Revelation 19:7-8
7 “Let us rejoice and be glad!
Let us give him the glory!
For the time has come for the
wedding of the Lamb,
and his Bride has prepared herself —
8 fine linen, bright and clean
has been given her to wear.”
The preparation of the Bride involves the Bride’s action, as well as the action of the Holy Spirit. Both are necessary. This two-fold process is confirmed in Esther:
Esther 2:9
9 The girl pleased him and won his favor, so that he lost no time in giving her her cosmetics, her portions [of special food] and seven girls from the king’s palace to attend her; he also promoted her and the girls attending her to the best place in the harem’s quarters.
Here we see that Hegai, the eunuch, as well as the seven maidens given to her, all picture the Holy Spirit, given to the Bride to provide help, and to provide everything that is needed to the Bride for her purification — her preparation. In Esther 2:9, notice the two-fold process that made up her preparation: (1) “he speedily gave her;” and (2) “with such things as belonged to her.”
The preparation of the Bride of Messiah is a co-operation between the Holy Spirit, and the Bride.
The bride prepared herself before she went to the king..
Esther 2:12-13
12 Each girl had her turn to appear before King Achashverosh after she had undergone the full twelve-month preparation period prescribed for the women, consisting of a six-month treatment with oil of myrrh and six months with perfumes and other cosmetics for women. 13 Then, when the girl went to see the king, whatever she wanted would be given to her as she went from the harem’s house to the king’s palace.
From the New Covenant:
Matthew 25:1-13
- 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 those 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.
In the above parable, five Virgins were called wise, and 5 were called foolish. There are two groups — a wise group and a foolish group. What were the two groups based on?
We see in verse 10, “They that were ready” went in with him to the marriage. In verse 11 we see the “Other Virgins” who came afterwards, but they could not enter in.
The first thing we notice is that the five
Wise Virgins had
wisdom. The five Foolish Virgins, however, lacked Wisdom.
Furthermore, the Ten Virgins were divided into two groups, based on being “Ready.” Those Virgins that had
Wisdom had prepared themselves ahead of time, and they were
Ready to go in with the Bridegroom, when He arrived.
Those that lacked Wisdom, however, had not prepared themselves. They were not yet Ready.
Notice that the five Wise Virgins were “Ready” before going in with the Bridegroom to the marriage.
Conclusion
We are led to conclude that the reason the Foolish Virgins were not allowed to enter in when the Bridegroom came, is because they were NOT YET READY.
The Foolish Virgins were perhaps unaware that they were not ready. They had been Born-again, but had not personally sought the Bridegroom in the Scriptures, nor had they sought those things of Wisdom necessary for their preparation, that the Bridegroom gives to all liberally, to all who ask Him
James 1:5
5 Now if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives to all generously and without reproach; and it will be given to him.
