X is for the Ten Virgins (Women of the Bible)

X is for the Ten Virgins.

(Like how I used the Roman numeral X which stands for the number ten?!)

Scripture Reference:

Matthew 25:1-13

“At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. ² Five of them were foolish and five were wise. ³ The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. ⁴ The wise ones, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. ⁵ The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep.
⁶ “At midnight the cry rang out: ‘Here’s the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!’
⁷ “Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps. ⁸ The foolish ones said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.’
⁹ “‘No,’ they replied, ‘there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.’
¹⁰ “But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut.
¹¹ “Later the others also came. ‘Lord, Lord,’ they said, ‘open the door for us!’
¹² “But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I don’t know you.’
¹³ “Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.

Names Unknown:

These women are not named in this parable told by Jesus.

Interesting Facts about the Ten Virgins:

• This parable of the Ten Virgins was told by Jesus relating it to what the Kingdom of Heaven will be like at Jesus' return.
• Five of the ten virgins were wise and brought along oil for their lamps while they were waiting for the bridegroom to arrive.
• The other five of the ten virgins were foolish and did not bring oil for their lamps.
• They all became drowsy and fell asleep while waiting for the bridegroom.
• When the bridegroom finally arrived at the wedding banquet, the five wise virgins who had oil for their lamps were ready to enter into the wedding banquet.
• The five foolish virgins had to leave to go get oil for their lamps, and while they were gone the bridegroom arrived and the door to the wedding banquet was shut so that the foolish virgins could not enter.
• The five foolish virgins begged for entrance into the wedding banquet, but they were refused.

What We can Learn from the Ten Virgins:

• Jesus is returning as He promised.
• We do not know the day or the hour when He will return.
• We must be ready for His return at all times.
• Sinners must repent and believe in Jesus now before He returns.
• We, as believers, must shine our lights for Jesus in this dark world and not be lulled to sleep by the allurements of this world.

"William blake ten virgins" by William Blake - http://www.humanitiesweb.org/human.php?s=g&p=c&a=p&ID=667. 

Licensed under Public domain via Wikimedia Commons. 

Thanks so much to Marcy at Ben and Me for hosting this Blogging through the Alphabet challenge! We are almost at the end of the alphabet!

You can find all of my posts in this series on my Women of the Bible page.

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Walking in His Grace, 

Laurie