THE OIL
Most Christians realize that oil is a symbol of the Spirit of God. We need to see that the Spirit of God is simply God Himself. In his book, The Spirit of Christ, p. 134, Andrew Murray says: "In the Father we have the unseen God, the Author of all. In the Son God revealed, made manifest, and brought nigh; He is the Form of God. In the Spirit of God we have the indwelling God: the Power of God dwelling in human body and working in it what the Father and Son have for us...what the Father has purposed and the Son has procured, can be appropriated and take effect in the members of Christ who are still here in the flesh, only through the continual intervention and active operation of the Holy Spirit."* This realization is correct. The Spirit of God is simply God applied to us. When God is applied to us, He is the Spirit. The Spirit of God is simply God reaching us, God applied to us. The oil signifies God Himself in an all-inclusive way applied to us. When we called on the name of the Lord Jesus, He came into our spirit as such an oil, the all-inclusive Spirit of God. At that time our spirit was enlightened and now it is burning. However, the Lord is still waiting for an opportunity to spread into our vessel—our mind, emotion, and will.
BUYING THE OIL
For the Lord to get into our spirit is easy. It is a free gift. We simply repent, call on Him, and He comes in. But there is a price to pay for Him to enter our inward parts. We must buy the oil. To have the Triune God as the all-inclusive oil spreading into our inward parts requires that we pay a price. He spreads within us at a cost. We must pay the price. Without paying the cost it is impossible for the indwelling Christ who is in our spirit to spread Himself into our mind, emotion, and will. Although we have the oil in our spirit, we must pay the price to have the extra portion of oil in our soul. If we will buy the oil now, we will have oil in our vessels when the Lord returns. Then we will be those wise virgins who are ready to go in to the marriage feast of the Lamb.
BEARING THE RESPONSIBILITY
Why are the ten virgins divided into two groups of five? The meaning of five is marvelous. Our ten fingers are divided into two groups of five, and five is composed of four plus one. The number four, as we have already seen, represents the creatures including man. The number one represents the unique God, the Creator. Therefore, four plus one signifies man, the creature, plus God. Four plus one also signifies responsibility. Four fingers plus one thumb means that we must bear responsibility. Although it is truly marvelous to have God added to us, we must realize that man plus God equals responsibility. This means that both the wise virgins and the foolish virgins must bear responsibility. Whether you are wise or foolish is your responsibility. You are responsible to be a wise virgin and to prepare an extra portion of oil in your vessel.
Because the Bridegroom tarried, all the virgins slept. Even Paul and John are included here. Because the Lord Jesus has delayed His return, most of the saints who were mature, saturated, and filled with the Triune God have died. The Lord has tarried because many are not yet ready. This means that the harvest still is not ripe. The Lord has been waiting for the ripening of the harvest.
(The Kingdom, Chapter 17, by Witness Lee)
