Jesus told this parable: The kingdom of Heaven can be compared to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were wise and five were foolish. Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them (meaning no extra oil), but the wise took bottles of oil with their lamps. While the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept. At midnight the bridegroom came. The foolish asked the wise to give them some of their oil because their lamps would go out. But the wise answered that it wouldn't be enough for both of them and asked them to go and buy for themselves. 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. Then the other virgins came and asked the Lord to open for them. But he replied that he didn't know them. We must watch, for we know neither the day nor the hour when Son of Man is coming. (Mat 25:1–13).
This behavior correlates with the Jewish tradition of marriage, of waiting with lamps for the bridegroom to arrive at any moment. No one is then allowed to walk on the street after dark without a lighted lamp. When the bridegroom finally arrives, no one is allowed in who is late.
Oil is often a representation of the Holy Spirit. Without him (Rom 8:9) no one is ready for neither The Rapture nor Jesus' return. But the difference isn't between a spirit-filled Christian and a non-spirit-filled Christian, but between true Christians
and false believers.
Jesus also said the following: We need to be dressed ready for service and keep our lamps burning, like servants waiting for their master to return from a wedding banquet, so that they can immediately open the door to him when he comes and knocks. It will be good for the servants whose master finds them watching when he comes. He will dress to serve, let them lay down at the table, and come and wait on them. It will be good for those servants whose master finds them ready, even if he comes in the middle of the night or towards dawn. If the house-owner had known at what hour the thief was coming, he wouldn't have allowed his house to be broken into. We must also be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when we don't expect him. (Luk 12:35–40).
The difference isn't between bad and good, but between the foolish and the wise:
We should stay awake (pay attention) because Jesus can come back at any time (Mat 24:43–44, 25:13, Luk 12:40), see The Rapture.
Jesus wants us to always be ready for his coming, see End of Time
at the end of When Did Jesus Die and when Was He Born?
Jesus warns us on several occasions to be ready; serving God with a humble heart and not live a sinful life (Mat 24:45–51, Luk 12:41–46),
see Who is the Greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?
Every time God repeats something it's because it's of great importance.
The whole point of this parable is that we are to watch and be ready for
The Rapture and Jesus' return.
It will be worse for a Christian in the next life who knows God's will but doesn't get ready or doesn't do what God wants him to do than for those who don't know and do things that deserve punishment. From everyone who has received much, much will be required; and from him who has been entrusted with much, much more will be required. (Luk 12:47–48).
Key elements of the meaning of readiness:
- Watchfulness (Mat 24:40–42), see The Rapture.
- Prayerfulness (Luk 21:36). Praying is a key factor in not falling away. Even Jesus prayed on several occasions. He prayed a lot in Gethsemane before his crucifixion (Mat 26:36–44, Mark 14:32–40, Luk 22:39–44).
- Faithfulness, see The Parables of the Talents and the Ten Minas.
To do what we are called to do. - Regularly examine the word of God as the Berean Jews did,
see Paul's Second Missionary Journey.
