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“WATCHMAN, WHAT OF THE NIGHT?”

THE IMPORTANCE OF THE SIGNS OF THE TIMES

TREVOR MAHER

“But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night ... Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober”

(1 Thess. 5:1,2,6).

WE LIVE at a time when events in the world clearly show the hand of God at work and herald the nearness of Christ’s return. Every generation of believers since our Lord ascended to heaven has been encouraged by the unfolding of prophecy in its own times, so that their faith in God’s Word and purpose would be strengthened. By the fulfilment of prophecy believers also identify where they stand in God’s plan, and can anticipate those things yet future. Prophecy is a God-given way of knowing that His Word and purpose will be fulfilled.

We have a multitude of signs in this world, stretching from Israel to Western Europe, and encompassing moral, political and religious trends. The changes in political relationships in Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union and their closer ties with Western Europe, the activities of the papacy, the prevalence of earthquakes, famines, poverty, violence, and the rapid collapse of family life, all find their place in the prophetic cycle of events. Of course, the greatest sign of all is the nation of Israel and its troubled existence, involving the Arab nations, the PLO and the newly declared Palestinian State. The designs of Russia and its growing influence in the Middle East, along with the attempts of the USA, Britain and France to solve the Israeli question, are brought before us daily in the media. In the purpose of God we know that Jerusalem is to be “a burdensome stone for all people” (Zech. 12:3), and that ultimately He will “gather all nations against Jerusalem to battle” (14:2). The portents and patterns leading to those events are there for all those with an eye of faith to see.

With such a wealth of signs around us one would expect to find our community on its toes, full of expectation and ready for the return of Christ, living each day as though he were about to appear. Our forefathers constantly reviewed the signs of their times, and were full of a confident expectation born out of seeing God’s Word fulfilled before their eyes. Yet it must be said that today the opposite is probably true of us; there is apathy about prophecy. Why is this? One answer could of course be that Scripture prophesies that believers in the last days would be disinterested in events heralding Christ’s return, and we are therefore inevitably fulfilling this. However, the main cause for such apathy is to be found in attitudes and activities which are predominantly fixed in the present. The balance of true faith has been lost because of too great an emphasis on ‘Christian’ service now, causing our appreciation of the past to be lost, with the inevitable consequence that appreciation of the future is also dulled.

Early Christadelphians and the signs

When we do look back at the way our forefathers avidly searched world and national events for signs of God’s will at work, we can be a little patronising if we are not careful. Headings such as, “Sudden Revival of the Eastern Question”; “The British Position in Egypt”; “Frictions at Constantinople”; “Russia and the Dardanelles”; “Threatening Aspects of the Bulgarian Question”; “The Sultan’s Troubles at Home”; “Troubles in Crete and Armenia”; “Baron Hirsch’s Scheme for the Relief of Russian Jews”, may cause an indulgent smile to cross our face. Early Christadelphians appear to have seen dramatic portents behind a large number of political and social events.

To us, living years later, excitement over some of these events seems ridiculous and without foundation. But we must be careful not to dismiss their enthusiasm as misplaced because of our ignorance of world affairs in those days. This would be an injustice to our brethren and sisters, as well as weakening our acceptance of what should be an important aspect of our faith today. For those brethren and sisters, holding as they did a strong belief in the prophecies concerning the return of the Jews, the political and social events were signposts on their journey to the Kingdom. Between A.D. 70 and A.D. 1900 there was no Jewish nation, or any likelihood of one humanly speaking, in Palestine, so what and where were believers to watch? The answer was found in the affairs of men, ruled over by the angels at God’s behest, which would make the return of the Jews and the establishment again of the Jewish nation a reality.

The insert overleaf shows events concerning the return of the Jews which believers saw, wrote of and preached about in the early days of the twentieth century, giving rise to some of that enthusiasm that we, many years later, could consider unfounded. Yet in reality they show us how we should be reacting now to current signs of the times.

The importance of current events in the life of the believer is brought out by Brother Alan Eyre in his two volumes about those who sought out the truth of God’s Word in the last 1,600 years. He says:

“It is true to say that the French Revolution was no surprise to those 18th century Bible believers who lived to witness it. Nor was the decline of the Turkish power. Nor was the small early signs of interest in the Jewish return to Zion. Nor was the fate that befell the Papacy under the successive blows of Revolution and Napoleon. Nor was the horror and bloodshed of the Revolutionary and Napoleonic wars—yet it was a type of warfare which hardly touched civilians! For these believers two centuries ago, these were their signs of the times, they knew what they heralded. They lifted up their heads ... ”.(Footnote 1)

Political events within Britain, the mighty events in France, the decline of the Ottoman Empire, and the Russian Revolution—all were essential ingredients in preparing the way for the return of the Jews. Conor Cruise O’Brien makes this clear in his recent book on Zionism and Israel,(Footnote 2) a quotation from which is shown in the insert on page 380, in which another chain of events which led ultimately to the Jews returning to Israel is highlighted.

Where is the promise of his coming?

These things stirred up our brethren and sisters, keeping them in an attitude of readiness for the coming of Christ. We can see how right they were to search the political events of their day in Europe and the Middle East, although the names of the leaders have long vanished from the newspapers, and even the countries themselves have in some cases vanished from the map. Whilst this writer has not met any brethren and sisters who deny the literal Second Coming of Christ, to ignore the signs of the times in the events around us can lead us to being like those described in Peter’s epistle, who say: “since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation” (2 Pet. 3:4). Today such thoughts can be expressed in the words, “We might get it wrong”; “We can confuse the brethren and sisters”; “It makes us look silly in the eyes of people around us”; “If we are not completely accurate it will bring the Truth into disrepute”, and so on. “Let us concentrate on the simple truths of the gospel message and be busy about the Lord’s work in Christian service”, we are told.

It was the household, the Spirit through Peter warns, that would have false leaders and scoffers; it was the household that needed to be vigilant; it was the household that had to be kept awake—awake to the coming of Christ, to the coming of judgement and to the signs that would herald those things. All these points are strong exhortations to us in these last days to be on our guard against similar happenings.(Footnote 3) If God has a purpose that is being fulfilled in the world, we should not be among those who “willingly are ignorant”, both of past judgement and impending judgement, by a preoccupation with the present society and world, so that we cannot see signs of God’s hand at work. The Bible is our window on the world, and through it we can give meaning, hope and purpose to the events that are happening around us.

We see that those first-century believers had to “be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles ...” (v. 2) concerning the events they were witnessing and expecting in the future. We too should take such warning to ourselves, specifically in relation to the Second Coming and those who would ignore the signs. In the opening chapter of the same epistle we are exhorted that “We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed” (1:19), the context of which is the Second Coming and the Kingdom. Discipleship which has excluded the signs of the times from its vocabulary, and substituted a watching which consists of only moral and practical Christianity, can be a discipleship of man’s thinking. In all things there must be a balance; and, sadly, it seems today that we are in danger of our faith and discipleship turning from one which is encouraged by signs of God at work, and which seeks to understand His prophetic Word, to one which is occupied in today’s society and sees its duty, not to watch as watchmen, but more to provide a social service. We are commanded to love our neighbours as ourselves, but this does not mean that we should not be “looking for and earnestly desiring the coming of the day of God” (3:12, RV).

I told you these things

As we read through Scripture we find many times that the practice of looking for and interpreting signs of the times is one undertaken by the faithful, and it can be deduced therefore that it formed part of their faithful service to God. For what greater service can we give than to seek out God at work and to praise Him for His mighty acts, and be motivated thereby to steadfastness? “One generation shall praise Thy works to another, and shall declare Thy mighty acts. I will speak of the glorious honour of Thy majesty, and of Thy wondrous works. And men shall speak of the might of Thy terrible acts: and I will declare Thy greatness ... Thy saints shall bless Thee. They shall speak of the glory of Thy kingdom, and talk of Thy power; to make known to the sons of men His mighty acts, and the glorious majesty of His kingdom” (Ps. 145:4-6,10-12); this is the declaration of the psalmist.

The glorious Kingdom of God on earth is not something that will just suddenly happen regardless of what has gone on for thousands of years. God works in the past and in the present preparing for the future. If in our preaching we are to extol God and set forth the glory of His Kingdom that is to come, we should also be showing Him at work today, as well as yesterday. We are not living in a vacuum; the angels did not stop work when Christ ascended into heaven.

Jesus went to great lengths to instruct and exhort the twelve about the signs of their times. “Watch” was a keyword for them, and should be for us. It is the consistent message of the New Testament that the return of Jesus will be “like a thief in the night”, “at such an hour as ye think not”, at a time when “they all slumbered and slept”, and these descriptions apply to the household of faith, not to the world. The exhortation is one of being on our guard, with lights burning, loins girded, ready for the call to meet our Master. God is aware of the weakness of human nature which allows the cares, pleasures and lusts of other things to choke the seed of His Word which has led us to be born again.

So, through prophecy, our faith receives a stimulus, and the attitude of urgency is cultivated. The view that ‘Christian’ living is the only essential aspect of discipleship, and that prophecy is an extra which can be added on for those particularly interested in it, is a direct contradiction of Scripture. Almost two-thirds of Scripture is prophecy, and to abandon it to the position of ‘not wanted on voyage’, like surplus luggage, is to make a mockery of the inspired Word.

Lessons from the past

As we read through the Bible, examples of different generations reading the signs of their times come before us, and also examples of those who failed to use the signs: Moses expected the children of Israel to know that the time was drawing near for the deliverance from Egypt, as prophesied, and that he was the chosen leader (Acts 7:25). Daniel understood from the prophetic writings the times of the Babylonian captivity and the ministry and sacrifice of Christ (Dan. 9:2). Paul explained to the ecclesia of the Thessalonians about the “man of sin”, what would happen and what they were to look for, emphasising that when he was with them he told them these things (2 Thess. 2:3-12). John warned the ecclesia in the first century to watch out for false prophets and antichrists spreading false doctrine and practices, both in the church and without, as a sign of the “last time” (1 Jno. 2:18; 4:1-3). Jesus expected his followers to have read and understood Daniel’s prophecy concerning the overthrow of Jerusalem (which was to come in A.D. 70 by the Romans), and to interpret the signs correctly when it happened, for they had to act in a certain way for their own safety (Mt. 24:15-18).

Although the exact time or date of Christ’s return is not given to us for obvious reasons, as emphasised by Christ in the Olivet Prophecy and on the occasion of his ascension from the Mount of Olives (Mt. 24:36; Acts 1:7), subsequent revelations to Paul, and to John on Patmos, made more of God’s prophetic plan available by giving new prophecies and helping the understanding of existing ones. These prophecies were and are obviously for the benefit of all believers, not just a few interested ones.

The history of Israel is one that reflects the inability of the people to read the signs in the events in their own nation and in the nations around them. The prophets of Israel foretold political and social events that would be brought about by God, but the majority of the people ignored the signs until it was too late. This was a pattern repeated right up to the time of our Lord’s birth and ministry, that those who should have been able to identify the smallest sign failed ultimately to recognise the greatest sign of all: the resurrection of Jesus (Mt. 12:38-42). The rulers required proof of his sonship, but could not see it when God darkened the sky and split the veil and then rolled away the stone. When we look at this world our eyes of faith should see God at work in the affairs of men, for we have already seen the cross and the empty tomb, which are the guarantees that God’s purpose, started at the foundation of the world, will be fulfilled and is being fulfilled in our own lifetime.

The first advent was preceded and identified by fulfilled prophecy. People of faith looked at the signs and mused in their hearts, as at the birth of John the Baptist (Lk. 1:66). There was an air of expectation, and it was Scripture which identified the events for the people. A reading of the first two chapters of Matthew puts before us the signs of those times. The manner of Christ’s birth fulfilled Isaiah 7:14. The wise men in the east interpreted the signs and, travelling to Jerusalem and then to Bethlehem, were aided by chief priests, scribes and other people who knew what to look for and where to look. The time spent in Egypt, returning after Herod’s death, fulfilled Hosea 11:1; the murder of babies by Herod fulfilled Jeremiah 31:15; and finally there was the choice of Nazareth as a place to dwell in, that the prophecy concerning Jesus being called a Nazarene should be fulfilled (Mt. 1:22; 2:2,5,15,17,23). Later, at the start of his ministry, we see that a correct interpretation of the Scriptures led Philip and others to Jesus, whose ministry was preceded by John, who stirred up the nation to look for signs (Jno. 1:45).

And so, constantly, throughout Scripture, faithful believers were prepared for great events, and had their faith encouraged and preaching confirmed, by the signs that the God Who rules in the kingdoms of men caused to come about.

I say unto you ... Watch

The three Gospel accounts of what we call the Olivet Prophecy (Matthew 24-25, Mark 13 and Luke 21) all emphasise the importance of watching events in the political and social arena so as to be prepared for our call to the judgement seat of Christ. It was important for the followers of Christ to do this in the time leading to A.D. 70, and it is important for us today.

The prophecy covers the period from the time of Christ up to his return, and in Luke 21:25 we have the word “signs” in this passage: “there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars”. This word “signs” carries the meaning of ‘signals’, and Christ is telling us that the developments concerning the return of Israel, the political events that came into being following the recapture of Jerusalem and the start of the end of Gentile times, are signposts to help us in our walk to the Kingdom. A signal is a message to those who are looking for it, but it can be missed by the ignorant or those asleep. The rest of verse 25 tells us that at the same time as signals are to be seen in Israel so in the nations, in individuals and in the governments of the rest of the world there will be clear signals to identify this time period. In such a way is the believer encouraged.

Although we may have difficulty sometimes in identifying the signs around us, we should remember that a study of prophecy will help us to

(a) establish the general pattern of events;

(b) identify the time periods we are living in;

(c) help us to understand the final events so that we have pointers as to what to expect in the period between the present and the final consummation.

The Matthew account draws attention to the repeat of Noachic conditions: corruption, violence and immorality on unprecedented scales, such that it will once more grieve God at His heart (Gen. 6:6) and cause Him to send His Son to remove this great wickedness from the face of the earth. This world abounds in signs fulfilling this prophecy which should lead us to watch what is happening, and watch for what we know must shortly come to pass, even the return of Christ.

When we look at the conclusion of this prophecy in Mark 13 we see that, while the Master is absent, authority is given to his servants, to every man his work, but in particular the porter, and all are commanded to watch. This is in a context of events concerning Israel and the nations. The word “watch” has the meaning of ‘to be awake’, ‘to be vigilant’, ‘to be on guard’, and this, of course, has to be the condition of those who are watchmen.

The use of the word “porter” is particularly interesting. The porter (or gatekeeper, as it means) had a particularly important role to fulfil. If we look back to the Old Testament record in 1 Chronicles 9:14-29 we see that porters were responsible for the entrances to the house of the Lord; they were Levites who are described as “keepers of the gates of the tabernacle” (v. 19). They lodged around the house of the Lord because, we are told, “the charge was upon them, and the opening thereof every morning pertained to them” (v. 27). We see also that the direction and control of all the instruments and materials used in worship were in their hands (vv. 28,29). The porters’ tasks were not menial, lowly jobs given to those who could not expect anything better. They were positions of great responsibility, held by men of high office and Scriptural ability. In 1 Chronicles 26:12,14 we see Zechariah, spoken of in 1 Chronicles 9:21, described as a chief man and a wise counsellor. These had to watch that those entering were entitled to do so, and that all that was done in the worship of God in the tabernacle or house of the Lord was done correctly.

The watchman’s responsibility

The responsibility of the watchman is to look both outward and inward. He observes what is outside and warns those inside. He has to help to prevent dangers from outside affecting those inside. These responsibilities of the porter to watch are passed to all the servants of Christ. In these last days it is of particular relevance to consider this responsibility, when we bear in mind those prophecies relating to a falling away through false teachers and wrong doctrines. The last recorded message of Christ, through John, speaks of this need when in Revelation 3:2 the message to the ecclesia at Sardis is: “Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die”. Isaiah describes those in Israel who should have been awake and vigilant, searching with their eyes for those important signs, as “watchmen” who “are blind: they are all ignorant, they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber” (Isa. 56:10). His words in the final verse are an echo of the days of Noah and the warnings of Peter: “Come ye, say they, I will fetch wine, and we will fill ourselves with strong drink; and to morrow shall be as this day, and much more abundant” (v. 12).

What a startling contrast is present a few chapters later, when the time of the Kingdom is looked forward to, and the true and faithful watchmen are described in these words: “I have set watchmen upon thy walls, O Jerusalem, which shall never hold their peace day nor night: ye that make mention of the LORD, keep not silence, and give Him no rest, till He establish, and till He make Jerusalem a praise in the earth” (62:6,7).

The new Jerusalem, the saints of all ages, who will rule over not just a restored and purified nation of Israel but the whole earth, has as its watchmen those who continuously seek out and make mention of the great works of God as He brings about His glorious purpose. Sleep is the enemy of the watchman. It causes him to become unconscious, to lose sight of the present and the portents of the future. Sleep robbed Jesus of his closest companions in his hour of need: “What, could ye not watch with me one hour?” (Mt. 26:40). “Watch and pray” was his exhortation at that time (v. 41), and those same words are found in Mark 13:33 when he is teaching his disciples to identify prophetic events: “Take ye heed, watch and pray: for ye know not when the time is”.

The timescale of all the events which are foretold is unknown to us. We do not know if there will be days, weeks, months or even years from the start to the finish of a particular event, or what the time between events is to be. We know that, in the past, centuries have elapsed between events talked about in the same verse (Isa. 61:1,2 with Lk. 4:17-19; Lk. 21:24). But we look for the signs and rejoice in those events which signify the truth of God’s Word and confirm our faith, praying earnestly, “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done”. For the last hour is upon us, and we must watch, for our Lord will soon be here.

The wise man said: “Where there is no vision, the people perish” (Prov. 29:18). The Hebrew word for “perish” means ‘to be made naked’. Our lack of sight, having eyes that cannot see what God is doing, will, if we are not careful, lead us to be without clothing. This thought of the wise man links with Revelation 16, a chapter dealing with God at work in the world “to gather them to the battle of that great day of God Almighty” (v. 14), and a chapter which warns believers to be ready for the call in the words: “Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame” (v. 15). God clothed our first parents in the garden, and He has clothed us through the blood by which comes remission of sins, even the blood of Christ, and has given us robes of righteousness through Christ. With the knowledge of sins forgiven, through the name of Christ, comes also an understanding of those things concerning the Kingdom of God. We are not just disinterested spectators on the sidelines, nor can we be apathetic or bored by the fulfilling of prophecy, for these are the things which bring the great day of Christ’s coming ever closer, and must cause us therefore to “look up, and lift up (our) heads; for (our) redemption draweth nigh” (Lk. 21:28).

FOOTNOTES

1. P. 152, Brethren in Christ, Christadelphian Scripture Study Service, Adelaide.

2. The Siege: The Story of Israel and Zionism, Conor Cruise O’Brien, Paladin, 1988.

3. The events anticipated in 2 Peter 3 are seen by some brethren as the fall of Jerusalem in A.D. 70 and the refusal of the Jews to accept Christ and his teaching, but the chapter also points forward to the last days and his final coming in judgement. See The Last Days of Judah’s Commonwealth, John Thomas.

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