The Saviour then gives four parables, which show the importance of watching. The first one states plainly 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. The goodman of the house is not a hypocrite, nor an unbeliever, nor a sinner, in the general sense of the term. But as the Lord did not come as soon as he expected, he had ceased to watch. His case would come up before God in the investigative judgment when he was not ready. This parable shows the importance of watching. The second parable is of the faithful and wise servant, illustrating those whom God has called to give the trumpet a certain sound. If the servant is faithful in this, the Lord will make him ruler over His goods. But another class, which the Lord called the evil servant, is developed by the message. This servant does not proclaim, in words, “My Lord delayeth His coming,” but says it in his heart. He shows his unbelief by smiting his fellow servants, and by eating and drinking with the drunken. Instead of selling, and giving alms, he is adding farm to farm. He is absorbed in the things of this world. He has forgotten that God has said that He could make twenty acres as productive as one hundred acres. He professes one thing and lives another. “The Lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for Him, and in an hour that he is not aware of, and shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” This parable refers to those who teach and profess the truth, but whose lives contradict their profession. The parable of the ten virgins is next given by the Saviour. Many truths are taught by this parable, one important one being the proportion of those looking for Christ to come who will fail of the kingdom of God. Five of the virgins were wise, and five were foolish. Their foolishness is seen in their possessing no genuine experience in the things of God. This experience is gained by conscientiously living the truth. “To this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.” Their religion was of a surface nature; for when probation ended, they found that they were not prepared. They lacked the experience necessary to stand without an intercessor. Their sins were not confessed; their character was not perfected. They called unto the wise, “Give us of your oil, for our lamps are gone out.” But the wise could not give of their experience to those who had not obtained an experience for themselves; all they could say was, “Go to them that sell, and buy for yourselves”—obtain the experience necessary, so that you may be able to stand. But while they were seeking, the Bridegroom came, and they that were ready went in with Him to the marriage; they were accepted by God; and the door was shut. “Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us. But He answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.” Then comes the exhortation, “Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.” Their condition is further revealed in Matt. 7:22: “Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name have done many wonderful works?” They have had a zeal, but not according to knowledge. Their religion has been more theoretical than practical. They prophesied, or taught the prophecies, in the name of the Lord; they claimed that they had cast out devils, and done many wonderful works; and these wonderful works, and their zeal in preaching, they took as an evidence that they were saved. The answer comes back from heaven, “I never knew you; depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” A large proportion will be of this number. These two phases stand out prominently in this parable: First, the proportion that will be lost of those who are looking for Christ to come; second, they are lost because they lack an experience in living out the truth. The fourth parable is one of talents. Every one who enters the service of God has received talents; all receive the gift of the Holy Spirit, which sanctifies their natural and acquired ability, and enables them to use their talents. To some He has given money; but each one's talent includes his opportunities, and whatever means he may have of giving the light to others. The reward is not according to the number of talents possessed, but according to the faithfulness in putting out the talents to usury; and this reward is an entrance into “the joy of the Lord.” The joy of the Lord is the joy of saving souls. Said the apostle, “What is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming? For ye are our glory and joy.” The salvation of souls is the joy of the Christian. If he has no interest in the saving of souls, he will have no interest in the world to come. This parable explains what it is to watch. It is not a state of inactivity, but it is a state of activity. It is putting out to the exchangers the talents that God has given. But here is a class representing those who used for their own personal interest the talents God gave them. He that received the one talent buried it in the earth, but he brought it back again. He had not invested it in the cause of Christ, and it had brought no other talent. When required to return it, he said, “Thou art an hard man.” The talent was taken from him, and given to the one that had five talents. To the one who makes a faithful use of his talents, more will be given. If he bears responsibilities where others refuse, if he supplies what others lack, he will receive the reward that they might have obtained. This unprofitable servant is cast to one side. His very complaint that God required something at his hand, was an acknowledgment of God's claims: “Thou knewest that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed: thou oughtest therefore to have put my money to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have received mine own with usury.” The thirty-first verse and onward give a revelation of the decision that has been made in the courts of heaven with reference to the persons in the preceding parables. Those who have fed the hungry, given drink to the thirsty, taken in the stranger, clothed the naked, and visited those who were sick or in prison are the ones whom the Lord commends. To them He says: “Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.” But to the others, he says: “Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels.” To feed those who are physically hungry, to give drink to the physically thirsty, etc., is but a figure of the higher and more exalted work of caring for the spiritually destitute. If the lesser is neglected, the greater will surely be. Thus closes this remarkable discourse written for the special benefit of God's people living in the last days. The end of probation is coming, and soon each case will be decided in the courts of heaven. Those who are laboring for the salvation of souls, who feel a burden to relieve the oppressed, and are seeking to impart to others the precious light that God has given them, who carry upon their hearts a burden of souls, will never know when probation is to end, but they will realize that some change has taken place when Christ ceases to plead for the sinner in the heavenly courts. He that has a daily connection with heaven, in his own heart realizes that Christ has changed His position in the heavenly court. It is in his heart, and not by outward manifestations, that he has any realizing sense of a change. Those who are engaged in trafficking in this world, buying and selling, eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, without the fear of God before them, will have no knowledge concerning what has taken place, and will be destroyed by the seven last plagues. As the wicked begin to fall upon them, they seek God for protection, but no answer of deliverance comes. They then realize that they are lost. The prophet tells us what some will say who have known the truth, whose conscience at times has been aroused: “The harvest is past, the summer is ended, and we are not saved.” Another class have also heard, and have thought that at a more convenient season they would give time to investigate these solemn subjects. During this period, after the watchmen have left the walls of Zion, this class is thus described: “Behold, the days come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord: and they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, and they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the Lord, and shall not find it.” See Amos 8:9-14. There is still another class who have believed the truth, but trusted more to religious fervor, and outward manifestations, which to them appeared to be the power of God, than to inward piety and a firm reliance upon the word of God. They are described in Isa. 50:11; Matt. 7:22. But the nations of earth will rush on in their mad career; the miser will be counting his gold; the farmer will be planting his crops and sowing his grain; the business man will be buying and selling—each and all, amid the judgments of God that are falling upon the earth, hoping for better times to carry on their business, till the wrath of God takes them all away. The only safety is in heeding the instruction of our Saviour in the parables of these chapters. Among which class shall we be found?