Duty of Watching by C. P. Bollman

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, Cal. · May 27, 1886

FromThe Signs of the Times, Vol. 12, No. 20

Duty of Watching.

By C. P. Bollman

Last week it was clearly shown that it has not always been duty to expect the soon coming of Christ; but we learn from numerous texts that when the day of the Lord does come some will be looking for and expecting him; indeed the Scriptures teach that it is an imperative duty not only to watch for the coming of the Lord, but to know when it is near at hand. Matt. 24:33.

In 1 Thess. 5:1–4 the apostle teaches that those who are overtaken as by a thief will be destroyed; but the “brethren”—the people of God—will not be so overtaken. However, Paul himself taught that it was not the duty of the early church to look for the second advent. But were the apostle’s teachings contradictory? By no means; he simply taught that until the accomplishment of certain things spoken by the prophets, especially by the prophet Daniel (Dan. 7:25), the Lord could not come. So we find that there is perfect harmony between Paul’s first and second letters to the Thessalonians, and also between the teaching of Christ and the teaching of his apostle.

Christ himself taught that a long time would elapse before his second coming. He said:—

“Take heed that ye be not deceived; for many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and the time draweth near; go ye not therefore after them. But when ye shall hear of wars and commotions, be not terrified; for these things must first come to pass; but the end is not by and by.” Luke 21:8, 9.

But although the Saviour taught that his second coming was not near when he was here in his first advent, he also taught that those who should live at the time of his second coming ought to know when to look for him. After giving certain signs which should precede his coming, he said:—

“Now learn a parable of the fig-tree: When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh; so likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors. Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.” Matt. 24:32–34.

In this scripture the Saviour teaches that just as surely as the budding fig-tree shows the approach of summer, so should the signs which he gave show his coming to be near. And not only so, but he says: “Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.” “This generation” means the generation that should see the fulfillment of the signs—the generation which the Saviour had in mind when he uttered those words. But our Lord not only taught that it is possible to know when his coming is near, but he said: “When ye shall see all these things, know that it [margin, he] is near, even at the doors.”

It will be seen by this brief and imperfect presentation of the subject, that (1) It has not always been duty to look for the second coming of Christ; (2) Christ and Paul both taught that a long time would elapse before the second advent; (3) Christ gave certain signs which were to show his people when his coming should be near; (4) the generation that should see these signs “shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled;” and (5) Paul teaches that all who are overtaken as by a thief will be destroyed.

Is it not then important that we study these things, and watch the fulfillment of prophecy, that we be not overtaken as by a thief?

C. P. BOLLMAN.