Revelation 16

Revelation 16:1-21

Chapter 33 The coming of Christ and the vials of God’s wrath ‘And I heard a great voice out of the temple saying to the seven angels, Go your ways, and pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth’ Revelation 16:1-21 Throughout history there is a definite, constantly repeated order of events. From the Garden of Eden to the final day of judgment, this order of events in providence is evident. The Book of Revelation deals with it throughout the gospel age. By the preaching of the gospel As it is effectually applied to the hearts of men and women by the Holy Spirit, gospel churches are established in the world. These churches are candlesticks holding forth the light of the gospel in a world of spiritual darkness. As these churches hold forth the light, they are blessed with the constant presence of Christ in their midst. That is the message of Revelation chapters 1-3. The only purpose for the existence of these churches, the only mission they have in this world is to hold forth the light, to preach the gospel of Christ. As God’s people hold forth the light of the gospel They hold it before men and women who despise it, and are persecuted by the world. They are constantly subjected to trials and afflictions for the gospel’s sake. This is seen in chapters 4-7. The offense of the cross has not ceased. Any pastor, evangelist, or missionary, and any church which faithfully preaches the gospel of God’s free and sovereign grace in Christ will have to endure persecution from the world, because the religion of the world is man centered freewillism. As the result of persecution, God’s judgments fall upon our persecutors By these acts of providential judgment, God is both defending his people and warning his enemies of judgment to come. But acts of judgment, no matter how severe and plain they are, will never lead sinners to repentance. We see this in chapters 8-11. It is the goodness of God that leads men to repentance. Judgment only hardens the hearts of the unbelieving. No one will ever repent until Christ is revealed in his heart by the Holy Spirit.

Nothing will melt the heart of stone but a saving knowledge of God’s goodness and grace in Christ, the sinner’s Substitute (Romans 2:4; Zechariah 12:10). To those who have eyes to see, this order of events is an evident fact: the gospel is preached, persecution arises, and judgment falls. But this conflict between the church and the world points to a deeper, far more important warfare between Christ and Satan, between ‘the seed of the woman’ and ‘the dragon.’ This warfare is portrayed in chapters 12-14. Whenever the wicked fail to repent, refuse to obey the gospel, and harden their hearts against God’s evident warnings of wrath to come, he pours out the vials of his wrath upon them. These vials of wrath are acts of judicial reprobation. They are God’s last plagues upon men, by which they are sealed unto the judgment of the great day, leaving them no more opportunity for repentance. ‘When the wicked, often warned by trumpets of judgment, continue to harden their hearts, death finally plunges them into the hands of an angry God.

But even before they die they may have crossed the deadline, the line between God’s patience and his wrath’ (William Hendriksen). There is a line drawn by God, and known only to God, between mercy and wrath, between hope and reprobation; and any man who crosses that line by obstinate, willful unbelief cannot be saved, though he may yet live many years upon the earth. He is as surely the object of God’s eternal wrath as if he were already in hell. The Scripture repeatedly warns men and women to repent and turn to Christ in faith confessing their sins, lest they harden their hearts and cross the line into hopeless reprobation (Exodus 10:27; Proverbs 1:23-33; Jeremiah 7:13-16; Hosea 4:17; Matthew 12:31-32; Romans 1:24; 1 John 5:16; Isaiah 63:8-10). This is the link between chapters 15 and 16 and the chapters preceding them, between the trumpets of judgment and the vials of wrath. The trumpets warn of wrath to come. The vials are wrath poured out upon men, even while they live.

In chapters 8-11 men and women are warned of God’s wrath by the trumpets of judgment. In chapters 12-14 impenitent sinners so despise Christ and the gospel of his grace that they choose false religion over the truth of God and willingly wear the mark of the beast. In chapters 15-16 these same people have ‘the vials of the wrath of God’ poured out upon them, sealing them up in doom until the judgment of the great day. Once more, before the vials of wrath are poured out upon the wicked, we see the people of God standing before him secure upon the grounds of Christ’s atonement. They have gotten the victory over their enemies, and are singing the praises of God even as he pours out his wrath upon those who refuse to worship the Lamb. We saw in chapter 15 how that God’s saints are securely preserved from harm.

These vials of wrath are not poured out against them, but against those who believe not the gospel. Revelation 16 shows us ‘the vials of the wrath of God’ (Revelation 16:1) These are the seven last plagues by which God smites those who despise the gospel of Christ. They are ‘golden vials full of the wrath of God’ (Revelation 15:7): ‘golden’ because they are acts of righteousness, justice, and truth; ‘vials’ (rather than bowls) because the vial is an instrument of measurement. These golden vials are full of God’s wrath against men and women who have filled up the measure of wrath. By their willful rebellion and obstinate unbelief, they have earned and justly deserve God’s holy wrath. Seven angels pour out the seven last plagues of God’s burning wrath, which ultimately result in the final judgment of the great day. The point is this: Once God withdraws the influence of his Spirit by the gospel from men, they become hardened to the gospel and their damnation is both just and irreversible.

These seven last plagues are not merely future, prophetic events. They are taking place right now. They took place in John’s day. And they shall continue to take place until the day of judgment. As we read of these plagues, we cannot avoid noticing a striking resemblance to some of the plagues in Egypt (Exodus 7-10), which foreshadowed all of God’s acts of judgment upon unbelieving impenitent men in the world (Deuteronomy 28:20). God uses every element of his creation to punish those who oppose his Son and persecute his people. Those who refuse to be warned by the trumpets of judgment will be destroyed by the vials of wrath. And the same event may be to one a trumpet to warn and to another a vial of wrath to destroy. For example: The worms which ate Herod alive were a vial of wrath poured out upon him for his obstinate pride, by which he was plunged into hell. But those same worms were a trumpet to warn others of wrath to come (Acts 12:23).

Those who refuse to obey God’s voice are cursed in all they do (Deuteronomy 28:15-16). John says, ‘And I heard a great voice out of the temple saying to the seven angels, Go your ways, and pour out the vials of the wrath of God upon the earth.’ This is God speaking in wrath against men who fully deserve his wrath. The first vial is incurable disease (Revelation 16:2) At times our Lord pours out upon men horrible, incurable diseases, by which he brings those who will not repent down into hell (Exodus 9:10; Deuteronomy 28:27; Acts 12:23). Sickness and disease are not the works of satan, but the works of God. The Lord may use satan to inflict these things upon men, but it is the Lord’s work (Compare Job 2:7; Job 2:10). Insofar as the unbeliever is concerned, every sickness is either a warning of or a prelude to eternal wrath. Every sickness is a warning from God of judgment to come. And fatal disease is one means by which God brings the wicked down into eternal ruin.

Seldom, if ever, does a man find repentance on his deathbed. The dying thief was the exception, not the rule. And he was not on a deathbed, but on a cross! But for the believer the afflictions of the flesh are acts of God’s mercy, love, and grace (Romans 8:28). Sickness, troubles, even fatal diseases are never vials of wrath for God’s elect. We often suffer the same things that the ungodly suffer, but not for the same reasons, and not in the same way.

Our diseases are acts of divine chastisement (Hebrews 12:5-12). Our sicknesses help to wean us from the world and prepare us for eternity. Our fatal diseases are blessings of God to bring us home to glory (2 Corinthians 5:1-9). The second vial is poured out upon the sea (Revelation 16:3) Sometimes God uses oceans and rivers as instruments of wrath against men (Exodus 7:17-21; Exodus 15:1; Psalms 78:53). All maritime calamities, all hurricanes, tidal waves, floods, etc. Are warnings to the ungodly of judgment to come. By these disasters, the unbelieving are swept into hell. But believers are also drowned in the raging sea. Is this an act of judgment upon them? No. It is God’s great mercy, bringing his elect safely home to heaven. The third vial employs the rivers and fountains of water in the earth to execute judgment (Revelation 16:5-7) The rivers of water and fountains of life are made, by the hand of God, to be rivers of blood and fountains of destruction (Exodus 7:24; 1 Kings 17:1; 1 Kings 18:5; 1 Kings 18:40). The angel who executes this act of wrath vindicates God’s justice and declares his righteousness in all that he does to his enemies (Revelation 16:5). God’s judgment upon the wicked is a matter of divine retribution, for which the blood of all the martyrs pleads (Revelation 16:6-7; Revelation 6:9-10; Revelation 8:3-5). None will perish under the wrath of God but those who fully deserve his wrath. ‘The wages of sin is death.’ And God’s saints will praise him for his righteous dealings with the wicked as well as for his righteous dealings with them. The fourth vial pours out terrible, scorching heat upon the earth (Revelation 16:8-9) God frequently uses the sun to punish ungodly men and nations (Deuteronomy 28:22-24). But wicked men will never be brought to repentance by God’s acts of judgment. They only become harder and more brazen in their blasphemy. They may appear to change for a while. But judgment never changes the heart. Only grace can change the heart of a man. (Compare Numbers 16:31-35; Numbers 16:41). The fifth vial is expressly poured out upon false religion (Revelation 16:10-11) The seat of the beast is the center of all that is opposed to God (Nahum 3:1; Habakkuk 3:12-14). When God, by some great act of judgment, shakes the kingdom of antichrist, even as they gnash their teeth and gnaw their tongues with pain, they are hardened in darkness, confusion and hatred for God. They blaspheme him and repent not. The sixth vial prepares for and gathers men to the battle of Armageddon (Revelation 16:12-16) Armageddon is not a great nuclear holocaust. It is not a terrible would war. I do not deny that these things may come upon the earth. Indeed, they probably will. But Armageddon is a spiritual warfare, with consequences far more severe than any war between nations could ever be. It is the final conquest of Christ over satan at his glorious advent. We will deal more with this later. For now, in this context we see that Armageddon is the conquest of Christ over all evil.

Armageddon is the place of God’s victory! (Judges 5:19). The River Euphrates represents the wicked, unbelieving world (Revelation 16:12). When the great river dries up, when the economy and resources of the world are dried up by the hand of God, the way is prepared for the kings and people of the earth to move against the people of God in persecution. As it has been in the past, so shall it be in the future. In the last day, the kings of the earth will be moved by hell inspired religious leaders against Christ and his church (Revelation 16:13-14). John sees proceeding out of the mouth of the dragon (satan), and the beast (pagan world government), and the false prophet (false religion) three unclean spirits.

He compares these spirits to frogs to indicate the abominable, repulsive, loathsome character of world government and world religion in that last little season when Satan is loosed upon the earth. They represent all hell born philosophy and religion.

Are these things not applicable to our day and our society? NOTE: There is particular reference made to charismatic influence. It is both demonic and universal! Then, just when all the forces of the world, political, philosophical and religious, are gathered against God, the Lord Jesus Christ will suddenly appear (Revelation 16:15).He comes as a thief in the night upon his enemies, suddenly, unexpectedly (Matthew 24:29; Judges 5:4; Habakkuk 3:13; 2 Thessalonians 1:7-10). Because of this coming day of the Lord, let all who believe, watch over their souls and keep the garments of salvation, lest we be found naked and put to shame in the end (2 Peter 3:14). The Lord is here admonishing us to perseverance in the faith. The motive for this perseverance is the sure hope of Christ’s coming. The seventh vial is the final judgment of God upon the world at Christ’s second advent (Revelation 16:17-21) These verses describe the terror of that great and terrible day of the Lord. It shall come to pass when God says, regarding his own eternal purpose in the world, ‘It is done!’ In that day, there will be a total destruction of the earth, all evil, all false religion and all who oppose our God. God’s judgment will be final and complete.

Revelation 16:8-21

Chapter 34 No repentance without Christ ‘And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues: and they repented not to give him glory. And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat of the beast; and his kingdom was full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues for pain, And blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and repented not of their deeds’ Revelation 16:8-11; Revelation 16:21 These verses describe the terrible judgments of God upon men and women, by which he warns all of judgment to come. Here we see men and women scorched with great heat, gnawing their tongues for pain, suffering the consequences of drought more severe than tongue can describe, and at last being beaten to death with hail stones weighing over 100 pounds each! Surely, men and women suffering such terrible acts of judgment from God’s almighty hand will be humbled, broken, submissive, and seeking mercy. Surely, no heart can remain hard and unmoved by such evident acts of God. That would seem reasonable, wouldn’t it? But that is not the case.

When those men were scorched with fire from heaven, ’they blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues.’ As they gnawed their tongues with pain, ’they blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores.’ When great hailstones fell out of heaven, crushing them to death, ‘men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail.’ And though God so plainly displays his power and wrath, warning men and women of the judgment to come, they ‘repented not of their deeds’ (Revelation 16:11). ‘They repented not to give him glory’ (Revelation 16:9). What will it take to break a sinner’s heart? What will it take to make a rebel surrender to Christ? What will it take to produce true repentance in the heart of a stubborn, hardened, self-willed sinner? Divine judgment alone will never produce true repentance We must be careful here and not make hasty generalizations that are contrary to Holy Scripture. I do not say that God does not use acts of providential judgment to arouse, impress, subdue, and humble his elect and bring them to repentance. Indeed, he sometimes does graciously use these things (Psalms 107:1-31; Luke 15:11-20). But I am saying this: Divine judgment, in and of itself, will never produce repentance in the heart. Satan, after being under the wrath of God for thousands of years, has not mellowed or repented in any way. Many who live in poverty, with sickness and disease, and suffer earthly hardships of every kind, are hardened against God rather than helped by the judgments of providence. The heart of man is so obstinate, proud, and hard that even in the torments of hell the damned will never repent. There is no repentance in hell. They are scorched with heat and tormented with fire. Yet, they still blaspheme God’s name and repent not to give him the glory. They curse him for their pain, but repent not of their deeds. True repentance arises from faith and hope. But in hell there is no faith and no hope, but only endless torment.

So there is no repentance. In hell there is much sorrow for pain, but no sorrow for sin. None can be saved, but by the blood of the Lamb. But there is no blood to be found in hell. In that awful place of torment, the worm of conscience shall gnaw men forever, ever bringing to mind the cause of hell’s torment: willful unbelief and obstinate impenitence. How often they were invited to heaven!

How easily they might have escaped hell! But they would not. They shall forever weep over the loss of heaven’s bliss and over the portion of their cup. They shall weep for pain. But they will not shed a single tear over the cause of their pain. The damned in hell suffer and blaspheme.

But they do not repent. And, if there is no repentance in hell where God’s greatest judgments are executed, the lesser judgments of providence certainly will not change the sinner’s heart and produce repentance. Someone said, ‘Afflictions will make good men better, and bad men worse!’ But afflictions will never make good men bad, or bad men good. Wrath converts no one. It is grace that saves. Judgment does not soften the sinner’s heart. It hardens it. The men and women in this text by judgment were led to blaspheme. But ’they repented not.’ The consequence of often neglected warnings is irreversible hardness of heart. Let those who are not yet hardened by the judgments of God and the terror of his wrath repent now, while God grants space for repentance. ‘Today, if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts.’ You may not be able to repent tomorrow. The long-suffering, goodness, and forbearance of God should lead people to repentance and salvation (Romans 2:4-5; 2 Peter 3:15). But if they despise his goodness, and harden their heart in the day of his goodness, they will find it impossible to repent in the day of his wrath and judgment (Hebrews 12:17; Proverbs 1:22-33). That repentance which is sometimes produced by acts of judgment is a false repentance which needs to be repented of (Psalms 78:31-37) Many, by providential acts of judgment, sickness, narrow escapes from death, bereavements, economic hardship, domestic trials, and personal tragedies, repent after a fashion. They turn to God, perhaps even change their lives, and hope to ease their consciences. But, repentance that is caused only by judgment and legal fear is always false repentance. You can mark it down as a matter of certainty: ‘That which is born in the storm will die in the calm.’ A carnal repentance, caused by the fear of punishment, is a false repentance (Genesis 4:13). Temporary repentance, which subsides when the judgment is over, is false repentance (Exodus 9:27). Fearful sorrow, that does not change the heart or affect the life of a man, is false repentance (Matthew 14:9-10). Despairing remorse, that does not convert, is false repentance (Matthew 27:4-5). Cain, Pharoah, Herod, and Judas all repented of the evil they had done, because they saw the judgment of God upon them. But they were not saved. They all repented. But their repentance was false. They all repented. But they repented not to give God the glory. Such repentance as this only hardens the heart and usually keeps men from true repentance. False repentance mocks God, seeks to deceive him, and gives the sinner a false refuge, a refuge of lies, in which he seeks and finds a false, but assured sense of, security from the wrath of God. Thomas Boston wrote, ‘Trees may blossom fairly in the spring, on which no fruit is to be found in the harvest; and some have sharp soul exercises which are nothing but foretastes of hell.’ Only the revelation of Christ in the heart can produce true repentance No one will ever truly repent of his sins and turn to God in genuine conversion until he sees Christ crucified as his all-sufficient, sin-atoning Substitute (Zechariah 12:10). Repentance is the tear that drops from faith’s eye (Job 39:4-5; Job 42:5-6). It is the gift of God the Holy Spirit (John 16:8-11). Repentance is the result of converting grace and gospel instruction (Jeremiah 31:19). It is the response of faith to the promises of God in the gospel (Isaiah 55:7; Jeremiah 3:11-13). Repentance arises not from the fear of punishment and the dread of wrath, but from the love, mercy, and grace of God in Christ (Luke 7:37-38; Luke 7:47; Luke 22:61-62).

Judgment hardens the heart. The law of God terrifies the heart. But one look at Christ, crucified in his place, melts the sinner’s hard heart in repentance toward God. True, gospel repentance glorifies God The men and women spoken of in these verses ‘repented not to give him glory.’ But those who do truly repent do, by their repentance, give God the glory (Psalms 32:1-5; Psalms 51:1-5). True repentance recognizes, reverences, and adores God’s omniscience (Psalms 139:1-6). It acknowledges the righteousness of God’s law and the evil of sin (Romans 7:9). Genuine repentance glorifies the justice of God in the punishment of sin (Psalms 51:4). God wrought repentance glorifies the sovereignty of God in the exercise of His mercy (Matthew 8:2; Matthew 15:21-28).It sees and acknowledges that there is but one way by which God can be just and yet justify the ungodly - substitutionary redemption (Romans 3:24-26). True repentance glorifies God by constantly pleading the blood and righteousness of Christ alone, taking God at His word and receiving the atonement by faith in Christ (Romans 5:11). Have you repented?

Revelation 16:15

Chapter 35 Waiting for the Savior ‘Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame’ Revelation 16:15 Would it surprise you if the Lord Jesus were to come again before you finish reading this sentence? It probably would. But that is a real pity. Believers should always be waiting for the Savior, expecting his glorious appearing at any moment. The world does not expect his return. It goes on with its mundane pleasures, eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, without the least thought of Christ’s coming, judgment, and eternity.

But his family should ever be ‘looking for that blessed hope and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ ‘ (Titus 2:13). (Read Matthew 24:36 to Matthew 25:13; Luke 12:22-40; 1 Thessalonians 4:13 to 1 Thessalonians 5:6; and 2 Peter 3:1-14). The promise of Christ’s coming should fill our hearts with hope, expectation, joy, and devotion. There are three things in these words, which John heard fall from the lips of the Son of God, which demand our utmost attention. A fact proclaimed ‘Behold, I come as a thief.’ Our Lord Jesus Christ will come again in glory. We have his own word for it. One of the last things he said to his disciples, before he left the earth, was - ‘If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also’ (John 14:3). And the very last thing he says to us in the Book of Inspiration is - ‘Surely I come quickly’ (Revelation 22:20). Those words might be translated, ‘Most certainly, I am coming quickly.’ Our Lord is now on the road back to this earth. He is traveling as fast as wisdom permits. He is not waiting to come. He is coming now. With every movement of providence, with every tick of the clock, he draws nearer. He is coming now. And he will suddenly appear in power and great glory. Our Lord has promised to come, and to come in person Some try to explain away the bodily, personal coming of Christ by saying that he comes to his people in the hour of death. No doubt, that is true. When the believer dies, Christ comes for him and takes him home to heaven. But there is a great day appointed of God when the Lord Jesus Christ shall personally return to this earth (Acts 1:11; 1 Thessalonians 4:16; 2 Thessalonians 1:7-10; Revelation 1:7).He who went up to heaven shall come again from heaven to earth. Our Lord will as certainly be here again in a body of glory as he was once here in a body of shame. He has promised it. Every redeemed sinner may confidently say with Job, ‘I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth; and though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God; whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me’ (Job 19:25-27). The great plan and purpose of God in redemption requires Christ’s second advent It is part of God’s purpose that, as Christ came once to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself, he must come a second time without sin unto salvation. As he came once to purchase his elect from the curse of the law, he must come a second time to gather the people he has so dearly bought. As he came once to have his heel bruised by the serpent, he must come again to crush the serpent’s head and dash his enemies to pieces. As he came once to wear a crown of thorns, he must come again to wear the crown of universal praise. As he came once to be crucified by men, he must come again to be glorified among men. The purpose of God in redemption cannot be complete until Christ comes again for the redemption of his purchased possession (Romans 8:21-23; Romans 13:11).

God’s purpose of redemption will not be fulfilled until the Church, the New Jerusalem, comes down from God out of heaven, having been prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. The heavenly Bridegroom comes forth riding upon a white stallion, conquering and to conquer, King of kings and Lord of lords. The Man of Nazareth will come again. None shall spit in his face, deride him, or mock him then. In that day every knee shall bow before him, and every tongue shall confess that he is Lord. The Crucified One shall come again.

With those hands which were once nailed to the cursed tree, he shall hold the scepter of total dominion and reign gloriously forever. Hallelujah! Our Lord will come in his own appointed time Many ask the question, ‘When will Christ come?’ And multitudes, through the centuries have tried to figure out the time. They point to signs, and say, ‘After these things happen, the Lord will come.’ All the curious speculations about prophecy are tricks of the devil, by which he endeavors to turn our hearts away from Christ. Our Lord tells us plainly, ‘of that day and hour knoweth no man, no not the angels of heaven, but my Father only’ (Matthew 24:36). The Word of God gives us absolutely no light by which we may determine the time of our Lord’s coming. And this is according to God’s wise purpose, so that we may always be expecting Christ to come at any moment. ‘In such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh’ (Matthew 24:44). Our Lord never told us to look for the signs of his coming, but ever to look for him coming.

We are not to look for the gathering of the Jews to their homeland, the rebuilding of a temple in Jerusalem, or some earthly, millennial kingdom, but for the coming of Christ the King himself. It is always harmful to look for or anticipate any signs or prophecies that must be fulfilled before Christ comes. Such an understanding of any prophecy is wrong. It would cause us to imagine that our Lord will delay his coming until certain things are accomplished (Luke 12:45-46). Christ will come as a thief, suddenly, unexpectedly. Therefore, we must watch for him constantly.

A thief gives no warning. He makes no announcement of his coming. Only the foolish sleep. Those who are wise will watch for Christ’s coming. It is a fact proclaimed - ‘Behold, I come as a thief.’ A blessedness promised ‘Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments.’ With these words, our coming King promises blessedness to those men and women who, in anticipation of his coming, are watchful and keep their garments. What is this watching? Throughout the Scriptures, whenever we read about Christ’s coming, the end of the world, judgment and eternity, we are exhorted to be watchful. What does that mean? We must watch against sin, the lusts of our flesh, and the cares of this world, lest they bring a sleepiness and slothfulness upon us and turn our hearts away from Christ (Matthew 13:22). We must watch against Satan and his temptations and devices, by which he seeks whom he may devour.

And we must watch against those ministers of Satan who lie in wait to deceive and would by their false doctrine turn us away from the hope of the gospel. We must not be overly concerned with the things of this world (Luke 12:29-34; 2 Corinthians 4:18). ‘Blessed is he that watcheth.’ To be watchful is to be engaged in our Master’s business (Luke 12:35), waiting for his return with our lights burning (Luke 12:35). To be watchful is to live and act in the immediate expectation of Christ’s return, with the sense that his eye is upon us. God give us grace to live in constant expectation of our Lord’s appearing. It is our responsibility to keep the watch appointed to us until our Lord sends other watchmen, or the Lord himself comes (Luke 12:38). We are to watch for our Lord’s return with the anxious thought of opening the door to greet him (Luke 12:36). ‘Blessed is he that watcheth.’ Let us ever watch over our souls and watch for our Lord, with expectant hearts.

But there is more. ‘Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments.’ What is this keeping of our garments As we watch for Christ’s glorious advent, we must keep our garments. This involves two things: First, we must keep our garments of life unspotted from the world (James 127). We must seek grace from the God of grace, that we may keep ourselves clear of the corruption of this world: greed, ambition, selfishness, meanness, and lasciviousness. We must keep our hearts, tongues, hands, and feet from that which is evil. It is our responsibility to keep our garments. We must deny ungodliness and worldly lust (Titus 2:10-14); and when we have defiled ourselves, we must wash again in the blood of the Lamb (Zechariah 13:1).

Second, the text is admonishing us to perseverance in the faith. Our Lord is telling us to keep, cling to, and hold fast the garments of our salvation, which are the doctrine of effectual, blood atonement and the robe of his imputed righteousness. We must never allow anything, any doctrine, any experience, any trial, or any temptation, no, not even any fall to move us away from the hope of the gospel (Colossians 1:24; Hebrews 3:14). Ever keep the doctrine of blood atonement. Ever cling to the robe of imputed righteousness. What is the blessedness promised to those who watch and keep their garments?

Those who watch and keep their garments are blessed in the watching and keeping itself (1 John 3:2). This detaches them from the world! And they shall be blessed with eternal salvation. A warning posted ‘Lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.’ Those who cling to Christ, persevering in the faith, shall be saved. When the Bridegroom comes, they will have on the wedding garments he has provided. But this is the warning - If you do not hold fast Christ alone as your only hope, your only righteousness, your only acceptance with God, you will be found naked when he comes and put to an open shame (Matthew 22:11-14). Christ is coming again. Soon, he will appear and summons us to stand before the bar of his great white throne. How will you appear before him? Are you washed in his blood? Do you have on the wedding garments of his imputed righteousness?