DAY 47 - The End-Time Call to Sobriety
Though we cannot get around what Matthew 24:48-49 says, “that evil servant shall say… My lord delayeth his coming; And shall begin to… drink with the drunken”, if this was the only occurrence of such a message, we could conclude that God certainly did not put as much of an emphasis on this as I do.
However, as I am about to show, this is a clear and repeated message as it specifically relates to the end-times.
“Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober. For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night. But let us, who are of the day, be sober…” (1 Thessalonians 5:6-8a)
This passage clearly contains two exhortations to be sober.
Drunkenness is even specifically mentioned between these exhortations.
This passage appears between the teaching of “the day of the Lord” coming “as a thief in the night” (1 Thessalonians 5:2) and the well-known “For God hath not appointed us to wrath” (1 Thessalonians 5:9).
Without a doubt, this repeated command of sobriety is in an end-time context.
It is also worth noting that the first mention instructs “let us watch and be sober”.
The “evil servant” gives up watching because his “lord delayeth his coming” and begins to “drink with the drunken”.
The time that we most need to be watching is when the temptation of strong drink for the pretribulationists will be strongest.
“Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ:” (1 Peter 1:13)
The word translated as “sober” here means “clear-headed” or “self-controlled”, and no specific mention of drunkenness is contained in this verse.
However, being self-controlled and clear-headed is contrary to drunkenness.
If Noah had been self-controlled he would have not passed out naked, and if Lot would have been clear-headed he would have never gotten his own daughters pregnant; but, these men were drunk.
This specific appeal is made pointing to the “revelation of Jesus Christ”, when He returns for us.
“But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.” (1 Peter 4:7)
The word translated as “sober” here means “to be in a right state of mind” or “to be self-controlled”; much like the Greek word in the last passage, though a different word is used here.
Again, if we are “under the influence” of strong drink, we are not in our “right state of mind.”
Interestingly, the same Greek word translated as “sober” in the previously mentioned verse (1 Peter 1:13) is translated as “watch” in this verse.
Technically then, because “the end of all things is at hand” we are twice exhorted to be sober and in our right mind.
The strength of this message should be obvious since this one short verse mentions it twice.
Since the conclusion that Jesus had not shown up on time was what caused the “evil servant” to turn on his fellow-servants and begin to eat and drink with the drunken, I do not think it is strange that we are so often warned not to be deceived and to carefully pay attention.
Point #1: We are repeatedly warned to stay under control and keep our heads as the last days approach, and as we enter them.
Point #2: We must therefore remain sober.
Point #3: We must also be willing to suffer as we wait.
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
45 : The First Watch
46 : Drunkeness