How wonderful this text is, in the midst of the world’s misery and the preparation for the greatest battle ever fought on earth. It is a beatitude—an encouragement for the believers! Like the beatitudes Jesus spoke in Matthew 5:1-11. Here Jesus says: “Blessed is the one who stays awake! “Do not despair, I really am coming very soon, completely unexpectedly, like a thief who comes completely unexpectedly in the night. Be prepared. Be spiritually awake. Do not let your clothes be soiled, not polluted with the filth of the end-time world.1 Do not go along with them in any way whatsoever.” Jude says: “Be merciful to those who doubt; save others by snatching them from the fire; to others show mercy, mixed with fear—hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh.”2 Peter exhorted believers with: “So then, dear friends, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with Him.”3 Jesus Christ will come to rescue His own. This was what He had promised the Church at Sardis,4 when He intended it to be a serious warning. This was also what He promised the Church at Philadelphia5—in a positive way, however. This is how He will say it at the end of the Book of Revelation6—always very urgently and comfortingly: “I am coming quickly!” An ordinary thief in the night also acts quickly; he stages a hold-up or a break-in, with no warning, bringing sudden fear. “Be warned,” Matthew says, “so that that day does not come as a surprise to you,”7 so that you will not be found naked, unclothed, in all the nakedness of a sinful life. Take care to be clothed, fully clothed even, with the robes of His righteousness. May His completed work cover you. Ensure this is the case. This certainly also contains a call directed towards unbelievers to make a change of heart and mind, in the midst of these last and final judgments, and a call towards the believers to holiness of life. Hebrews 12:14 NIV says: “Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.” Paul says: “I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me Heavenward in Christ Jesus.”8 Moreover, the Greek uses a little word, ‘anoo’, which means: upwards, in an upwardly direction. The prize is that you will go up, be lifted up, to meet the Lord in the air,9 taken away by Jesus to meet with Him and accompany Him on His way to the throne of His father David in Jerusalem where He will rule over the house of Jacob, the 12 tribes of Israel, returning to the Promised Land of Israel before our very eyes in our days. This will take place at His return. He takes His people to Himself before settling the account with His enemies, Matthew 25:31-33. What a mind-boggling moment that will be! To meet with Jesus! To be totally set free in spirit, soul and body! The song says: ‘What a day, glorious day, that will be!’ Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness.10 Yes, seek righteousness, faith, love and peace, and be amongst those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart.11 For the great falling away will come in the era of the anti-Christ, in the last days,12 in which the ‘spirit of lawlessness’13 will become more and more powerful. One senses that this is happening more and more in our days. It is already visible now, all around us. But we are not afraid as Jesus is coming!
• While Satan is fully occupied with gathering ‘his people’ together so that they can march against God’s people: the Lord Jesus, by the Holy Spirit, is continuing to calmly gather His children. And He is encouraging them, protecting and preparing them, getting them ready for His Coming. The ingathering and the ‘separating the weeds from the tares’ is taking place now too.
• In Matthew 13:24-30, 40-41 we read: “Jesus told them another parable: “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds/tares among the wheat, and went away. When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds/tares also appeared. “The owner’s servants came to him and said, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds/tares come from?’ “‘An enemy did this,’ he replied. “The servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’ “‘No,’ he answered, ‘because while you are pulling the weeds/tares, you may uproot the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds/tares and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn…’”
• As the weeds/tares are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of His Kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. They will throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. “Matthew 13:49-50 “This is how it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous and throw them into the blazing furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
• Are you the ‘wheat’ that will soon be harvested, or to the ‘chaff/weeds/tares’ that will be burned? You are still able to make your choice at the present time!
Bible References:
1.2 Peter 2:20 2.Jude 22–23 NIV 3.2 Peter 3:14 NIV 4.Revelation 3:3 5.Revelation 3:11 6.Revelation 22:7, 12, 20 7.Matthew 24:43–51 NIV 8.Philippians 3:14 9.1 Thessalonians 4:17, 5:1–11 10.1 Timothy 6:11 11.2 Timothy 2:22 12.1 Timothy 4:1 13.2 Thessalonians 2:5–12; 1 John 3:4
