He is Coming!...just ask the 10 Virgins!

The parable of the 10 virgins...has been one of those "mystery parables", passed down through the ages. If nothing more...it makes you wonder, simply because all 10 of these girls were virgins, dressed appropriately for the wedding reception, yet only 5 of them were allowed in. The other 5 were not allowed to enter because they ran out of oil...hmmm?
 
 Ok, here is what I have found to be a 1st century wedding when Christ Jesus was "one of us", walking the streets and country of Judah.
 A 1st century wedding would normally have a bridegroom with some of his close friends go to the bride's home. At her home, there were various ceremonies that took place, then, there would be a procession through the streets...after nightfall...to the bridegroom's home.
 Now, 10 virgins, perhaps chosen by the bride or had been assisting the bride, were now at the bridegroom's home, awaiting the the procession that was to end at the bridegroom's home. In this procession, everyone was expected to BYOT (Bring Your Own Torch). In fact, according to some of the Jewish custom I have read during that period in history, it was offensive not to bring the customary torch...you were kind of looked upon as a "party pooper", or worse, a rebel whose intent was to "crash the party". I think it would be like someone not dressing or wearing the type of attire one would wear for such occasion.
 As far as the torch, it could be a lamp with a small oil tank, lit with a wick or even a rag that had been soaked in oil, and would be resoaked periodically.


 The procession was an important part of wedding ceremonies because when everyone arrived at the groom's home, the festivities would formally get started...and could last several days! As this parable begins to unfold, the timing of the procession reaching the groom's home seems to take on primary importance.
 The procession takes place sometime after nightfall. but completing its course to the bridegroom's home basically implies the group could arrive at 9 pm, 10:30 pm, or even midnight or thereafter.
 We live in a day and age where we have "navigators", cell phones, and all kinds of electronic accessories that would let us know the precise time of the arrival of something like a wedding procession. Even during this 1st century, could there not have been runners to keep the 10 virgins updated as to the arrival of the procession?
 Yet, with that being said, this is what makes God be God. He is under NO one's radar. He is just God...and we cannot track Him. I mean, could you imagine going to "Best Buy" for example and purchasing a GPS that would track the return of the Lord Jesus...that would give everyone time to "change their ways" ...probably right before He would arrive (that's just human nature).
 Rather, when you are adorned with the title "Christian", it must come from a heart that has come to a point in their life where one realize you cannot live without Him living in your heart...regardless when He returns.

 Here are a couple of basics that need to be already anchored in our individual lives...before He arrives:
 1. We must have our hearts and lives committed to the saving faith of Christ Jesus. We must have already embraced the fact that His death, His burial, and His literal Resurrection from the dead was a very real occurrence, along with the acceptance of the Work He did for each one of us by going to the Cross. When we confess with our hearts we are totally sinners without the belief of "He Lives! living in our very hearts, then we have opened ourselves to receiving Him...regardless of when His return might be to get us!
2. Upon receiving Christ Jesus into our hearts and submitting completely to the conditions He has made for us, we are now given additional strength and power through the precious Holy Spirit...who aids us in allowing the Lord Jesus Christ to manifest Himself...through each one of us...in our everyday lives! Titus 2:11-14 puts it this way:

 " For the very Grace of God, that being to give and forgive...has now gone public! Salvation is now available...to everyone!
 We are now given the Life-given instruction that proclaims there is a better life meant for us, instead of just living a godless and sinful pleasure type of existence...a new life we have never experienced.
 Now, we have been given a choice to take on a God-filled and God-honoring lifestyle, and the really Good News!...it can start right now! As we grow and experience this new lifestyle God has made for us, it causes a deep hunger to develop within us that waits patiently for the Day!...the Day when our great God and Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ appears to us.
 See, the Lord Jesus gave Himself...to our rescue and frees us from the Darkness, turning our mundane, "loser", and rebellious life into a life full of His goodness and purity, causing us to be a people He is proud of, one that is committed and enthusiastic in the joy...of knowing Him!"

 Ok, back to the 10 virgins awaiting the arrival of the procession to the bridegroom's home.
 There are 5 virgins who brought extra oil in case there might be a delay in the procession's arrival.
 It seems all 10 virgins have an excitement and enthusiasm as the procession makes their journey. Yet, as the night lingers on, 5 of the virgins did not bring extra oil to keep their lights burning......more to come!