How does the Kingdom of God operate?
The Parable of the 10 Virgins

Mat 25:1-12
Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept. And at midnight a cry was heard: ‘Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!’ Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ But the wise answered, saying, ‘No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.’ And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut. Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’ But he answered and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.’

Each Virgin had a lamp. Without the lamp, you will not be able to find your way in the darkness. Also, you will not be able to see the bridegroom you are waiting for approaching you.
A lamp needs oil in order to burn. The oil is the fuel that enables the lamp to burn. ? No oil no burning lamp!.  What does the oil represent?

Ps 119:105
Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.

Pro 6:23
For the commandment (Word of God) is a lamp; and the law (Word of God) is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life.

From scripture, we see that the Word of God is a lamp and a light unto my path.

Ten Virgins went out to meet their bridegroom. Five Virgins took extra oil with them. What kind of attitude did the 5 display by taken extra oil? They displayed precaution, forward-thinking and most of all diligence in being prepared for the occasion.

Is it midnight now?  And at midnight there was a cry made, “Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him”. Midnight refers to the end of this age. It refers to the second coming of Jesus Christ. The end times – last days! The last days we are now living in – spiritual darkness, perilous times, natural disasters, economical collapses and a falling away of believers.

2 Tim 3:1-5
But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!

The Cry went out!  Are you READY?

Mat 25:6-10
And at midnight a cry was heard: ‘Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!’ Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ But the wise answered, saying, ‘No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.’ And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut.

The question is what happened to the foolish virgins? Their lamps have gone out! They ran out of fuel, oil (the Word), they ran out of light!  Midnight (darkness) overtook them. They asked the wise virgins to help them with some oil. And yet again the wise virgins displayed preparedness. They said they can’t because they might not have enough for themselves. They were not prepared to take a risk that could ruin their opportunity to meet their Bridegroom. Yet they gave them the advice to go to the shop and buy some.

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!

Entrance denied! How is this possible?

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.
How sad that the foolish virgins were still busy with “Christian matters”, they went to get more oil,(the Word) trimmed their lamps and returned to the hall, but the door was SHUT. They said Lord, Lord, open to us. They still wanted to be part of the wedding feast and meet their Bridegroom.  But the Bridegroom answered surely I say to you, I KNOW YOU NOT!

Let’s look at a second example of – Access Denied!

Mat 7:21 
Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

Again we see, Christians busy with Christian matters but they thought they knew Him but He never knew them! What a SHAME!

Let’s Summarize what stood out of the passages.

The Word of God and the spirit of this age

Now that we have established that the Oil, (the Word of God) takes centre stage to the parable of the 10 Virgins, let’s have a closer look at the Word of God.

Joh 1:1 
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

Joh 1:14  
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

1 Pet 1:23 
Having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever.

Joh 17:17
Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.

Heb 4:12
For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

Rev 19:13
He (Jesus) was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God.

The Spirit of the Age

Eph 2: 1-2
And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience.

Joh 17:15
I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one.

The world has its own spirit. It is called the spirit of the age, or as the apostle Paul says, this corrupting atmosphere the “course of this world.” Every era or “age” has its own ideas, values and opinions that influence the culture of the day. It gradually lulls us morally to sleep, to a point that we accept what formally was taboo is now acceptable. It is a satanically inspired system of new values and ideas that encourages a lifestyle independent from God.

Political correctness, false belief systems, (including false doctrine in church circles), liberal values and the absolute of moral values are all part of the “spirit of the Age.” This spirit is a strong current against the moral values the Kingdom of God teaches us. If you speak against it you are marked as an extremist, intolerant and even guilty of hate speech in some cases.

Let’s look at one false teaching:

All roads lead to heaven has permeated the church and many Christian, (foolish virgins) now believe this teaching. All the other religions of the world are also leading to heaven.

A second false teaching is a belief there is no hell. After all, God is a God of love therefore He will never let anyone go there. These are ‘spirit of the age’ teachings spread to the world by top-selling Christian authors. The foolish virgins are taken in by these teachings because they do not compare it against the Word of God, it is easier to go with the flow.

In John 17:15 Jesus prays to the Father that He will keep us from the evil one. We are in this world but we are not of this world. Being in this world it is easy to get contaminated by the spirit of the age because it is EVERYWHERE, even in the church. But it is our, the wise virgins, responsibility to keep ourselves clean from this spirit.

Col 2: 8
Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.

11 Tim 2:15-16
Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. But shun profane and idle babblings, for they will increase to more ungodliness.

The wise virgins will know the Word, they will rightly divide the Word of truth in their diligent preparation for His coming. The foolish virgins, entertain profane and vain babblings, worldly philosophies through literature and the next trend.

Please rethink your priorities today if you want to enter into the Promised Land tomorrow.