Keep Watch

Now, brothers, about times and dates we do not need to write to you. (1 Thessalonians 5:1, NIV 1984).

“No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.” (Matthew 24:36, NIV 1984).

For you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. (1 Thessalonians 5:2, NIV 1984).

“Therefore, keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come. But understand this: If the owner of the house had known at what time of night the thief was coming, he would have kept watch and would not have let his house be broken into. So, you also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.” (Matthew 24:42–44, NIV 1984).

While people are saying, “Peace and safety,” destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. (1 Thessalonians 5:3, NIV 1984).

“You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains.” (Matthew 24:5–8, NIV 1984).

But you, brothers, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief. You are all sons of the light and sons of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness. So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be alert and self-controlled. (1 Thessalonians 5:4–6, NIV 1984).

“Therefore, keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.” (Matthew 25:13, NIV 1984).

My Musings – We’ve been given the signs to watch for, but no “watch” to tell us the day or the hour. But the elect will know “when [they] see all these things, [they] know that it is near, right at the door. I tell you the truth, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened.” (Matthew 24:33–34, NIV 1984). As if to say, once the signs begin, that generation will witness all the signs. Then the end will come.

Scoffers will say, “there’s always been wars and rumors or war.” So, “where is this ‘coming’ he promised? Ever since our fathers died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation.” (2 Peter 3:4, NIV 1984). So, just “As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man.” (Matthew 24:36–39, NIV 1984).

My Advice – To the elect, “come, you who are blessed by [the] Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.” (Matthew 25:34, NIV 1984). It’s worth keeping watch for.

To the scoffers, “Depart from [Him], you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.” (Matthew 25:41, NIV 1984). This is not something you want to be unprepared for. Seek Him, while He may be found. For, “in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet,” (1 Corinthians 15:51–52, NIV 1984), it will be too late. So, since we do not know the day or the hour, but that it will be when we least expect it, now is the time to prepare.