"And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was shut" (Matt. 25.10).

v.10 The fifth part of the parable deals with the separation. “And while they went away to buy”—Oil these foolish ones must have; but while they go away to buy, the Lord arrives; and only those who are ready go in with Him to the marriage feast. Hence the whole problem is whether one is ready. Yet they do not cease to be virgins because they are not ready; for many are true Christians, but few are ready ones.

“Went in with him to the marriage feast” (see also Rev. 19.7,9). The bride is the New Jerusalem, which includes all who are chosen to be united with God—both those of the Old Testament time and of the New Testament dispensation. The bride mentioned in Revelation 19 emerges before the millennial kingdom, whereas the bride spoken of in Revelation 21 appears after the kingdom. There is thus a gap of a thousand years. Since one becomes a bride but once, it is evident that the marriage feast extends over a period of a thousand years.

“Marriage feast”—This means to be with the bridegroom and to rejoice together. Such joy is very special, and therefore Revelation 19 says how “blessed are they that are bidden to the marriage supper of the Lamb” (v.9). The “blessed” mentioned in Revelation 20.6, though, has relationship to the matter of reigning and appears to be the same supping and reigning as is described in Revelation 3.20-21. Altogether, there are seven times in Revelation when the word “blessed” is proclaimed.

Why does Matthew 25 not speak of the bride? For the simple reason that the bride is corporate, whereas the virgins here in the parable are seen as individuals. The bride cannot be viewed as five and five. [The number of the Church is 7 as in the 7 church periods in Rev. 2&3, whereas 5 speaks of personal responsibility, consecrating oneself, righteousnesses of the saints, and overcomers in the Church].

“And the door was shut”—It is the door of the kingdom, the entrance into the joy of feasting with the bridegroom.