Keep Your Lamp Burning

Keep Your Lamps Burning
Matthew 24:1-3 (KJV)
1 And Jesus went out, and departed from the temple: and his disciples came to him for to shew him the buildings of the temple.
2 And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things? verily I say unto you, There shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.
3 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?
  
Matthew 25:1-13 (KJV)
1 Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. 
2 And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. 
3 They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: 
4 But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. 
5 While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept. 
6 And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him. 
7 Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps. 
8 And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out. 
9 But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves. 
10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut. 
11 Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. 
12 But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not. 
13 Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.

Wedding Customs in Jesus’ Day
Jesus tells a story about a wedding to teach us about the kingdom of heaven.

In Jesus’ day, a wedding was very different from most weddings in western society today.
1. The wedding celebration could last several days.
Today, many weddings include a ceremony followed by a reception. In Bible times, the celebration could continue for several days, even weeks, and the whole village might be involved.
2. The groom came to receive the bride.
Instead of the bride walking down an aisle to meet the groom, the bridegroom would come in a procession to receive his bride and bring her to the wedding feast.
3. The timing was not always exact.
Today, weddings usually begin at a set time. In that culture, the groom’s arrival could be delayed, sometimes even until night. That is why the virgins needed lamps.
4. Lamps were necessary.
There were no electric lights. If the groom came after dark, the wedding party needed lamps or torches to join the procession. Without oil, there could be no light.
5. The bridesmaids had an important role.
The ten virgins in Matthew 25 were attendants waiting to welcome the groom and join the celebration. Their responsibility was to be ready when he arrived.
In our day, people prepare for a wedding by choosing clothes, buying gifts, reserving a venue, and arriving on time. But in their day, preparation meant having a lamp, having enough oil, and staying ready even if the groom was delayed. Jesus is teaching us not merely to look ready on the outside, but to be ready on the inside.

Ten young women, called bridesmaids, take their lamps and go out to meet the groom. Five are wise, and five are foolish. On the outside, all ten appear to be prepared. They are in the same place, carrying the same kind of lamp, and waiting for the same bridegroom. But beneath the surface, there is a difference that will be revealed when the groom arrives.
1. The Test of the Delay

• There was an unexpected waiting period. The groom would arrive when everything was ready. In the same way, we are waiting for the coming of the Lord.
• All ten women grew tired and fell asleep, showing a human weakness that can touch everyone. That is why we need revival—to awaken us again.

• A delay will test what is truly inside us. When God takes time to answer or to return, our true patience and faith show.
• Don’t give up on your promises.

2. The Midnight Cry

• At midnight, someone yells that the groom is coming.
• They begin to scramble: All the women wake up and fix their lamps.

• The five foolish women realized their lamps were going out because they had no extra oil, so they asked the wise women to share.

• The wise women say no. There is not enough oil for everyone. They tell the foolish women to go buy their own.

• It is foolish to think we can make it to heaven on someone else’s connection with God.

3. What the Oil Means

• Oil stands for a real, living relationship with God. It represents the Holy Ghost, the anointing, and the presence of God at work in your life.

• You cannot borrow faith from your parents, your spouse, or your friends.
• Every person must know God for themselves before it is too late.

• Do not wait until the last minute to stay full of oil. It is a serious thing to put off living for God until it is too late.

4. The Closed Door

• While the foolish women run to buy oil, the groom arrives.
• The ready women go inside the wedding feast with him, and the door shuts.
• When the foolish women return and beg to enter, the groom says, "I do not know you."

• The shut door was serious.
  Today, someone who is late to a wedding reception may still slip in. But in the parable, once the wedding feast began and the door was shut, those outside could not enter. Jesus uses this picture to teach the urgency of spiritual readiness.

The same thing happened in Noah’s day. God shut the door.
Jesus ends the story with a clear command:
"Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour."
Do not wait until the last second to get right with God.
Check your heart today.
Make sure you have the oil of His Holy Spirit in your life right now.
Jude 1:20 (KJV)
20 But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost. To build up means to develop, grow, and mature in your walk with God.
Also, allow the Holy Ghost to fully develop you.
The five foolish women had the appearance of faith, but they lacked the one thing necessary to go in with the bridegroom: the oil.
The oil represents the inward reality of God’s Spirit and life within a person.


In Scripture, oil is often connected with anointing, consecration, the presence of God, and the work of the Holy Spirit. Kings, priests, and prophets were anointed with oil, showing they were set apart by God. In this parable, the oil points to the Holy Ghost, the anointing, and a living relationship with God.
A lamp without oil has appearance but no power.
It may look ready to shine, but when the time of testing comes, it cannot keep burning.
The lamp is what people can see, but the oil is what God knows is there.
The lamp can represent a profession, but the oil represents the possession of what God requires. The lamp is outward religion, but the oil is inward relationship.