"ten virgins and rapture"
http://www.fivedoves.com/letters/apr2004/paulw415-1.htm
I agree with this author. I have been sensing the same thing in my spirit in recent months. Otherwise, why would we be admonished to 1) pray that we are worthy, and 2) commanded repeatedly to "Watch" for His coming?
Further, this past weekend when I was rereading the gospel accounts of the crucifixion, ....again that word "watch" stood out to me. Jesus was in the garden of Gethsemane, and He was asking Peter and John to pray AND "watch" with Him. Now what did He mean by "watch" in that context? Is it the ordinary meaning of watching for His enemies to come take Him away? Or is there another meaning that we are missing? Here is a word study:
Hab 2:1 I will stand upon my watch, and set me upon the tower, and will watch to see what he will say unto me, and what I shall answer when I am reproved.
Mat 14:25 And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea.
Mat 24:42 Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.
Mat 24:43 But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up.
Mat 25:13 Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.
Mat 26:38 Then saith he unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death: tarry ye here, and watch with me.
Mat 26:40 And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour?
Mat 26:41 Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed [is] willing, but the flesh [is] weak.
Mat 27:65 Pilate said unto them, Ye have a watch: go your way, make [it] as sure as ye can.
Mat 27:66 So they went, and made the sepulchre sure, sealing the stone, and setting a watch.
Mat 28:11 Now when they were going, behold, some of the watch came into the city, and shewed unto the chief priests all the things that were done.
Mar 6:48 And he saw them toiling in rowing; for the wind was contrary unto them: and about the fourth watch of the night he cometh unto them, walking upon the sea, and would have passed by them.
Mar 13:33 Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is.
Mar 13:34 [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.
Mar 13:35 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:
Mar 13:37 And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.
Mar 14:34 And saith unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful unto death: tarry ye here, and watch.
Mar 14:37 And he cometh, and findeth them sleeping, and saith unto Peter, Simon, sleepest thou? couldest not thou watch one hour?
Mar 14:38 Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. The spirit truly [is] ready, but the flesh [is] weak.
Luk 2:8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.
Luk 12:38 And if he shall come in the second watch, or come in the third watch, and find [them] so, blessed are those servants.
Luk 21:36 Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man.
Act 20:31 Therefore watch, and remember, that by the space of three years I ceased not to warn every one night and day with tears.
1Cr 16:13 Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong.
Col 4:2 Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving;
1Th 5:6 Therefore let us not sleep, as [do] others; but let us watch and be sober.
2Ti 4:5 But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.
Hbr 13:17 Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that [is] unprofitable for you.
1Pe 4:7 But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer.
Rev 3:3 Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee. (But if we DO watch, then we SHALL know what hour He will come upon us?)
Luk 21:28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh. ('Look up' is similar in meaning.)
Well, in reviewing all these passages, I see no other meaning other than the traditional one: to watch (see definition below). We are commanded (not suggested) to Watch. There must be a reason for it.
Main Entry: [1]watch
Pronunciation: 'wäch, 'woch
Function: verb
Etymology: Middle English wacchen, from Old English wæccan —more at WAKE
Date: before 12th century
intransitive senses
1 a : to keep vigil as a devotional exercise b : to be awake during the night
2 a : to be attentive or vigilant b : to keep guard
3 a : to keep someone or something under close observation b : to observe as a spectator <the country watched as stocks fell sharply>
4 : to be expectant : WAIT <watch for the signal>
transitive senses
1 : to keep under guard
2 a : to observe closely in order to check on action or change <being watched by the police> b : to look at : OBSERVE <sat and watched the crowd> c : to look on at <watch television> <watch a ball game>
3 a : to take care of : TENDb : to be careful of <watches his diet>
4 : to be on the alert for : BIDE <watched her opportunity>
- watch it : look out : be careful <watch it when you handle the glassware>
- watch one's step : to proceed with extreme care : act or talk warily
- watch over : to have charge of : SUPERINTEND© 2001 by Merriam-Webster, Incorporated
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The above word study caused me to do some further research on the following passage in particular.....as if to say that watching was the opposite of slumbering. But does Paul mean "sleep" in the ordinary sense? This time, I think not. Its a spiritual sleepiness he refers to. And this is what we are to be on guard for and diligent against:
1Th 5:6 Therefore let us not sleep, as [do] others; but let us watch and be sober.
This passage refers to spiritual sleepiness, which is described as follows:
Rom 11:8 According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear;
Isa 56:10 His watchmen [are] blind: they are all ignorant, they [are] all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber.
Deu 29:4 Yet the LORD hath not given you an heart to perceive, and eyes to see, and ears to hear, unto this day.
Eze 12:2 Son of man, thou dwellest in the midst of a rebellious house, which have eyes to see, and see not; they have earsto hear, and hear not: for they [are] a rebellious house.
Eze 40:4 And the man said unto me, Son of man, behold with thine eyes, and hear with thine ears, and set thine heart upon all that I shall shew thee; for to the intent that I might shew [them] unto thee [art] thou brought hither: declare all that thou seest to the house of Israel.
Isa 37:17 Incline thine ear, O LORD, and hear; open thine eyes, O LORD, and see: and hear all the words of Sennacherib, which hath sent to reproach the living God.
Isa 65:12 Therefore will I number you to the sword, and ye shall all bow down to the slaughter: because when I called, ye did not answer; when I spake, ye did not hear; but did evil before mine eyes, and did choose [that] wherein I delighted not.
Mat 11:15 He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
Mat 13:9 Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.
Mat 13:43 Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.
Mar 4:9 And he said unto them, He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.
Mar 4:23 If any man have ears to hear, let him hear.
Mar 7:16 If any man have ears to hear, let him hear.
Rev 2:29 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
Rev 3:6 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
Rev 3:13 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. Rev 3:22 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
Rev 3:14 And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write;...
Rev 3:16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.
Rev 3:17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:
Rev 3:18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and [that] the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.
Rev 3:19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.
Maranatha!
Deborah
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