In the Book of Matthew 25, Jesus compared His return to Earth with a description of ten virgins, five wise and five foolish, who were waiting for a bridegroom to arrive for his bride.  Jesus said that while the bridegroom delayed, the virgins slept.  Five of them were foolish and did not place oil in their lamps, and five were wise, having filled their lamps with oil in preparation for the wedding.  It is difficult to grasp the full context of what Jesus said, unless you understand Jewish wedding traditions.  When a Jewish man became engaged to a woman, they lived separately until the groom could prepare a home for the couple.  Typically, the father of the groom would build a home for his son and future daughter and when the house was ready, he gave the son permission to fetch his bride.  In the meantime, it was customary for the bride to select ten virgin friends to help her prepare for her wedding day until the groom arrived.  No one knew when the groom would come for her and he could show up at any time.  He often surprised the bride at night, so the virgins kept their lamps filled with oil in order to help escort the happy couple back to his father's house, where the wedding would take place.  It is important to note that the marriage feast traditionally lasted seven days.  The people of Jesus's day understood very well the engagement/marriage customs and what He was talking about when he told the parable of the ten virgins.  Paul also spoke of a husband and wife relationship in his letter to the Church at Ephesus, when he said, "This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the Church" Ephesians 5:32.  Throughout the Bible, the Church is often referred to as the "bride of Christ."  It is interesting to note that Jewish wedding feasts generally last seven days, because the Bible also tells us that the great tribulation period in the latter days will last seven years (Daniel 9:27), which is also referred to in the Bible as "one week."  There are a number of different views on just when the rapture (catching up of the Church) will take place, which is referred to in I Thessalonians 4:17.  Some people believe this will happen at the beginning of the tribulation period, others believe it will happen during the middle of the tribulation, and then some believe it will happen at the end of the seven-year tribulation period described throughout the Book of Revelation.  I believe the Lord could have alluded to the timeframe when He would rapture the Church, as He compared His return to a bridegroom's sudden appearance for his bride.  The scriptures tell us also that there will be a "marriage supper" in heaven after the Church is taken to heaven (Revelation 19:9).  Wouldn't it seem plausible that Christ would receive His bride (the Church), attend to the marriage supper in heaven during the seven-year tribulation period, which also seems to correspond to a wedding feast, which lasts one week?  Bear in mind that God's wrath is poured out upon the Earth during the tribulation period (Revelation 6:16-17), yet the scriptures tell us that the children of God are not appointed unto His wrath (I Thessalonians 1:10, 5:9; Romans 5:9), which is reserved only for the wicked.  If much of what I a referring to sounds foreign to you, I encourage you to study the Bible for yourself.  The Word of God tells us all about eternal heavenly things, as well as those things not so heavenly.  Since we only live a short while on this earth and then we enter eternity, don't you believe that it is of utmost importance to learn about eternity and what we are about to face forever after this life?  The Bible says, "Lay up treasures in heaven where moth and rust do not destroy" Matthew 6:20.  The implication is that only what we invest in eternity will last; everything else we invest in here will be destroyed.  Luke 12:37 says, "Blessed are those servants whom the Lord shall find watching when He comes:  He will come forth and serve them."  Of the ten virgins Jesus described, five were waiting and ready, but five became tragically distracted and were not allowed to enter in to the marriage supper.  Are you ready and watching for the Lord's return; will He find you prepared to leave?