Revelation 16:15
Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.
What a gracious interruption this is.
Right in the middle of wrath, warfare, and the gathering of armies, Jesus suddenly speaks. It is almost as if He says, “Do not lose heart. Do not forget. I am still coming.”
For us, because of what Paul says in 1 Thessalonians 5:1 to 4, we understand what lies ahead. We are looking for the catching away of the church. We are not waiting for the wrath of Revelation. We are watching for the Lord. But for those living in the Tribulation, this word lands as a much needed encouragement. The armies may be moving. Darkness may be covering the earth. The pressure may be unbearable. But Jesus says, “Take hope. I am on My way.”
I like that. His coming is not merely some distant doctrine to be filed away for later study. It is immediate. It is personal. It is meant to steady the heart of the believer.
And notice the blessing. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments. In other words, blessed is the one who stays awake spiritually and walks carefully before the Lord. Blessed is the one who does not let the filth of the world strip away his testimony. Blessed is the one who stays ready.
That speaks to us too.
Even though we are looking for the Rapture, the call is still the same. Watch. Stay awake. Keep your garments. Live in such a way that you are not ashamed at His appearing. Do not get so sleepy with this world that you lose your edge spiritually. Do not let compromise creep in. Do not start living as though He were not coming.
Jesus is saying, “Live ready.”
That is not meant to make us nervous. It is meant to make us clean. It is meant to make us hopeful. It is meant to keep us from walking naked in a shameful, careless, compromised way.
So whether for the Tribulation saint then or the believer now, the message is clear. However dark the hour becomes, do not forget who is coming. Keep watching. Keep walking clean. Keep looking up. The Lord is nearer than you think.