By Bill Fiess
Many examples show how failing to obey a general’s command led to ultimate defeat.
In 1968, American troops in Vietnam were ordered to search for Viet Cong insurgents in the village of My Lai. However, some soldiers misinterpreted the command and engaged in a brutal massacre of unarmed civilians, including women, children, and elderly people. The failure to follow the original command led to one of the darkest moments in U.S. military history.
I recently read an article sent out to many people by Logos Bible Software. It was written by a Reformed theologian and entitled “1 Thessalonians 4 and the Truth about the Secret Rapture.” This author’s aim was seeking to persuade people that it is ridiculous to believe that Jesus Christ could come at any moment to rapture believers on earth. He used many Scriptures to prove this. However, I noted that he did not mention the word watch, which Jesus Christ used eight times in speaking of His Second Advent.i
For example: “Watch, therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming” (Matt 24:42).
The word translated watch is the Greek word gregoreō, which Jesus used here in the imperative form [a command]. This is the forgotten commandment. Many Evangelicals are not watching for the Lord’s soon return. Some even write articles telling us that we should not watch for His soon return.
Another example is found at the end of the Bible: “Behold, I am coming as a thief. Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame” (Rev 16:15).
I am a mathematics teacher at a community college. If my boss gave me a command, I would obey it. Why should I not obey my ultimate Boss, my Master, Jesus Christ, the Lord of the universe?
Why Is This So Crucial?
Even during the first century, believers forgot Jesus’ clear command to watch for His coming. They said, “Where is the promise of His coming?” (cf. 2 Pet 3:1-6). Some might call this forgetfulness, but it is actually disobedience. For one thing, Jesus wants me to know that His Advent is imminent [could occur at any moment] and that I should be ready for it right now:
“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 you do not expect” (Matt 24:43–44).
For example, if I knew my boss could come into my classroom at any time for an evaluation, I would prepare for his appearance. How much more should this be true of my appearance before Jesus at the Judgment Seat of Christ? Jesus said, “And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work” (Rev 22:12).
If I am not watching for Christ’s return, my evaluation at the Judgment Seat stands in jeopardy. For one thing, this evaluation will determine whether I rule with Jesus Christ in His eternal kingdom: “But hold fast what you have till I come. And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations” (Rev 2:25–26).
And Jesus offers a great reward to those watching for His return. He says, “Blessed are those servants whom the master, when he comes, will find watching” (Luke 12:37).
The Consequences of Forgetting
The concept of forgetting God’s commands is also found in the OT. For example, we read, “Take heed to yourselves, lest you forget the covenant of the LORD your God which He made with you and make for yourselves a carved image in the form of anything which the LORD your God has commanded you” (Deut 4:23).
The consequences of forgetting God’s commands can be very great. For example, the nation of Israel, very early in its history, turned to the worship of idols, and in 586 BC was dispersed throughout the nations of the world. For over 2,500 years, the Dispersion has not been completely reversed.
Jesus Christ, after commanding His disciples to watch for His coming (Matt 24:42-44) gave a short parable about the danger of forgetting (Matt 24:45-51). When Jesus returns and finds a good and faithful servant, “He will make him ruler over all His goods” (Matt 24:47). But if the Master comes and finds an evil servant who has not expected His return and has mistreated his fellow servants, the Master will “appoint him his inheritance with the hypocrites” (Matt 24:51). That is, he will not be allowed to inherit Christ’s Kingdom (i.e., they won’t be allowed to rule with Christ). This bad conduct began with the believer’s thinking, “My master is delaying his coming” (Matt 24:48).
As soon as I stop watching for Jesus’ imminent return, my conduct will deteriorate, and I will be in danger of not ruling with Christ.
Not long ago, something happened that I won’t soon forget. I was talking on the phone with a friend from South Carolina, and said, “Let’s have a brief word of prayer.” Then I prayed, and he prayed. In his prayer he said, “Lord, please come quickly! I am waiting for Your soon return!” That really surprised me because although I am around Christians almost all the time, I almost never hear anyone speak about the return of Christ. It impressed me that this person was preparing for the return of Christ.
What about you, believer? Do you, like the Apostle Paul, love His appearing? “Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing” (2 Tim 4:8).
Are you, like the Apostle John, waiting for His return? “He who testifies to these things says, ‘Surely I am coming quickly.’ Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus!” (Rev 22:20).
Will you miss out on many eternal blessings because you have failed to watch for His coming?ii,iii
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Bill Fiess teaches mathematics at Southwest Virginia Community College
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i I use the word advent to refer to both aspects of Jesus’ coming—the Rapture and the return of Christ to the earth to bring in the Millennium.
ii As a brief aside, Jesus Christ prophesied prior to His Transfiguration that one generation of believers will not “taste death” because of His Advent [Matt 16:28]. This statement had a dual fulfillment: Peter, James, and John seeing Jesus as He would appear in His Kingdom (Matt 17:1-8) and believers (perhaps us) not tasting death when He returns (2 Pet 1:16-19; 1 Thess 4:13-18).
iii It is very possible that the sin of “leaving your first love” in Rev 2:4-5 was to no longer be watching for the return of Christ (cf. 2 Tim 4:8-10).
