“At midnight they were roused by the shout, ‘Look, the bridegroom is coming! Come out and meet him!’ Matthew 25:6 New Living Testament
In the New Testament book of Matthew, Jesus tells a powerful story of 10 women, each of which were waiting for the bridegroom to arrive. He says that five women were wise, and five were foolish. Jesus makes this distinction because five women carried extra oil for their lamps, and five did not.
While waiting for the bridegroom to arrive, the hour grew late, and all ten fell asleep. At midnight, a cry announcing the bridegroom’s arrival awoke them. Immediately the five wise women added oil to their lamps and headed out to meet him.
The foolish women stopped them, asking for oil for their lamps. The wise women told them they did not bring enough to share and would have to buy their own oil.
The five wise women met the bridegroom and went into the hall with him. The door was shut.
Later the five foolish women returned with their lamps full of oil. They knocked on the hall door only to be told by the bridegroom that he did not know them.
The story has a dual meaning.
First, all ten women knew the bridegroom, but the bridegroom only knew the five wise women. Secondly, the two groups of women contrast religion against relationship.
The five wise women had a close personal relationship with the Godhead. They knew him (Jesus), and he (Jesus) knew them. The five foolish women had a religious relationship with religion. They knew him (Christ), but he (Jesus) did not know them.
A close personal relationship with God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, prepared them (having extra oil) to meet the bridegroom. A religious relationship with religion only equipped the foolish women with knowledge about God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.
The Bible says that Jesus will return to earth, and he will know those who know him. A close personal relationship with the Godhead prepares you to know him.
A close personal relationship with God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit is an unexpected journey of discovery.
Join me on the journey; it will be life-altering.