163
THE K I NG ' S BUS I NES S
of nature and blinding therewith the eyes of men; a time of great tribula tion. In the midst of such world darkness, as a flash of lightning cometh out of the east and shineth even unto the west (Matt. 24;27) will the Bridegroom come. Some teach that the Lord will come in the noonday, when the full splen dor of the millennium glory is mani fested; when the world has been con verted and the knowledge of the Lord covers the earth as the waters cover the face of the deep; but this is not the teaching here. The watchers are taken unawares. . So it was in the first Advent. The shepherds of Bethlehem were startled by the open heavens and the angelic proclamation. His people were not looking for Him and there Was no place for Him when He came. There is a message here for the Church. (1 Thess. 4:16. “The Lord shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God,”—a triune announcement. (John 5:28, 29.) .“Marvel not at th is; for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice. ' And shall come forth; they that have done good unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil unto the resurrection of damnation.“ ' (3) PREPARED FOR HIS COMING, vs. 7-10. • “And they that were ready went in with jrm to the marriage.” All hear the cry, all the lamps are lighted, but all have not oil. Those that are wise have supplied themselves with oil enough, but- the lamps of the others are going out. - The wise can not supply them with the oil. They must buy of Him who sells “without money and without price.” (1 Peter 4:18; Rom. 14:12.) “So, then, every one of us shall give ac count of him self to God.“ There must, be not only profession, but possession. It is not enough for a
isli synagogue; ten persons were essen tial tô thé forming' of the marriage con tract; a tenth (tithe) is the recognition of man’s obligation to God. Going out to meet the bridegroom necessitates the separation for this pur pose of those who were professedly known as friends of the bridegroom. It also implies anticipation. They were expecting him to come. (Titus 2:13.) ‘lo o k in g for that blessed hope and the glori ous appearing of the great God and our Savi our Jesus Christ.“ (2 Tim. 4:8; 2 Peter 3:12, 13.) “Lamps” suggests testimony. John the Baptist was a burning and a shin ing light. (John 5:35; Luke 12:35.) We find that oil is used as a type of the Holy Spirit. Jesus was filled with the Spirit, and became the light of the world. The watchers need oil. The attitude of the real watcher is*—-loins girded about with truth and lights burn ing, holding forth the Word of Life. All had lamps, and all knew that oil was essential. (Phil. 2:15, 16.) The bridegroom did not come as soon as ex pected. In the preceding chapter (24: 39, 42, 44, 60) the servants were surprised because their lord came sooner than was expected. Here, the virgins are waiting and all slumber and sleep. (2) THE PROCLAMATION OF HIS COMING, V. 6. “Behold, the bridegroomtcometh.” This is a startling cry and it comes at midnight. The bridegroom has joined the bride in the evening. He comes with his bride at night. It is dark, a time for the manifestation ot lawlessness, a time of evil deeds. This is the testimony of Scripture. The Lord has described the condition of-things at His coming,—as dark as in the days of Noah. Iniquity will abound; the love of many will wax cold; a time of intellectual progress* of increasing knowledge; Satan, as an angel of light (although in reality the prince of dark ness) giving out many of the secrets
Made with FlippingBook HTML5