Watch Is the Word

Watch. That's the word, isn't it?

That's the word on the lips of every born-again believer out there today living in obedience to the copious number of verses in Scripture that tell us to live in eager, active anticipation of the Lord's soon coming.

And for those blessed individuals who are eternally secure in Christ, that translates to the Rapture, when...

The way prophetic events are racing inexorably toward their divinely ordained fulfillment, it's looking more and more as if the Church has one foot out the proverbial door. Or perhaps I should say in the proverbial door:

A couple of years ago, I created an icon based on the above graphic that would appear whenever I posted a comment on a website (along with the username "HeSaidWatch") and it succinctly expresses my feelings about looking forward to the Rapture.

Watch. The sun is going down on the Church Age, and we need to get those last few bales of hay into the barn before darkness falls. I have come to realize over the last several years, however, that there is a growing number of people who have cultivated an increasingly warped view of what the word "watch" means in the biblical context.

I've harped on this here and there over the last few months, but the Lord finally impressed upon me a desire to take a closer look at exactly what the word "watch" means in Scripture, and hence this article—and primarily for my own benefit. It's like I always tell people: I don't write for others—I write for myself. If what I write happens to bless or edify other people in some small way, that's wonderful. To God be the glory.

Before I discuss what the word "watch" actually means in the New Testament, I want to lay some groundwork by reviewing what the word has come to mean in recent years for a small rogue element within the Church, a subgroup that fancies and presents itself as being part of those who are attuned to the fulfillment of Bible prophecy and to the signs God is revealing to those with ears to hear that indicate the nearness of the Rapture.

As I have discussed previously, for the past few years up until last fall, all eyes were on September 23, 2017. Many erroneously (and unscripturally, I might add) tried to pin the Rapture to the date of the stellar-planetary alignment that confirmed John's vision in Revelation 12:1–2, and ever since then this group has continued to scramble for clues in order to satisfy their own urge and that of others to set a date for the Rapture. For many of these individuals, the word "watch" has become synonymous with trying to ferret out the exact date of the Rapture from a torrent of various purported signs, patterns, events, and coincidences that they are convinced have profound prophetic import.

In the eyes of many such people, however, if you're not out there on the front line, as it were, actively trying to calculate or pin down the date of the Rapture or at least chatting up and losing sleep over the latest high-watch date that one of their members has come up with and put out on the Internet, you're not "watching." You're not a "watchman."

And if you were involved in this sort of activity in the past but have grown weary of one letdown after another and have begun to lose interest in the latest red-alert Rapture-date theory that an excitable few are buzzing about, then you've thrown in the towel. Your Watchman merit badge may be revoked and you are likely to be unceremoniously relegated to the Slacker Brigade.

The point is this: A small date-setting, date-seeking, date-sensationalizing cadre has tried to twist the word "watch" into something that doesn't square with the Word. What's worse, it is negatively influencing some believers by luring them away from what Scripture says and thus weakening their walk with the Lord and their witness to the world. To be honest, I didn't see this topic coming; but this is what I feel the Holy Spirit has laid on my heart, and so here it is, take it or leave it:

There are those who would hijack the word "watch" and twist it into something that blithely accommodates, nay, encourages the foolhardy setting of, the unscriptural seeking of, and the spiritually damaging sensationalizing of specific dates for the Rapture. And if what the Holy Spirit has laid on my heart recently is anything to go by, it's time to set a few things straight.

So, my goal is pretty straightforward: All I want to do is to show you point blank what the word "watch" means in God's Word, and just as importantly what it doesn't mean. And in the process, encourage you to embrace the former and avoid getting too caught up with in latter.

The rundown on gregoreo

First, let's establish our footing in regard to the original Greek. Whenever the word "watch" appears in any English translation of the New Testament, especially in regard to the Lord's coming or as a command to "watch" from Jesus Himself in the Gospels, it is most typically a form of gregoreo. Although there are several other Greek words that are occasionally translated as "watch" in various English translations, words such as agrupneo, blepo, and nepho, their usages in regard to the coming of the Lord or as commands from Christ are more or less synonymous with usages of gregoreo. As a result, gregoreo is the word I am going to focus my attention on in this article, and so first let's flesh out its meaning.

The word gregoreo means to watch; to remain vigilant; to stay awake; to remain attentive, watchful, and alert. Incidentally, it also happens to be the Greek root of my name, Gregory (who knows...maybe that's why the Lord placed such a burden on my heart to write this). Throughout the New Testament, gregoreo is used in two different senses:

(a) External/physical. The word gregoreo can emphasize being watchful and vigilant in regard to one's physical surroundings, or to events occurring in the environment. This type of usage emphasizes maintaining the attitude of a watchman or a guard, who must remain awake and on the alert for thieves, enemies, or anyone who might attack in a stealthy manner or under the cover of darkness.

This type of usage would include being watchful in regard to signs of the times and to signs being revealed by God indicating that the Rapture and other end-time events are drawing close.

(b) Internal/spiritual. The word gregoreo can also emphasize being watchful and vigilant in regard to one's own spiritual condition (or that of others in one's charge). In fact, this is easily its most prevalent meaning. This type of usage emphasizes giving strict attention to one's spiritual life. It focuses on maintaining an active prayer life and being ever mindful of staying in fellowship with the Lord, and vigilantly watching one's walk with Him lest through laxity or indifference one is deceived by the adversary, drawn away from one's intimacy with the Lord, or duped by error or false teaching.

From Thayer's Greek Lexicon:

The word gregoreo is used 23 times in the New Testament, 14 times by Jesus in the Gospels and nine times by other New Testament writers, and I want to look at or at least mention all 23 of its usages because I want to leave no stone unturned in my effort to communicate to you precisely what God's Word means when it tells us to watch, and as a result communicate to you just as precisely what it doesn't mean.

We'll cover these 23 usages of gregoreo in the order in which they appear (all highlighted in bold in the following passages of Scripture), and I'll even keep count as we go so you'll know I didn't skip any.

And there will be a quiz.

First up is Matthew's version of the Olivet Discourse:

Here, Jesus has just described the Second Coming (vv. 29–31), and has just stated that no one knows the day or the hour of His return (v. 36). So, it is necessary to be vigilant and watchful (i.e. watch the signs of the times and keep your spiritual life fired up) so you are ready whenever He comes. Although gregoreo can be interpreted here in the external/physical way, the idea of being "ready" (v. 44) also speaks to spiritual preparedness. As we shall see in some of the following passages of Scripture, external/physical watching goes hand in hand with internal/spiritual watching.

Even though this passage almost certainly applies to the Second Coming and not specifically the Rapture, the principle of being watchful, both in regard to signs of the times and to one's spiritual life, is still highly relevant.

(Usage count: 2 of 23)

This is followed just a few verses later in chapter 25 by the Parable of the 10 Virgins (some of whom were more watchful than the others):

I'm going to stifle the urge to go off on a major tangent here, but I believe the first several verses serve as the needed backstory to set the stage for the main action of the parable, because the entire parable is time-stamped by the first word in verse 1 as occurring at the time of the Second Coming (described a few verses earlier in Matt. 24:29–31).

In my opinion, this refers to those who survive the Tribulation all the way to the Second Coming and who will be required to maintain a faithful testimony during the Tribulation in order to be ushered alive into the Millennial Kingdom (the wedding feast on earth, not to be confused with the wedding ceremony in heaven that precedes it). Some will (the wise), and some won't (the foolish), and so Jesus has just described two groups of people: those who have persevered in watching their spiritual lives and have kept their lamps filled with oil and those who haven't.

After the Church Age concludes with the Rapture (which I believe occurs in v. 6 as part of the backstory that sets the stage for the rest of the parable) and the Holy Spirit stands down from His current ministry of permanently indwelling Church Age believers and sealing them until the day of redemption (i.e. the Rapture), be advised: It's going to take some serious watching of one's spiritual life to make the cut and enter the kingdom. And make no mistake: Some will make the cut and some won't.

This parable has precious little to do with the Bride, who is never mentioned and whose presence at the wedding ceremony while the virgins are yammering about oil can be logically assumed. The primary thrust of the parable has essentially nothing to do with the Church or the Rapture, nor does the word gregoreo in verse 13 have anything to do with trying to pin down the precise timing of the latter. "Watching" here has to do with keeping one's lamp filled with oil (i.e. the Holy Spirit), and that translates to vigilantly watching one's spiritual life.

And I would love to devote an entire article to the 10 virgins one of these days...but not today.

(Usage count: 3 of 23)

To see both the external/physical and the internal/spiritual meanings of gregoreo in action, we need look no further than the Garden of Gethsemane:

In the first two usages of gregoreo, there is a clear external/physical element to the meaning: Jesus expected His disciples to physically stay awake and be vigilant, and when He came back and found them sawing logs, He chided them for failing to stay awake.

But notice the subtle shift when, while speaking to Peter, He says "Watch and pray, that you don't enter into temptation." Now the emphasis is clearly more internal/spiritual. Now it's more focused on maintaining one's spiritual condition and not letting oneself be overcome by temptation and sin.

(Usage count: 6 of 23)

The story of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane is repeated using much of the same phraseology in Mark 14:32–42, where gregoreo is again used three times and in quite a similar manner. The story is also briefly mentioned in Luke 22:39–46, but the word "watch" (and hence the word gregoreo) is not used.

(Usage count: 9 of 23)

Next we go to Mark's version of the Olivet Discourse:

The meanings of gregoreo in this passage are essentially the same as in Matthew's version: You don't know the day or the hour of my return, so watch the signs of the times and watch your spiritual lives so that you are spiritually ready whenever I do return. It is a call for vigilance and attentiveness to both signs that indicate the nearness of His coming and to one's spiritual walk with the Lord, and just as in Matthew, it is obvious no one is being told to seek out a date for the Rapture here.

Note in verse 33 the use of agrupneo, essentially a synonym of gregoreo, only one that puts slightly more emphasis on the idea of refraining from sleep.

(Usage count: 12 of 23)

Next we go to Luke chapter 12, where Jesus is giving His disciples a series of teachings, the following one of which is mirrored in both Matthew's and Mark's versions of the Olivet Discourse (Luke doesn't repeat this teaching in his version). In both cases, this teaching comes almost immediately after Jesus has described the Second Coming at the climax of the Tribulation.

I believe Jesus is talking about the Second Coming here, and admonishing His disciples and by extension the Jewish remnant and other Tribulation saints to watch their spiritual lives vigilantly, and in so doing live in constant readiness and expectation of His physical return to earth. Incidentally, keep in mind that during the Tribulation, the idea of being "ready" will extend to the idea of being "ready" to be martyred for your faith.

I think it's important to understand that during the Tribulation, the level of persecution of believers will be such that only those who diligently watch their spiritual lives will ultimately be ushered into the kingdom. When the Rapture removes the Church from the earth, the Holy Spirit's current ministry of sealing believers will end, and so during the Tribulation those who come to faith in Christ—both Jews and Gentiles—are going to have to watch their spiritual lives with great care and diligence. They will have to strive to maintain a faithful walk and testimony, and keep themselves in a state of spiritual readiness and expectation of His return, and I am satisfied that both usages of gregoreo here speak to such internal/spiritual watching. Those who do so are the five wise virgins in Matthew 25:1–13 who keep their lamps full of oil, while the five foolish fail to do so and thus run dry and come up short at the moment of truth.

(Usage count: 14 of 23)

Next, we have Paul's farewell to the elders in Ephesus:

Paul is warning the elders that false teachers—wolves in sheep's clothing—will arise to sink their teeth into the flock, so watch. And not merely over their own spiritual lives, but of those believers whom God had entrusted into their care. Clearly gregoreo is being used with a spiritual meaning here.

(Usage count: 15 of 23)

Next we go to Paul's first letter to the Corinthians, in which he urges them to...

Stand firm in the faith. Clearly an internal/spiritual usage of gregoreo.

(Usage count: 16 of 23)

In Colossians, Paul again exhorts believers to watch:

That is, watching in prayer. Again, obviously internal/spiritual.

(Usage count: 17 of 23)

In the next passage, the apostle Paul has just finished his definitive mini-manifesto on the Rapture in 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18, and now he proceeds to remind them of a few of the things he taught them while in their presence:

He is telling them that the day of the Lord will not overtake them as a thief, as it will the world. Why? Because they are not in darkness—they are children of the day. They have the illumination of the Holy Spirit. He tells them to watch and be sober, and then mentions a couple of things that this entails: putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and donning the helmet which is the hope of salvation. This is clearly an internal/spiritual usage of gregoreo. He's not suggesting they try to pinpoint the day of the Rapture.

The usage of gregoreo in verse 10 (translated above as "wake" instead of "watch") is interesting, and commentators are mixed in regard to its interpretation. Many commentators are content to assume Paul is simply saying that whether we are alive or dead when the Rapture occurs, we will be united with the Lord. That is certainly true, and so this is a perfectly reasonable interpretation of the verse. But others take it a little further.

Since the Holy Spirit chose to use the word gregoreo here, some see this verse as speaking to the condition of our spiritual lives when the Rapture occurs. In other words, some believe that Paul, writing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, is saying that whether we are watching our spiritual lives vigilantly and attentively in the full sense of the word gregoreo or not, we are appointed to obtain salvation, which here translates to being included in the Rapture.

I believe this interpretation is also scripturally sound, since our inclusion in the Rapture is certainly not dependent on our own faithfulness or performance, but rather our belief in faith in the finished work of atonement that our Lord and Savior shed His precious blood to provide for us, and that alone.

And who knows...it's not outside the realm of possibility that this verse can readily be interpreted both ways, since the Holy Spirit is certainly not above employing a little subtle word play. We need to remember that things in Scripture are not always either/or.

(Usage count: 19 of 23)

Next we turn to Peter, who admonishes us to...

The context of the entire verse (be sober, be self-controlled, withstand Satan, be steadfast in our faith) is 100 percent internal/spiritual in nature.

(Usage count: 20 of 23)

Finally we turn to John, who provides us the final three usages of gregoreo. In the first passage, Jesus is addressing the Church at Sardis, which many believe is the Church that split from the spiritual whoredom of Rome and became associated with the Protestant Reformation.

Sadly, the Church under the Reformation went to sleep, drifting off into dead rituals and empty formality, and that's why Jesus is admonishing them to watch—clearly in the internal/spiritual sense in verse 2.

The word gregoreo in verse 3 could suggest more of an external/physical meaning, where due vigilance in regard to the signs indicating the general time of His return is expected. But it still carries no suggestion that we should be busily trying to figure out the day the Rapture will occur.

(Usage count: 22 of 23)

The final usage of gregoreo in the Bible comes just before the seventh and final bowl judgment is unleashed on the earth, where the bowl judgments come with the sounding of the seventh trumpet and are the last of three rounds of judgments (the first two being the seals and the trumpets).

Just to put this into context, note the next verse:

Armageddon. So we're gearing up for the grand finale, and it will be the most horrible time of destruction in the history of mankind.

In verse 15, however, the phrase "and keeps his clothes" clues us in to the internal/spiritual nature of the watching being referred to. Throughout the Bible, clothes symbolize righteousness (and nakedness the lack thereof). Clearly the admonition here is to watch spiritually and thus be a wise virgin.

Besides, doesn't it seem rather silly to think that people would be trying to pin down the day of the Rapture just before the battle of Armageddon at the climax of the Tribulation, or is it just me?

(Usage count: 23 of 23)

And that's all she wrote for the New Testament's no. 1 "watch" word.

But wait...there's more.

Honorable mention

Before I bring this in for a landing, I want to briefly mention three other passages of Scripture that I have seen people use to try and scratch up some scriptural justification for their attempts to pin down the day of the Rapture, even though none of them specifically mentions watching. I want you to see clearly that such an interpretation is completely unjustified in each case.

1. Matthew 16:1–4 

(See also Luke 12:54–56; Mark 8:11–13.)

In other words, Jesus is excoriating the religious leaders of Israel for their utter failure to observe and properly interpret the signs indicating the general time of the First Advent two thousand years ago. So, the argument goes, Jesus is telling us that we should be busy reading the signs of the times in an effort to figure out the day of the Rapture.

But here's the thing: Jesus held the Jews accountable for knowing the general time frame of His advent, not the exact day. It's a topic for another time, but there is information in the Tanach (Old Testament) that should have enabled them to know the general time of the Messiah's appearance, but they were too absorbed in their own hard-hearted, self-righteous legalism to rightly interpret their own Scripture.

Good luck trying to get Jewish people to admit this today, but there actually were Jews two thousand years ago who did properly interpret their own Scripture, and who were anxiously expecting their Messiah to be revealed around the general time Jesus walked the earth.

2. Titus 2:13 

I've addressed this point in a previous article, and here is an excerpt:

looking for — a form of prosdechomai (to await actively and expectantly; to be prepared to warmly and personally receive the individual or group whose arrival is eagerly anticipated, or to anticipate an approaching event.)

Note that there's nothing here to suggest this word means to attempt to figure out the exact (yet unknown) day that person or group is due to arrive or that event is set to occur. Thus, it's tough to justify interpreting it in such a manner. The word prosdechomai is used 14 times in the New Testament, and not once does it convey such a meaning.

3. Hebrews 10:25 

Notice that the World English Bible I quoted above capitalizes the word "Day" in verse 25. Although most translations don't, therein lies a key point. The majority of commentators see this as a reference to the day of the Lord, when Christ will physically return to judge the nations and set up the Millennial Kingdom on earth. A few see it as a reference to the coming destruction of Jerusalem in AD 70 (the book of Hebrews was written in AD 63–64). But I am not aware of a single commentator who views this as a reference to the day of the Rapture. Of course, that doesn't definitively prove anything...I'm just saying: There's wisdom in a multitude of counselors and all that.

Note also that the context is overwhelmingly spiritual in nature:

"Let's draw near with a true heart in fullness of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience...let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering..."

Clearly no one is being told to try to spot out the day of anything. Besides, even if it were a reference to the day of the Rapture (which it isn't), why in the world would we need to know the exact day to see it approaching? That's what fulfilled prophecy and signs of the times are for—to let us know when it is getting close, to know the season.

And if we can see the day of the Lord approaching (which we certainly can), how much closer must the Rapture be?

Are you a watchman?

A small part of me almost feels like apologizing for dragging you through this, but the fact remains that there are still some misguided folks out there who need to learn what the Bible means and what it doesn't mean when it tells us to watch.

OK gang, put your books away and take out a pencil. Now that we've gotten through the grunt work, it's time for the final quiz:

Q. We just reviewed all 23 of the New Testament's usages of its primary "watch" word gregoreo. Now, think carefully: In how many of those passages of Scripture were we admonished to try to pin down the date of the Rapture? How many of those passages made it clear that we have a responsibility to do our utmost to use every means at our disposal to determine or calculate the exact day of the catching away of the Bride? Take your time.

A. ____________________.

This is a grade-your-own quiz, and here's how it works: If you said "not a single one," congratulations. You pass. (And give yourself full credit if you said zero, zip, zilch, none, nada, nix, naught, nil, or diddly-squat.)

Of course, now that we have a better idea of what the Bible means when it says watch, we have a better idea of what it means to be a watchman.

When the New Testament tells us to watch,
there's a clearly implied cycle of activity:

1. Watch internally/spiritually. First and foremost, we watch our spiritual lives. We remain alert to our spiritual condition and take heed to avoid temptation and sin. We strive to walk circumspectly before the Lord at all times, and lovingly exhort other believers to do the same.

2. Watch externally/physically. Second, we remain watchful in regard to the fulfillment of prophecy and to the signs of the times. We are vigilant in observing and studying the signs that God is revealing, and in so doing cultivate a growing awareness of the fact that the Rapture and other end-time events are drawing near. Not only that, but we seek to impart that awareness to other believers through whatever means the Lord provides. We also seek to warn those around us that prophecies are being fulfilled that are telling us loud and clear that time is indeed running out and that today is the day of salvation.

3. Watch internally/spiritually even harder. Third, we allow our growing sense of awareness of the nearness of the Rapture and other end-time events to motivate us to watch our spiritual lives even more vigilantly and invest even more time and effort in our walk with the Lord, because we are the ones who have been confronted with the stark reality that the Church's time on earth is growing precariously short.

Rinse and repeat.

If you are doing the things I just said,
you are watching. You are a watchman.

On the other hand, there are still deceived individuals out there who seem preoccupied with spinning speculative theories based on the coincidence du jour, and seek to sensationalize date after date for the Rapture. Rather than exhorting other believers to examine themselves and walk circumspectly before God in these last of the last days, they seem intent on passing themselves off as prophecy gurus with an inside track.

And to what end? To edify and encourage other believers? To proclaim the gospel and win the lost to Christ? Uhm...not exactly.

It seems their overriding goal is to amass subscribers to their pathetic YouTube channels. They do their best to get as many sincere believers worked into a lather as possible, only to casually move on to yet another spurious theory when that date slips by and the disappointment sets in.

Such people are not watching. They are not watchmen.

And please don't think I am attacking everyone who dares to put forth reasonable, biblically based speculation on potentially significant time frames for the Rapture. I'm not. Such speculation is a legitimate part of watching because it helps all of us make sense of what God is revealing to us. Properly done, although dates are invariably mentioned and discussed, such study does not attempt to seek, set, or sensationalize specific dates for the Rapture—it informs us and helps us understand what God is revealing to the Church in these last days, and the body of Christ is stronger for their Spirit-led efforts.

Since I'm on the subject, I may as well come right out and say this loud and clear for all to hear. I'm not talking about, for example, Gary and the guys at Unsealed. I'm not talking about Brad over at Revelation 12 Daily, Lu Vega at PostScripts, or any one of a dozen other individuals at other similar sites. I'm not trying to be coy. I'm not trying to hide behind artfully oblique references that could apply to heaven knows who. I'm not talking about dedicated watchmen who study diligently to understand and help others understand the signs God is revealing, and at the same time miss no opportunity to exhort other believers to pursue holiness in their walk with the Lord and boldly proclaim salvation through faith in the shed blood of Jesus Christ for the remission of sin to a lost and dying world that is rapidly running out of chances to hear and respond to God's offer of grace and mercy.

I'm talking about people like this:

Broke Rapture Bible Code! I Now Know the EXACT Day & Hour of Rapture ALL Date Setters Have Missed!

"Jesus Told Me the Date of the Rapture" $PLEASE WATCH$

Event DATE Solved! The RAPTURE occurs in Early 2018!!! FORENSICS

Exact Date of the Rapture Finally Revealed

Jesus told me the New Rapture Date and why I'm NOT a False Prophet

Ad infinitum, ad nauseam. These folks don't just cross the line, they obliterate it. And just in case you were wondering, I didn't make these up. All of the above were taken straight from the first page of returns at YouTube on a search on the key words "rapture date." All I did was correct a couple of minor errors for smoother reading.

This is the kind of satanically inspired nonsense I'm talking about, and I'm sick of it...and I'm especially sick of seeing it inflict spiritual harm on other sincere believers who perhaps aren't quite spiritually mature enough to see the danger.

You heard me—satanically.

Q. Who do you suppose might be behind an orchestrated effort to get as many believers as possible to take their eyes off both the Lord and their spiritual lives and focus all their attention on sensationalized folderol about the date of the Rapture, and in the process become thoroughly distracted from the Master's business, anemic in their witness, and overtaken with frustration, discouragement, and disappointment?

A. The one and only.

And understand why he's doing it: Satan thinks that by weakening the Church he can buy himself precious time.

At the same time, however, I am greatly encouraged by the fact that I am seeing more and more believers these days who are spiritually and scripturally mature enough to simply ignore such distractions, and for that I give God all the praise and glory.

There really are more watchmen out there today, and that's what I pray for the strength and wisdom to be—and I hope you do, too. After all...

Watch is the word.

Greg Lauer — APR '18

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