ‘Let us in!’

“But he answered, ‘Indeed! I tell you, I don’t know you!’ So stay alert, because you know neither the day nor the hour.”  (Matthew 25:1-13)

These ten virgins are a picture of My people, both the Jews and the Church. Some of them are ready in their hearts for the next great thing that I will do, and others are totally unprepared, Yet both the wise and the foolish think that they have done all they can do to prepare for the things that shall shortly come to pass. This parable is a warning to the wise: They should look around and see if there be any foolish ones among them, and if they see them, they must warn them. It will be very evident to the wise whether their companions are ready or not. All they have to do is look and see if they have that extra supply of oil. Oil is a type of the anointing. As the Church and My people, Israel, have endured many years of waiting for the Messiah to come, they have become indifferent, sleepy, and careless. There is a spirit of slumber over both Israel and the Church.

As a result, the lamps, which they at first had trimmed and kept burning brightly, have begun to go out.

It is time for a final, second anointing, a final enduement of power from on High in order to be ready for the things which shall shortly come to pass upon this world.

Over and over I warned My disciples and followers that they must be awake and alert as to the things that will take place in the last days. I know the indifference and carelessness that has fallen over My Church. If you were to ask how many expect My return to be imminent, many would say that it was. But if you were to ask them if they expected Me to come this very day, the most of them would say that they were not expecting My coming right now.

That shows how ready you are! You expect Me to come soon, but you don’t expect Me right now!

The Bride, who is truly prepared, will take no such chances. She will have put her house in order, clothed herself in her wedding garment, trimmed her lamp, and prepared a good supply of oil for any emergency.

You may ask, “Why did the virgins need oil, when My coming was so imminent?”

They needed it because of the darkness of the hour which preceded My arrival. The warning has gone out throughout all the earth, “Behold, the Bridegroom cometh!”

This message of the rapture was lost to the church for many hundreds of years. It was only renewed since the days of The Reformation. But from the time that this truth was restored to the church, the world has become darker and darker; more and more evil has been manifested upon the earth. Sins have increased and the earth is filled with violence. So because of the ever increasing and intensifying evil, the Church needs to have a bounteous supply of the oil of the Holy Spirit in their lives so that they can endure the terrible persecution that will come against them, and still keep shining even in the darkness that will continue to descend upon this last generation (Isaiah 60:1-2).

This is the generation that saw the restoration of Israel. This is the generation which will see the restoration of the Church. This is the generation that will have a mighty outpouring of the Holy Spirit, even a double portion. So prepare your vessels and fill them with extra oil so that there will be sufficient for the hour in which you live.

Remember, some will be ready, and others, who think they will be ready, will not be ready. And as they go to search for the oil the door will close upon them, and they will have missed the event for which they have been waiting all of their lives. Don’t delay. Fill your vessel with oil today!

From the Heart of Jesus by Gwen Shaw
Available from our webstore: