Matt 24:43-44 says, “But know this, that if the good man of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. Therefore, be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not, the Son of man cometh.”

READINESS is an act of vigilance, which every man with the intention of achieving success must be prepared to abide in order to arrive at the desired result. In Christendom, watchfulness must be the stock in trade of everyone striving to make heaven because the hour and the time the trumpet shall sound for rapture is not known. So, in our preparedness for the kingdom of God and the rapture, which is the second coming of the Son of Man, the Bible admonishes us to be ready at all times. To watch for Christ’s coming, is to maintain that temper of mind, which we would be willing that our Lord should find us in. We know we have but a little time to live and after it judgment, but nobody knows the time fixed for it. Our Lord will be happy with those that shall be found ready, but very dreadful to those that choose the world for their portion in this life.

Matt. 24:36-39 says, “But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. But as the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered into the ark, And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.”

In the above verses, our Saviour declares that the world’s final dissolution on the last day, would be much like the destruction of the old world. They were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage. That is, wholly given up to sensuality and debauchery, and did not know of the floods coming until it swept them away. The reason sinners are drowned in sensuality is because they do not believe the certainty, or consider the proximity of an approaching judgment. To such as are inapprehensive of time of their death and judgment of God, evils will surely meet them suddenly. But to such that are prepared, having in mind to render account of stewardship, death is never sudden.

Matt 25:1-5 and 13 says, “Then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and went forth to meet the bridegroom. 2 And five of them were wise, and five were foolish. 3 They that were foolish took their lamps, and took no oil with them: 4 But the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. 5 While the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept… 13 Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.” The knowledge seeking for attention in the above verses is that the bridegroom represents the Son of man, while the time of the marriage is the coming to judgment; the tarrying is the long and unknown period between His ascension and His return; the virgins represent the waiting church; the wise virgins represent the church members who are always ready, those that are born again whose lights are shining; the oil in their vessels is the means by which their light is supplied.