Deep Darkness and the Oilless Lamp

The Sapphire Review Vol. 3 | No. 11 • April 3, 2026

And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps are gone out.

Matthew 25:8, KJV

INTRO

One night recently, the power went out at my house right as I was settling into bed to read. Rather than letting the event cut my plans short, I got up and used a flashlight to start up an oil lamp that I keep on hand for unexpected situations just like this.

As I filled the lamp with oil, my thoughts were drawn to the parable that Jesus gave in Matthew 25 about the ten virgins and their lamps. As with the recent destruction of my shed, it seemed as though the Lord had arranged to give me living object lesson pertaining to another one of His parables.

So, I had the lamp, but it would have been utterly useless if I did not have oil. Before the lamp was lit, I stumbled through my house. With no ambient lights anywhere (due to the power being out), the darkness was thick, and I couldn’t even see my hand in front of my face. This paralleled the experience of the five foolish virgins in the parable, for they had no oil and their lamps had gone out when the cry for the bridegroom came.

DEFINITIONS

If you’ve read some of my other posts, you will know that I try to establish Biblical definitions, when possible, as a firm foundation to build upon.

Here are our definitions for Matthew 25:

• Woman - Church, God’s people.¹

• Virgin - Pure church, which either has or at least thinks that it has pure Biblical doctrines, which are free from the wine of Babylon as well as the doctrines and traditions of men.²

• Lamp - Representative of the Bible,³ which is the source of all true Christian doctrine.⁴

• Oil - Holy Spirit.⁵

PARABLE OF THE TEN VIRGINS

Here again we see Jesus contrasting two classes of Christians. At the end of this parable, and at the end of this age, one class will be accepted into heaven while the other class will be turned away. We know that this is speaking of professed believers in Jesus Christ and not unbelievers, for they are all pure women and are all waiting for the bridegroom (Christ) to come. This part couldn’t be clearer.

The above is an important point to remember, as modern Christianity has diverged from Biblical doctrine in many ways and has exalted a false, cheap, understanding of grace in that it teaches no actual surrender or fruitful evidence of a genuine conversion before proclaiming someone as eternally saved and ensuring that their conscience remains hardened and fast asleep. It is possible that, in modern Americanized Christianity, more people have been placed on the road to destruction by this false doctrine of grace than any other.

At the beginning of the parable, the virgins were all the same, or at least they all appeared to be, because they all had lamps and all ten of those lamps were burning. Had the bridegroom not tarried until midnight, they would all have been part of the procession into the wedding and the true character of the five foolish would not have been outwardly seen. But He did tarry, resulting in something terrifying happening to five of the virgins. Their lamps went out and they had no more oil through which to revive it.

They had oil in the beginning, but now it was gone. Their supply was exhausted and in a state of great desperation, their lack was manifested. One might say that they had “quenched” the spirit. They had doctrines, they had a form of godliness,⁶ and at one point they had a work of the Holy Spirit. Then, they quenched it. No longer having the power to accompany the form, they had only darkness, deep darkness to look forward to.

Paul, in his first letter to Thessalonica, writes to “quench not the Spirit:”

“Quench not the Spirit. Despise not prophesyings.” (1 Thessalonians 5:19–20, KJV)

Thus, the Spirit can be quenched. It can depart from a person (or a church). If this happens, as we see in the Matthew 25 parable, the end result is not good.

APPLICATION

A church, or a member, can have all the right doctrines and be an undefiled virgin in that sense, yet still be on the broad road to destruction because they have quenched the Spirit. Knowledge without a change of character is worthless in the heavenly system.

It is the grace of God, carried out by the work of the Holy Spirit, which brings about the conversion of the soul, causes good fruit to come forth, and transforms the character into Christlikeness.⁷

A new relationship with Christ necessitates a new relationship with sin, the world, and worldly pursuits. If a new relationship with Christ has been heralded but one’s relationship with sin, the world, and worldly pursuits remains the same, then no true relationship with Christ has been established. It is impossible for the Spirit of Christ to enter into a person and their lives not be transformed. Feelings and emotions wear off, but a transformation of character by the power of the Most High endures through every tempest.

Consider the fruits of the Spirit:⁸ love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance. We should be increasing in these throughout our lifetime, for our heavenly Father prunes those that bear fruit that they may bear more.⁹

If there is no oil, there is no Spirit. If there is no Spirit, there will be no good fruit. If there is no good fruit, there is no character transformation into Christlikeness.¹⁰

This is serious business. We should examine ourselves to see if we are in the faith and walking according to Biblical principles, for our adversary prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking to devour.¹¹

“Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?” (2 Corinthians 13:5, KJV)

WEEDS AND THORNS

Just as ground without water needs no effort to produce weeds and thorns, so also that heart that is void of the Holy Spirit needs no effort to produce the same. And what are these thorns, spiritually speaking? Jesus says they are the cares, riches, and pleasures of this life.¹²

Those who seek these things first will bring forth no fruit to perfection. If they have ever had the Spirit work in their heart, they will have now quenched it. They will have no oil for a time of tarrying. They will not receive heaven nor eternal life in the end. Later on, in the same chapter, Jesus describes the alternative outcome:

“And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” (Matthew 25:30, KJV)

LAST GENERATION (NO RAPTURE)

We also learn from this parable that, for the last generation living on Earth when Christ returns, He will tarry. This tarrying allows circumstances to be so shaken and stirred upon the earth that it will be seen who has oil and who does not. It is only by the oil of the Spirit of Christ that men will be able to endure, with lamps burning, through the trials that are fast coming upon the earth.

There will be no rapture out ahead of the trials. This unbiblical teaching took off in the early 1900s and has been cleverly refined ever since. It stands as yet another effort by Satan to lull Christians to sleep, so they will be utterly unprepared for what is really coming. God promises His children protection during this time while tens of thousands are falling around them:

“Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; Nor for the arrow that flieth by day; Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; Nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday. A thousand shall fall at thy side, And ten thousand at thy right hand; But it shall not come nigh thee. Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold And see the reward of the wicked. Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, Even the most High, thy habitation;” (Psalm 91:5–9, KJV 1900)

If there were a secret rapture ahead of the seven last plagues of Revelation, it would be as though the bridegroom came when all ten virgins still had a lamp burning, or at least when it was day.

Alternatively, it would be as though five virgins were taken initially, and perhaps two or three more were retrieved later.

No, the bridegroom comes at the darkness of midnight, when the world is in woe. In this time, His servants, who are preparing now, will continue to shine forth the character and steadfastness of Christ, while the unprepared are being overwhelmed by the enormity of their lack. By the time they realize they have no oil, it will be too late. Twice, in Revelation 16, during the time of the seven last plagues, we read that men do not repent. It is a time of judgement not of revival. As Noah was protected during the flood, God’s people will be protected during the judgements of the seven last plagues.

When He comes, He comes only once, and there are only two classes of Christians, not three as there would need to be with pre-tribulation and mid-tribulation rapture theology.

CLOSING

Brother, sister, friend, do not take these matters lightly. Do you love the world and the things of the world? The Bible says the love of the Father is not in you.

“Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.” (1 John 2:15–17, KJV)

Are you growing in Christlikeness and bearing fruit unto the glory of the Father,¹³ or is that fruit being choked out by your focus on work, money, property, sports, movies, TV, entertainment, gluttony, alcohol, pornography, or any other self-gratifying care and pleasure of the world?

If so, do not delay! Today, if you hear His voice, as a prick or conviction through this message, harden not your heart.¹⁴ Jesus will turn away no person¹⁵ who comes to Him in full repentance, letting go of their worldly pleasures and pursuits, so that they can take up their own cross and follow Him¹⁶ who has bestowed upon them the great riches of His love.¹⁷

The best that the world has to offer pales in comparison to winning Christ, being found in Him,¹⁸ and receiving a life of eternal glory in the midst of His kingdom and presence.

Do not delay! Do not delay! Seek Him now. Troublesome times are ahead of us. Secure your house before the storm lands. The early winds are beginning to be felt. Do not dismiss them.

“And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.” (Matthew 7:27, KJV)

May Christ keep us all until the end.¹⁹

God Bless,
Charles

SCRIPTURE INDEX

1. Jer 6:2; 2 Cor 11:2; Eph 5:23-27

2. Rev 14:4

3. Psa 119:105

4. 2 Tim 3:16

5. Zec 4:2-6, 11-14

6. 2 Tim 3:5

7. Titus 2:11-12

8. Gal 5:22-23

9. Jn 15:2

10. Rom 12:2, 8:29; 2 Cor 3:18; 1 Jn 3:2

11. 1 Pet 5:8

12. Lk 8:14

13. Jn 15:8

14. Heb 3:15

15. Jn 6:37

16. Mt 16:24

17. Jn 3:16; Eph 2:4-5

18. Phil 3:8-9

19. 1 Cor 1:8; Jud 1:24