DeafPostTrib,
Good Morning to you! To start with, this is where I get the idea that the "OIL" in the Virgin's Lamps is the Holy Spirit. I regard their "LAMPS" as their Bibles... the Word of God.. Ps:119:105: "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path." The Ten Virgins all have a Lamp and they all have some oil at least for a time.
Zechariah 4:
1: And the angel that talked with me came again, and waked me, as a man that is wakened out of his sleep,
2: And said unto me, What seest thou? And I said, I have looked, and behold a candlestick all of gold, with a bowl upon the top of it, and his seven lamps thereon, and seven pipes to the seven lamps, which are upon the top thereof:
3: And two olive trees by it, one upon the right side of the bowl, and the other upon the left side thereof.
4: So I answered and spake to the angel that talked with me, saying, What are these, my lord?
5: Then the angel that talked with me answered and said unto me, Knowest thou not what these be? And I said, No, my lord.
6: Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts.
7: Who art thou, O great mountain? before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain: and he shall bring forth the headstone thereof with shoutings, crying, Grace, grace unto it.
8: Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying,
9: The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house; his hands shall also finish it; and thou shalt know that the LORD of hosts hath sent me unto you.
10: For who hath despised the day of small things? for they shall rejoice, and shall see the plummet in the hand of Zerubbabel with those seven; they are the eyes of the LORD, which run to and fro through the whole earth.
11: Then answered I, and said unto him, What are these two olive trees upon the right side of the candlestick and upon the left side thereof?
12: And I answered again, and said unto him, What be these two olive branches which through the two golden pipes empty the golden oil out of themselves?
13: And he answered me and said, Knowest thou not what these be? And I said, No, my lord.
14: Then said he, These are the two anointed ones, that stand by the LORD of the whole earth.
With the thing about the Foolish Virgins at one time having Oil then its gone later and they arent ready.. First of all, Im thinking of the Parable of the Sower now... where Jesus says the Gospel seed is sown and some falls on good ground but some on not so good ground... cares of this world, etc come and snatch it away...
But when they get their the Master says he doesnt KNOW them... Its like they studied the Word of God but in a way not to actually get to know God... not having any real relationship with the Master. Just a theory of the Truth. You can know "the Truth" but just as a mere mental assent. Then when trials come like the parable of the house built on the Rock and the other built on sand... one house washes away in the flood.
Those are my thoughts so far as least. I think maybe that if we dont have the Holy Spirit as a guide when we are READING the Bible, it wont make any real changes in us... the Bible talks about washing us "in the Word" by the "regeneration of the Holy Ghost" (Im thinking now about those who "washed their robes") Its the Spirit that enlightens us as we read the Word of God and then sends the truth home to the heart to make it a part of us.
Ti:3:5: Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost
1Cor:6:11: And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.
Eph:5:26: That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word
These things I just said about the Holy Spirit and THE WORD (their Lamps) and being washed by the Word THROUGH the Spirit (THE OIL) is whats making the difference between the Wise and the Foolish Virgins, I believe.... at least so far thats how I see it.
But see, with the Parable of the Sower, they HAD the "enlightenment" of the Gospel, they "believed" the Bible says... they started out right. The Holy Spirit showed them the truth... but they didnt really develop a RELATIONSHIP with the Master. He ends up telling them He doesnt even KNOW them. Thus the Foolish Virgins start out with their Oil but at the end, like such as during trials... they show they dont have any ENDURING relationship with the Master. If you read back in the Revelation verse it says some wash their robes and it talks about going through tribulation.
The whole thing is they are all supposed to be "Lighting the Way" for everyone else for the coming of the Bridegroom, the second coming of Christ. Some are lighting the way and others arent. If you dont know God yourself how can you tell anyone else about Him?
"Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee." Isa. 60:1.
"Behold," says the Scripture, "the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people; but the Lord shall arise upon thee, and His glory shall be seen upon thee." Isa. 60:2.
This was the work He commissioned His disciples to do. "Ye are the light of the world," He said. "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." Matt. 5:14, 16.
The whole world is lying in darkness about the character of God. There is misapprehension about Him. People dont KNOW God and it is our job to light the way for the second coming of Christ.
Christ does not tell His followers strive to shine. He says, LET your light shine. If you have received the grace of God, the light is in you. We have to remove the obstructions, the sins, the cares of this world, and then the Lord's glory will be revealed. The light will shine forth to penetrate and dispel the darkness about God. You cannot help shining within the range of your influence to those all around you.
But no man can give to others that which he himself has not received. In the work of God, human beings can "originate" nothing. None of us can, by his own effort make himself a light bearer for God. [Zechariah 4:6] "Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts"
It was the golden oil emptied by the heavenly messengers into the golden tubes, to be conducted from the golden bowl into the lamps of the sanctuary, that produced a continuous bright and shining light. It is the love of God continually transferred to man that enables him to impart light. Into the hearts of all who are united to God by faith the golden oil of love flows freely, to shine out again in good works, in real, heartfelt service for God.
Mt:5:16: Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.