Chap. 24:42-51

THE Lord Jesus, as we have seen, is coming upon men as a thief in the night; and though the solemn testimony of the Lord’s revelation from heaven may have been often heard, still, to the unbeliever, the event will be as sudden and unexpected as the flood was in the days of Noe. The Lord therefore adds this practical exhortation: “Watch therefore; for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.” (ver. 42.) So totally unprepared will men be for this most solemn moment, that just when they are saying, “Peace and safety, sudden destruction will come upon them, as travail upon a woman with child, and they shall not escape.” (1 Thess. 5:3.) The illustration that follows is that of a man expecting the thief to come to break up his house, and therefore watching to hinder it. “But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and not have suffered his house to be broken up.” (ver. 43.) The point, therefore, is of great practical importance to the people of God who will be then living upon the earth. It will be well with those who are that found watching and waiting for the Lord; for He will bring them into their long-looked-for blessing. “Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of Man cometh.” (ver. 44.)
We now come to what has more direct reference to Christianity. Not that we have the Church in its unity; for, as we have before noticed, that was not then revealed. But we have the “household,” and the history of individuals bearing the name of Christ on the earth. The three parables of the servants, the virgins, and the talents, show us in measure, but very strikingly, the history and the results of the profession of Christianity. We will now look a little at each of them.