That’s a direct quote of the Lord Jesus Christ, as heard by John on the Isle of Patmos. The Pronouncement hinges on the Fact of our Lord’s Second Coming to earth.

“Behold, I come as a thief. BLESSED IS HE THAT WATCHETH, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.” Revelation 16:15

The word picture suggested by the verse is built on an old Roman military custom, I am told. If a commanding officer found one of his troops (who was supposed to be on guard duty) asleep (on the job) … he merely set the soldier’s robe on fire, his military uniform! And the result of that slothfulness? He would be running around naked, having to shed his clothes due to the flames! Thus, he would be “shamed” for not staying “alert” at his guard post!

Wow!

But the single Line that arrests me today … “Blessed is he that watcheth.”

The verb “to watch” translates the Greek “gregoreo,” meaning “to keep awake.” Once in the New Testament it is expressed as “be vigilant.” If you’d like the textbook definition: “to take heed lest through indolence some destructive calamity suddenly overtake one.”

And that single little word (“WATCH”) is a sermon within itself, to us Christians today. I fear danger is approaching. Certainly spiritually, but maybe even physically to those of us who are saved. Evil forces are gaining strength every week! The roaring lion, our enemy, is about to pounce!

And we had better WAKE UP!

And realize that we’re still on a battlefield!

Though I have never seen it happen, we’ve all been told about the proverbial ostrich “burying her head in the sand!” Looks to me like that’s what a lot of American Believers in Christ have done.

I say it again, WAKE UP!

VOTE in the nation’s upcoming election!

PRAY with all your heart!

LIVE FOR JESUS more consistently than ever before!

WATCH for His soon Coming, too.

And certainly, PREPARE (via the Word of God and the Power of the Holy Spirit) for hard days that may be ahead, and not far ahead at that.

Clearly the main “point” this morning, to be applied as God leads you individually … “WATCH!”

Somehow your spiritual “blessedness” depends on it.

“Blessed is he that watcheth.”

Sound the battle cry!

— Dr. Mike Bagwell

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