Be watchful—Be ready!

A wake-up cry from God

God put a cry in the prophets’ hearts that Israel would wake up and serve the living God instead of gods that were made of wood and stone. This was a cry of love from God, who wanted His special people for Himself. But they did not want to listen, and they did not believe. God did not just want to be a forgiving God; He wanted to have fellowship with Israel in that they would fear and love Him and keep His laws. This is also how He wants to have fellowship with us today.

The false prophets have always lulled the people to sleep and have said, “Peace and safety!”  In so doing, they have driven the people away from God, so they now have a good conscience in their evil deeds!

Today, more than ever before, the call is going out to be awake and ready. The fig tree will soon bear fruit, and Jesus says that when we see it budding, we must lift up our heads and wait for our redemption. In this connection He says, “Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.” See Luke 21:25–36.

Be watchful and be ready at Christ’s return

Love wakes us up, whereas all other voices are deceitful. All of Jesus’ parables and all His words are a call to be watchful and ready. “Two women will be grinding at the mill: one will be taken and the other left. Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming. But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not expect Him.” Matthew 24:41–44.

Our body is to be a house of the Lord where the Holy Spirit dwells and rules. We must be on guard against foreign spirits breaking in and gaining power. Jesus says in John 12:31, “Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out.” Yes, he will be cast out in the Spirit of zeal, never to enter again, because the kingdom of heaven with its Spirit has come in.

The world and the things of this world with their spirits have been cast out. In this exalted state we can be watchful and be ready at Christ’s return. May we not live and dress in such a way that we are cast out of the kingdom of God together with the prince of this world.

Only if the Spirit of Christ dwells in us can we have hope of being raptured at Christ’s return (Romans 8:11).

Time is short

These days, people are lulled to sleep as never before by being told that all those who believe in the atonement will be in Jesus’ bride when He returns. The five foolish virgins doubtless also believed in the atonement. They went out with their lamps to meet the bridegroom and they went out to buy oil, but they were too late. “And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut. Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’ But he answered and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.” Matthew 25:10–13.

Those in the seven churches in Revelation doubtless also believed, but their works were neither perfect nor good. Jesus reads the temperature of the love in our hearts by our works, and in Ephesus He saw by their works that their first love was lacking.

In Revelation 10:5–7 we read about the seventh angel who stood on the sea and on the land, who raised up his right hand to heaven and swore that there would be no more delay. Then the mystery of God—as He declared to His servants the prophets—was finished. The time hereafter is short, and time is our life.

Prophecies about Israel fulfilled

There was no more time for the foolish virgins to be part of the bride. Momentous events have taken place in the space of a few years—events that the prophets saw for our time. The most important event of all is that the Jewish people have come to their country to stay, and that Jerusalem is no longer trampled by Gentiles. Jesus says that summer is near when we see this happening. In Ezekiel 28:23–26 we can see how the Lord will execute judgment on the people around Israel, while Israel will dwell safely in their houses.

God leads both the earthly and the spiritual Israel through tribulations and sufferings to glory. In Isaiah 41 we read how God comforts Israel in their battle and says repeatedly that they have nothing to fear, for He Himself will help them. All those who fight against Israel will be brought to nothing. In Isaiah 54:17 we read that no weapon formed against them will prosper. We have also experienced that.

We have seen more than enough prophecies fulfilled to stay watchful and ready. “‘Let us be glad and rejoice and give Him glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.’ And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.” Revelation 19:7–8.

May we live in such a way that we are always ready, and that it is natural for us to be glad and look forward to meeting our heavenly bridegroom. He will come for those who are waiting for Him. We are not waiting for war and the Antichrist, but for the marriage feast in heaven and for an eternal summer!