"KEEP ON THE WATCH"

Illustrating The Need To Be Watchful

In emphasizing the need to be watchful, Jesus compared his disciples to slaves awaiting their master's return from his marriage. They knew that he would return on a certain night-but at what hour? During the first watch of the night? The second? The third? They did not know Jesus said: "If [the master] arrives in the second watch, even if in the third, and finds them thus [watchful], happy are they!" (Luke 12:35-38) Just imagine, every flickering shadow would surely heighten their expectation: 'Could this be our master?'

What if the master arrived during the second watch of the night, which extended from about nine o'clock till midnight? Would all the slaves, including those who had worked hard since early morning, be poised to greet him, or would some be asleep? what if the master returned during the third watch of the night-the period from midnight till about three in the morning? Would some of the slaves have become discouraged, even disgruntled at their master's seeming delay?" Only those who were found watching when the master arrived would be pronounced happy. To them the words of Proverbs 13:12 would certainly apply: "Expectation postponed is making the heart sick, but the thing desired is a tree of life when it does come."

During the period of seeming delay, what would help Jesus' followers to keep on the watch? While in the garden of Gethsemane shortly before his arrest, Jesus told three of his apostles: "Keep on the watch and pray continually, that you may not enter into temptation." (Matthew 26:41) Years later, Peter, who was present on that occasion, gave similar counsel to fellow Christians. He wrote: "The end of all things has drawn close. Be sound in mind, therefore, and be vigilant with a view to prayers. ( 1 Peter 4:7) Clearly, fervent prayer should be a part of our Christian routine. Indeed, we continually need to beg Jehovah to help us keep on the watch. - Romans 12:12; 1 Thessalonians 5:17.

Note that Peter also said: "The end of all things has drawn close." How close? There is no way for humans to pinpoint the exact day and hour. (Matthew 24:36) But there is a difference between indulging in speculation, which the Bible does not encourage, and keeping in expectation of the end, which it does encourage. (Compare 2 Timothy 4:3, 4; Titus 3:9) What is one way that we can keep in expectation of the end? It is by paying close attention to the evidence that the end is near. Let us therefore, review six lines of evidence proving that we are living in the last days of this ungodly world.

Next time: Six Convincing Lines Of Evidence

Watchtower, 2000