THE TEN VIRGINS

In Noah’s day, the Ark was constructed to save those who trusted the Lord for salvation. If John or Ralph or Mary or Suzzy had repented, God surely would have invited them aboard. But God’s offer of salvation had an expiration date. The offer stood until the day God closed the door (Genesis 7:16). After that, drowning, death, and destruction were inevitable.

Jesus told the Parable of the Ten Virgins to teach this truth.

Ten young ladies were invited to a wedding feast, so they each picked up their lamps and went out to greet the groom as he arrived. Five of the young ladies were wisely prepared to await his coming. Their lamps were burning brightly when he arrived.

The other five were fooling and unprepared. Before the groom arrived, their lamps burned out. When they went to town to purchase more oil for their lamps, the groom arrived inviting the first five to join the party. When the foolish ones arrived, they found the door closed and locked tight.

“ ‘Master, master, open up for us!’ He replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I don’t know you!’ Therefore be alert, because you don’t know either the day or the hour” (Matthew 25:12-13).

The door of God’s saving grace is open… until it’s not.

“… think on these things” (Philippians 4:8, KJV).