REFLECTION: “Behold, the Bridegroom!”
Being ready for Christ’s Coming…..
There is no doubt in my mind that the return of the Lord Jesus Christ is very near. For those who will take time to investigate, the evidence is there. The difficulty, of course, is that many are not prepared to look at what is happening in the world today, or to heed the messages being given. This problem is not new, for our Lord identified it in the parable which He taught at the beginning of Matthew 25. Ten individuals knew that the bridegroom was going to return, but five were unprepared. They “slumbered and slept” when they should have been awake and aware of his imminent return. The parable has always challenged listeners, but with mounting evidence of the imminence of His return the parable is all the more significant.
In Ephesians 5 the Lord Jesus is presented as the Bridegroom, and His Church is seen as the Bride. It is helpful to know something about the background to an eastern wedding in order to understand exactly what was taking place. The wedding had been arranged by the fathers of both bridegroom and bride. After the betrothal, the bridegroom left the bride and returned to his father’s house to make arrangements for the wedding which would take place about a year later. The bridegroom’s father determined the time, but the bride had some idea when this might be without knowing the exact date. We can see how this applies to us today. Our glorious Bridegroom has gone to His Father’s house but has left a promise that He will return. The Father has determined the time; we only know that our Bridegroom is coming – but not the date. It is incumbent upon us to be ready.
THE DIFFERENCE
In the Lord’s parable five of the bridesmaids were wise and five were foolish. The difference lay in the supply of oil the girls possessed. Each one had a lamp, but only five were equipped with sufficient oil. The lamp speaks to us of profession, while the supply of oil speaks of possession. Many folk have a profession and even an awareness that Christ will return, but they do not know the Lord personally. That is clear from the parable’s conclusion where the bridegroom had to declare, “I know you not” (v.12). The oil speaks to us of the Holy Spirit who brings about new birth and indwells the true children of God. He supplies the power for effective testimony which is seen in the shining of the lamp. Notice too that the wedding call was issued in the night. For this reason having burning lamps with an adequate supply of oil was vital.
In many respects this is the midnight hour. Our Lord warned in the previous chapter that “because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold” (Matt.24:12). Believers with a genuine concern for the welfare of others have been seeking for some time to draw people’s attention to the abounding iniquity all around and to the wicked schemes of evil men and women who are following a satanic agenda. In this increasingly dark and oppressive atmosphere we need to be listening for our Bridegroom. He is coming, and those who belong to Him will “meet Him” (v.6) when they are “caught up” to be for ever with the Lord. His return may be sooner than we think. Therefore let us “comfort one another with these words” (1 Thess.4:17,18)!
Jesus is coming! The promise is true;
Who are the chosen, the faithful, the few,
Waiting and watching, prepared for review?
Jesus is coming again!
Jesus is coming, is coming again!
Jesus is coming again!
Oh, shout the glad tidings o’er mountain and plain!
Jesus is coming again!
- D. W. Whittle