Matthew 25:1-13 Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened to ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.… I suppose every hour of the day and night there are souls going into eternity unprepared. Oh, what excitement it must be about the death-bed, crying out for a lamp, and for the oil, and for the light; throwing; hands out, throwing them up, throwing them around, until the nurse asks, "What do you want, water?" He says, shaking his head: "No." "Bathing of the temples?" He shakes his head: "No." What does he want? Oh, he cannot get his light burning. He must start; he is started; he comes up to the gate of heaven; he knocks; he cries: "Let me in!" He is not admitted. He says: "I want to see the bridegroom." The voices within say: "You can't see the bridegroom; he is busy with the guests now." Says the man: "I must come in; my children are in there. I must come in." A voice within says: "You refused the grace that would have brought you where they are." "But," says the man, "I must come in; all my friends and kindred are in. Hark! now! hear the sound of their voices, and the bounding of their feet. Let me in." And a voice from within says: "You are too late!" It says to one man: "You are twenty years too late;" to another, "you are over five years too late;" to another, "you are a month too late;" to another, "you are a minute too late; " and the mob of destroyed ones outside the door take up the chorus, and cry: "Too late!" And the hot wind of the desert sighs: "Too late!" and the bell in the tower of eternal midnight tolls and tolls: "Too late! too late!" And the torches of the silly virgins begin to flicker and hiss in the storm, and one by one they go out, until in the suffocating darkness they cry: "Our lamps have gone out!" And they go wandering through eternity, ages after ages, feeling out for the light, for comfort, for peace, for hope, but finding none, and crying: "Our lamps have gone out!" and then, turning in another direction, and wandering on, age after age, age after age, feeling for hope, and comfort, and light, and Heaven, but finding none, and crying: "Our lamps have gone out!" (Dr. Talmage.) Parallel Verses KJV: Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. |
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