the land of Israel , saying , The days are prolonged , and every vision faileth ? Tell them therefore , Thus saith the Lord God . . . . The days are at hand , and the effect of every vision . . . . I will speak , and the word that I shall speak shall come to pass ; it shall be no more prolonged ." " They of the house of Israel say , The vision that he seeth is for many days to come , and he prophesieth of the times that are far off . Therefore say unto them , Thus saith the Lord God ; There shall none of My words be prolonged any more , but the word which I have spoken shall be done ." Ezekiel 12:21-25 , 27 , 28 .
The waiting ones rejoiced , believing that He who knows the end from the beginning had looked down through the ages and , foreseeing their disappointment , had given them words of courage and hope . Had it not been for such portions of Scripture , admonishing them to wait with patience and to hold fast their confidence in God ' s word , their faith would have failed in that trying hour . The parable of the ten virgins of Matthew 25 also illustrates the experience of the Adventist people . In Matthew 24 , in answer to the question of His disciples concerning the sign of His coming and of the end of the world , Christ had pointed out some of the most important events in the history of the world and of the church from His first to His second advent ; namely , the destruction of Jerusalem , the great tribulation of the church under the pagan and papal persecutions , the darkening of the sun and moon , and the falling of the stars . After this He spoke of His coming in His kingdom , and related the parable describing the two classes of servants who look for His appearing . Chapter 25 opens with the words : " Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins ." Here is brought to view the church living in the last days , the same that is pointed out in the close of chapter 24 . In this parable their experience is illustrated by the incidents of an Eastern marriage .
" Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins , which took their lamps , and went forth to meet the bridegroom . And five of them were wise , and five were foolish . They that were foolish took their lamps , and took no oil with them : but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps . While the bridegroom tarried , they all slumbered and slept . And at midnight there was a cry made , Behold , the bridegroom cometh ; go ye out to meet him ."
The coming of Christ , as announced by the first angel ' s message , was understood to be represented by the coming of the bridegroom . The widespread reformation under the proclamation of His soon coming , answered to the going forth of the virgins . In this parable , as in that of Matthew 24 , two classes are represented . All had taken their lamps , the Bible , and by its light had gone forth to meet the Bridegroom . But while " they that were foolish took their lamps , and took no oil with them ," " the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps . The latter class had received the grace of God , the regenerating , enlightening power of the Holy
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