God is a perfect being; He is, therefore, serious and meticulous in whatsoever He does.Owing to this, His followers, people who profess serving Him must be like Him and must not do things haphazardly. In fact, God expects the best from us. We have hope and faith that we are going to meet our maker at the end of life on earth. The believers, inLord Jesus Christ, are preparing to meet Him in what is referred to as the rapture of the saints, leading to the wedding of Jesus Christ with the church (The bride). The preparation for the rapture of the saints is the heavenly race the entire body of Christ is currently running.
In running the race, the participants must be focused, meticulous, and seriously engrossed into it, so, as to block out all distractions that are likely to derail them from making it at the end. A little mistake will likely rob one the success of the race. The Bible illustrates the result of carefree and careless attitude towards the race in Matthew 25:10-13, saying:“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.”It was in answer to the questions from the disciples of Jesus Christ requesting to know the signs of His second coming that led him into teaching of several parables,telling them to be ready at all times. Indeed, this part of the Mount Olivert teaching goes beyond the sign question of the disciples, rather it presents our Lord’s return in three aspects thus:
• As testing the profession of Jesus Christ
• As testing service to Him, and
• Testing the individual in relation to his preparedness for the second coming of the Lord.
These five virgins were shut out for coming late because they did not bring extra oil for their lamps, while waiting for the coming of the bridegroom. They have been living their lives according to God’s will. They were in the fellowship regularly, observed all the vigils, participated in the fasting and praying programmes and all that, but a little mistake of negligence cost them the rapture. This is rather unfortunate and, indeed, terrible.
The Bible is emphatic, when it saidwe should work out our salvation with fear and trembling because in the heavenly race every little thing matters and must be taken care of. Otherwise that minute thing considered insignificant might be the albatrossthat will cost you from making rapture.
Now that the return of the Lord is being delayed, nothing should be taken for granted; everything in line with God’s will in reference to His second coming must be done, so that, we will not be taken unawares. In his letter to the brethren in Rome, Apostle Paul saidin Romans 13:11-14: “And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.12: The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.13: Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying.14: But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfill the lusts thereof.”
We are in the expectation of His second coming, hence all works of darkness must be shunned at this time as the trumpet may sound when we least expect it. It will be a disaster and even regrettable to tow the line of the five foolish virgins who after binding the devil and casting him into hell fire, still went to the burning fire to meet him. We should not give the flesh any room at this time of this race, so, as to be ready at all times. In reference to the lead scripture, we are advised to be ready, blameless and sanctified because our Lord Jesus Christ will present to Himself the church without spots and wrinkles.
Again, in his letter to his fellow citizens, Apostle Paul in Hebrews 10:37 said: “For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry. 38: Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.”
Let us faithfully serve the Lord in readiness for His coming because our faith is ensuring us He must come. In this race, let nothing discourage us because that will mean going back to the devil and his works that we had earlier renounced. God forbid that we draw back after putting our hands on the plough; let your faith, therefore, be strong in the Lord.
Our Lord Jesus Christ is coming back to rapture the saints. His second coming will mark the resurrection of the dead saints who the Bible says will rise first to join the living saint and all will meet the Lord in the air. The Bible in 1Corinthians 15:51-52 declares:“Behold, I shew you a mystery; we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed. 52: In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.”
The resurrection of the dead was believed by the patriarchs and revealed through the prophets and miracles of the dead restored to life are recorded in 2Kings 4:32-35. Our Lord Jesus Christ restored life to the dead and predicted His resurrection. Two resurrections are yet futuristic, which include all that are in the grave. The effort and prayer of every Christian is to partake in the first resurrection, which is into life. It is the benefit of this first resurrection that the five foolish virgins missed due to carelessness.
These five foolish virgins having lost the gains of the first resurrection are willy-nilly going to partake in the second resurrection, which is into damnation. We should be very careful not to miss the first resurrection and what it will bring to us, which is the eternal life with our Lord Jesus Christ.This is the hope of every Christian and we are optimistic to make it in the end.
