In the popular Hide-and-Seek game, the most familiar refrain is, “Ready or not, Here I come.” At this point, there is no more time for the players to hide. Spiritually, there will be no more time to prepare when Jesus returns; therefore, we must get ready for his return.

This was the lesson for Wednesday Night Bible Study at First Timothy Baptist Church on April 3^. The lesson focused on (1) the profile of the virgins, (2) the failure of the foolish and (3) the arrival of the bridegroom. Utilizing the book, Beyond the Sunday Sermon, the following provides the message from Dr. Ronald Holmes on People get ready! Jesus is Coming.

Dr. Holmes said that ten virgin women were invited to meet the bridegroom (Matthew 25:1). Five of the women were wise, and five of them were foolish (Matthew 25: 2). The five women who “were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them;” but the women who were “wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps” (Matthew 25: 3-4). According to the Sunday Sermon, the oil represents a picture of the holy spirit. Five women were filled with the holy spirit; and five were not. This distinguished the difference between the women.

In point two, Dr. Holmes said that foolishness will fail people in life; but God wants us to be fruitful, multiply and replenish the earth (Genesis 1:28); and be the salt of the earth (Matthew 5:13). As recorded in Matthew 25:6, all ten virgin women had an opportunity to meet Jesus, they arose and prepared their lamps (Matthew 25:7). However, the foolish women did not have any oil for their lamps; so they asked the wise women for some of their oil (Matthew 25:8). At that point, they were not ready to meet the bridegroom relying on somebody else’s blessing. In fact, the wise women told them to go and buy some oil for themselves (Matthew 25:9).

For point three, Dr. Holmes said that when Jesus tells us he is coming, he is coming. In fact, he is coming like a thief in the night (1 Thessalonians 5:2). His promises are yes and amen (2 Corinthians 1:20). For example, this story reveals that while the foolish women were gone to buy oil, the bridegroom came. Those women who were ready went with him into the wedding and the door was shut (Matthew 25:10). The foolish women pleaded to the Lord to open the door, but it was too late to see the bridegroom (Mathew 25:11-12). The Lord reminds us in Matthew 25:13 to be ready when he returns. He says, “Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.” Therefore, People Get Ready! Jesus is Coming. We can’t rely on somebody else’s salvation, faith and christianity to be ready for Jesus when he comes again. Rather, we must “put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil” (Ephesians 6:11).

Wednesday’s bible study lesson on April 17 at 7:00p.m. – 8:00p.m. is, “Asleep in the Light: Wake Up Everybody” from the book, Beyond the Sunday Sermon. ”The book can be purchased online from Amazon.com. To virtually attend the bible study go to the First Timothy Baptist Church’s website, YouTube or Facebook.

Dr. Ronald Holmes is the author of 27 books and publisher of “The Holmes Education Post,” an education focused Internet newspaper. His books for children cover topics on the coronavirus, solar system, flowers, careers and school bullying.  His books for adults focus on religion, relationships, hazing, workplace bullying, bipolar disorders, issues in education and completing the dissertation.