What the Bible says about Preparation, Spiritual
(From Forerunner Commentary)

Genesis 28:16-18

The Hebrew word translated as "oil," shemen (Strong's #8081), literally means "fat" or "grease," but figuratively, it means "richness," an important idea to keep in mind. The word is also translated as "fruitful." Hence, oil symbolizes wealth, abundance, health, energy, and a vital ingredient for a good life.

Anciently, oil's primary use was for food. Olive oil, a high-quality fat, gives the body more energy than carbohydrates do, and at the same time, it has fewer byproducts when metabolized. The people of the Mediterranean have known for millennia that natural fats are good for us, and the fat in olive oil is especially beneficial. While we might think of oil as just some cooking grease, the people of the Middle East held a far different view.

As we know from the Parable of the Ten Virgins (Matthew 25:1-13), citizens of the ancient Mediterranean world also filled their lamps with oil. It not only burns as fuel in the body, but also as fuel for fire. It was also used as medicine, as the Parable of the Good Samaritan reveals. In the dry, desert regions, olive oil protected and nourished the skin and scalp. One early writer, Pliny, says it could even be used to protect the body against the cold at night. As we learn from Leviticus and Deuteronomy, God commanded oil to be used in the consecration of sacred people and things, in addition to its use as an ingredient in some of the offerings.

For the people of the time, then, olive oil was almost like liquid gold. In fact, oil sometimes functioned as a kind of currency. When properly made and stored, it will keep for years and thus hold its value. Biblically, abundant oil is a sign of prosperity (Deuteronomy 32:13; 33:24; II Kings 18:32; Job 29:6; Joel 2:19, 24), and running out of oil is indicative of famine and hard times (Joel 1:10; Haggai 1:11). In the Proverbs, excessive use of oil signifies wastefulness (Proverbs 21:17), while saving oil is characteristic of a wise man (Proverbs 21:20). While we no longer attach such value to oil, we need to understand its importance to life for those in the Bible.

When we consider all the uses of oil and the value it adds to life, we can understand why it symbolizes richness, fruitfulness, abundance, and vitality. We can also grasp why it played such an integral part in the consecration of things like Jacob's pillar, representing the richness, fruitfulness, and abundance of God being poured out. While the indwelling of the Holy Spirit will certainly produce abundance and fruitfulness (see Galatians 5:22-23), it is more accurate to say that oil and the Holy Spirit are often parallel, but not exclusively so. As the example of Israel shows, God frequently provides abundance without imparting His Spirit.

When God revealed Himself to Jacob at Bethel in the dream, Jacob was a lying, cheating, supplanting scoundrel fleeing for his life. After his dream and God's words to him, however, he was a man with a future. A tremendous change had taken place in his life, even though God had not yet given him His Spirit. God made promises concerning his descendants and his safety. He promised not to leave him, which is abundance indeed!

A transformation begins to occur in Jacob as a result of God initiating a relationship with him. Jacob begins to taste true abundance through this experience with God, the source of everything oil represents. In one sense, His visitation of Jacob was similar to the man pouring fine, expensive oil on a dumb rock: It set something apart with abundance that was ordinarily common and unremarkable.

Going back to the Parable of the Ten Virgins, the Holy Spirit is certainly an aspect of what the five wise virgins possessed, but now we can see that there is more to the symbol. The ones who were wise had a reserve of God's spiritual richness, fruitfulness, and abundance, which would include the Holy Spirit but not be limited to it. They had these things because they had an active, growing relationship with Him. The foolish virgins had a measure of those things, but they were foolish because they did not have enough. They did not take the time to prepare and ensure that they had everything they needed to last through the times of darkness.

David C. Grabbe
Do You Have Enough Oil? (Part Two)

Matthew 25:1-13

A cry awakens them all at midnight, but it leaves them no time for preparation—it announces the Bridegroom's presence and commands them to meet Him. At that point, there is no opportunity to get things into shape quickly—to grow hurriedly, overcome, develop a relationship with the Father and the Son, and take on their character image. The period of preparation has ended; the time that has been prepared for has come. The Bridegroom tells those who had not made advance spiritual preparations, "I do not know you." They lose out on the opportunity that God had given to them because they would not watch themselves—not make the necessary preparations.

David C. Grabbe
'As a Thief in the Night'

Mark 13:32-37

In this parable, it is even more apparent that the Master intends for the servants to be watchful—diligent, alert, taking heed to themselves—in their work and authority rather than for His return. Twice, He says that no one knows the timing of His return—not even Himself! Here, He tells us that we do not know the "day and hour," but after His resurrection He expands this unknown variable to "times or seasons" (Acts 1:6-7).

So, even though we might be able to have a rough idea when that time draws near (see Matthew 24:32-33; Luke 21:29-31), in general, it is secret and indeterminable. Our time, then, is best spent focusing on our responsibilities before God rather than being caught up in the details of how it might unfold. These things are unknowable, but even if one could correctly anticipate them, it would all be for naught if the individual is not spiritually prepared for Jesus Christ's return (see also Matthew 24:42-44).

David C. Grabbe
'As a Thief in the Night'

Romans 8:30

This glorification has not happened yet, but as far as God is concerned, it is a done deal. It is evident from His Word what His will is. We alone hold in our hands the power to stop God in this purpose, and it consists in His willingness to give us free moral agency. We choose what we will do with our life.

His will is that we be conformed to the image of His Son. His will is that we be glorified. His will is that we allow Him to prepare us to do a job, to do a work in the Kingdom of God, and to reign under and with Jesus Christ as kings and priests. It is His will to take us through any difficulty to attain the salvation that He offers us.

John W. Ritenbaugh
Don't Be a Prudent Agnostic

Revelation 19:9

It will be one of eternity's supreme blessings to be called to this Marriage Supper. But who are these blessed ones? Who will be called to the Marriage Supper of the Lamb? Who will be there?

Of course, God the Father and Jesus Christ will be there. They will be doing the inviting—the calling. God's angels, archangels, twenty-four elders, and four living creatures will all be there. And it cannot be a wedding without a bride—the Bride of Christ will be there, collectively made up of the resurrected and changed members of God's true church from throughout the generations.

But who will not be there? The church members who make up the five foolish virgins will not be there, because they will have not adequately prepared (Matthew 25:1-13). Satan and his demons will not be there. They will have been banned from even visiting heaven, as they had been able to do before (Revelation 12:8).

Staff
The Marriage of the Lamb


 

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