s Christ, who have
personal knowledge of Christ and are sealed with the Spirit; they have
the unction of the Holy One, who is represented by the oil. The
foolish are such who have the form of godliness and deny the power
thereof. They represent such who have taken the outward profession but
lack the reality. As they never truly trusted in Christ they have not
the oil, the Holy Spirit. The objection has been made that the foolish
virgins can hardly represent unsaved persons, because they are called
virgins and went out to meet the Bridegroom. In their profession they
were virgins, and in profession they had gone out to meet the
Bridegroom. Another objection is raised. Did they not later say "Give
us of your oil, for our lamps are gone out?" Then they must have had
some oil, else how could they say that their lamps were gone out?
There is no proof at all in this that they had a certain supply of oil.
It is distinctly said that they only took lamps, but they did not take
oil. They may have made an attempt to light the wick of their lamps
only to see that they did not give light and went out. No, they never
possessed the oil, just as the great mass of professing Christians in
our days have lamps, an outward form, but no reality. Christ was never
accepted and therefore the Holy Spirit and His power is lacking. A
fearful condition it is! Alas, the thousands and hundreds of thousands
who are in that condition to-day!

2. A second stage historically is seen in the fifth verse. "While the
Bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept." Both the foolish
and the wise grew heavy, became drowsy and then slept. This has been
interpreted in different ways. However, the meaning of it is not hard
to discover. The Bridegroom tarried and they no longer expected Him.
As the centuries went on the professing church gave up the blessed Hope
and ceased looking for the Lord. This is an historic fact. The Coming
of the Bridegroom was forgotten and all, the most earnest believers as
well as the mere professing ones slept, and for long centuries nothing
was heard of the Bridegroom and His Coming. Darkness and confusion
prevailed in dispensational truths; the writings extending over
hundreds of years witness to this fact. Of the end of the world, a
universal judgment day, and the Day of wrath something was heard
occasionally, but the blessed Hope as it was known in the beginning was
completely forgotten. Nothing is heard