... in which the Son of Man is
coming (Matthew 25:13). At the end of last day's post I quoted ““The
Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness,
but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish
but that all should come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:8,9). It is easy
to grow cold about the soon coming of the King of Kings. His
second advent, and this morning and yesterdays readings have
put this back on the map for me. As an aside we cannot be sure we are
taking in the whole council of God (Acts 20:27) if we don't read the
whole of the Scriptures, and even then! This morning's quote comes at
the end of the parable of the ten virgins (which as another aside the
Scripture expects the unmarried to be virgins, to which we need
to recommit (even when, or especially when, we have utterly failed –
see 1 John 1:9). Part of what stands out to me in the parable, is
that all ten virgins looked alike from the outside. Jesus comment to
the Pharisees comes to mind “You clean the outside of the cup ....”
(Matthew 23:25). What was missing was the oil for their lamps.
The oil of course, speaks of
Holy Spirit who, Jesus told us would not come unless He want away. He
further told us that this was better for us (John 16:7). Part of this
is that the Holy Spirit would dwell inside our lamps. When He comes,
we become the temple of Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 16:9), and we
cannot be the light of the World without His indwelling presence. It
is not about character, or purity or influence or success, be it
inside , or outside the church. If we do not have the indwelling Holy
Spirit, which is also the Spirit of Jesus, we are none of His (1 John
5:12). And as the parable clearly shows, if we don't have "oil"
on that day when He comes for His saints, He will disown us saying I
never knew you (verse 12).
In the context of the 2 Peter
passage, Peter answers of those who ask “Where is the promise
of His coming? For since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue
as they were from the beginning of creation.” He explains that
willingly ignorant (verses 4, 5). Both Peter and Jesus reference the
flood “For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and
drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah
entered the ark" (Matthew 24:38). In other words it all seemed
so normal and unchangeable. But as with the parable,
there is coming a time when it will be too late (25:10). And the
admonition to us, is to watch (verse 13). And Peter asks seeing as
how the heavens and the earth will be burnt up with fervent heat,
“What manner of what manner of persons ought you to be in holy
conduct and godliness” (3:10, 11).
Lord Jesus, Your admonition to watch,
is not to watch passively, but to watch and pray lest we enter into
temptation, and to work while it is still day. Indeed the spirit is
willing, but the flesh is weak, and we do not know the hour of Your
appearing (Mark 13:33; 14::John 9:4). Since these things are so, help
us Lord not to loose our passion and our zeal for You. We ask these
things, in Your precious Name Amen
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