Devotional Guide, Today’s Reading Sunday, July 14, 2019

Theme: SOME PARABLES OF OUR LORD AND SAVIOUR JESUS CHRIST

Text: “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.

Comment: The need for circumspection, watchfulness and being fortified with the truth all the time as we run the race of life is further buttressed in the parable of the ten virgins as taught by Christ.  See  Luke 21:36.

The narrative is drawn from ancient Jewish wedding custom in which the bridegroom and his friends escorted the bride from her home to the house of the bridegroom.  Along the way, friends of the bride would wait to join them.  On arrival at his house, they would all go in for the wedding.  These weddings usually took place in the evenings. This explains why those waiting for the couple usually came along with lamps.  The entire account is recorded in Matthew 25:1-13.

The “Bridegroom” by interpretation is Jesus Christ.  The “bride” collectively refers to His apostles and the “lamp” represents God’s word, the truth. (Revelation 21:9; 22:17; Psalm 119:105; Proverbs 6:23)  In the course of running the race of salvation, we should avoid sin, carelessness and various distractions that would prevent us from being spiritually alert and unprepared for the kingdom. (Luke 21:34; 1 John 2:15-17) Since no one knows precisely when in this age God would vent His justified anger on the earth, Christ exhorts “Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.” – Luke 21:36.

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