For the Son of man is as a man taking a far journey, who left his house, and gave authority to his servants, and to every man his work, and commanded the porter to watch. Watch ye therefore: for ye know not when the master of the house cometh, at even, or at midnight, or at the cockcrowing, or in the morning: Lest coming suddenly he find you sleeping. And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch (Mark 13:34-37).
When Christ first came to earth, His arrival caused little stir. Yes, there were prophecies and signs which led some to ponder and suspect, but on the whole, the birth of the Nazarene carpenter’s son went unnoticed by the world at large. As He grew to adulthood and began His earthly ministry, the concentric circles of His influence grew steadily wider, but He was still a relative unknown outside of Judah and Samaria. Even among those familiar with Jesus, the man, few had any fundamental understanding of His complete identity.
Jesus accomplished all He set out to do during His first coming. I have glorified Thee on the earth: I have finished the work which Thou gavest Me to do (John 17:4). He fulfilled the law of sacrifice (Matt. 5:17) and opened the path to salvation (John 11:25-26). He conquered death (II Tim. 1:10) and broke the bonds of sin; He destroyed the barrier and bridged the gap between God and man (I Tim. 2:5). All this was done without fanfare or overpromotion. Jesus spoke God’s truth; He sowed the seeds of the Gospel in the hearts of mankind. He then left it up to us to choose what to do with what we have been given.
When Jesus returns, every soul on earth will know it immediately (Matt. 24:27). And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other (Matt. 29:30-31). There will be no need for signs or portents, no double-checking of prophecies or Scripture. Everyone will know, and our hearts will be suffused with either wonderous joy or terrible despair. Christ has no need of a watchman to proclaim His coming, nor would posting one give us any advance warning of His approach. For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night (I Thess. 5:2).
And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch. Jesus commands us to watch, not the skies or roads for signs of His return, but the workings of our own hearts and minds. He does not want us to listen for His footsteps outside the door so that we might scurry around at the last minute and make our ‘house’ presentable; He asks that we stand guard on ourselves, staying ever vigilant lest we be deceived by the lies of the world. Watch—stand ready and prepared at all times. Watch—focus on the Promises of God and the Word He has provided to guide and support us as we navigate the world. Watch—with open eyes and a steadfast heart; do not be led astray by the worldly notions of compromise and universal acceptance. Watch yourself, and you will not be taken unawares by His return.
Take heed unto thyself, and unto the doctrine; continue in them: for in doing this thou shalt both save thyself, and them that hear thee(I Tim. 4:16).
Thought For Today:All will know when the Lord returns. We spread His word so all will have the opportunity to understand what it means.
Cross Reference:For Mark 12:1: See Is. 5:2. Mark 12:10-11: See Ps. 118:22- 23. Mark 12:19: See Deut. 25:5. Mark 12:26: See Ex. 3:3-6. Mark 12:29: See Deut. 6:4. Mark 12:30: See Deut. 6:5. Mark 12:31: See Lev. 19:18. Mark 12:32: See Deut. 4:35. Mark 12:33: See Deut. 6:5; Hos. 6:6. Mark 12:36: See Ps. 110:1. Mark 13:14: See Dan. 9:27; 11:31; 12:11. Mark 13:24: See Is. 13:10. Mark 13:26: See Dan. 7:13. Mark 13:27: See Deut. 30:4; Zech. 2:6.
Word Studies:12:1 let it out = rented it; 12:17 Render to Caesar = Give to Caesar; 12:34 durst = dared; 12:42 two mites = a farthing (a penny).
Pray For Staff:Kevin Jennings • Government Official: Rep. Young Kim (CA) • Country: El Salvador (6,125,512) Central America • Major Language: Spanish • Religious Freedom • 57.1% Catholic; 21.2% Protestant; 1.9% Jehovah Witness; 0.7% Mormon; 2.3% Other; 16.8% None • Prayer Suggestion: Ask for understanding as you read the Word of God (Ps. 119:73).