Lessons from the Ten Virgins – What is the OIL They Speak Of (Matthew 25:1–13)

Posted November 4, 2025 | End Times Watch | River Wilde

Jesus’ parable of the ten virgins is one of the most sobering and beautiful lessons in all of Scripture. It paints a vivid picture of a group of people—all waiting for the same bridegroom, all expecting the same joyous event—yet only half are truly prepared when the moment comes.

“Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.” — Matthew 25:1, KJV

The Wise and the Foolish

Five were wise, and five were foolish. The wise virgins carried not only lamps but also extra oil, symbolizing readiness, faithfulness, and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. The foolish virgins had lamps too, but no oil—no sustaining relationship with the Lord, no inner light burning when darkness fell.

They all slumbered and slept, but when the cry came—“Behold, the Bridegroom cometh!”—only the prepared could rise and follow. The rest were left scrambling, trying to borrow what cannot be borrowed: spiritual readiness.

The Oil of the Spirit

Throughout Scripture, oil represents the Holy Spirit—His anointing, guidance, and sustaining presence. The wise kept their lamps trimmed and burning because they walked daily with God, allowing His Spirit to fill and renew them. The foolish, however, depended on outward appearances. They may have had religion, but not relationship; ritual, but not revival. Can you see this in your own relationships with others?

In the same way, many today carry the lamp of outward faith but neglect the inner oil of spiritual life. Church attendance, titles, or good works cannot replace a living connection with Jesus Christ. When the Bridegroom calls, no one can share their oil—it must already be within us.

Living Like the Wise

The message of this parable is not meant to frighten but to awaken. We are called to live in constant readiness—not panic, but peace born from the Spirit’s presence.

To “keep oil in your lamp” means:

• Daily communion with God through prayer and His Word.
• Obedience to the promptings of the Holy Spirit.
• Faithfulness in both small and great things.
• Repentance that keeps our hearts pure and humble.

The wise virgins were ready before the midnight cry. They didn’t wait until the last moment to seek the oil—they lived filled with it.

The Midnight Cry

The Bridegroom’s coming represents the return of Jesus Christ. The midnight cry is echoing louder than ever across our world today. Prophetic signs are unfolding, and the lamps of many are flickering. The question Jesus poses to each of us is deeply personal:

“Are you ready?”

Let us be among the wise—those who walk daily with the Spirit, whose hearts are full of oil, and whose lamps shine brightly through the darkness until the Bridegroom appears.

“Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.” — Matthew 25:13, KJV

This parable reaches far beyond the words that are written to describe it, for this is the wisdom through which Christ taught. Take a moment to contemplate His teaching. Is the oil in your lamp “adequate?” Notice that the parable states that the wise had “extra” oil. To me, this indicates that these wise virgins did not question if “their relationship with Jesus Christ was enough, for they had extra.”

As YOU consider your relationship with the Savior, is it “enough?” If your mind immediately went to your works, I invite you to redirect your thinking, for it is not about physical works.

1. Belonging to Christ is the Key

“If any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.” — Romans 8:9

The dividing line isn’t about how “good” someone is — it’s about whether they belong to Christ. The rapture is for those who are His. The Holy Spirit dwelling within a believer is the evidence of that relationship.

You can know you are His when the Spirit bears witness with your spirit that you are a child of God (Romans 8:16). This is a quiet inner assurance, not pride or presumption — it’s peace in your heart that you have been forgiven and accepted by Him.

2. Salvation Is Through Faith Alone

“For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God.” — Ephesians 2:8

You are not included in the rapture because of your worthiness, church membership, or performance. It is faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross — His death, burial, and resurrection — that makes you ready.

If you have placed your trust in Him, turned from sin, and received His gift of salvation, then your name is written in the Lamb’s Book of Life (Revelation 21:27).

3. A Changed Heart Shows the Spirit Lives Within

“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” — 2 Corinthians 5:17

True relationship with Jesus changes us from the inside out. We begin to love righteousness, feel sorrow over sin, and desire closeness with Him. The oil in the parable of the ten virgins (Matthew 25:1–13) symbolizes this inner life of the Spirit — a heart filled with His presence and light.

4. Watching and Waiting Faithfully

“Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.” — Matthew 25:13

Those who are ready for the rapture are the ones who watch and wait — not in fear, but in faith. Their lamps are burning, their lives are surrendered, and their hope is in Christ alone.

The wise virgins weren’t perfect — but they were prepared. They valued the oil (the Spirit) and guarded it carefully.

5. You Can Know You’re Ready

“These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life.” — 1 John 5:13

God wants you to know you are saved — not wonder, not fear, but rest in His promise. If you believe in Jesus Christ, walk with Him in truth, and are filled with His Spirit, you are ready.

Knowing that you have this kind of relationship is realizing that you have “Extra Oil” as indicated in this parable. Extra gives us reassurance of our preparation. Can you feel this? Does this satisfy the curiosity that you might have in wondering if you are ready or not?

If there is still some doubt that you have regarding your preparation, take your worry to God in prayer, and LISTEN to His promptings. Spirituality is obtained in our hearts and minds through the spirit of God.

The time of His return draws near. In addition to all that we have learned through the prophetic writings of the bible, there is another witness of His coming. What is YOUR spirit telling you?

Can YOU even Imagine? Take a moment and bask in His spirit by clicking on the link below.