Matthew 25: 1 - 13 

One of the longest discourses of Jesus Christ during His earthly ministry was on the subject of His Second coming. In the Gospel of Matthew alone (chapters 24 & 25), the Bible records 97 verses in succession with four parables to illustrate the events likely to take place before His return. In the middle of this long diatribe, He highlights the Parable of the ten virgins. 

Jesus is emphatically stating that when He returns, He is not coming for an infant or an impure bride but a mature and a pure one. There is probably no other word in any language that best describes ‘immaculate purity’ than the word virgin. It talks of an absolutely untainted state of the body, entirely unexplored by the world of men. There is nothing more costly that a young bride can offer her newly wed husband than the gift of unspotted virginity. 

In this parable, it is immensely depressing that five of the pure virgins could not make the grade, in spite of their virginity. Jesus is teaching that purity alone is not enough but preparedness also! Hebrews 9:28(b) declares that Christ will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for Him. 

Thought for the day - “Preparedness is an individual discipline. It cannot be borrowed from others at the eleventh hour”.