Describe an Eastern Wedding. The Lord took this well-known custom to illustrate an important spiritual truth (i.e. The kingdom of heaven is likened to...). Describe the bridesmaids – the foolish and the wise. The foolish took their lamps, but took no oil. The Lord said to them “I know you not.” The wise had oil in their vessels. The spiritual truth found in this parable is that one had the Holy Spirit, while the other did not.
As a result of this passage, explain what happens at the new birth: One is born of the Spirit, sealed by the Spirit, and indwelt by the Spirit. Regeneration, not reformation, occurs at the new birth. The professing church is marching forth to meet the bridegroom. They all appear to be the same, yet there is a vital difference - some have oil in their lamps and some do not. Some have never been born again. Even devils believe and tremble. Consider the profession- of Simon the sorcerer in Acts 8. The religionist needed the new birth. See 1 Timothy 1:15. Christ came to save sinners. The unchurched need the new birth. Consider the Philippian jailer of Acts 16.
The Bridegroom tarried. The maidens slept. At midnight the cry arose, “The Bridegroom cometh.” Some were ready, welcomed the Bridegroom and went into the marriage feast.
Describe the coming of the Lord here. See also 1Thessalonians 4 - the rapture of the Saints. Those who were not ready to meet him in their hurried preparations missed His coming. Frantically they rushed to the feast, but the door was shut. They cried earnestly, “Lord, Lord open to us.” The Lord’s answer is found in verse 12 and an exhortation follows - watch and be ready. Not every one that saith unto me “Lord, Lord” shall enter into the kingdom of heaven. Many will say, “We have prophecied in thy name, cast out devils, done many wonderful works” and He will say “I never knew you, depart from Me.”