WISE AND FOOLISH

I was reading in Matthew 24 and 25, and came across the parable of the Ten Virgins.
I love this parable!

(I love this picture because not all the women are young, and they are all bringing gifts for the bridegroom.)

Then shall the kingdom of Heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps,

and went forth to meet the bridegroom.

And five of them were wise, and five were foolish.

They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them.

But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.

While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept.

And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh,

go ye out to meet him.

Then all the virgins arose, and trimmed their lamps.

And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.

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.

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.

Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.

But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.

Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of Man cometh.

I think to get all the meanings from this parable, we need the Lord's spirit to help us.

Thru the years I have heard different meanings put to this parable. Here are the representations I have learned about:

The Bridegroom = Jesus Christ

The ten virgins = followers of Christ

The 5 wise virgins = followers of Christ who have received the truth, and have taken the Holy Spirit for their guide, and have not been deceived. (D&C 45:57)

The 5 foolish virgins = followers of Christ who have not received the truth, and have not taken the Holy Spirit for their guide, and have been deceived.

And until that hour (of the coming of the Son of Man) there will be foolish virgins among the wise; and at that hour cometh an entire separation of the righteous and the wicked..... (D&C 63:54)

oil = The Holy Spirit
oil = food storage - you cannot purchase the spirit, but you can buy food storage

I know there are 2 separate events here:
the tribulations leading up to the Lord's second coming      and
The Lord's second coming.

Our Savior warns us to watch and be ready always.

First of all we have to get ready.  I believe that means spiritually and physically.
Then we have to stay ready. That is the hard part.

It was so hard for the 10 Virgins, that they fell asleep waiting for the Bridegroom.
They were asleep and they heard a shout - a cry!

They woke up and went to go in, but 1/2 of them weren't ready.

Are we asleep? Has the event we have been warned to be prepared for been so long, that we grow weary of waiting?  Maybe we feel it will never come.

Will we be awakened with a cry, and need to be ready right then?

The wise were ready because, before they went to wait upon the bridegroom's coming, they bought enough oil to refill their lamps. They planned extra. They planned ahead. Did they know they would need extra oil? Did the bridegroom say he was going to take extra long?  No - they didn't know, but they prepared extra anyway.

I do not want to be one of the foolish virgins and be caught without my oil - be it the spirit or food storage.  (I would be the one with my hands on the gate saying "Let me in!!!)

We cannot be here to greet The Lord if we have died of starvation first!!!!!

I am grateful the Lord has warned us to prepare, to watch and be ready.