5. What made a distinction among those composing the ten virgins, and what happened during the bridegroom’s delay?

⁵ The illustration that Jesus gave of the ten virgins has to do with “the kingdom of the heavens,” the world government for the blessing of all mankind. So Jesus Christ went on to say: “The kingdom of the heavens will become like ten virgins that took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were discreet. For the foolish took their lamps but took no oil with them, whereas the discreet took oil in their receptacles with their lamps. While the bridegroom was delaying, they all nodded and went to sleep.”​—Matthew 25:1-5.

7. During what period did it seem that the Bridegroom had delayed his coming for the bride, and why?

⁷ The uniting of the prospective members of the bride class to their heavenly Bridegroom in marriage did not take place, as had been expected, at the close of “the appointed times of the nations” in 1914. (Luke 21:24) Logically, to them it appeared as if the Bridegroom had delayed his coming, although his presence in his heavenly Kingdom did take place in 1914. Those mournful years of World War I proved to be like a pitch-black night in the experience of the virgins class.

8. (a) How was it that, figuratively speaking, a nodding and going to sleep on the part of the virgins occurred? (b) For what purpose had the Bridegroom come to the temple, and why did this concern the bride class?

⁸ Figuratively speaking, a nodding and going to sleep on the part of the virgins occurred. The public preaching of the good news of Christ’s coming reign of a thousand years for the blessing of all mankind practically ceased. From the final year of World War I, a crucial period of judgment set in for those figurative virgins. This was because the reigning King Jesus Christ had come to the spiritual temple. On his arrival there, he started judgment proceedings in order to clean up those appointed to render temple service to Jehovah God. (Malachi 3:1-3) This was the time for his manifestation when, as the heavenly Bridegroom, he was due to receive to himself in heaven the approved members of the bride class who were then already dead.