Matthew 25:1,13
25:1. "Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.
25:13 "Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming."
Church of God (the virgins) must be watchful always, meaning being ready to welcome Jesus' second coming in glory as King of kings, Heavenly Bridegroom. We must keep our BURNING LAMP.
Two requirements we need to make our lamp keep on burning are below:
The oil is olive oil.
Exodus 27:20
27:20 " And you shall command the children of Israel that they bring you pure oil of pressed olives for the light, to cause the lamp to burn continually.
The olive oil was derived from olive fruits in the Mount of Olive.
The olive fruits which were ripe will be dried in the sun, crushed and pressed to produce olive oil so that our lamp keeps on burning.
The olive fruits refer to Jesus suffering to die on the cross in order to pour out the anointing oil of Holy Spirit.
John 16:7
16:7 "Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you.
In short, the anointing oil of Holy Spirit is the result of Jesus' crucifixion/His sacrifice.
We cannot welcome Jesus' second coming without the oil = perdition.
Appreciating Jesus' sacrifice, we will get the anointing oil of Holy Spirit so our lamp keeps on burning.
Daily practices of appreciating Jesus' sacrifice are below:
For examples are below:
25:1. "Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom.
25:13 "Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming."
Church of God (the virgins) must be watchful always, meaning being ready to welcome Jesus' second coming in glory as King of kings, Heavenly Bridegroom. We must keep our BURNING LAMP.
Two requirements we need to make our lamp keep on burning are below:
- [Matthew 25:5-7] Receiving Bride Tidings = the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ.
- Having oil for supply in vessel.
Matthew 25:2-4
25:2 "Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish.
25:3 "Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them,
25:4 "but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.
The oil is olive oil.
Exodus 27:20
27:20 " And you shall command the children of Israel that they bring you pure oil of pressed olives for the light, to cause the lamp to burn continually.
The olive oil was derived from olive fruits in the Mount of Olive.
The olive fruits which were ripe will be dried in the sun, crushed and pressed to produce olive oil so that our lamp keeps on burning.
The olive fruits refer to Jesus suffering to die on the cross in order to pour out the anointing oil of Holy Spirit.
John 16:7
16:7 "Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you.
In short, the anointing oil of Holy Spirit is the result of Jesus' crucifixion/His sacrifice.
We cannot welcome Jesus' second coming without the oil = perdition.
Appreciating Jesus' sacrifice, we will get the anointing oil of Holy Spirit so our lamp keeps on burning.
Daily practices of appreciating Jesus' sacrifice are below:
- Being willing to suffer in the flesh in order to stop sinning and to return to God = being dead to sin = repenting.
1 Peter 4:1
4:1 Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, - Living for righteousness.
1 Peter 2:24
2:24 who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness--by whose stripes you were healed. - Being shepherded well.
1 Peter 2:25
2:25 For you were like sheep going astray, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.
Jesus, Good Shepherd, has died, so we, His sheep, do not go astray but being shepherded well.
The requirements of being shepherded is below:- Being obedient to the voice of shepherd.
- Entering sheepfold = entering Holy Place = patience in committing three main services.
Only a sheep appreciating Jesus' sacrifice may be patient in the sheepfold.
Leviticus 21:12
21:12 'nor shall he go out of the sanctuary, nor profane the sanctuary of his God; for the consecration of the anointing oil of his God is upon him: I am the LORD.
Being obedient and patient in committing three main services, we get the anointing oil of Holy Spirit so our lamp keeps on burning.
Thus, shepherding is a place to keep our burning lamp. - Being obedient to the voice of shepherd.
For examples are below:
- Israelites who were as a lamp almost quenched because of facing dead-lock or impossible problem, even death, but Moses lifted up his rod (appreciating the cross) so the strong east wind (theanointing oil) came.
Exodus 14:15-16,21-22
14:15 And the LORD said to Moses, "Why do you cry to Me? Tell the children of Israel to go forward.
14:16 "But lift up your rod, and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it. And the children of Israel shall go on dry ground through the midst of the sea.
14:20 So it came between the camp of the Egyptians and the camp of Israel. Thus it was a cloud and darkness to the one, and it gave light by night to the other, so that the one did not come near the other all that night.
14:21 Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the LORD caused the sea to go back by a strong east windall that night, and made the sea into dry land, and the waters were divided. .
As a result, the east wind divided the sea, meaning Holy Spirit does these things:- Giving life to us,
- Giving beautiful and joyful future life, and
- Giving solution from all problems, even the impossible ones.
- Giving life to us,
- Peter who was as quenched lamp because of denying Jesus three times.
Luke 22:60-62
22:60 But Peter said, "Man, I do not know what you are saying!" Immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed.
22:61 And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how He had said to him, "Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times."
22:62 So Peter went out and wept bitterly.
Titus 1:15-16
1:15 To the pure all things are pure, but to those who are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure; but even their mind and conscience are defiled.
1:16 They profess to know God, but in works they deny Him, being abominable, disobedient, and disqualified for every good work.
We often deny the Lord with our sinful deeds, wickedness, uncleanness, and deeds giving disadvantage to others even repaying evil to good.
If the lamp was quenched because of denying the Lord, we will be able to regret and confess our sins to God and menthrough the crowing of rooster (the shepherding Word preached repetitiously) which is as the sight of the Lord looking on us. Being forgiven, do not sin anymore whatever reason you have. Leave the sins!
Besides making Peter confess his sins, the anointing oil of Holy Spirit made Peter be shepherded well until he could stretch his hand to the Lord, surrender in full to Him, minister and love the Lord more than anything, sacrifice all things even his life to Him.
John 21:18-19
21:18 "Most assuredly, I say to you, when you were younger, you girded yourself and walked where you wished; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish."
21:19 This He spoke, signifying by what death he would glorify God. And when He had spoken this, He said to him, "Follow Me." - Paul was hopeless in facing suffering without any sin.
2 Corinthians 1:8-9
1:8 For we do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, of our trouble which came to us in Asia: that we were burdened beyond measure, above strength, so that we despaired even of life.
1:9 Yes, we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves but in God who raises the dead,
Romans 5:5
5:5 Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
Holy Spirit pours out the love of God to make our heart strong and of good courage, meaning as follows:- Not being desperate nor disappointed in facing all things.
- Trusting and entrusting ourselves fully to the lord, holding fast one true teaching Word whatever risk may come.
The result of being strong and of good courage is below:- Being employed in the revival of Holy Spirit at the last rain.
Joshua 1:6,7,9,18
1:6 "Be strong and of good courage, for to this people you shall divide as an inheritance the land which I swore to their fathers to give them.
1:7 "Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go.
1:9 "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go."
1:18 "Whoever rebels against your command and does not heed your words, in all that you command him, shall be put to death. Only be strong and of good courage!" - Living in peace.
Isaiah 26:3
26:3 You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You. - Being perfect and blameless, ready to welcome Jesus' second coming.
1 Thessalonians 3:13
3:13 so that He may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints.
- Not being desperate nor disappointed in facing all things.