"What is the Oil"

When one thinks of the parable of the Ten Virgins* – five who were wise and five who were not the main item they were missing was the oil. They each had lamps and all were in working order. And within the parable almost anyone alive at the time could easily understand the need for oil in a lamp – and also knowing what it meant to trim one’s lamp at the coming of the bride groom. All ten took their lamps – five had oil and five had not! The way it reads is that – five took no oil with them – did this mean they left it behind – mostly it refers that they didn’t have it when they needed it. I’ve often felt about this might be a Temple Recommend – and I’ve also tried to relate it to other things as they relate to our day. However even a Temple Recommend if one has one and forgets it – can through proper authority have it confirmed prior to entering the Temple and they would still be able to enter. Thus my quandary was the oil – and finally in my thinking I related it to water! Water is a term used in many parables within the teachings of the Savior. First without water one cannot live in a mortal body. Water is a fluid item and one can easily see a relationship to the oil of the Old and New Testaments and Book of Mormon. In those days it was a clear substance which could burn when in a controlled environment of a lamp or a vessel. Not all lamps had wicks – but simply were in a hollowed metal dish and the oil itself was lit – but this cannot be what the Savior was referring to as to be able to trim – one has to be able to control the flow of the oil or the size of the flame. Second water is necessary to the strength of an individual – on short rations we know that one’s strength is not as good as when on full rations and water being the most important of the rations. When referring to the oil the Savior was referring to refined oil or oil outside of its original form within either the scale or any other source. Impure water will be harmful to a person who partakes of it – so one can gather this cannot be just any water – but pure water – unspotted from the world.

Thus today we need to have water – one can buy it at a store – get it from a well – or a stream, river, pond or lake. One can even get water from an ocean - but cannot live on ocean water in a mortal form without massive distillation and purification. This might also be said of some of the other sources of water mentioned on our list. If one contaminates the drinking water of a town, village, city or a nation – then one will only have the water supply they’ve already set aside. One must recognize even some of that water set aside will only be potable water good for washing, cooking, rinsing but not for drinking. The body without water cannot live in mortality! You might have some – even hoard some – but without using and drinking it you will die!

In the parable one recognizes without the oil – even new purchased oil – the Lord or bridegroom knew not the five unwise virgins – one could think of this as a deathbed sentence. Called before the bar of justice – some who’d lived the commandments – kept themselves unspotted from the world – and had sufficient oil for light to go unto the bridegroom or the Lord – were found acceptable and welcomed. While those who’d lived the commandments – kept themselves unspotted from the world – but did not have sufficient light were turned back into the night. This presentation is much too short to go into all of the ramifications – but to keep it short and concise – the five unwise virgins did not have an inner light within their soul and not sufficient water to keep their mortal body alive and therefore their souls departed the dead body when being called to the bridegroom. Their lamps were empty! Many of the parables found in the scriptures readily discuss those who call unto some or many in the Lord’s name in the end are unknown to Him – why because even though they lived to the rules of men they did not live to the Commandments of God!

It is through obedience that we maintain food storage and a sufficient supply of fresh drinking water. Yes over time we rotate and replace this water – we may with the invention of new methods have ways to purify water to make its shelve life longer – but we first have to be obedient in all things – even the small things – not seen unto the world or of men – but only within our own homes. The oil in this thinking then relates well to the water in our food and home storage – it’s needful – necessary and we’ve been spoken to by a Prophet of God to have it! (Actually many Prophets of God have told us to do this and to do it now!)


“What is the Oil?”

cji
11/01/08

Clear and ever pure
virgin one might say
understood and sure
none able to delay;

Water in our storage
clean and ever pure
no longer able to forage
understood and sure;

Our life’s blood need
our souls to refresh
commandments to heed
within our mortal flesh!

Copyright © 2008 – cji

*Matthew 25: Jesus gives the parables of the ten virgins, the talents, and the sheep and the goats.
1 aThen shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten bvirgins, which took their clamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom.
2 And five of them were wise, and five were foolish.
3 They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them:
4 But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps.
5 While the bridegroom tarried, they all aslumbered and bslept.
6 And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the abridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.
7 Then all those virgins arose, and trimmed their alamps.
8 And the foolish said unto the wise, Give us of your oil; for our lamps aare gone out.
9 But the wise answered, saying, Not so; lest there be not enough for us and you: but go ye rather to them that sell, and buy for yourselves.
10 And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were aready went in with him to the marriage: and the door was bshut.
11 Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.
12 But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I aknow you not.
13 aWatch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.