Keeping Watch During This Passover Season

Isn't this a beautiful day that we have out here that we can enjoy? And what a day to come together for God's Sabbath to think about the things that are spiritual, get your mind off of the physical things, and start thinking about those things that belong to God. As Mr. Rorm was reading some of the events that are taking place around the world, it reminded me of the fact that world events are moving rapidly to the ultimate fulfillment of prophecy.

We know that many things are happening in the world that go unnoticed by those in the world. And in fact, it would seem also that they go unnoticed by the news people of this world. They don't seem to report on those things that they should. In fact, when you look at the world and the world of media, it would seem that the media is covering up the real news. So that you can't really get that news. It's like it's in the form more of propaganda than anything else. It's like a fluffy kind of a propaganda that is about materialism. I don't know if you've been watching the news at 5.30 or 6 o'clock, but it seems like it gets dumbed down more and more as you watch it over the years.

And most people, it seems, are mostly keyed into materialism. And people are mainly given, I think, really what has become a Hollywood-type news, which keeps the minds of people focused on information to keep everybody spending in this economy.

Now, I don't know if you've looked at news quite that way, but really, it is about like that. And the network news over the years has become like a movie that you go to. You know, like in a movie theater where people bring popcorn and candy, and then they're entertained. You know, at least that's my opinion of what our nightly news has become and what we are shown in this world.

For instance, they miss the real news of how the United States and Britain are declining. You know, when have you ever heard that on the news? Even though I think it's quite obvious to everyone that that is what is happening. Of course, we live in a world where Europe is a superpower, is growing. It keeps growing and increasing in that power. But again, when have we heard that in the news of what is happening in Europe?

And of course, we know also that Israel is being beaten there in the Middle East, beaten down by its enemies. That Israel, more than we would like to admit, is surrounded by nations that have armies, and they're mouthing those armies up. They're growing, interestingly, probably from the arms sold by Germany, the United States, and Russia. And they're growing increasingly more powerful, and they again are surrounding Israel. And Israel, at the same time, is being criticized by the United States. You know, if you've been watching again the news recently, you probably saw that our President, our Vice President, and our Secretary of State have condemned Israel in no uncertain terms because of settlements that they were beginning to establish.

And of course, Netanyahu and Secretary of State Clinton have gotten into a row about that. And of course, they say very little – you know, our administration says very little about Israel's enemies and what Israel's enemies are doing to them, and apparently under the guise of making peace. Basically, they, I guess, expect that Israel to be pounded down by missiles and whatever else, but she's not allowed to defend herself.

She's not allowed to, in the cases that we have seen, to complain about what Palestinians are doing to them. I don't know about you, but it would make me very happy if my neighbors started tossing grenades over in my backyard, even if I am a Christian. You know, I would probably logically complain about it, and I would be rather upset about it. But apparently, Israel is not allowed that kind of right. They're not allowed to be upset about those things and defend themselves. And even, brethren, of those who do not know, most don't really even care.

You think about it. In this world, most people really don't even care. But how about us, brethren? Do we care? Or have we become indifferent to what is going on in this world? Do we yawn when we see real news or hear real news? And do we take it for granted? You know, Iranian President Ahmadinejad has been saying that he wants to blow Israel off the map, that he wants to push Israel into the sea. Do we yawn at that? You know, if somebody comes up to me and says, I don't like you, I'm going to beat you up, I usually believe them.

You know, I have this problem about me believing that actually this person doesn't like me. You know, I don't examine their psychology and say, well, you know, he's just having a bad day. If that's the case, Ahmadinejad has a bad day every day. And Israel can do no good. And I certainly think we realize that is true.

You know, the Bible says that we should not become indifferent, that we should not become complacent. And, brethren, even if our weight for the kingdom of God demands long suffering, we are to be ready and we are to be of a willing mind, ready and willing, as God's people living this world today. You know, after describing the signs of the end of the age, Jesus said this in Luke 21 and verse 36.

He said, watch therefore. He said, watch therefore. And he says that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass. You know, there's a little more said in that verse that we'll get to a little bit later on. But he said, watch. Keep your eyes open. And, you know, the Greek word there is agroupeneo, which means to be sleepless.

You know, we should be alert all the time, as God's people. And, you know, oftentimes if we're sitting up with somebody who is very ill and we're concerned about their life, we will sit up with them. And, of course, we will remain wide awake. Again, if the situation is serious enough, the word also means to keep awake or to watch. So we ought to remain alert as God's people and watch. Now, so, brethren, are we watching as God's people as we approach this Passover season? You know, are we watching? Are we keeping our eyes open? And how does watching, brethren, relate to the Passover season anyway?

How does watching relate to this season that is ahead of us, you know, very shortly? Amazingly, it's just over a week away, brethren, that we'll be taking the Passover and the days of unleavened bread are going to be upon us. The Passover season, by the way, entails the Passover service, which we will, again, partake of. It involves the night to be much remembered or observed, as we have called it in the church.

And also, it involves the seven days of unleavened bread. Again, what is watching? How does that relate to these things? How does it relate to the Passover? How does it relate to the night to be much observed or the days of unleavened bread? I'm going to try to make a connection between the two of how we need to, again, remain awake and alert as God's people.

You know, we look back, of course, to the time of the Passover and what took place in ancient Israel when it was first given to them in Exodus 12, as we're going to read a little bit about it in a few moments.

But we know when Israel was in captivity in Egypt, that God had pressed Egypt to the very edge as a nation. He was on the very edge of collapse, as a matter of fact. And he did that by the plagues that he put upon Egypt. It almost destroyed that nation because all the crops were lost, the cattle were destroyed.

And remember, of course, that after that final plague came upon Egypt, that final blow of the death of the firstborn, Israel was thrust out of the land, the Bible says. And so the Egyptians wanted to see them go.

You know, the Pharaoh wanted to see them go. He was sick and tired of the Israel that was there, and he thrust them out of the land. And God wanted the children of Israel to be ready to go and depart when it was time. Well, let's go over to Exodus 12 and verse 4, and we'll read a few of the verses here connected with the original Passover that took place. But in Exodus 12 and verse 4, it says, And if the household, he's talking about here, about this lamb which was to be set apart for each household, a lamb without blemish, as we understand, if it's too small for the lamb, let him and his neighbor next to, it says to his house, take it according to the number of the persons, in other words, however many that that would feed, and according to each man's need, you shall make your account for the lamb.

And so they were to prepare that lamb which symbolized Jesus Christ's sacrifice as God instructed them. And on down here in verse 16, it says, And now you shall keep it, that is the lamb, until the fourteenth day of the same month. Then the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it at twilight, or between the evenings, as we understand. So between the thirteenth and the fourteenth, they would have killed this lamb for the taking of the Passover.

And they recognized, of course, that they were to have that Passover that was to fall on the fourteenth of Nicem. And going on down now to verse 8, And then they shall eat the flesh on that night, roasted in fire, with unleavened bread, and with bitter herbs they shall eat it. And so there was a set fair that they were to practice. And down in verse 11, And thus you shall eat it, notice what it says here, With a belt on your waist, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand, and so you shall eat in haste.

It is the Lord's Passover. Now, why was God wanting them to eat in haste? And why was He wanting them to be fully dressed here? Well, the reason was, as God wanted them to be alert, He wanted them to be ready to go, because they were to depart quickly from Egypt. And, of course, when all the events came together and the loss of the firstborn, that was the time they had to react. They had to be ready to go out. And they were to go out, as the Bible says, with a high hand. And the next day, which was, of course, the day part of the 14th, the firstborn and Israel were gone, and God allowed, because of the mourning of the Egyptians for the loss of their firstborn and all of that, and the desire of the part of the Egyptians to get rid of them, Israel was able to spoil Egypt of its riches and go out with a high hand.

And they went out quickly during the night of the 15th, just after sunset. And, you know, after the sun had gone down, another day had begun. They departed. And it says in Deuteronomy 16, verse 1, they departed by night. And so they left that very night. And, of course, that was a time where the moon was full, as it is today, when we observe the Passover.

And so they would have to navigate with the light of the moon, as they hurriedly got up and left from Egypt. Now, let's go on down here in chapter 12, and down in verse 41 of chapter 12. And it came to pass at the end of the 430 years, and this is having to do with Abraham, of course, from the time of Abraham, on that very same day, that is the 15th, when they left.

And apparently, this is when, in fact, Abraham himself departed from his land and began to sojourn. It came to pass that all the armies of the eternal went out, it says, from the land of Egypt. We think maybe about a million and a half people began to go out of this once great land of Egypt. And it says, it is a night of solemn observance to the Lord for bringing them out of the land of Egypt.

This is the night of the Lord, a solemn observance for all the children of Israel throughout their generations. And so God, you know, here, inspired to be put in His word by Moses, that this was a night to be much observed, or to, you know, much remembered, as we have called it again, as I mentioned earlier, for Israel. And it is a tradition, by the way, in the church today to observe this special evening, which is called the night to be much observed, to commemorate not only this great event of Israel coming out of Egypt, but also for us to remember, brethren, our own calling and our own deliverance from this world.

You look back to, again, the time when God called you, it was done by a series of miracles, that He was able to deliver us out of this world so that we could come to see the truth, to begin with, and to be able to be brought into the church and escape, you might say, the spiritual Egypt that is out there, this world and society, so that we could be able to come to God. And so it's a wonderful thing. And what better way, brethren, to observe this time than gathering, as the church does, for a meal to reflect on these events. And, you know, when we gather for the night to be much observed, we should reflect upon these events and think about them.

And this is the method the church has been practicing now for quite many years, because we are instructed to observe this night. We're instructed to reflect upon this night, as it says there in verse 42. Now, what does this have to do with the subject of watching? You know, I mentioned earlier, are we watching as we approach the Passover?

You know, are we watching at this time, as a matter of fact, as we take day by day, in the next week or so, to think about the things of the Passover? You know, here, I'm reading from the New King James Version, by the way. The wording can be a little misleading to us of what is actually being said here.

It says here, as I read to you, a night of solemn observance to the Lord. In the King James, we know it says it is a night to be much observed unto the Eternal, or unto the Lord. And so, there's a difference. It's interesting, by the way, in a lot of these newer translations, in an effort to make things clearer, sometimes they muddy the waters.

And, you know, we have to be aware of that when we're reading any of the newer translations. It seems like that the King James, oftentimes, hits the nail a bit better, you know, the head of that nail a bit better than some of these newer translations. Although the newer ones kind of clarify some things for us, sometimes, again, they, you know, make those things that we want to see clearly opaque, so that we can't really see what God is saying. It isn't really a night of solemn observance, you know, as the New King James says.

Because, as I told you, Israel came out with a high hand. You know, I can imagine when people began to march out of Egypt that there was a lot of excitement to it. You know, also, when we come out of this world, it's a time of rejoicing and thankfulness. You know, it's one of those times you want to stand on your head and expect nickels, if you ever were able to do that, to begin with. Because you're so excited to be free from this world at last, and, you know, being shown the truth and being freed from the lies and the falsehoods that are in this world that seem to surround us.

We're surrounded, oftentimes, again, by propaganda, more than we are surrounded by those things which are truth. We're in a world, again, where people sometimes blind their own eyes, and they don't want to see the truth, as I said, as well. Other translations, by the way, render this expression a night of watching, a night of watching, or a night to keep vigil. You know, what do you do, again, when somebody is very ill? You're keeping vigil. You're watching.

It's a night of watching when you're sitting by somebody's bedside hoping that they'll improve. Well, in the same way, it's a night of watching, brethren, that the Bible says that we are observing, a night to keep vigil. The companion Bible, by the way, if you have a companion Bible, says concerning this phrase, the Bible says, this is the only place where that Hebrew word, shimram, is used.

It's a night of watching. Again, you begin to see the tie-in, what I talked about, you know, watching as we approach to the Passover and the night to be much observed and the days of unleavened breath. Young's literal translation uses the phrase, a night of watchings. And so, you know, it mentions it that way as well, like the companion Bible does. The other translations, by the way, reveal other important aspects of this night.

Israel did not deliver itself. It's like, you know, we don't get smart all of a sudden and deliver ourselves from this world and this society. You know, Israel did not figure out how to escape the clutches of the Egyptians.

And so, God rescued Israel, not they themselves. And brethren, God rescued us. God delivered us. And, you know, this particular verse in verse 42 by another translation is translated this way. New Revised Standard Version. That was for the Lord, a night of vigil, to bring them out. And so, the interesting thing here is that God Himself was waiting and God was watching over Israel. And so, we commemorate the night to be much observed because God was there watching over Israel.

You know, there have been songs written about that, how God watches over Israel. He slumbers not, the song goes, and He sleeps not. And so, God, you know, there is our Master and we know He was right there with the Israelites. The pillar of fire by night and the cloud by day led them out.

And we're told in 1 Corinthians 10 that that was Jesus Christ. That was there that worked with them and led them. And so, it is a night, again, where God kept watch over Israel. The English Standard Version is really an interesting translation of this particular verse. It was a night of watching by the Eternal. So again, that narrows it down a little bit more to bring them out of the land of Egypt.

And it says, so this same night is a night of watching. So that's why we keep it on the beginning of the 15th, which is the start of the first day of Unleavened Bread. And so it says, so this same night is a night of watching kept to the Eternal. We do it to the Eternal by all the people of Israel throughout their generations. And so Israel was to continue to do this. And of course, God intended all those who were called in this time to follow His instructions. And as I've said before, you know, God shouldn't have to tell us, thou shall do this or thou shall not do that.

But we as God's people should obey the very whisper of God. So this indicates, brethren, that God was watching for Israel that night as He was to bring them out. And time and again, the Bible reminds Israel that He brought them out of Egypt. That God did that. And there's another verse I think that it shows again how careful God was with Israel in Exodus 19.4. You might write the Scripture down, but I'll just read it to you here. It says, you have seen what I did to the Egyptians, God was saying to the Israelites, and how I bore you on eagle's wings and brought you to Myself.

So it was God who bore them out on eagle's wings and brought Israel to Himself. And God did that. Again, that's the emphasis over and over again. Now we know that God also, brethren, brings us out of this world and out of this society. We did not do that on our own.

And Christ said that the Father draws us. And so if we're called in this day and age, we know the Father has to draw us out of this world and society and bring us to Christ. And we know the Holy Spirit leads us, as we were talking about not long ago, to all truth. It's through the Holy Spirit that we begin to see all truth. Of course, we don't have it all as yet because God is still revealing it to the church. And then in another place, we are sanctified or set apart.

That word sanctified means set apart from this world by the truth. The truth that God guides us to through His Holy Spirit. Now the last part of verse 42 there in Exodus 12 in the English Standard Version that I just read to you. It says, so this same night is a night of watching kept to the eternal by all the people of Israel. And so that's why again we gather, but it is a night of watching, brethren, for us as well.

Now what do I mean by that? What do I mean by that? Well, we're going to get into that. What I mean by that and what the Scriptures tell us to do as well with regard to watching. In Exodus 13, let's go to Exodus 13 in verse 3. And again to show and emphasize that God wanted Israel to know that it was He who had delivered them.

And surely they need to know that because they forgot very quickly. Pretty soon they were blaming Moses for bringing them out of Egypt. And it's something that He of course was involved in, but it was God that was doing the bringing out. But in Exodus 13 in verse 3 it says, And Moses said to the people, Remember this day in which you went out of Egypt, that again is the night part of the fifteenth, out of the house of bondage.

For by strength of hand the Eternal brought you out of this place. No leaven, he says, shall be eaten. And so during the days of unleavened bread, which began the time when Israel came out of Egypt, He said that no leavening can be eaten. And this is on this day you were going out, it says in the month of Abed. And it shall be when the Lord brings you into the land of the Canaanites and the Hittites and the Amorites and the Hivites and the Jebusites and the parasites.

I guess I'm getting a roll here. Which He swore to your fathers to give you a land flowing with milk and honey, that you shall keep this service in this month. Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread, He said.

And on the seventh day there shall be a feast to the Eternal. Of course, there's a holy convocation on the first day that takes place and also on the last day. And so, unleavened bread was to be eaten as we see here. And it says, unleavened bread shall be eaten seven days and no leaven shall be seen among you.

Nor shall leaven be seen among you in all your quarters. So all the yeast has to be gone, all the baking soda and powder and all of that has to be out. And you shall tell your son in that day saying, so in other words, we've kept the Passover, we've kept the night to be much observed, we've kept the days of unleavened bread, you shall tell your son in that day, this is done because of what the Lord did for me when I came up from Egypt.

Again, these things have to do with watching, brethren. And it shall be assigned to you on your hand and as a memorial between your eyes. In other words, deep down in your mind that the Lord's law may be in your mouth for a strong hand the Lord has brought you out of Egypt with a strong hand, he did. And it took a powerful one to break down what was the greatest nation on the face of the earth at this particular time.

Now think about it, there was no greater nation than Egypt. And to imagine that ten plagues brought them down is an amazing thing. And of course the plagues themselves are very telling when we began to study into them. And so brethren, the entire Passover season was to remind them that God watched over them, that God was there and he delivered them and he yet delivers. And with Passover, they were to be vigilant, they were to be alert, and they were to be ready to go.

At night to be much observed, they were to watch and be alert. And with Unleavened Bread, they were to be vigilant and watch as well. And what I mean as it applies to us today, again, we're going to talk about. You know, with human beings, anybody, there's a tendency to become groggy and sleepy. I remember, by the way, the first time that I ever felt groggy. Now you may say, how long ago was that? Well, this morning I felt groggy. But I remember distinctly when I discovered grogginess.

And, you know, grogginess, of course, is being very sleepy. It was a time when it was tornado season in Arkansas. I don't know how exactly old I was, but I would think probably about three, maybe, when that happened. And my aunt always, when a tornado would come, she would say, we've got to get in the cellar. And, of course, I didn't know what the cellar was, you know. But a cellar is dug into the embankment or dug into the ground so that you can cover yourself up from a tornado and be protected inside this place.

Also, it's a place with a lot of spiders and other things. But I remember when we went out to the cellar that year, many years ago now, that my cousin was trying to put my shoes on. And anyway, every time he would nudge me with his elbow, I would wake up. And I was so groggy, I couldn't stay up any longer, and I'd just collapse again. He kept nudging me that whole night because I was so groggy.

I was so sleepy. So, that's the first time I remember being that way before. I'm sure it's not the first time I ever slept. But, you know, the first time I remember in my life where I was groggy and very sleepy and couldn't stay awake. But, you know, the tendency is to become groggy and sleepy when the time of waiting goes into the night. You know, you can sit somewhere like a cellar trying to hide out from a tornado all night long.

And you're wanting to keep alert, but you can't because you're so tired, because you were brought out in the middle of your sleep. Well, the disciples became sleepy the night Jesus Christ prayed at Gethsemane, the Garden of Gethsemane, before his crucifixion. You remember when Christ had to pray, he was compelled to pray, and he basically said to his disciple that he was going to go off and he was going to pray. And he went to pray three times, and he came to the realization that had to be what he was going to go through.

And in terms of crucifixion, he said, Father, if there's any other way, let this cup pass from me. Eventually, he came to the realization there was no other way. Now, that is an astounding thing to realize that the Father had to tell his own son, there is no other way, son. You must die. Again, meditate a little bit on that. It is amazing. A Father made that kind of sacrifice, and amazing that Jesus Christ went through with what he knew he had to do. But each time he came back after the prayer, he found his disciples sleeping. And at the end, Christ came to them and said, What?

Can you not watch with me one hour? So, Israel was there. They were about ready to leave Egypt, and God is faithfully watching over Israel. And of course, it was not a night to be slumbering. It was not a night to be sleeping.

It was a night to be alert, to be awake, because of what was happening. Certainly for Jesus Christ, and certainly for Israel as a whole. In light manner, brethren, as the years pass in the church, we can become less and less alert when waiting for the return of Jesus Christ.

When I was called back in the sixties, I know many of you were called quite a while ago, and some longer ago. But, you know, if I had realized I would be preaching here in San Francisco in 2010, I would have told you, if you had told me that, I would have told you, you're crazy. But here I am. This is where I am after so long ago. And this is where you are. You're still here.

But, you know, we can begin to, again, lose that alertness we had at the beginning. Many of us thought that many events were going to take place in the seventies, and they didn't happen. Some thought things were going to take place in the eighties, and that didn't happen. And for me, at least, I stopped trying to figure out exactly when it was going to happen, and realized that God was going to be the one to tell us that in His own time.

But some people, through those years, remember, through the seventies and the eighties and so forth, got tired, and some of them fell asleep, went back into the world. But, brethren, those of us who have maybe been around for a while, have we lost that alertness that we need to have? Because we can lose our alertness in these times.

And we need to keep alert. We need to keep alert to the days and times we live in, to the news that is going on out there. Again, that this world is covering up, that you can't see what's happening in Germany. What's happening right now in Germany, brothers, is a astounding thing.

I was reminded of Isaiah 10, recently, where God says He's going to use Assyria as a rod of His anger against a hypocritical nation. And who do you think that is, brethren? It is the United States. Britain are going to suffer as a result of that. So, are we watching Germany? Are we watching the Middle East? Are we watching what is occurring, again, here in this land, in this country? And how, brethren, we are on the verge of falling into some serious problems, such that, in fact, one would question whether or not the United States will last much longer.

Again, I don't know what God is going to do, or what He's going to allow, in terms of longevity of our nation. But, you know, at one time Israel existed, you know, and it was a very powerful nation.

At one time Judah existed. And now all that is left is that little tiny nation over in the Middle East, you know, that is there. Of course, we know Israel is spread out through the world now and divided into nations, nations like the United States and Britain and Australia, New Zealand and South Africa and other places around the world. But it is a time where, again, those nations, again, their existence are questioned because of what is happening in the world.

And so, as the years go by, we need to not take for granted, brethren, the things that we know and to practice them, never practice them, as just merely routine. In other words, routinely keeping the Sabbath, routinely keeping the Passover or others of God's holy days, routinely, brethren, observing the night to be much observed.

That is something we need to keep alert about and not to let down in our lives. Let's go to Matthew 24. You know, the disciples who followed Christ are a lot like us.

Christ said a lot of things, many things. He talked about things that were going to occur. And here is one of those places in Matthew 24 where He gave us sort of a glimpse into what the future is going to be, certainly for Jerusalem and for Israel of that day and time, which would have been mainly, again, Judah. But here in chapter 24 and verse 1 of Matthew, it says, "...Then Jesus went out and departed from the temple, and His disciples came up to show Him the buildings of the temple." These were incredible buildings of that time. I think I mentioned to you before that the wall around Jerusalem was so white that it could be seen 25 miles away. It was an incredible vision to imagine how great it was, and the temple was the greatest temple that had ever been built up to this particular time. "...And Jesus said to them..." He gave them a startling statement here. He said, "...Do you not see all these things?" He says. "...Assurely I say to you, not one stone shall be left here upon another that shall not be thrown down." And by the way, this hasn't totally been accomplished as yet.

You know, today, where do the Jews go and pray?

The Wailing Wall. That's a big wall, this there. He said, "...not one stone would be left." And so, whatever was to happen to Israel as a result, or Judah here as a result of things in that time that did not completely happen. And so, part of this is yet to happen. But going on, it says, and it says, "...Now as he sat on the Mount of Olives..." This is just over from the Temple Mount, by the way. You can sit on the Temple Mount area and look over and see the Mount of Olives and vice versa. "...It says, and the disciples came to him privately, saying, Tell us, when will these things be?" You know, when are these stones going to be brought down, in other words?

When are the things regarding, again, this temple that you speak of? And what will be the sign of your coming? So, when are these things happening, you know, to the temple and the walls and all that? And what are the signs of your coming? And of the end of the age. So, these were specific questions they had, and they wanted to know an answer to these things. And on down here we see that Jesus Christ gave them some of the signs to be looking for.

"...And Jesus answered and said to them, Take heed that no one deceives you." He says, "...For many will come in by name, saying, I am the Christ, and will deceive many. And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars, see that you are not troubled. For all these things must come to pass, he said, but the end is not yet." In other words, the end of the age is not yet. They were going to face things very shortly there, but the end of the age was not yet.

"...For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and pestilences and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of sorrows." And of course, I think it really should perk our ears to remember what has happened with regard to earthquakes recently that are occurring. It says, "...Then they shall deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you shall be hated by all nations for my name's sake." And so they were going to be brought up before councils, and they were going to be betrayed.

Many people were going to be offended, Jesus Christ said, and will hate one another. And then he says down here in verse 13, "...But he who endures to the end shall be saved." Whoever endures to the end, not whoever sleeps to the end, but whoever is alert and endures to the end, the same is going to be saved. And he said, in this gospel of the kingdom, we'll be preached in all the world as a witness to all nations, and then, he says, the end will come.

And of course, the disciples went out and they preached the gospel, but we know they did not, obviously, go everywhere because the disciples themselves died in the first century, most of them, probably including John. They were already gone. And of course, people began to go about preaching the gospel, and then Paul talked about that there was a false gospel that was being preached. He said that of the Galatians. And so, while the true gospel was going out, there was a false gospel.

Also, Paul talks about a false Christ that was being preached. One that, in fact, never existed. You know, the kind of Christ that oftentimes is worshipped in this world today never existed. And so, this gospel would be promulgated, then the end would come. In verse 15, he says, Therefore, when you see the abomination of desolation spoken of by Daniel the prophet standing in the holy place, whoever reads, let him understand.

So, keep your ears open, he says, and let him understand. By the way, this happened twice it occurred. First, during the time of Antiochus Epiphanes in 168 B.C. Secondly, just under 40 years later, it happened here in the environs of Jerusalem, when the Spatian, who eventually became the Roman emperor, but at this time he was an army general over the armies of Rome, he came down into Judah, into the area of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. And on both occasions, the temple was desecrated.

To the Jews, by the way, the Gentile armies were an abomination. And so these things, the Antiochus fulfillment that took place was in part, and the fulfillment that occurred during the time of the Spatian was a type. Because the Bible here tells us, as spoken by Daniel the prophet, as spoken. What did Daniel the prophet say? What did Daniel the prophet say?

We'll go through that in a few moments, but these were types. And I said the armies were an abomination at this particular time, because they were Gentile nations. In Luke 21 and verse 22, Jesus Christ said this, you might write it down because I'm going to just quote it to you, but when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then know that its desolation is near. So when you see it, surrounded by armies, know that its desolation is near.

But as I said, Jesus said that the abomination of desolation was spoken by Daniel. When Daniel received that prophecy, he wrote it down. He wanted to understand it, by the way. Let's go over here to Daniel chapter 12 and notice what was told him. Daniel was like us as well. He wanted to have some understanding. He was like the disciples. He wanted to know when all these things are going to be that you're talking about, that God was revealing to him. But in Daniel 12 and verse 8, Daniel says, although I heard these prophecies that were given, I did not understand.

And it says, then I said, my Lord, what shall be the end of these things? And he said, go your way, Daniel. For the words are closed up and sealed to the time of the end. And so, basically, it wouldn't be understood until our time and our day that we're living in right now today.

He said, many shall be purified, made white, and refined, but the wicked shall be dewickedly. And none of the wicked shall understand, but the wise shall understand. And from the time that the daily sacrifice is taken away and the abomination of desolation is set up, there shall be a thousand, two hundred and ninety days. Of course, here he gives some of these numbers of days, which is another subject.

We have felt that perhaps it was the days before the return of Jesus Christ, but again, we don't know absolutely about this. But what God was telling Daniel is the things that were revealed to him were for the end of the age, not the types that occurred in 168 B.C. And in this time, around 31 A.D., Jesus Christ said these things, 30 or 31 A.D., where Christ was talking about these things.

And what Jesus Christ was talking about in Matthew 24, let's go back over to Matthew 24, he was talking about what the Roman legions would be doing, but he was also talking about the end of the age, the things that Daniel inquired about. He was told that those things were shut up. Christ spoke again about those things that Daniel was talking about, that there were certainly types, and there were types of the anda-type, and that there would occur in Jerusalem to the temple and what would occur in our time that we're living in today.

But here he talks about, again, this abomination that makes desolate. And I mentioned about where Luke says that when Jerusalem is surrounded by armies, this is, again, a type of what is going to occur in the end of the age, that Israel would be surrounded by armies, that this was part of the abomination of desolation that Daniel was talking about. Also, we realize that there will be sacrifices that are going to be done in Israel, in Jerusalem, and we don't think that there needs to be a temple, but an altar of some sort, and that sacrifices will indeed take place in the end of the age here. And, of course, what do you think the Arabs are going to do?

You know, first sacrifices made, you know, they're probably going to come in and they're going to clamp down on it and stop it. You know, they're going to be involved in doing that. The world, if we think that they're upset that Israel is building settlements, what do you think they're going to be when the sacrifices commence again? You know, talk about, again, being cut loose. They may very well be cut loose by the United States altogether, if indeed the United States exists by that time.

But in Matthew 24, let's notice about this time that Jesus Christ said as well, For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, known nor ever shall be. You know, during this time, what happened to the Jews, by the way, during the time of the Spatian and the Titus, who was his son, who was also a general in that army at that particular time, as well that the Jews suffered mightily by this. But it was only, again, a type of the ultimate fulfillment that is going to take place not only here, but around the world.

You know, it's going to occur in Jerusalem, it's going to occur everywhere. Everyone is going to be suffering as a result of a great tribulation that is going to be coming. And so it's going to be a great tribulation, and notice this, such has not been since the beginning of the world until the same time, known nor ever shall be.

So it did not take place in 70 AD. But it's going to take place in the end of the age here that we're living in. Verse 22, Unless those days were shortened, no flesh shall be saved, but for the elect's sake those days will be shortened. When Jesus Christ said that, by the way, the only that were called at that time were the disciples. You think about it.

Now, of course, there are many who are called in this time that are the elect of God, as we understand. And so it's going to be a time of incredible tribulation that would be greater than anything before, and no one will be saved, as it says in Moffat, alive. Alive. Except it were for the elect's sake. And of course, we have spoken many times that the only time possible where all life could be erased off of this planet was when nuclear weaponry came into being.

Very interesting that Iran is developing nuclear weapons. Clearly, that is happening. Other nations also that have not had the weapon are beginning to think about building nuclear weapons. And so in the Middle East, we may very well see that nuclear weapons will be quite extant by this time. Again, we'll have to see to what degree. And of course, Europe will have nuclear weapons, and others will have them as well. Let's go to verse 29 now. Verse 29. Immediately after the tribulation of those days, the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light.

And the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. That did not happen in 70 AD. And then it says, the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven. And then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. Before He came as a lowly lamb, here He's depicted as coming as a conqueror. So it's quite different again. And this did not happen, of course, when Christ came the first time.

In verse 31. And He will send His angels with the great sound of the trumpet, and they will gather together His elect from the four winds from one end of heaven to the other. And so this will be the gathering of the saints at the sound of the last trumpets. We know the other scriptures say this fits again in the Feast of Trumpets in the first resurrection time when that occurs and comes about. Now learn the parable from the fig tree.

He says, When its branches are already become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. So you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near at the doors. He says, This is at the doors. Assurely, He says, I say to you, this generation will not pass, by no means pass, till all these things take place. Jesus Christ is saying. And He said, Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.

That these things will indeed occur. And so when certain signs begin to be known, we should be realizing again that it is even at the door. Christ returns right at the door. And here we are again. Look at what is happening in the Middle East. Tell me what nation in the Middle East would not like to get rid of Israel. I'm waiting because there is not one. And now one questions whether or not the United States itself would stand for Israel. Again, we'll have to see what happens in the future. And also, this is a time where supernatural signs in Heaven and Christ returns near. And by the way, this corresponds with Revelation 6. This corresponds, you know, we know to what is said in Revelation 11 when it talks about the seven trumpets.

The seven trumpets sound. The nations are going to mourn. They're not going to rejoice. They're not going to be thankful when Christ returns. And so, brethren, we need to watch. We need to keep our eyes open about these things and keep, you know, alert. Not only, brethren, do we have to keep an eye and watch end time events, but we need to remain alert about one other thing. In Matthew 25, I won't read from it, but I want to again remind us of what it says. Jesus gave the parable of the ten virgins.

Five were wise and five were foolish. We're told that all of them, because the night went long, all slumbered and slept, according to, again, what the parable says. And when a cry went out at midnight, the bridegroom is coming. They all arose and they prepared their lamps, but half found that they did not have enough oil. And they were counseled to go and buy the oil. You ever ask yourself, why is it they didn't have any oil? What were they doing when the other virgins, you know, you could really examine this and you might say, pull it apart a great deal.

But what were the unwise virgins doing? Of course, we know this is a warning to Christians today. Well, apparently, the wise virgins had used their time to buy that oil and to have that oil. And even though they slumbered and slept, they had prepared for the time when the bridegroom was going to come.

And so when the unwise went out to have to buy the oil, which probably was not easy to do at midnight, at the midnight hour, when they were gone, the bridegroom came. And those ready with oil in their lamps went into the wedding and the door was shut, according to the parable. And afterwards, the unwise virgins came and said, Lord, Lord, they were pleading with the Lord, open to us.

But this is what he said to them, I assure you, I do not know you. I do not know you. And the next thing that Jesus Christ says in the parable, brethren, he said, watch therefore. Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming. And that word watch, by the way, from the Greek means literally to keep awake. To watch, be vigilant, wait, be watchful, be watchful.

And so it's a time of watching that we need to, again, keep alert. In this parable, all the virgins became tired and slept, but only half were prepared. And so Christ is talking about us, brethren, that we need to watch ourselves. This is the other thing we need to watch, brethren. The oil is a symbol of God's Holy Spirit.

All of us get tired, brethren, but it's a matter of what do we do when we're not tired? What do we do with our time when we have been rested? The wise are using that time to be prepared, again, when Christ returns, that they can be prepared for it and not have to go and buy the Spirit of God, or the, you know, as the analogy would go to.

And, of course, the only way we can do that is through prayer and through trials and difficulties, which means to us, brethren, none of us can be a 90-day wonder. And maybe there's a good reason that God has worked with us for 34 years. And again, not to, again, let the time somehow lull us into a sleep, either. Thinking, well, we have been prayed all these years and then led up is not a very wise thing to do, either. So, brethren, we are foolish virgins if we do not keep watch over ourselves and what we do, since we don't know the specific time.

In fact, Jesus said only the Father knows, that Jesus doesn't even know the time when He's going to return. We must watch both ourselves, brethren, and the times that we live in, the signs that we see out there. Matthew 24, just again over from where we were, in verse 42, Jesus said, Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Father, the Lord, is coming.

In verse 3, 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. No, but the thief doesn't come that way. The thief doesn't announce his return, and he breaks in and, of course, steals all the goods. Christ used that as an analogy here, and explains how they needed to watch. He says, Therefore, you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour that you do not expect Him.

So, we do know this, brethren, we know the exact hour that Jesus Christ is going to return. And that is when we don't expect Him to come. And so, we better be, again, careful about our lives, and we have to remain in a constant state of readiness. Luke 21. Let's go to Luke 21. Luke 21.

And on down here in verse 33, just read a part of this Olivet prophecy that is Luke's reflection on what occurred. But in Luke 21 and verse 33, here Jesus Christ said, Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words will by no means pass away. But take heed to yourselves, it says, lest your hearts be weighed down with carousing, drunkenness, and the cares of this life. You know, you may and I may say, I don't carouse, I don't, you'll get drunk, but we can get caught up in the cares of this life. You know, the day-to-day things, the work, we can fixate on that, the word occupies our every moment.

Sometimes I wonder if that's what Satan would like in us. It seems to me that in this day and age, particularly, this is people are more prone to this. And he says, in that day come on you unexpectedly. For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth. So, like Mr. Armstrong used to say, people in the world will be like rats caught in a trap. And they'll have no way to go. And of course, the only thing that is going to deliver them is Jesus Christ returns. In verse 36, watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass and to stand before the Son of Man.

So, here again, he's saying, watch. And notice what he says here, you know, in this little verse. Now, interestingly, Adam Clark's commentary suggests that the word watch and pray should be connected with the word always. So, we need to be watching, and we need to be praying always in order to escape those things that are prophesied to occur. You know, pray that you may escape those things, again, that Jesus Christ mentions here.

And if you're a wise man, he sees trouble coming, and he hides himself, as the Bible says. You know, are we going to be wise enough, brethren, to be able to see the things that are occurring and be alert and ready as God's people from a spiritual point of view? Or are we going to be caught like rats in the trap, like the unwise virgins were? Where would they go? After the Lord says to them, I assure you, I don't know you. You know, where would they go? What would they do? And, of course, the only thing to do is begin to obey God for us in that time, and begin to try to redeem the time as much time, maybe, as might be ahead for God's people.

Pray that we avoid the things that are coming and are counted worthy, as it says. So there is a level of expectation that God has for His people. You know, we believe that grace is important, certainly, but also works are important, the Bible talks about. It's not either grace or works, but it's both. We have to have both. So, brethren, are we bringing in Christ in our lives to the degree that, again, we are alert to what we're doing? You know, as we approach the past overseas and we should be watching, we should be examining, brethren, ourselves carefully, whether we are in the faith, as the Scriptures tell us so clearly.

You know, examine yourselves whether you are in the faith. And He said, I trust that you are in the faith. We ought to be striving to put out in a way those sins which we find as unleavened bread is encouraged to be put in us. You know, the unleavened bread is called the bread of sincerity and truth. The leavened bread during the days of unleavened bread are symbolic, of course, of this world and this world's ways.

Satan's way, the way of mischief, hatred, and all the jealousy, lust, and greed that is in this world and society. But again, we need to be bringing Jesus Christ into us. And of course, that unleavened bread shows us that we need to be sincere and we need to bring in the truth. What is our spiritual condition, brethren? So we watch world events and we watch our spiritual condition.

We have to do that. And Jesus tells us to be alert and watch. You know, He wants us to watch our attitudes. He wants us to watch our behavior. What's your behavior when nobody sees you? He wants us to watch our character that is godly. That we must always be spiritually prepared and ready for His coming. And why is that? Because we don't know the exact time. We're going to see it's near, we're going to see it's near, but how near it will be, we don't know.

We could be surprised. It could be sooner than we think. You know, I've been always of the idea that as we draw closer to it when things come, that we have that feeling that was sooner than we thought. And it came quickly, much more quickly than we realized. Peter warned the people in the first century of the church and us today, be sober, he said. Be vigilant. Because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion sinking whom he may devour.

So if we're not alert and ready, Satan's going to pounce on us. But let's look at a few other scriptures over here in Romans 13, not a few, but a couple. In Romans 13, notice what Paul said in his day and time. And I remind you, brethren, that that was almost 2,000 years ago. This is what he was saying to the church back then. In Romans 13, verse 10, he says here, So this is not a time to get up at the crack of noon. It's a time to be alert. Remember Jesus Christ went out and he prayed sometimes all night.

He got up very early in the morning and went out to pray. So he says it's high time that we awake out of sleep. The night is far as spin, he says in verse 12, The day is at hand, therefore let us cast off the works of darkness and let us put on the armor of light. So again, Paul was warning that people need to watch, keep their eyes open. During his day, as in our day, brethren people have not done that and they are back in the world. And you know it's much harder to convince somebody that's out there in the world that once knew than it is to convert somebody who never knew the truth, never understood.

1 Thessalonians 5 and verse 6, 1 Thessalonians 5 and verse 6, Therefore let us not sleep, he says, Paul says, as others do. Again, this world is asleep right now. Doesn't want to hear what's going to happen. Would rather just stick their head in the sand and enjoy whatever comfortable life they may have. So he talks about here how we should not be sleeping as others.

But let us watch and be sober. Watch and be sober. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk are drunk at night. But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, as a helmet the hope of salvation. And he says in verse 9, For God did not appoint us to wrath. He doesn't want us to go through the trials of the future that this world is going to go through, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.

And so God wants us to have that salvation. If He's calling you at this time and this day and age, brethren, He is calling at the very best time for us. And He doesn't call people who are destined to be failures. He calls people, brethren, that are going to be successes and become a part of God's kingdom, a part of His family. So, brethren, as we approach the Passover night to be much observed and those things that are going to be taking place during the Passover season, let us not be asleep at the wheel like most in this world are and allow ourselves to be caught up in this materialistic world either.

One day, think about this, brethren, those in the United States and Britain will wake up, but it will be in a world which has fallen down around their ears. And think about this, brethren, the catastrophe coming will leave them without their reason for existence. It will leave them without their reason for living because they failed to watch. They failed to acknowledge those things that were occurring and do something about it in their life. Brethren, we must not let this happen to us so these events and Christ's return catches unaware. Hopefully, we will have been alert.

We will have been watching, brethren, not only this world but ourselves. And when we sit down and observe, brethren, the night to be much observed, when we partake of the emblems on the Passover and we go through the days of Unleavened Bread, let's remember God, brethren, is watching us. He's watching us. And you know what? We had better be watching, too.