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Christendom where the light of the gospel has shone and the

truth has been opened up prophetically and otherwise, a

terrible night! The darkness outside, beloved, is increasing in

intensity, and we feel it! The darkness in

Egypt could be felt (Exodus 10: 21), and yet there is

something far worse yet to come upon this scene after the

saints are taken away from it. We are to be affected and

sobered by these things. I think that is where watching comes

in in one aspect. There is quite a bit about watching in

Scripture. The Lord uses the exhortation many times. He says

in Mark 13: 35,

“Watch therefore, for ye do not know when the master of the

house comes—evening, or midnight, or cock-crow, or

morning”. The Lord thus indicates the watches of the night.

And then He says, “Lest coming suddenly he find you

sleeping. But what I say to you, I say to all.

Watch”. So let us be watchers. Many other scriptures might be

adduced. The apostle wrote to the Thessalonians reminding

them that they were sons of light and sons of day (1

Thessalonians 5: 5); their behaviour was to be in keeping with

that, and not like so many in the world who go on with the

things that attach to the night. He also admonishes them,

“Watch and be sober”. That is a salutary word for us.

Then Isaiah 21: 12 goes on, “if ye will inquire, inquire”. So if we

are in a quandary about anything let us enquire; let us seek

God about matters, let us enquire at His hand. Then he says,

“Return, come”. Is there someone here this evening uncertain

as to their position, uncertain as to where the Lord would have

them go, or what He would have them do? Well, enquire about

it, and if the conscience is reached in these things and one

begins to feel that he has lost his way, the word is. Return to

where the Lord would have you be. In Luke 15, when the