DAY 45 - The First Watch
“Blessed are those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them. And if he shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find them so, blessed are those servants. And this know, that if the goodman of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched, and not suffered his house to be broken through. Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not.” (Luke 12:37-40)
The same reasoning that lead yesterday’s “evil servant” to conclude that Jesus had delayed His coming may also be the root of the issue here.
Pretribulationists believe that unless they expect the Lord to come at any moment, before any signs of events to come, then they are not properly watching.
This is the ever-present “first watch” in which we live, before any prophesied events, such as the “Abomination of Desolation”, occur.
If this is the only watch in which we expect the Lord to return, what will happen when such events occur first?
What if “he shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch?”
Why would a pretribulational “first watch” believer still expect Him to show up?
That would go against their eschatology.
If this is accurate, then the very thing that they think is most appropriate for them to be doing (constantly watching for an any-moment “first watch” return of Jesus) is the very same thing that will lead to their spiritual downfall, when He doesn’t appear until later.
Based on what we learned from the “Olivet Discourse” passages, the instruction to “watch” in those verses cannot mean to continually watch for an any-moment return of Christ.
We are to be watching for the signs that show us His return is getting near.
Just as a gardener does not go watch for fruit to appear early in the spring, but first watches the leaves, buds, and flowers appear before he ever starts looking for fruit, so must we be on this issue.
The return of Christ will come within a certain period of time, and if we are watchful for the signs of His coming, then we will know when His coming is close (“if the goodman of the house had known what hour the thief would come”.)
It is an unfortunate lack of reasoning that leads to the following argument, but since the argument has been raised, I will briefly expose the folly of it.
I have heard pretribulationists claim that believing in an imminent return of Jesus is great inspiration for holy living and faithful service; after all, you could meet Him at any moment if He suddenly comes back!
Unfortunately, this logic is flawed.
Since all of mankind has chosen to sin and is appointed to death, we all understand that our death is imminent.
Though we may not always like to think of it, our death could happen at any moment.
All of humanity understands this.
Therefore, believers understand this as well, and are fully convinced that they could meet the Lord at any moment through death.
If we realize that there is a 100% chance we could be in the presence of the Lord at any given second through our death, how much more could this reality be increased if the rapture was imminent?
This is already 100% true, so there is no room for increasing that reality.
I would compare it to explaining to someone that they could be shot at any moment and, therefore, they should be ready for death.
If the person then realizes that they could have a heart attack too, does this change the fact that they could die at any moment?
Point: Watching for Christ’s coming in the “first watch” could prove disastrous if He shows up in the second or third watch.
2+2=4
Thanks, @narrowminded
In case you missed them,
Introduction
Back Cover
1 : The Foundation
2 : The Tribulation
BONUS : A Biblical, New Testament Understanding of Tribulation
3 : The Seventieth Week of Daniel
4 : Not Appointed to Wrath
5 : Wrath vs. Tribulation
6 : The Day of the Lord
7 : The Lord Alone
8 : The Exaltation of the Antichrist
9 : Promises
10 : The Presupposition
11 : 2 Thessalonians 2:1-4
12 : The Revealing of the Antichrist
13 : Same Day - 1
14 : Same Day -2
15 : Hand in Hand
16 : Overtake You as a Thief
17 : Another Thief
18 : Not Knowing the Day or Hour - 1
19 : Not Knowing the Day or Hour - 2
20 : Not Knowing the Day or Hour - 3
21 : Ignorance
22 : "Olivet Discourse": Armageddon or Rapture? -1
23 : "Olivet Discourse": Armageddon or Rapture? -2
24 : For My Name's Sake -1
25 : For My Name's Sake -2
26 : Enduring to the End
27 : The Righteous and the Wicked
28 : Dark Sun and Blood Moon - 1
29 : Dark Sun and Blood Moon - 2
30 : Dark Sun and Blood Moon - 3
31 : "Seal Judgments"
32 : The Fifth Seal
33 : Timing - 1
34 : Timing - 2
35 : Timing - 3
36 : Two Witnesses - 1
37 : Two Witnesses - 2
38 : Two Witnesses - 3
39 : Two Witnesses - 4
40 : Two Witnesses - 5
41 : Imminent - 1
42 : Imminent - 2
43 : Reasons Why
44 : The Cause of the Falling Away